I looked around the back yard and smiled to myself. Karen, Zach, Grey, and Owen were hard at work making the back yard into a beautiful ceremony scene. Though I didn't have much input, mainly because I just needed Owen and I together to be enough to get married, Karen had other plans. She put herself in charge of flowers and basically organizing everything. I helped out as much as I could, but I was too focused on hiding my five month old baby bump. Luckily my sister hasn't paid much attention to me to realize my baggy shirts.
"Tomorrow, huh?" Karen nudged my arm with her elbow. She sat on the ground beside me to help arrange some of the flower arrangements.
I nodded.
"Nervous?"
"Not really," I shrugged. "this has been a long time coming. I'm ready."
She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and pulled me into her side. "My little Claire Bear is getting married!"
I rolled my eyes. "Please don't use that nickname at all tomorrow."
Karen shrugged. "I can't promise anything. I'm the big sister. I have to embarrass you on your wedding day. It's the law."
"No it's not!" I gasped.
"Who embarrassed the hell out of me at my wedding?" Karen shoved my shoulder and we both laughed. She had a point. My speech at her wedding was filled with childhood stories with moments I knew she wished never happened.
"I was a teenager!" Was my excuse. "We're both adults now, I think we can keep the past behind us."
"Can't promise anything." She smiled and leaned over to kiss my temple before she hurried to stop Zack and Owen from placing the arch in the wrong spot.
Glancing at my watch I called out to interrupt the argument between the three of them. "I have to go pick up Maisie. Can you attempt to not kill each other, please?"
"Can I go?" Grey asked, dropping the chair we was setting up and jogged over to me.
We both looked at Karen and she nodded.
"Can I drive? I just got my permit!"
"No!" Owen yelled a little louder than he wanted to. I caught him glance down at my stomach and I couldn't help but laugh.
Karen leaned back, surprised at Owen's reaction. "You chase my sister through a Dinosaur infested island twice, but you decide to be overprotective when my son asks to drive her two minutes down the road?"
He bit his bottom lip and turned his focus on the arch Zach was still trying to center just right.
"What's going on?" She asked me.
"Nothing. Grey, let's go." I took his hand and hurried towards my car. Out of sight of Owen, I tossed him my keys. "You crash my car and I crush your head."
"Thanks, Aunt Claire!"
"You're more relaxed than Mom." He sighed and leaned back in the seat as he turned onto the main road.
"So far so good." I smiled at him.
"Can I ask you something?" He asked after a moment of silence.
"Sure," I answered and glanced at him quickly. "If you can keep your eyes on the road and talk at the same time."
"What was it like? Going back to the island. Did things look… the same as we left it? I mean the T- Rex and…" He trailed off as he pulled into the school parking lot. "You know… the fight?"
I looked down at my hands and couldn't get my voice above a whisper. "I'm so sorry you guys had to go through all that." This wasn't my first apology about what the boys went through, but I knew I'd spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to them.
He shrugged and put the car in park as we waiting in the pick up line. "We grew out of all the nightmares and flashbacks. I'm just worried about you."
I reached over and patted his leg. "Don't worry about me. I'm more than fine. To answer your question… yes. Things were in ruins, but taken over by foliage. We didn't get to see much of the park because we were on a mission."
"You guys are ok, though? And Maisie?"
"Yes, sweetie, we are all fine. No nightmares. Nothing."
He smiled and I could see the relief in his eyes. "I'm glad. I know things were rough for you for a while after we got off the island. I'm glad you and Owen didn't leave again." He laughed and scratched the back of his head. "I guess it's Uncle Owen now."
"Back then we needed to spend some time away from the world. We coped in our own way, but I swear, Grey. This time was different. We were stronger."
His eyes caught Maisie as she hurried towards the car. "I'm really glad things are working out so well for you guy. Especially with you being pregnant."
"What?" I shrieked.
He chuckled. "I'm really smart, Aunt Claire. I figure things out rather quickly. Baggy shirts, the quick belly touch Uncle Owen sneaks in every so often. And the envelope marked Baby Grady was a dead giveaway."
"Hey!" Maisie sighed and flung herself into the back seat.
I glanced quickly over my shoulder. "Hi, Honey," I said and turned back to look at Grey, my hand flew to the gear shift, stopping him from putting the car in drive. "How did you find the envelope?"
"You asked me to get the extra pillow and sheets from the closet in your bathroom. The envelope was sitting on the counter."
"Did you tell anyone?"
He shook his head. "I figured if you didn't tell Mom then you were planning on telling all of us tomorrow."
"You know?" Maisie asked, leaning forward to stick her head between the seats.
Grey nodded. "I won't say anything though."
"Did you look in the envelope?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No way. I'll be surprised with everyone else."
"Good, because we don't even know!" Maisie sat back and buckled her seatbelt.
I removed my hand from the gear shift and sat back in my seat. "Thanks, Grey."
He shrugged. "It's the least I can do for all you've done for us."
I reached over and tasseled his hair and he smiled. The ride back to the cabin was filled with Grey asking Maisie about her day. She filled us in on the latest gossip as we pulled back into the driveway.
I leaned forward to see if I could see where Owen was. "Ok, he's still in the back. Go ahead and pull into my spot by his truck." I informed Grey and he did as I instructed. I turned in my seat to look at Maisie. "I drove." I simply stated.
She gave a hard nod. "Got it." Maisie already understood Owen's overprotectiveness and went along with most things I asked.
The rest of the afternoon went quickly. The sun was setting on the scenery around the back yard and I couldn't help but smile. White chairs were in perfect rows, the aisle lined with flowers and lanterns which will be lit tomorrow. At the end of the aisle was the bridal arch wrapped in flowers. The lake on the property casting the perfect background image. Things couldn't have looked more amazing.
"This is happening." Owen said softly. He stepped behind me and his arms slipped around my waist. His hands sliding up my shirt and resting on my bare stomach.
I sighed and leaned my head back against his shoulder. "Seems like I've been waiting a lifetime."
"You?" He chuckled. "I knew I wanted to tie you down the moment I laid eyes on you. You were just too damn stubborn to commit."
I turned in his arms and reached up to lock my arms around his neck. "Well, you have me know."
He leaned down to capture my lips and I melted into him.
"Hey love birds!" I groaned when my sister's voice interrupted us. "Time for the guys to beat it!"
I turned in Owen's arms to look at Karen. "What?" I gasped.
"You heard me. It's bad luck to see each other before the wedding. Owen and the boys are banished. I have a hotel room set up in town."
I shook my head. "No, Karen. This wedding is far from traditional. They don't—"
Owen's lips at my neck cut me off. "It's ok, Babe. She already talked to me about it. Not like I can get into too much trouble with a sixteen and nineteen year old."
"You don't have to." I haven't spent a night without him in months and I didn't want to do it tonight.
"Yes he does!" Karen insisted.
I flashed her a warning glare, but she ignored me. "It's just us girls tonight!"
Owen hugged me and our lips met once more. "I'll see you at the alter. In less then twelve hours you'll be my wife." He smiled and kissed me again. "Wife." he whispered against my lips.
"That's only if I say, I do." I smirked and pecked his lips once more.