Chapter 7
"I'm so tired." Kylie complained resting her head against the arm rest of the couch.
"Take a nap." Nick replied casually.
The two were interrupted by Dalton walking into the room.
"What's up?" Dalton asked as he plopped down in an arm chair.
"Just got home for the doctor." Kylie answered.
"How'd it go?"
"We got to see the baby." She said getting excited as she handed Dalton the ultra sound picture forgetting all about being tired for the moment.
"Too cool." Dalton said as the examined the picture of his niece or nephew.
"I'm gonna go take a nap." Kylie rose from the couch, gently touching Nick on the shoulder as she passed by him.
"Did you tell the girls yet?" Dalton asked Nick.
"About the baby and getting married?"
"Yeah."
"Mom told them yesterday." Nick remarked as he continued to read through his text book. Dalton took note
Kylie laid down on the bed and it didn't take her long to drift off to sleep. She woke up several hours later, groggily looking at the bedside alarm clock reading 4:15 in big red numbers. She threw the blanket back and sat up slinging her legs off the side of the bed in the process. She wiped the sleep from her eyes as she stood up, stretching along the way.
She made her way downstairs to look for Nick. She checked the living room but didn't see him there so she moved on to the kitchen. It didn't appear to her that anyone was home. She found a note on the kitchen counter.
Kylie, Gone for a run. Be back soon. Love, Nick.
She laid the note back down on the counter and turned her attention to the fridge, her stomach reminding her that'd she'd slept through lunch. She pulled an apple from the drawer in the fridge and wandered into the living room flipping on the tv on her way to the couch. She flipped through channels not really finding anything of interest.
"Hey. How was your nap?" Nick asked rushing through the front door, clothes soaked with sweat and his damp hair clinging to his forehead.
"Good." She remarked. "I feel sorta better."
"I'm glad." Nick leaned in for a kiss but Kylie stopped him by placing her hands on his chest and pulling away as she made a disgusted face.
"You need a shower." Nick laughed as he backed away.
"Alright, alright. I'll go get a shower." He started up the stairs but stopped and turned back. "After I have something I want to talk to you about."
"Ok." Kylie responded not sure what Nick wanted to talk about. "Anything I need to worry about?"
"No, nothing bad." Nick disappeared up the stairs. A few minutes later Kylie heard water running in the shower. She decided she'd go ahead upstairs and wait on Nick, she was curious as to what he wanted to talk about.
When Nick came back into his room he found Kylie laying on his bed reading a book. "Anything good?"
"It seems pretty interesting."
"What is it?" He craned his neck trying to see the cover of the book.
She flashed the front cover at him before speaking, "Emergency Medical Technician: Crash Course."
Nick looked at her slightly confused. "I thought you were going to be a paralegal?"
"Changed my mind. This is way more interesting."
"You sure that's what you want to do?"
"Yeah." She said sitting up and laying the book down. "There's so many different avenues I can take with this. Start out as an EMT and who knows, one day I may even be a doctor."
"That'd be something." He smiled. "My wife, the doctor."
"Oh, you like that?" Nick smiled as he leaned down and kissed her, this time she welcomed his kiss. He broke the kiss and sat down in front of her on the bed. "So, what'd you want to talk to me about?"
"I was offered a job with the Dallas Police Department." He began. "I put the application in a few weeks ago, thought it would be a good start since I am majoring in Criminal Justice."
"Your major is for forensics though, right?" Kylie asked not understanding.
"Yeah, yeah it is. Having a background in law enforcement helps when I graduate and apply to the crime lab."
"Ok." Kylie said nervously. "Just promise me you'll be careful? I can't raise our baby alone."
"I promise." He said as he kissed her again, this time Kylie wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer, his hands fell to her hips. He broke their kiss and looked her in the eye before speaking. "I want you but…"
"We shouldn't." Kylie finished the sentence for him. Nick nodded his head in agreement before he reluctantly pulled away.
After dinner Nick and Kylie decided it would be a good time to sit down and talk to his parents about their living situation. They all sat down in the living room, making them selves comfortable before Nick brought up the conversation.
"Mom, Dad, Kylie and I have something we'd like to talk to you about." Nick began. "Obviously living in the dorms isn't going to work once the baby is born." Nick glanced at Kylie. "We were wondering…"
"Just stay here." Bill interjected.
"As long as you need." Jillian added.
"Thank you." Kylie said. "You've both done way more that you should have and I just want you to know how grateful I am." Nick placed his arm around Kylie.
"I have a job offer, we've talked about it and I'm going to accept it. I'll still be going to school to finish my degree."
"That's great son. What's the job?" Bill inquired.
"The Dallas Police Department."
"Doing what?" Jillian questioned.
"A patrol officer."
"How are you going to attend the academy while you're in school?"
"I'm going to have to take some time off of this semester. I've already made arrangements with my instructors." Nick explained. "I can pick the classes back up next semester. Right now, the most important thing is that I'm able to care and provide for my family."
"Well son, sounds like you have it all worked out." Bill said as he leaned back in his chair and smiled.
"I can't believe you're getting married today!" Madi squealed.
"Calm down." Kylie said as she turned to the mirror to put her earrings in.
"I'm just so excited for you. Getting married, having a baby."
Kylie smiled at her friend. She was lucky. She had an amazing fiancé, who would be her husband in about an hour. They may not have had everything figured out and Lord knew everything had not gone the way they'd wanted it to, but their life was shaping up pretty well. She never expected to get pregnant or married so young, but she was glad it had happened. She was glad she had found such an amazing guy like Nick. And his family. They had been so good to her. His parents taking her in after her parents were killed. His sisters and brother accepting her as part of their family. The thought of it all overwhelmed her. She looked in the mirror again as the tears welled up in her eyes. She never would figure out what she did to deserve such loving people in her life.
"Hey don't cry!" Madi scolded. "You'll mess up your make up before you ever walk down the aisle and I worked so hard on it." With that both girls laughed. There was a knock at the door as Jillian stepped in.
"You look absolutely lovely." She said as she bent down to hug her soon to be daughter-in-law. "I brought something for you." She held out a necklace.
"That's beautiful." Kylie remarked.
"My mother gave me this on my wedding day. I thought I would pass it on to you." Jillian said as she placed the necklace around Kylie's neck and fastened the clasp.
"Thank you. I really don't know what to say."
"You needn't say anything dear. All I ask is that you love and take care of my son."
"That part is easy." Kylie said with a smile. Jillian smiled back at her before turning to leave the room. A few minutes later Aubrey rushed in.
"Are you ready?"
"I think so." Kylie replied nervously.
"Everything is going to go great. Deep breath." Aubrey encouraged.
Kylie took a deep breath, looked at her best friend and then her almost sister-in-law. "Ok, let's get married."
The two girls ushered Kylie out into the hallway. They could hear the music start playing. Kylie knew that was their que. Madi walked first, then Aubrey, followed by Cassie, Laura, Ashley and Danielle. Once they were all in place, Kylie took her walk. Everyone stood as she made her way down the aisle. All eyes were on her but the only person she saw was Nick. At that moment no one else mattered. She could see his eyes tear up as she drew closer to him. He smiled at her and she smiled back. Soon they were hand in hand standing at the altar.
"Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to witness…" The preacher began. Kylie barely heard a word he was saying. Her attention was on Nick and her heart felt like it was going to beat right out of her chest. Nick must have sensed her nervousness, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze and smiled at her.
"Nick, repeat after me." The preacher began. "I, Nick, take you, Kylie, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part." Nick repeated the phrase.
"Kylie, repeat after me." He said turning his attention to her. "I, Kylie, take you, Nick, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part." Kylie repeated the phrase.
"May I have the rings please." Bill handed the ring over to the preacher as did Madi. "Let these rings be a symbol of your unconditional love for one another. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate. Now repeat after me. I give this ring in pledge of my love and devotion with this ring I thee wed."
Nick repeated the quote as he slipped the ring onto Kylie's finger. And then Kylie in turn did the same.
"With the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife." The preacher said. "You may now kiss your bride."
Nick wrapped his arms around Kylie's waist and pulled her close as he gave her a deep and passionate kiss. Kylie's arms naturally laced around his neck. Everyone in the audience cheered. Nick finally broke the kiss.
"Introducing for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Stokes." The preacher said as the newly wed couple turned to make their exit. They walked down the aisle first and then the wedding party followed suit before the rest of the guest left their seats to mingle and congratulate the happy couple.
After talking to everyone the couple finally made their way around back for the reception. Everyone had really gone above and beyond to make their day special and memorable. The backyard had lights strung through the trees. Each table was covered in a lace white table cloth with white and pale pink roses in small vases with tea light candles for center pieces. They had even set up a dance floor.
"I can't believe how beautiful this all turned out to be." Kylie admired as she looked around at her surroundings.
"Mom and the girls went all out." Nick remarked as he led Kylie towards the dance floor for their first dance. He held her close as they swayed to the soft music. After the dance was over, Bill walked up to Nick and handed him an envelope.
"What's this?" Nick questioned.
"A wedding gift from your mother and I."
Nick opened the envelope to find two airline tickets and a receipt. He pulled the receipt out and read it. 'All-expense paid in full.'
"Enjoy your trip." Bill smiled as he patted his son on the shoulder and walked away.
Nick handed the envelope to Kylie. "What's this?"
"Mom and Dad are sending us to the Bahamas for a week." He replied. "Our flight leaves in the morning."
"Guess we need to pack?"
"Yeah, yeah we do." He smiled.
The couple visited, danced and celebrated with their guest for hours before making their departure. Nick opened the door and helped Kylie into the car making sure her dress was out of the way before closing the door. He hoped into the driver's seat and they drove off waving as everyone as they departed.
Bill and Jillian had also included reservations for a hotel room near the airport for their wedding night.
"I can't believe your parents did all of this." Kylie said as Nick turned onto the highway.
"I wasn't expecting this." Nick said referring to the trip and the hotel room.
They rode the rest of the way in a comfortable silence until Nick pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. "I'll go get us checked in."
Kylie waited for him in the car. A few minutes later he came out holding two hotel keys. He pulled the car around to the side of the building nearest their room then rushed around the car to open the door for his new bride.
"Aren't you going to get our bags?" Kylie asked.
"I'll come back for them." He said as he opened the room door then turned to Kylie, picked her up and carried her into their room, laying her down on the bed. She smiled at him.
"Well aren't you the romantic." He didn't say anything he just kissed her.
After he pulled away he finally spoke, "Guess we don't have to sneak around any more now that you're my wife." He loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt before slipping his jacket off and hanging it on the back of a nearby chair.
"Guess not." Kylie replied as she kicked off her shoes and laid back on the bed watching Nick.
He took his tie off and tossed it across the top of his coat as he kicked his shoes off. He moved back to the bed untucking his shirt before lying down beside Kylie. He propped himself up on one arm as his eyes roamed over her.
Kylie wasn't sure why he was being so reserved all of a sudden. He'd never been shy with her in the bedroom before. And then the realization hit her, they hadn't had sex since she found out she was pregnant. "It's ok ya know." Her words broke Nick from his trance.
"What's ok?"
"We can have sex, it's not gonna hurt anything."
Nick didn't say anything but Kylie could tell he still wasn't comfortable with the idea just yet. He laid his hand on her belly.
"Nicky, it's been months and it's our wedding night." She pleaded.
He looked at her for a brief moment and inhaled deeply before he finally leaned forward kissing her. She laced her fingers into his hair pulling him closer. He slid his hand under her back working the zipper on the back of her dress down until it was completely unzipped.
"Sit up." He instructed as he leaned back giving her room to move. As she set up he pushed the top of her dress down to her waist, she took that as her clue to lie back down and he slid the dress the rest of the way down her legs, finally discarding it on the floor leaving her in nothing but her bra and panties. "I think you're more beautiful now than the first time." He whispered as he covered her body with his own, enveloping her mouth with his once again.
As their tongues battled for dominance she slowly started working the buttons loose on his shirt after she'd unhooked the last one she slid the shirt over his shoulders and down his arms before tossing it on top of her dress.
She made quick work of unbuckling his belt and unsnapping the snap on his pants as his hand glided down her torso and into her panties. She opened her legs giving him full access as his finger traced along her folds. When he brushed against her clit she let out a soft moan. He reached his free hand under her again, this time to unclasp the hook on her bra, pulling it loose and tossing it to the floor with the rest of their clothes.
"I'm really going to miss you." Kylie said as she said on the edge of the bed watching Nick pack his bags.
"I'll miss you too." He paused long enough to give her a quick kiss. "But it'll only be a few weeks and I'll see you on the weekends."
Kylie sighed and looked down at her growing belly.
"What's wrong?" Nick asked gently.
"Nothing." Kylie smiled.
"Liar." He teased.
"I feel like I'm doing most of this by myself since you're going to be away a lot."
Nick gently lifted her chin so she was looking up at him. "I know this part sucks, but it'll be worth it, I promise."
Kylie gave him a smile.
