| "Watts?" "Hmm?" "I think you should have Dave get rid of Keith, babe." "What for? He's great about keeping the vultures away from my door. And he's very nice." "To you. He LIKES you Wattley. Eric was always nice to me and right there when I needed him to be, until I met Tay. I just saw him as a friend. He might not be as BAD as Eric, Wattley, but he still gives me the creeps and makes me afraid for you." I reached for her hand and squeezed it. "I don't want you to get hurt." I whispered, trying hard not to cry. "Jess.." here she was trying to comfort ME. "I'll be careful. Besides nothing could rip me from Zac's side. I love him so much it's scary.." she said. "You dork! Have you told HIM that..because I don't think he knows.." I told her. "I want to Jess. We've both said the 'L' word. But whenever I try..the words just don't come out right." she said softly. "Just say it Wattley. he loves you and I think he's afraid that you are gonna pick up and take off, either with Keith...or if somebody can give you a better deal than Jakey can." "No. He is not..we talked about that already." she said. "But Wattley, if you haven't told him exactly how you feel. He doesn't wanna hold you back from anything you want to do. He knows he has to be away alot.." I explained. "TELL HIM.." "I will Jess." she said after a long silence. "Jess?" "Huh?" "If I could have had a sister..I would have picked you." she said and squeezed my hand. "I love you too, Wattley. Tell him , dork.." I giggled. "I will, goober. Go to sleep, you're getting married tomorrow." I saw her grin in the darkness. "I know.." I sighed, grinning back. "Nite Jess." "Nite Wattley.." |
| TAYLOR: I was right about not being able to sleep, I tossed and turned most of the night in the room that Jess and I used to share when she lived here with Jake. I was quite sure that didn't help, but Zac and Ike crashed on the couches way before Jake or I could admit we were tired. We threw blankets on them and moved our conversation out on the patio. We talked about alot of things, but mostly Jess and Abbey. I was not surprised to find out that Jake wanted most of the same things with Abbey that I was looking forward to sharing with Jess, and he wanted quite a few children himself. He wound up telling me alot of the things that he felt about his childhood that he still felt he couldn't tell Jessie, because she was still so angry at her mother. I thought he handled it much better than Jess and hoped he'd help her to get through it and see things the way he did, even though she'd gotten the crappier end of the deal. Once we could finally admit to being completely exhausted we went inside, took care of the few beer cans that were left, and headed off to bed. "Help yourself to whatever you need, Tay," he chuckled, "ya lived here long enough to know where everything is anyway." "Thanks man.." I grinned back. |
| So when morning came a few short hours from then, I was up and pacing the place. I made coffee and took a shower, gathered up the rest of my stuff and then shook my brothers, still asleep and snoring on Jake's couches, awake. "Get up you lazy ass drunks.." I teased. "Aww Tay..." Zac groaned. "What time IS it anyway?" "Time to get up, butthead. I'm getting married today.." "DUH!" he groaned again and I laughed. "Jess is nuts..." "Come on Zac..you know mom is probably having a stroke over how the caterers and decorators are setting stuff up..we should at least go over there and save the poor help from the 'wrath of Mom'." "He's right, Zac.." Ike leaned up grinning. "Mom's probably pullin' a Jess and jumping everyone's case.." "Hey...do I smell coffee?" Jake said as he wandered out of his own bedroom. "I could use about a gallon, seeing as how I'm gonna have to deal with my sister's nerves today." he joked. "Jess? Nervous?" I asked, "Only time I ever saw her nervous was when I brought her here to meet my parents.." I couldn't see why in the world she'd be nervous today, excited and imapatient as I was, yes. But not nervous. "Trust me, Tay. She'll be driving the rest of the girls nuts.." he laughed. "Well gimme some of that coffee and let's get this show on the road.." Zac grumbled. "I still think she's nuts.." he grinned at me. They took their turns in the shower, had coffee, got our stuff together and went for breakfast before heading over to my mom's. |
| JESSIE: I woke up and immediately felt sick to my stomach. "Uhhh.." I groaned softly and rolled to my side, trying to forestall the inevitable. Lacey leaned up and stroked my hair back. "Jess? Hey are you alright?" she asked. "Yeah...my stomach is being difficult.." I told her. "Once I hurl I should be fine." "Jessie you haven't been sick in at least a week..if not longer..." "I know, Lace..but I can tell that's all it is..uhh..' I groaned and got to my hands and knees. "I'll be right back." I ran for the bathroom and immediately threw up, then slumped down on the floor and wrapped my arms around my knees and put my head down. "Now you listen here, kiddo.." I said looking at my stomach. "Knock it off right this minute, I plan on marrying your father today come hell or high water and it would help alot if I didn't have to run to the bathroom every five minutes, okay?" I sat for a few more minutes and then slowly got up. "Thank you, sweetie.." I murmured to my belly, patting it, and went in search of Lacey to let her know I was still alive. I didn't have to look hard, I almost ran over the tp of her as I opened the door to find her grinning at me. "It's probably nerves, Jess. Don't blame the poor baby." she giggled. I grinned back at her and hugged her. "Is everyone else up?" "Getting there, kinda hard to sleep through you hurling your guts out though.." "Sorry. Want coffee?" "I'll make it Jess, go take a shower so we can eat breakfast. We have to go get all prettied up you and Tay can finally tie the knot." "Whaddaya mean FINALLY?" I grinned. "You know exactly what I mean. Zac is right, you've been married to each other since the day you met, better make it legal.." she giggled again and patted my tummy. "Oh knock it off.." I laughed batting her hand away. "Get your shower Jess. We'll be late getting our hair done.." "Kay." I took my shower, had coffee while the others took their turms, then got our stuff together and headed for the door. |