Page 18 of Our Little Wedding

Once dinner was over, I gave Nikki a bath and got her tucked into bed while Spencer went over some reports, then I too got into my pajamas. I took a few minutes and cleaned up the kitchen while I made a cup of tea and then settled into the living room, resting my head as my favourite jazz album played over the stereo. My dad would be returning from his trip with Jane tonight. I was excited to see him in the morning.

I looked down at my hands while sitting on the couch and noticed my fingers were swollen. I pulled at my engagement ring, finally feeling it slip from my finger, and set it on the sidetable. Spencer and I had talked about when to tell him about the baby. We’d agreed to do it before the wedding, and we figured that once they returned from their trip, and we’d seen the OB/GYN, we’d tell them. That way, Jane could help with Carly’s baby shower.

Spencer came upstairs and glanced in the living room at me. “I’m just gonna grab a coffee. I fear it’s going to be a late night for me,” he sighed. “I still have a lot of things to go over.”

“I’d offer to help, but I’m exhausted, so I’ll probably crawl into bed soon,” I replied, getting up and following him into the kitchen where I ran my swollen hands under water and dried them. “I hate going to bed alone,” I said, wrapping my arms around his waist and pressing my body into his back. My hands traveled down to his hips, and I was just about to run my hand over the bulge I already knew was growing when the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it,” I said, releasing my hold on him.

“Just check who it is first,” he cautioned.

“I will.” I walked to the door and glanced out the side window to see my father standing there. I pulled the door open and opened my arms, expecting a hug. Instead, he pushed past me and stormed into the house, shutting the door behind him.

“Where is he?” he demanded. “I think I might kill him this time.”

The crazed look on his face scared me. “Dad, what is it? What’s wrong?” I questioned, my heart beating hard in my chest. I looked down at his hand to see a torn, open envelope.

My stomach churned at the thought of what that envelope contained, and I silently hoped it wasn’t the invitation to the baby shower.

“Ainsley, what is it?” Spencer demanded, coming out of the kitchen, alarm in his voice.

“I really hope this is some kind of sick joke.” My father’s voice boomed throughout the entryway as he threw down the envelope he’d been carrying. I instantly recognized it as the envelope that had contained the baby shower invitation.

Carly had promised me she wouldn’t give Dad his until later. Why would she have done this I wondered and then it hit, I’d sent her with some mail we’d had for him, and maybe it was accidentally put in his mailbox along with the other envelopes.

“Jon, just come in and we will talk this through,” Spencer said, trying to calm my father down.

“How dare you? Is this what this wedding is about?” my father demanded.

“Jon, please, let’s just talk about this like grown adults,” Spencer repeated, keeping his voice at a level tone.

My dad glared at Spencer and then looked at me, disappointment flooding his face. Then he climbed up the stairs and followed Spencer into the kitchen. I’d just stepped into the kitchen while Spencer was getting ready to pour a coffee for my father when I remembered I hadn’t ripped down the banner Spencer and Nikki had made. I did my best to grab my father’s attention, but he’d already seen the banner, his face growing serious and angry.

“What the hell is that?” he questioned, looking toward the banner.

Immediately, I looked at Spencer, and I covered my mouth to keep the sobs from starting. Spencer gently shook his head, telling me not to say anything as he approached the table.

“Jon, we need to talk,” he said.

“No shit, we need to talk. I agreed to you guys dating, and now marriage. However, I feel like you both have blindsided me once again. Now a baby and then this?” he said, pointing to the colourful banner that only a couple of hours ago had brought me joy.

“Daddy, please…”

“Don’t Daddy me,” my father said, turning his glaring eyes on me.

“Spencer is a good man.” I cried.

Spencer reached for me and pulled me in behind him, protecting me from a man I’d known my entire life.

“He wants to marry you for all the wrong reasons, Ainsley. He knows I’d kill him if he impregnated you and then left you to raise that baby all on your own. Isn’t that right, Spencer?” my father screamed.

“That is true, Jon. You would kill me. However, that isn’t what this is. I’m in love with her. Yes, she is pregnant, and yes, we are getting married, but I planned to ask her to marry me before I even knew about the baby. We bought a house, one we can call our own, but not one of these things has anything to do with one another.”

“How would I know that? There seems to be no truth to any of this!” my father shouted. “You know, this is all just going way too fast. Young lady, you need to move back home this minute. I will not allow you to ruin your life. Now go get your things.”

My throat got tight, and tears streamed down my face. I was finding it hard to breathe and began panicking at the thought of losing Spencer and Nikki again. I grabbed hold of Spencer’s arm as I fought to control the panic I was feeling. Dizziness was setting in.

“Stop it, Ainsley. I will not allow you to move away with this man. I should have stuck to my decision last year. I should have forced you to quit your job. I’m guessing the flu was really morning sickness! I knew I should have immediately made you see the doctor. I never dreamed…”

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