Chapter Twenty Four
Two weeks later, it was a Saturday. Reid's 18th birthday. Everything was going to go as planned.
During the two weeks that they were all dreading, they knew they all couldn't stay out of school without anyone being suspicious, so they just remained cautious and stayed close to one another.
Tyler is kind of warming up to the fact that Carly and Reid are back together. But he still has that fear in the back of his mind that Reid will still eventually hurt her.
Around noon, everyone was at Reid's place getting the decorations set up for the big shindig.
Carly saw Pogue and Caleb trying to put balloons and streamers on the walls by hand struggling, when she laughed and said "You know… you could just Use to fix this problem…" shrugging her shoulders and walking out of the room.
"Just a little suggestion." she yelled walking up the stairs.
Pogue and Caleb looked at each other, shrugged, then Used to fix all the decorations on the ceilings and walls.
Sarah and Kate walked in there. "Nice." said Kate looking around the room.
"So when is everyone supposed to be here?" asked Sarah.
"About 8-ish." Caleb said looking at his watch.
A few minutes later, Tyler walked in with more decorations and said "Here put these up too."
Pogue and Caleb groaned. Then Used and fixed the rest of the decorations thru out the whole house.
"Much better. You guys should be like… interior decorators or party planners." Kate said with a silly grin.
"Yeah!" Sarah said sounding all excited.
"I don't think so." Caleb said with a little laugh.
"Well… we do know how to put together a mean party." said Pogue.
"Not helping Pogue… but it's a chicks job." said Caleb.
Sarah, Kate, and Tyler just laughed at them.
Carly went looking for Reid. She found him outside his room on the balcony looking out at scenery. He let out a big sigh.
"Are you okay, babe?" she asked rubbing his back.
"I'm just worried about tonight… If everything is going to go right." He turned to face her. "Because Bella if anything happened to you or the baby --"
Carly put her finger to his lips and said "Don't think like that. Think positive. Me and the baby will be just fine." she said.
"But we don't know what Chase is capable of… and I am scared. Scared for all of us. Scared for you." he confessed.
"Reid… my plan is going to work. Then we'll be rid of him forever. Then everything can go back to normal." she said looking into his eyes trying to assure Reid a little even though she had a bad feeling something might go wrong.
He gave her a weak smile, slid his hand down her face, gave her a hug, and said "I hope so."
After a few seconds into the hug, Reid whispered "Jacob."
She let go, looked at him funny, and said "What?"
"Jacob." he said as he put his hand on her belly. "Let's name him Jacob."
"Him? What if it's a girl? I mean it's a little too early to tell what it is" she said.
"It will be a boy… I know it." he said.
"Well… if you say so… I like Jacob… that's cute. Okay." she said with a smile.
"Good." he said.
"Jacob what?" she asked putting her hand over Reid's still holding onto her belly.
"Well… I will let you pick the middle name. Anything you want." he said.
"Anything?" she asked with a smirk.
"Well… within reason. I mean my son isn't having a crazy weird name." he said with a laugh.
"Okay… okay. I'll think of one then let you know." she said.
"Okay… but remember… nothing crazy." he said giving her another hug.
"Alrighty then." she said.
Carly and Reid walked in where everyone else was at. Carly looked around and said "You guys should get paid for doing this… it looks nice."
"See… guys. We told you." said Kate.
"No… Kate." said Caleb.
"But…" said Sarah.
Pogue and Caleb just glared at Kate and Sarah.
"Alright… alright." Kate said laughing.
"We give up." said Sarah laughing as well.
While the girls were upstairs getting dressed, Carly put on her outfit. It was: a cute brown halter top dress, sitting a few inches above her knee, with pink flower designs all over. She wasn't exactly sure why she was wearing the dress anyway. She just wanted to look nice for Reid at his birthday.
"You look hot mama!" yelled Kate.
"Are you sure? I think I should change." she said as she was going into the closet.
Sarah grabbed her arm and said "Nope. You are going to go out there, have a good time wearing that." she smiled.
"Besides Carly… you wont be able to wear stuff like that for long." Kate said pointing to her belly.
"True." said Carly
"But look at you… Pregnancy sure has helped out your boobs. They're like… Bam! In your face." Kate giggled as she was checking out Carly's rack.
Carly looked down at them and laughed. "I guess that is one of the plus sides of having a child. Ginormous boobs."
"We're sure Reid doesn't mind at all." smiled Sarah.
"He's a guy… what do you expect?" said Kate.
Carly just laughed and finished getting dressed. When all three were finished, they were all wearing dresses and heels. They had there make up done and hair fixed ready to party.
Tyler was already dressed, he was looking for the guest of honor to go downstairs before the guests arrived. He found Reid out on his balcony sitting on the railing with his feet dangling over the side.
"Hey… Reid. Are you ready to go down to meet everyone? They are almost here." asked Tyler looking at the time on his phone.
"Do you think Carly would be okay if--" he paused.
"If what?" said Tyler
"Ah… never mind." said Reid.
"What are you talking about?" asked Tyler sitting down next to him.
"Even though Carly has told me over and over that everything will be okay… I have a feeling… and I know she has the same feeling that something will go wrong." said Reid.
"We're all going to be fine Reid." said Tyler.
"Ty… I know I have fucked up in the past. But you are my best friend. More than that, you're my brother--"
Tyler cut him off and said "Why are you talking like that?"
"Let me finish… I love you Ty. I didn't mean to get you pissed off at me and hurt Carly. I love you both more than anything. So, if something should happen to me… Take care of her and Jacob. And make sure the guys take care of them as well." said Reid with a hint of sadness in his voice.
"Jacob?" Tyler looking at Reid confused.
"That's what we are naming the baby… Jacob. Nobody knows yet, so Shhh." said Reid.
"Why are you talking like you are not going to make it thru this… have you given up?" asked Tyler
"No, Baby Boy I haven't. I just have this sick feeling in my stomach that something is going to happen." said Reid.
"Have you talked to Carly about it?" said Tyler.
"Kind of… But I haven't said anything about you or the guys taking care of her if I don't make it… I mean I will do anything to keep Carly safe… even if that means willing my power to Chase to make him leave her alone." said Reid
"Reid… it's not going to come to that." said Tyler.
"Let's hope not." Reid said smacking Tyler on his back. "Let's go, downstairs."
They got off the railing of the balcony and walked downstairs to the front room.
All the guests started pouring in mansion around 8pm. There were some people from school and lots of people the "Sons" parents knew. Reid didn't know half of the guests, but he didn't mind because they brought him presents.
Reid was talking to some of his dad's friends when out of the corner of his eye, he saw Carly coming down the stairs. He looked over at her, then said "Excuse me fellas."
He met Carly at the bottom of the stairs, his mouth was open trying to talk, but he was speechless.
She smiled at him and said "If you keep your mouth open long enough a fly will just buzz right in there."
He laughed and said "Wow… You look… amazing."
"You think so?" she said, looking at her outfit.
"Oh yeah… you are beautiful Bella." he said giving her a kiss on her hand.
"Thank you… You don't look so bad yourself." she smiled looking at Reid's attire wearing: a blue and white button up shirt, baggy blue jeans, and his Timberland boots. She thought he looked adorable.
"Come on… There is people to meet." he said holding her hand.
"Okay." she said.
Around 12:00 midnight, Reid has told his dad, Kate, and Sarah to keep the guests entertained while until they got back. The boys and Carly went in Tyler's hummer. For now there wasn't a cloud in sight all they saw was the moon and shiny bright stars in the sky. Carly kept telling herself over and over "This is going to work, it's going to work. It has to work."
When they got there and got out of the cars and so far no sign of Chase. Carly had changed into her Chucks while she was in the car, because if she had to run she wasn't running in heels.
As they crept slowly to the barn, Carly started hearing Chase in her head telling her "Are you ready to be my mine?"
The guys saw Carly bend down holding her head in pain yelling "No… Leave me alone! Get out of my head!"
Tyler was about to run up to her when Chase appeared in front of him laughing.