So "next week" was a little too soon for them, but that was OK because the wedding was still on. There was so much planning to do and they realized that maybe they should spring for next month instead. They didn't want anything too fancy, just a nice intimate wedding with very few guests and despite that, Bonnie wanted her dress to be absolutely perfect and was having a hard time with it. She wanted Stefan to help her decide, but he wanted no part of it, he wanted to be surprised and she understood, but she hated that.
Taking a little break from the wedding planning, it was time for her to meet up with Caroline to discuss Chase. The conversation was supposed to happen a while ago, but she went off the grid for two weeks just to be alone with her family and it was, hands down, the best two weeks of her entire life.
Bonnie smiled spotting her friend seated outside and walked a little faster when she stood and they met in a hug.
"I feel like I haven't seen you in months."
"I had to take a break from work. And you'll never believe what I'm doing."
"What?" Caroline asked sitting down again.
"I'm getting married!"
Her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped then she smiled widely and squealed standing again walking over to her friend to hug her tight. "I'm so happy for you!"
"Thanks, Care. I really– Stefan's just–" she lets out a breath, "I can't describe it, I'm so in love and happy and it's all thanks to Stefan so I want to marry him because I know it's what he wants."
"That's really great. How's the planning going?"
"I still need a dress, but everything going quite smoothly. It's going to be pretty small, intimate. I don't want anything too extravaganza, you know?"
"Yeah." She lets out a breath, "I'm so happy for you, Bon. Aren't you lucky Klaus knew Stefan and invited him to our party?"
"Remind me to send him a fruit basket." The girls laughed. "No, but yeah, which is why I want to cordially invite you both to our wedding."
"Really?" She said with a wide smile. Bonnie nodded. "When is it?"
"Well as my matron of honor, I was hoping that you help me out with that."
Caroline's eyes went side again feeling like she was about to explode. "Calm down, Caroline, we're in a public place." She took a few breaths having her friend laugh a little. "Alright, but before we begin planning, let's talk about the bad news first so we can end this date on a good note."
Bonnie nodded then let out a breath. She all of a sudden wished that she told Stefan to tag along so he could hold her hand because they started to shake. Bonnie let out a breath. "Are you sure you want me to tell, I mean you are working with the guy, I don't want it to—"
"It's fine, Bonnie, I'm a professional, I'm sure that I can hold back."
She nodded then let out a breath before explaining. "I was happy with Chase, I thought that I was going to be with him for a long time. He was funny, smart, cute, basically the full package. And you know this, then he started to track me down, wanting to know where I was all the time, I had no freedom, but I thought that it was just the way that he was, that he was just a little protective. He started to get jealous, I couldn't talk to guys without him scowling at me and one day-" pause. "One day I asked him why is he was acting so strange then he grabbed me by the shoulders—really tightly, I thought he was going to crack my bones—and he shook me and told me that it was my fault. That if I wasn't such a slut and talk to every guy I see that he wouldn't have to be this way." Caroline gasped. "It gets worse, Caroline. In my head, I thought it was my fault, I was brainwashed or something and I was scared because he would start hitting me then apologize right after holding me tight telling me that he loves me and that he's sorry and that it wouldn't happen again, but he was lying. It happened many times and when I would call out of work it wasn't because I was sick, it was because I was hit it bruised so badly that I could barely think, that I couldn't cover it up with makeup without packing on concealer."
"Bonnie, I'm so sorry," Caroline moved her chair over to her side and hugged her moving her hand up and down her back as she cried. "How did you get out?"
"My parents." She sniffed in. "When I finally told them, they did it all for me, they packed up my stuff told Chase to go to hell and got me out. A few weeks later I see him and he has the audacity to propose to me. In front of people and the sad part about it was that I was actually thinking about it. I thought that maybe he changed, but I feel like God snapped me out of it and I turned him down and left quickly."
Caroline pulled away from the hug and wiped her friend's tears away. "Damn, you are strong, Bennett. Maybe you were right, all I want to do is kick Chase's ass and throw him in a dumpster where he belongs." Bonnie chuckled. "Does Stefan know?"
She nodded, "Yeah. I told him a few years ago, I didn't want to, but he has a way of pushing it out of me and now I'm glad that I told him because he helps me a lot."
"I'm sure he threatened his ass."
"Yep."
Caroline smiled, "Good. Now on to better things, your wedding. I promise I will help you throughout the way, but let's order because I'm starving."
Bonnie laughed slightly as Caroline called the waiter over.
Stefan held his daughter repeating the word 'dada' into her ear heading to the kitchen ready to feed her when the door opens and shortly his fiancée walks in bringing a smile to his face.
"Hey, baby, how was lunch?"
She kissed him then their daughter. "Really good Caroline's going to help me pick out a dress."
"That's great, I can't wait to see you in it."
"You could've already seen me in one if you helped me."
"Babe…"
"I know, I know, it's part of the whole wedding tradition thing."
He chuckled when she rolled his eyes then kissed her. "I was just about to feed her, do you want me to give her a bottle?"
"No, no, I'll feed her."
Bonnie took her in her arms then walked her into the living room and Stefan followed sitting close next to her. He kissed the top of their little girl's head as she drank then ran his hand down the small amount of hair she had on the top of her head.
Bonnie smiled. "How many do you want?"
"Ten."
"You're joking."
"Just a little. I want a big family though, I only have a brother and that was fun but I always wished I had more to talk to. Maybe five."
"OK, five is more reasonable."
"Is that a deal?"
She looked over at him with his puppy dog eyes. "Yes,"
He smiled then kissed her a few times. "But I will tell you this, babe, with five children, I'll need to get a job which means that you need to kind of… let go a little."
She sighed. "I know, it's just hard."
"I know it is, but we have great people by our side who would do anything for Ari. Just like we would."
She nodded and Stefan kissed the top of her head. "I love you."
"I love you more."
[UNCOMPLETED]
[END]
