“Don’t be so traditional,” Annie replied. “It doesn’t become you.”
Elle wasn’t listening to them.
She was thinking about Prentice and being married.
Having his ring on her finger (again). Belonging in his house. Belonging in his life. Belonging to his children.
Belonging to him.
For always.
She remembered the first time he’d asked and how happy she’d been.
No, not happy, ecstatic, thrilled, overjoyed, over the moon.
This time, older, wiser (both of them) and sensing the beauty of their lives, rather than youthfully expecting it, she wasn’t over the moon.
She was…
There were no words to describe it.
“Married,” she repeated, still whispering.
“Bella?” Annie called but Bella’s eyes remained on the speakerphone.
“Mikey?” she asked softly, “do you think I’ll have my fairytale?”
There was silence for a moment before Mikey replied, “Girlie-girl, of anyone I’ve ever known, except Annie who already got hers, you’re due.”
She was due.
Boy, was she due.
Elle grinned at Annie.
Annie grinned back.
“Hello! What’s happening?” Mikey shouted, Annie and Elle giggled and shortly after they let Mikey go back to sleep and they went shopping.
Prentice called while Elle was in the changing room of the posh clothing shop, about to step into the fourth dress she’d tried on but having a stack of sweaters, jeans and blouses that were in her “to buy” pile.
When she saw his name on the phone, she panicked.
How did she answer? “Hello, Prentice,” or “Hey there,” or “What’s up, Pren?”
She went with, “Hi,” and felt like an idiot.
Proof positive that it was too soon to tell the children she was moving in. She didn’t even know how to answer the phone when Prentice called!
“Baby,” he replied in his soft voice that did sweet, funny things to her system and she immediately stopped feeling like an idiot.
Elle shook off those sweet, funny things and asked, “Is everything okay?”
“Aye. We’ve a booking for six. I’ll be home at quarter to. Can you have the children ready?”
Instantly, Elle was unsure.
She knew what her ready meant but what did his ready mean?