Disclaimer: Meg owns almost everything.


Michael's POV...

What am I doing? I've turned into THAT guy. The dirt bag that cheats on his pregnant fiancé. The guy I swore I'd never be.

Realising this, I pulled back and just looked her in the eyes. She looked back, no doubt thinking exactly the same thing as me: that this is completely wrong.

I broke the eye contact by dropping my head slowly, as if in reverence. Then I stood up and walked towards the door.

It was as if everything was in slow motion; the standing up, the walking away, the pat on the back Lars gave me as I walked through the door, and the sound of Mia softly crying. That was the worst. Because I knew I had caused it, and I also knew I couldn't do anything about it. I can't comfort her, I can't pull her into my arms and tell her everything is going to be ok, I can't do anything.

Except run back to my pregnant fiancé.

-

"How was Book Club" Holly asked, looking up from a book she'd been given for birthing classes.

"Fine" I mumbled, hoping she wouldn't ask any more about it.

"Michael, you know how the baby is due is a few weeks"

How could I forget? Other than the fact that Holly has completely ballooned up compared to her usual petite size, I've been working non stop trying to scrape enough money together to support the baby.

"Yeah" I replied, opting to leave out sarcastic comments about not being able to forget the fact.

"Well, we've got everything for the baby now. And we've got our apartment to live in... And well, everything is sorted out. Except..."

"Except what" I asked. What more is there to do?

"Except our wedding."

Oh. That. I completely forgot about the ritual that will convert Holly from my fiancé to my wife, forever attaching her to my hip, no doubt. Or my hip pocket, more likely.

"What about it"

"Mom and I have been planning it for ages, there's nothing for you to worry about, but I want to run through it with you. After all, it's your wedding too."

"Uh huh." I tried not to sound like the idea of it wasn't scaring me to my very core.

"So do you want to go through it tonight? I have pictures and everything."

Looking through plans for the wedding was the last thing I want to do after what's happened tonight, but if I put it off tonight, I'll probably never go through it with her and I'll end up wearing a pink tux or something.

"Sure."

"Great! You go snuggle up in bed and I'll get the stuff"

A few minutes later she slid into the bed next to me. Although maybe 'slid' isn't the right word to use, maybe 'bulldozed her way in' is better.

"Here" she said, pushing a flyer into my hands. "This is for the Merchants Gardens, it's not that far from my parents place. Mom and I were thinking we could hire out a gazebo and have the wedding there. Then there's just a reception place just down the road."

"Uh huh" I mumbled. "Sounds cool."

"And this is the dress I picked out." She started flipping through a huge bridal magazine, full of expensive looking dresses.

"Uh, Holly? Isn't it bad luck for me to see the dress before the wedding"

"I thought it was just bad luck to see me in it"

I shrugged my shoulders and she passed me the book nonetheless.

"Hmm, that's nice" I told her, while reading the fine print in the bottom corner. But there was nothing mentioned about a price.

"But, Holly, this looks pretty expensive."

"Oh, yeah. It was."

"Wait, you mean you already have it" I asked, practically suffering an embolism.

"Uh, huh. It's still at the store, it hasn't been altered yet because we're going to wait until after the baby. But it's all ready to be fitted."

"How much was it"

"Michael, don't worry. Mom paid for it. It didn't even go on my credit card. Don't worry, honey."

Don't worry? How can I not worry when she goes around spending thousands of dollars without telling me? Even if it's not our money she's spending.

She obviously didn't notice my shock though, since she shoved pictures of flowers in my hands next.

"These are the centre pieces...And these are the bouquets for me and the bridesmaids...And these are to decorate the gazebo with."

I nodded along dumbly. Why am I supposed to care about the flower designs?

"Now, Michael, we need to discuss the guest list. We need to add in your guests, then cut down the total number to just three hundred."

Cut it down to three hundred? I don't even know three hundred people, let alone three hundred I'd want at my wedding!

"Three hundred? We'll be lucky to get one hundred, Hol."

"On the contrary. I already have over three hundred names, and we still have to add your numbers."

"Where did you get three hundred names from"

"College, High School, Elementary School, people I grew up with, my parents' friends, my extended family...I got to three hundred quite easily."

"Ok, maybe if you included everyone you've ever considered a friend or friend of a friend, you could get to three hundred, but, Holly, do we really need three hundred guests? Remember we have to provide these people with a full dinner."

"Michael, stop worrying about money. Don't you want a big wedding? With all of your family and friends"

"No" I answered truthfully. "I'm just inviting mom, dad, Lilly, and about half a dozen friends."

"Half a dozen" She gulped at the words, not believing them.

"Yes. But you know, I'd be happier if we just eloped to Vegas or something. Wouldn't that be fun"

"Fun? Vegas?" She practically started choking. "Are you out of your mind? Michael, we are having a big wedding. And we are having three hundred guests. And it is going to be perfect. Now you have to think about your guest list and who your best man is going to be. When you have your list finalised we can go from there. But that is all you have to do for it. Leave everything else to me."

I think she's genuinely upset about my demeanour, possibly even hurt by it.

And while I was kidding about Vegas (I think), I know I really don't want a huge fairytale wedding.

Hell. I don't even want a wedding to start with!