1Tim walked into the bathroom and his mouth dropped.
"Wow..."
"I look fat." Calleigh complained.
"You look..." Tim thought up a word to summarize Calleigh.
"I'm getting fat. I can't zip the dress up!"
"That," Tim smirked. "Is because the zipper is all the way at your ass and I'm surprise you thought you could reach it."
He zipped the dress up at wrapped his arms around Calleigh, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"You're not getting fat either." he murmured. "You're pregnant remember?"
"I know but I... the dress I didn't think it looked like this." Calleigh said. "It just clings to me."
"You can't tell you're pregnant. You don't even look like you've gained weight."
"I can tell."
Tim sighed and stared at their reflection in the mirror.
"I think you look hot." he grinned.
"I don't want to go down." Calleigh muttered. "Can't you go?"
"Nope. Because by now my mother has ranted all about how her oldest son has gotten married and everyone will want to see my wonderful," Tim started, turning her around. "Beautiful wife."
He kissed her deeply and Calleigh sighed against his lips.
"Yes but everyone will be saying how pretty Princess Di looks."
It took Tim a second to realize that Calleigh was talking about Melissa.
"Oh baby everyone hates her. They'll be complimenting you and telling you how sorry they are that you have me for a husband." he said. "She'll be sitting in a corner and trying to talk to people but they'll ignore her. You're new to the group and everyone is going to want to get to know you."
"Oh please!" Calleigh snorted.
"I thought you said you weren't going to get jealous over her." Tim said.
"I'm not but..."
"But nothing. You have nothing to be jealous of. You're way better than her. She's annoying, bitchy, spoiled, and not even pretty."
"I'm not blind!" Calleigh exclaimed. "She looks like... like... like Angelina Jolie!"
Tim gasped. Calleigh knew how to gross him out.
"Don't say that! She's hot! She doesn't even look Melissa. Besides I don't care. You're hotter than the two of them put together. Look we won't stay the whole time."
"We don't?" Calleigh asked. Tim shook his head and leaned closer to her. Calleigh sighed when she felt his warm breath on her ear.
"Wanna know why?"
Calleigh managed a nod.
"Because I can't wait to get this off you." Tim whispered. You'd think by now Calleigh was used to all of Tim's comments but he still made her go insane. She moaned lightly when she felt him kiss her earlobe, suck on it gently, and then pull away. "Help me tie this?"
It always made Calleigh laugh that he'd get her mad with desire and then play it off like nothing had happened. She nodded, taking the tie from him.
"Well your first problem is you don't have your shirt buttoned up all the way." she grinned.
"Its too stuffy then." Tim complained.
"Then you can't tie it."
Calleigh started doing the buttons on Tim's shirt and for a second contemplated undoing all of them. But she went with the first choice and quickly tied her husband's tie.
"How long?"
"How long what?" Tim asked.
"How long do we have to stay down there?"
"Hour tops. Right now I don't want to go down." Tim eyed Calleigh for a second. "But I need to make an appearance. So lets go. The quicker we get down there, the quicker we can come back up and be left alone."
Calleigh nodded and Tim leaned in and gave her a quick kiss.
"It'll be fine. I bet you'll they'll be so engrossed with me that they won't even realize you're there, no offense." he murmured. "And I want to thank you."
"For what? I made us come." Calleigh said, looking up into Tim's dark eyes.
"Because we've only been here two days and yet it feels like a lifetime. You're the only thing keeping me sane."
Calleigh smiled.
"I guess I owe you for all the times you've been there for me." she said quietly. "Come on."
They quickly, but reluctantly made their way downstairs and were greeted by people at once. After a while Tim got sick of introducing his wife to everyone and she could sense it.
"Why don't we go sit down?" Calleigh suggested. Tim nodded and led her into a sitting area. He felt a smile tug at his face and he pulled Calleigh towards a couch in the back of the room.
"I want you to meet once last person and I know that she will not complain about you." Tim said quietly. "Grandma..."
An elderly lady looked up and a smile crossed her aged face.
"Timmy!" she exclaimed. "Come give me a kiss."
Tim turned red. Even though he was 30, his grandmother could still make him feel like he was three. He obeyed however and then sat down next to his grandmother, pulling Calleigh into his lap.
"Gram, this is Calleigh."
"And she is..."
"My wife."
"Did I send a present?"
Tim laughed lightly.
"No. No one knew about it so don't worry." he said. "Calleigh, this is my grandmother Liz."
"Nice to meet you." she smiled, extending her hand. Liz shook it gently, smiling.
"She's pretty Timmy." she said.
"Yeah I know Grandma." he smiled.
"I like her."
"I like her too. I like her a lot."
"What did your mother say?"
"Freaked but I wouldn't expect any less from her." Tim replied. Liz patted his hand lightly.
"Don't worry about her." she said, then turned to Calleigh. "My daughter was not always so stiff like she is these days."
Calleigh just smiled, not knowing how to reply.
"Have you seen Melissa?" Liz asked. Tim made a face. "Because she's coming over."
Tim quickly set Calleigh onto the seat next to him.
"Tim!" Melissa's cheery voice filled their ears. "Oh. Calleigh..."
"Melissa." she said, her teeth clenched. "Tim, I'm gonna go get something to drink."
He nodded and Calleigh walked off. Melissa took her spot.
"Good evening Mrs. Stanton." she smiled. Liz nodded, never fond of the brunette. Melissa's smile faded a bit and she turned back to Tim. "I was hoping we could talk."
"I was in the middle of a conversation." he replied.
"Tim, please. Its important."
He sighed and gave his grandmother a look.
"When Calleigh comes back tell her I've stepped out into the back."
"I'll do that." Liz said and her grandson walked off with the other woman in tow. Calleigh was now going through the kitchen, seeing as how she couldn't have wine or any other liquor since she was pregnant. So she was looking for soda, water, anything to quench her thirst. She finally settled on water and leaned against the counter, sipping the beverage slowly. The swinging door to the hallway opened and the newcomer looked embarrassed.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think anyone was... Calleigh? Calleigh Duquesne?"
"Derek Sanderson?" she asked. "Oh my God! What are you doing here?"
"I work for Jonathan and I'm friends with Andrew. And I should be asking you the same."
"I married Angela and Jonathan's older son, Tim." Calleigh replied.
"Oh. Congratulations. I figured you'd have married Tyler." Derek said.
"Yes well things change Derek. I figured that you'd have gone on to be some big shot in a big company and I figured right."
"Yeah. I got offered the job straight out of college." he nodded. "So how have you been? You still in New Orleans?"
"No. I moved to Miami about six years ago. That's where I met Tim."
"You still into guns?" Derek grinned.
"Yes." Calleigh laughed. "Actually I am. I'm the ballistics expert at the Miami-Dade Crime Lab. I'm a CSI."
"I knew you'd get into police work somehow. So how long have you been married?"
"A year and a half. It'll be two in February." Calleigh replied.
"That's great. Anything else I should know about?" Derek asked. Calleigh smiled. She and Derek had grown up together and had separated after graduating college.
"Well... we're expecting our first baby in June."
"That's great Cal." Derek smiled. "It is. I'm glad you finally found what you've been looking for. You really deserve it."
"Yeah me too. So what about you? Any wives?"
"Hah. No. I'm still a bachelor as ever."
"Are you ever going to settle down Derek?" Calleigh teased.
"There's a girl I'm looking at. She's actually here at the party."
"Oh really? Maybe I've run into her. I feel like I've met about every person on the face of the earth tonight."
"Her name's Melissa. Melissa Peterson. She's Andrew's secretary."
Calleigh bit her lip. Should she tell her old friend about Melissa's ways? Well... now that she thought about it, the two of them were probably good for each other.
"Yes I've met her. She's a nice girl." she said instead. "Well... Tim's probably going insane trying to find me. Its been great talking to you."
"Yeah. Hey, congratulations on the baby." Derek said.
"Thanks Derek." Calleigh smiled. "I'm sure I'll bump into you through the course of the night."
"Yeah maybe." he nodded. "See you later."
Calleigh gave him a final smile and then he disappeared into the hallway. She sighed as she was, yet again interrupted. This time, it was her lovely mother-in-law.
"Oh you're in here. Good." Angela said. "Sit Calleigh."
"I'd rather stand." she said.
"Your choice. What are you doing here?"
"Its your son's engagement party and my husband brought me up here with him to meet all of you." Calleigh said. She knew she was gonna get it. Angela laughed dryly. Calleigh glanced out the window and saw Tim and Melissa speaking. She felt hurt for a second before she saw Tim give Melissa the finger.
"I know that. I meant why are you here, married to Tim? The money? Calleigh, I can read you like an open book. You're some girl from the south that never had much right?"
"Quite the opposite." she lied. "I'm here, married to Tim because, I know this is hard to believe, but I love him. I didn't know about his money until yesterday."
"Please, spare me the story." Angela said bored. "Look..."
"I don't feel like talking. I think you made your point about our marriage very clear last night." Calleigh said and walked out of the kitchen. She quickly found her way back to where Liz was sitting and sat down.
"Tim said to tell you he went out into the back." Liz said. "But he should be back any minute. Come, sit."
Calleigh sat next to the older woman, who smiled at her.
"You make my grandson very happy Calleigh."
"He makes me very happy as well."
"I haven't seen him this happy since Samantha."
Calleigh's smile faltered.
"Um... a lot of people have mentioned Samantha but... I have no idea who that is."
Liz sighed.
"Samantha Dalton was Tim's best friend. They did everything together and were inseparable. She was a lovely girl and Tim was so happy that he had finally found someone he could relate with. When they were in their senior year of high school they had gone on a ski trip. Samantha got into a snowmobile accident and was paralyzed. She died a few years later, right around the time Tim had graduated from Columbia. He was so upset and ran away."
"To Miami." Calleigh mumbled, shocked. Tim had never told her any of this.
"Yes." Liz nodded. "He went to Samantha's uncle and found his place in the world I guess. Then you came along and made him whole again."
Tim appeared then and frowned at the solemn look on the two's faces.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing. We were just talking." Liz smiled. Calleigh nodded.
"Honey, I'm getting tired." she said. Tim nodded.
"Its only nine!" Liz exclaimed.
"You have to forgive her." Tim smiled. "Grandma, how would you feel about becoming a great-grandmother?"
"Oh congratulations!" she exclaimed, hugging Calleigh. She smiled faintly and pulled away from the older woman. "Timmy, I'm so happy for you!"
He smiled and hugged his grandmother.
"Thanks. That means a lot."
WARNING! NEXT CHAPTER LOTS OF TIMMY ANGST!