11. Planning
"Jess," Kimee said. "When is your next doctor appointment?" She asked.
"Um," Jess thought. "It's on May sixth."
"That only gives you a week to recover from any other treatment that they might give you, you know," Kimee said.
"I'll be fine," Jess smiled. "You need to stop worrying, you know."
"I know," Kimee smiled a little. "It's just hard to believe that after all these years, it was you that ended up sick," Kimee looked down.
Jess looked down too and wondered if she were given a gift to turn back the past couple of months, if she would. She knew that she wouldn't though. The past couple of months have taught her to live life with no regrets and she intended to live that way until she died, even if that was sooner rather than later. Jess heard a knock on the door and Kimee got up to answer it. "Hey Kim-Kim," Jess heard Matt say from the door. "I have something for Jess."
"Jess, Matt's here," Kimee called to Jess.
Jess got off her bed to answer the door. "Hey Matt," Jess smiled. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," he smiled. "Your looking better," he complimented.
"Well, I feel better," she said. And truly, she did. She just prayed that it didn't relapse.
"I have something for you," Matt said, holding out a box for Jess.
"What is it?"
"I'm not telling," he smiled wider. "You have to open it."
Jess rolled her eyes and sat on the couch in the living room. She put the box down next to her and took in a deep breath, guessing what the present was. "Oh my God," Jess gasped.
"It's your wedding gift from me and Kimee," he said as Jess held up the most beautiful white satin wedding dress she had ever seen. It was embroidered with pearls around the v-necked collar and it went down past the breast of the dress. A new woven design started at the waist and rounded the dress like a belt. The skirt was floor length and was pure silk.
"How much did you spend on this?" Jess gasped.
"Nothing," Matt laughed. "John's mother makes wedding dresses."
"It must have taken her so long to make this," Jess said, realizing something just then. "You guys knew he was going to propose?"
"Guilty," Matt and Kimee laughed together. "It was the only way that a spring wedding was going to work, and Shane was stuck on it."
"Thank you," Jess said, feeling tears start to well in her eyes. "What would I do without you guys?"
Shane woke up that morning and saw that Matt was gone. Yesterday was one of the rare nights that Jess spent at her apartment and his bed felt empty without her. He sighed and finally got off his bed to take a shower. What am I going to do today? Shane thought to himself. Jess was going to be out all day, and Matt was probably with her and Kimee, so he had a whole day to himself. It's going to be a long day.
After Shane got out of the shower he got dressed, extra slowly and extra picky. He went to the kitchen and made himself some scrambled eggs. After he ate he went back to his room and made his bed, making sure it was perfect. When every inch was aligned perfectly he contemplated using an inch ruler to see, but then changed his mind, thinking he had gone nuts. Shane had finally talked himself into going out for the remainder of the day. Maybe I'll go to City Walk, he said to himself, but talked himself out of that too. He was out of ideas, but then Jess popped back into his mind. I'm going to write my vows, he said to himself and he smiled proudly. Shane went to work writing and rewriting, going through trees instead of just sheets of paper. He was on his couch for about three hours until he finally got it right. He recited them in his head over and over again making small changes, but overall, he knew that this was it. He wrote his vows, and in seven days, he was going to be a married man. When he heard the front door unlock and saw Matt walk in he narrowed his eyes. "Were you with Jess today?" He asked.
"Yes, I was with Kimee and Jess," he said completely innocently.
"What were you guys doing?"
"Nothing," Matt said and went into his room.
"Are you sure that you guys were doing nothing?"
"Yes," Matt said. "And if we did do something I still wouldn't tell you, so don't even bother asking."
"Fine," Shane said. "I wanted you to know that I wrote my vows today?"
"Good," Matt said. Matt was trying to hide something and it was annoying Shane because he knew that it was about Jess.
"Are you going to tell me what is going on?" Shane asked, annoyed.
"Nope," matt replied. "Can I have my room back?"
"Sure buddy," Shane smile sarcastically. What in the world was going on?
Jess laughed as Matt retold her everything that happened when he got home. "Shane was that persistent?"
"And then some," he laughed.
"Does he know?" She asked.
"Nothing," Matt laughed.
Jess's thoughts traced back to the beginning of the day after she had put the dress away. "You guys," Jess said, looking for Kimee and Matt's full attention. "I think," she whispered. "I might be pregnant."
"You're what!" Kimee yelled.
"Pregnant, maybe," Jess said.
"Oh my God!" Kimee yelled and jumped to her feet. "I'm going to be an auntie? An auntie Kimee?"
"Maybe," Jess smiled. "I'm going to find out tomorrow."
"How do you know?" Matt said.
"Morning sickness at first, which I thought was just because of the chemo, but then the sore breast, and I am craving Frosted Flakes," she said.
"Have you told Shane?" Matt asked, now smiling.
"No," she said. "But don't tell him, I want to surprise him."
"Do you think that he will be happy?" Jess asked. "If it's true."
"I think that he will be very happy," Matt laughed.
"Was he mad that you didn't tell him?"
"He'll get over it," Matt said. "Uh-oh, fiancée alert, got to go," he said and hung up.
When Jess put the phone on the receiver she went into the bathroom and took out a bag from under the sink. She pulled out a little box and her stomach filled with butterflies. "Here we go," she whispered.
After about three minutes of pulling herself together, taking the test and waiting for the results she went through countless options in her head. If I'm not pregnant then I won't tell Shane, but if I am what if he doesn't want it? She tortured herself for another minute before finally reading the results. She was pregnant. "Kimee!" She yelled out.
"What happened?" Kimee ran into the bathroom.
Jess held out the test to her and Kimee took it and squealed. "You're pregnant!"
Kimee and Jess laughed together and Jess started to cry. "I'm having Shane's baby," she smiled.
"You're going to be a mom," Kimee added laughing.
"I'm going to be a mom," Jess laughed.
Shane was about to strangle Matt until he turned black and blue. He had been on the phone with Jess for an hour now and he wouldn't let him talk to her. "So, it's for sure," he asked.
She must have said something that made Matt even happier. "Are you off the medication?" Shane heard Matt ask.
What? Jess off her medication, was she cured? He hoped to God that she was. When he heard the phone click he went into Matt's room. "So," he said. "How's Jess?" Shane asked.
"She's fine," Matt said.
"So, she isn't taking her medication anymore?"
"The doctor said that she is fine without it," Matt looked away.
"What is going on Matt?"
Matt said nothing, still looking at the blank wall.
"Matt, this is my future wife that we are dealing with, you know."
Nothing.
"Ok," Shane said. "Bye."
"Where are you going? Matt asked.
Shane ignored him and walked out the door to his car. If Matt won't tell me, then I know Jess will.
When Shane got to Jess's house and knocked on the door Kimee answered. "Hey Shane," she said. "What are you doing here?"
"I need to talk to Jess," he said.
"Hey Shane," Jess smiled as she walked to the door. "I'm glad you're here, I need to talk to you."
When Jess and Shane were in her room by themselves Jess took a deep breath. "Are you ok, Jess?"
"I'm great," she smiled. "But I am a little tongue tied."
"Tell me," Shane whispered.
"I think," she whispered. "Well, now I know."
"What?"
"I'm pregnant," she said and closed her eyes.
"You're pregnant?" He gasped. "We're pregnant!" He said more happily.
"You're happy?" She asked, smiling.
Shane picked Jess up in his arms and held her up off the ground. "I love you more than life itself, you are having my child, and you're going to be my wife," he said looking into her eyes. "You are asking me if I am happy? Happy can't even describe how I feel."
The next day at her apartment Jess woke up in Shane's arms. "Good morning," she smiled.
Shane kissed her nose and smiled too. "Good morning," he said snuggling closer to her.
"It's time to get up," she said.
"Five more minutes," Shane said, closing his eyes.
"Ok," she smiled. "Five more minutes."
Jess and Shane slept through the rest of the morning until Kimee woke them up. "You guys know that it is half past eleven, right."
"So much for five more minutes," Shane smiled at Jess.
"Jess, we have to pick out the food and flowers for the reception, so we have to go," Kimee said.
"Five more minutes," she smiled snuggling closer to Shane.
"Now," Kimee said. "We have to make your appointment for your hair, nails, and makeup. Should I continue?"
"No," Jess moaned. "Fine, I'm up," she said and Kimee left the room.
As Jess got dressed Shane watched her. "What?" Jess asked.
"You don't even look pregnant," he said.
"It's in the beginning stages," Jess smiled. "Wait a couple of months, then the baby bump will be really noticeable."
"Come here, pretty lady," Shane held out his arms which Jess cuddled into. "I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too," Jess said.
As Jess and Kimee walked down the street towards their planned caterer, Jess was thinking about how in only five days she would be Mrs. Patterson. She sighed at the thought of waking up next to Shane every morning, and her belly growing bigger with each passing week. A baby, completing their family. Then she thought about her cancer. Was she definitely out of the red? Is there no risk of the cancer relapsing, or will it relapse? Will the baby have cancer? All of these questions tumbled through her head, spinning round and round making her dizzy from thinking. "Jess, are you ok?" Kimee asked her.
"Yeah," she said. "I'm just thinking."
They walked into the caterer's restaurant and were greeted by a man in a white apron and big white hat. "Authentic," Kimee whispered into her ear and Jess snickered.
"Welcome to the White Wolf Café," the man smiled at them. "My name is Michael and I will be your caterer. Will you follow me?"
Jess and Kimee were led to an office in the back of the restaurant. "So, what kind of food were you planning on having at the reception?"
"We wanted to have courses, like appetizers, then dinner, and to finish off desert," Jess said. "Can we arrange something like that?"
"Yes," the man said. "Here is a list of menus and food that you can choose from," the man laid out the menus. "Might I suggest the Bianca Lavosh for an appetizer? Here is the description. That goes nicely with Chicken and Mozzarella Braciole for dinner. Dessert will be the wedding cake, which will be after the bride and the groom cut the first piece," the man finished off.
"That sounds perfect," Kimee laughed. "We'll do it."
"Alright," the man smiled. "We still need the drinks and liquor to add, and then you can sign."
"I'm not drinking, but I think that wine and champagne would be good," she said and Kimee pouted. "Along with any mixed drinks that your bartender can come up with," she revised.
"Alright," the man said again. "Here is the total, you just sign here."
"Wow," Jess said. "That is a lot of money."
"Not for you," Kimee said, pulling out her check book. "I will pay the total up-front."
"What time would you like us to be there and where are we going?" The man asked, pen still in hand.
"We will talk about that when Jess is at home," Kimee said. "It's a surprise."
When Jess and Kimee left to go to their next destination Jess was quiet. "What's wrong Jess?" Kimee asked her.
"I can't believe that I am getting married," she smiled. "And I am going to be a mom," she smiled wider.
"Well, sweetie," she heard Matt say from behind her. "Get used to it."
Jess laughed and hugged Matt as he came to stand next to her. "So what is next on the list Kimee?"
"Hair and makeup, then flowers," Kimee said. "So we have to get a cab to get to the AltaModa Salon get you an appointment and then take the cab to Mel Johnson's Flower Shoppe to pick out the bouquet and the flowers for the reception."
After about three more hours of planning, Jess was getting tired all over again. "Are we done yet?"
"Yes, we're done," Kimee said. "Matt and I have to go make some other preparations, so we're going to have the cab take you home and we'll be there later."
Shane was still at Jess's house when she got home. "Hey, sweetie," he smiled. "How was you day?"
"It was good," Jess said. "We got a lot done."
Shane got up and wrapped his arms around Jess. "How are you feeling today?" He asked touching her stomach.
"Shane," she smiled. "It's is not a mutant baby, so it's still going to be a few months before I get bigger."
"I know," he said. "I'm still getting used to the idea though."
Jess laughed. "Me too," she said looking him in the eyes. "But the idea of it being your baby makes it a whole lot better," she smiled.
Shane hugged Jess and whispered into her ear. "I love you," he said.
Jess laughed. "How much?"
"Hm," he smiled and picked her up in his arms to cradle her. "A lot," he said, kissing her, softly at first, then with more passion behind the kiss.
"Wow," she laughed. "You do love me," she smiled.
"I really do," he smiled, taking her to her bedroom.
Jess and Shane stayed in her room the rest of the day, holding each other, not saying anything. Shane caressed Jess's face, watching her while she slept. "Four more days," Shane smiled to himself.
Jess sighed and rolled over onto her stomach, sighing again. Shane chuckled a little and as softly as he could, got off the bed. After he got dressed he went into the kitchen and called Matt. "Hello?" Matt said.
"Hey," Shane said. "What time did you get home?"
"Like at six," Matt said. "Kimee is still here, she wanted to give you and Jess some alone time," Matt laughed.
"Thanks," Shane smiled. "Did you guys talk to Hank about using the theater?"
"Yeah," Matt said. "He was more than happy to lend us the theater."
"That's good," Shane said. "One less load off our shoulders."
"All that is left to do is decorate the theater," Matt said. "Everything else is done, so calm down."
"I will calm down once Jess and I are married," Shane laughed.
"Shane?" Shane heard Jess call from behind him.
Shane turned around and he smiled so big that his cheeks started to hurt. "How are you sleepy head?"
"Tired," Jess laughed. Even after she just woke up she still looked beautiful.
"Hey, Matt," Shane said into the phone. "I'm going to have to talk to you later."
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Matt yelled back before Shane hung up.
"How did you sleep?" Shane asked.
"It was very," Jess paused a minute. "Restful."
"Well, that's always good."
"What were you and Shane talking about?" Jess asked.
"Nothing," Shane smiled. "Just some last minute plans for the wedding."
"Shane," Jess smiled. "This whole wedding is last minute, if you do not remember," she winked.
"Yes," Shane hugged her waist and brought her closer. "But you know that this is going to be the best decision of our lives."
"I don't know," Jess said indifferently but quickly smiled.