Pretty and Pregnant (6 page)

“The baby says yes. What about you, Kimberly? He opened a velvet ring box that held a sparkling pink diamond.”

“Oh my,” she exclaimed. “Yes, oh God, yes!” She cried and Jeremy wiggled the ring onto her ring finger. “I’ll marry you, but you ever try and lie to me about anything ever again, I’ll sick Weenie on you.” She pulled her hand from his grasp and held it slightly away marveling at the rock on her finger. “It’s so pretty and pink,” she said.

“Well, you are pretty and pregnant.”

Chapter Ten

The next day Kimberly was standing in her living room while Corrine measured her. “It’s a good thing you’re getting married tomorrow otherwise these measurements won’t be right.”

“Tell me again how I’m going to have a wedding dress by tomorrow?”

“I got it. Don’t worry. I had a few designs lying around. I was thinking about doing a whole maternity line. I have a seamstress working her fingers to the bone and she’s not even from China,” she winked.

I grimaced. “Is she over eighteen at least?”

She feigned outrage. “Like I’d trust some kid to sew your dress. It would seem your senior aged neighbors are quite handy at sewing. There’s a sewing club at the local church, too.”

Kimberly’s mouth opened, but no words formed. “Hopefully not Mrs. Barry,” she rasped out.

Corrine waved a hand, “Aw, she’s not so bad once she has a few beers in her. Plus, she’s not the one sewing. Mrs. Peacock is and closely supervised by her sister, Mrs. Canary.”

Kimberly paused. She didn’t know if it was a good thing or bad thing that her neighbors were sewing her dress. Not that it mattered as long as it was done on time. Her nerves were bad enough with the upcoming nuptials. She just hoped that everything went off without any issues.

Corrine broke through Kimberly’s thoughts. “Are your parents coming to the wedding?”

“They said they were, but I haven’t heard from them since I called my mother and gave her the details.” She patted her belly. “I’m a little nervous about the wedding. Jeremy professed his love, but is he really ready for a ready made family?”

Corrine led Kimberly to the kitchen table that was next to her standing iron furnace. The table was round and old as were most of the furnishings.

After a few minutes of silence Corrine offered, “Don’t be nervous. I knew you were in love with Jeremy when I met you. No pregnant woman that I know of looks at a man like that.”

Kimberly gazed into Corrine’s eyes. “I have been hiding it for so long now, but this marriage thing is going at warp speed. Here Jeremy and I expressed our love for each other and then, wham.” She slapped her hands together. “He lied to me about the conditions of the advertising deal. What if he lies to me again?”

Corrine moved restlessly in her seat. “I told him to tell you the truth when I found out and he did. He told you the truth. What more do you want, a blood oath?”

Kimberly sniffled. “No, but we don’t have to get married now.” She frowned, “We have all the time in the world.”

Corrine glanced toward Kimberly’s stomach. “Oh no you don’t. That bun in the oven says otherwise.”

“Maybe I should talk Jeremy out of this. I mean, what if I’m not the woman for him?”

Corrine rocked back on her chair. “If a man wants to make an honest woman of you, then you should let him.”

“But it’s not his responsibility!”

Jumping to her feet Corrine stated, “If you let this man go, I’m going to cry. I’d do anything to have a man tell me that he loved me from the first moment he met me. That only happens in books. Embrace this moment and live the dream.”

“My dreams died when the double pink lines came into play,” Kimberly patted her belly. 

“That’s ridiculous, Kimberly!” Corrine spat. “Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you’re dead, or that you can’t still fall in love.” She grinned. “Jeremy loves you and that’s all that should matter.”

“I know, but his whole family is going to be at the wedding.” She bit her lip. “What if they don’t like me or th
e
situatio
n
?”

“A baby isn’t a situation. It’s just a baby.”

“Yeah, one that doesn’t belong to the man I’m marrying.”

Corrine gave Kimberly a sharp look. “If it doesn’t bother him, why does it bother you so much?”

Kimberly drummed her fingernails on the table. “In fairy tales, the prince doesn’t haul a pregnant woman off into the sunset.” She stood and yawned. She knew Corrine was right, but was it wrong to be bothered about Jeremy not being the baby’s father?

“This isn’t a fairy tale, book or movie here. This is real life. A unique modern romance where two people simply fell in love.” She paused and gazed out the patio windows.

Kimberly wrung her hands. “I know you’re right, but—”

Corrine cut in with, “Quit with the ‘buts’ already. You’re getting married tomorrow and Jeremy’s family will love you too. You did say he was adopted, right? And they accepted him with open arms, treating him like one of their own.”

“Yes.”

“Okay then, they’ll welcome this baby the same way. It’s not like you have to worry about the baby’s dad showing up and causing trouble.”

A lump formed it Kimberly’s throat. “True, but what if the local gossips turn against me?”

Corrine grabbed Kimberly’s hand and pulled her toward the patio doors. “Look,” she pointed out the door and toward Lake Huron. The waves lapped the beach slowly and the sun shone. “It’s a beautiful day and tomorrow you’ll be married to Jeremy.”

Kimberly smiled and winked. “I’m not so sure how the wedding night is gonna go, but I’m happy that I’m marrying the man of my dreams.” She hated to admit to herself that she really loved Jeremy with all of her heart, because it scared her. She owed herself and her baby a happy home. Jeremy would be a great dad. That much she knew.

An insistent knock at the door dragged her from her thoughts. She moved about and crossed the room. When she opened the door, she squealed in delight. “Mom!” she cried, tears cascading down her flushed cheeks. “I didn’t think you’d make it here.”

“What am I, chopped liver?” Kimberly’s dad exclaimed as he walked inside followed by her mom. As he spotted Corrine he asked, “Who’s the looker?”

“Corrine, meet my parents Hal and Bethany Steele,” Kimberly said. “Corrine is the woman that hired me as a spokes model for the Pretty and Pregnant lotion line.”

Bethany clasped her hands together and hugged Corrine. “You’re so pretty.”

Corrine ran one hand through her blond hair. “Thanks. If Kimberly hadn’t told me you’re her mother, I’d have thought you were her sister.”

Bethany flipped her dark hair behind her ears, exposing apple cheeks that were sun kissed. Her tan cropped pants revealed shapely calves and her painted toenails peeked out from the sandals she wore. Bethany rubbed her hand over her sunburned skin that was uncovered from the white button up top she wore. “It feels so good to be off the road.”

Hal was dressed in blue jean shorts held up with red suspenders. His wife beater tee displayed the words, Harley Davidson. He took off his sneakers and they moved to the kitchen. He whipped open cupboards and frowned. “What are you living on, love?” he asked.

Kimberly sighed. “I’m getting married tomorrow so I saw no sense in buying groceries.”

Bethany eyed Kimberly’s bulging belly. “May I?” When Kimberly nodded, she placed her hands on Kimberly’s belly. “Hello baby. I’m your grandma,” she said. Her face lit up when the baby moved. “Wow, do you know what you’re having yet?”

“Nope, it’s gonna be a surprise, but let’s talk about the wedding.” She moved into the living room. “It’s gonna be a small ceremony at St. Mathew’s with a modest reception at the beach.”

Bethany clapped her hands. “Sounds great. Who’s paying?”

“Jeremy is paying for everything. I won’t have any money flow until the modeling gig starts.”

“I see,” Hal said smiling. “I love him already. He better take good care of you and my grandchild. I’m not too impressed with men with money. I hope he’s no snob.”

“He’s not. He’s wonderful,” gushed Kimberly.

***

St. Mathew’s was a small Lutheran church in Redwater, its plain white painted sides and lonely steeple were not much to look at, but inside, the multicolored stain glass windows were a sight to see. With only two rows of twelve pews it was considered the smallest church in town. Redwater was a small town with many churches, boasting three: one Catholic, one Baptist and one Lutheran.

Kimberly nervously stood as both her mom and Corrine were squeezing her into a pink wedding dress.

“It’s not gonna fit,” Kimberly whined.

“Sure it will,” Mrs. Barry said. “The bird girls made it for you, and they are the b-best seamstresses in all of Michigan,” she belched.

Ignoring Mrs. Barry, Kimberly relaxed as the soft satin fabric was adjusted and pulled into place. “I want to see,” Kimberly said.

“Not yet,” came the response.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity, Kimberly was led to the full-length mirror. She sucked in her breath as she gazed at her reflection. The satin gown was folded at the top and rested on her shoulders and was pressed close to her growing abdomen, then flowed to the ground. Her pink sky high heels were the only thing stopping the dress from dragging on the floor. Tiny birds where affixed to the hemline with a larger one attached to the veil. Kimberly’s mother had pulled her hair upward and secured it with a blue barrette, thus the something blue.

“I-I need something borrowed,” Kimberly called out.

She searched the room until Mrs. Barry stumbled forward. “Here,” she held out her antique bracelet. It was silver with tiny flowers encrusted on it. “Thanks, b-but—”

“Don’t ‘but’ me, Missy. You can just give it to me later. It’s not like I’m giving it to you,” Mrs. Barry rasped. “Since your wedding gown was sewn by those two old bird sisters, you’ll have your something old,” she belly laughed.

Turning to Mrs. Peacock and Mrs. Canary who just entered the room Kimberly said, “The dress is so beautiful. Thank you all so much.”

“You are a vision in pink for sure,” Mrs. Peacock said.

“I don’t think we have ever seen you wear anything but pink before,” Mrs. Canary added, dabbing at a tear with a tissue.

“Hey now, no crying or I’m gonna cry and the bride isn’t supposed to cry at her own wedding.” Kimberly stomped a foot. “Where is Weenie?”

Kimberly looked out the window where she spotted Weenie on the lawn, and in that moment, was doing what dogs do best. Poop on the lawn. Kimberly’s jaw jacked open. “Oh, will someone go get him before anyone sees what he’s doing out there?” she pointed toward the window.

Mrs. Peacock ambled out the door with Mrs. Canary hot on her heels. Weenie was supposed to be the ring bearer for the wedding and Jeremy’s niece Katie, who was five, was the flower girl. She skipped into the room just then dressed in a white floor length satin dress. Her dark hair was pulled up into a ponytail atop her head and her curls cascaded downward resting on her shoulders.

Katie slapped her round cheeks with both hands. “You’re so beautiful.”

“Thanks, Katie.”

Katie skipped back out of the room and Jeremy’s sister Betsy, entered with an older couple she hadn’t met yet. Betsy was also dressed in a white satin gown as she agreed to be the maid of honor. The truth was, most of Kimberly’s friends had all gone off to college last fall and they had lost touch. When Kimberly found out she was pregnant, she kept herself closer to home when she wasn’t working.

The man in a grey tweed suit introduced himself. “I’m Martin Preston, Jeremy’s father.” He rubbed a hand over his grey receding hairline and motioned toward the stunning older female who accompanied him. “This is my wife and Jeremy’s mother, Frances.”

She clasped her hands with Kimberly’s and gazed down at her abdomen in wonder, and then met Kimberly’s eyes. “Jeremy told us, well, about everything and I think it’s great.”

“Jeremy has always been a stand up guy,” Martin added. “He’d take in every lost puppy in town if he could when he was a kid.”

Kimberly’s cheeks reddened.

“Ignore him. He’s an old fool,” Frances began. “Jeremy loves you and that’s all that matters.”

Martin’s words, although unintended to be harsh, felt that way to Kimberly. Why had he told them? Then again, how could he not since they might presume that her baby was his.

“I love him too, but I did try to tell him we could wait until after the baby is born to wed.”

Frances waved a hand in the air. “Nonsense, you’ll be way too busy then, honey. I remember the moment when Betsy was born, she was so beautiful that I cried.”

“I thought Jeremy was adopted?”

“He was, but then I got pregnant with Betsy a few years later. I was shocked.”

Martin cut in with, “We never treated Jeremy any different from Betsy. He’s just as much our son as Betsy is our daughter.”

Kimberly swallowed a lump that formed
.
How sweet was that? If Jeremy had been treated that way as a child, surly he’d treat her baby like his ow
n
, thought Kimberly.

“Jeremy is going to be thunderstruck when he sees you at the alter.” Francis added. They excused themselves and Kimberly strolled back to the mirror. She gazed at her image and wished she wasn’t pregnant for a minute, but then the baby moved and tears dotted her eyes. She was happy that she was having a baby and couldn’t wait until she met him or her.

A male voice broke into her thoughts and as she turned, she saw Clive who snapped a picture. He went to her side and pressed a bottle of lotion into her hands. “Pretty and Pregnant” it said in curvy bold lettering with a picture of a cartoon girl with long flowing blond hair and pregnant looking abdomen leaning against a deck. And the image looked just like her. “How?” Kimberly gasped.