So this is the sequel to A forgotten love my other fic, you don't have to have read it however it would allow you to understand what's already happened. I may reference things from the last one too :) Anyway thank you for all the support with the last one, I hope this lives up to expectations! Laura xx
Chapter 1 – It's a new day
It was now only a week until the biggest day of their lives. Neither of them could quite believe how far they had come in such a short space of time. Zoe had been back at work for almost four months and their baby girl Amelia was already 6 months old. The time had flown by for the new parents, yes it had been tough but they wouldn't change a minute of it. Zoe was getting dressed upstairs when Max wandered into the bedroom holding his wide awake daughter. "Someone wanted to see you this morning before you headed off for work." Zoe had decided to go back to work while Max stayed at home for a bit longer to care for Amelia, but it was his last few days at home before going back to the ED. "Good morning gorgeous…" Zoe took her daughter from Max's arms and kissed her forehead.
Max was sitting on the floor with his daughter when someone came to the door. "That'll be your daft uncle and auntie" Max said to his grinning daughter as he picked her up to open the door. "Hey sis, how are you both doing?" Robyn walked in and hugged Max before taking Amelia from his arms. "We're good, couldn't wait to come round and see this little one again!" Lofty smiled as he walked in behind her, "What she said" he laughed. "So what was soo important you needed us to come around?" They were all sitting in the living room when Max bought them in a drink and explained himself. "Well the wedding is in a week and I know Zo's going to get really stressed out with the planning so I was wandering if you would be able to have Amelia at the weekend to give us some time to sort through things?" Robyn smiled "Of course, you didn't need to ask that!" Max looked up at his sister "There is one other thing…"
Zoe was walking into reception when she was greeted by Dylan. "Hey stranger, how is Amelia?" Zoe smiled at her friend as they headed towards their office. "She's fine thank you. It's still strange being back at work without her." Dylan smiled and they both got on with some of the paperwork that they had to sort out by the end of the day. After about an hour there was a knock at the door. Dylan looked up at Zoe as she responded "Come in!" Charlie slowly opened the door and walked in. "Sorry to interrupt you, I was just wandering if you needed me to have Melia tomorrow when you go for your final dress fitting?" Zoe muttered under her breath realising she'd forgotten it was tomorrow. "That would be amazing if you could, I completely forgot about it!" Charlie and Dylan both smiled at each other "What? It's hard remembering you know when you're caring for two children." This made them both laugh again as they realised she was referring to her fiancé as a child. "Okay, I'll get her at 10. Oh and Zoe don't forget that you've also got to go with Max to sort out the rings at the end of the week." She smiled and thanked him before he left them to get on with their work.
It was almost the end of Zoe's shift when she heard everyone's cooing outside at the nurses' station. She got up and left the office to see Max stood with Amelia in her pram. "Hey I wasn't expecting to see you two until I got home." Zoe walked over to Max and kissed him as she looked down at her happy little girl. "Well I thought seeing as it was so nice outside we could go for a walk to meet mummy. Anyway I needed to speak to Tess about something for the wedding." Zoe smiled before returning to her office to get her bag.
Zoe looked down at her desk and noticed the 'to do' list she had written earlier. She decided to quickly read it through again: dress fittings tomorrow, ring shopping Friday, arrange girls to be at hotel and speak to Mum. Zoe read the last one and paused for a moment, considering crossing it off. They hadn't spoken for a few months since her father passed away and Zoe hadn't really moved past it. She knew she had to call her Mum as she hadn't confirmed whether she would be there or not. She chucked the paper into her bag and left to walk home but as she walked out of her office Tess bumped into her. "Oh Zoe glad I caught you. Charlie and I have spoken and decided that we'll look after Amelia for you on your wedding day. We want you both to enjoy the day and not always be worrying so we're happy to watch her for you." Zoe smiled before answering Tess "Did Max ask you to do this, because you don't have to." Tess shook her head "No this was us, he's got something else in mind but that's not for you to know right now!" Tess knew how much Zoe hated surprises and she loved winding her up whenever she had one.
Walking home Zoe had her arm around Max as he pushed their daughter. "So tomorrow you get your dress and then next week we finally get married." Zoe smiled and looked up at Max, "Oh while I remember, you need to be at the hotel for 2 o'clock to check in with Lofty, Charlie, Cal and Ethan. Dylan is going to meet you there later on in the evening once he's finished work." They had decided that all of them would travel to the hotel the day before the wedding as it would make sure they were all there in time for the wedding. Zoe was going out in the morning with her bridesmaids and Tess before heading to the hotel. "Amelia will be with Rita for the night as she insisted on me getting plenty of sleep… And I know you said you didn't mind but you'll be going out that night with all the guys for a mini stag do." Zoe looked straight ahead and could feel Max's eyes on her. They had both agreed to not have anything before the wedding but Zoe couldn't let Max go without it. "Zo, you really didn't have to do that. I was happy to just marry you without all that-" "Tough you're out and all the girls are having a night on the beach." Max smiled knowing that Zoe was going to be doing something too, even if it wasn't official.
Once they got home they let Amelia sleep while they sat on the sofa eating. Zoe was panicking about the wedding but in reality everything had been sorted. The hotel rooms had been booked for all the guests who wanted them, (most guests were travelling to the hotel on the day rather than the night before), Max had sorted out his suit as well as his best man's Lofty, Charlie was also wearing a similar suit as he was giving Zoe away. It had been sorted for Sharice to be with them for a week, and all the bridesmaid's dresses and hair had been sorted. There was no need for transport as everything was happening at the hotel, including the ceremony which was happening on the beach. Zoe didn't realise but Linda and Tess were sorting the decorations for the beach as they had seen something which Zoe had fallen in love with and decided to do it in that way for her. It suddenly hit Zoe that there was one thing they hadn't done "Max we haven't sorted any music out!" but Max just smiled at her "All done. I've even put it on a CD and given to Charlie to look after so that he can take it to the hotel." Zoe looked up at him not sure whether to be happy it was done, or worried about what he'd chosen "I know exactly what you're thinking, and don't worry it'll be fine. I promise!" Zoe laughed and snuggled into Max slowly falling asleep.