Earlier that day:
Kate was in front of the mirror, watching Alexis's reflection curl and pin her hair. She was having trouble believing that this was really happening. She smoothed her dress across her lap, marveling at the detail in the fabric, wondering how she hadn't noticed just how tight it was. And the neckline, how had she failed to see how it accentuated her chest, creating the most unbelievable cleavage. She felt gorgeous. Castle was going to have trouble keeping his chin off the floor. She smiled at her reflection, adding another layer of gloss to her lips, unaware of the whispered conversation taking place just outside the room.
"Martha," Lanie pleaded. "What the hell am I gonna do? I can't tell my best friend that she doesn't fit in her wedding dress. Girl's gonna kill me!"
"Don't worry. She left her gun at the loft," Martha tried to reassure her, "At least I think she did."
"Not helping!"
"Okay," Martha focused on Lanie, "How bad is it?"
"It buttoned up to about her hips, but I couldn't get it closed around her hips. I buttoned down from the top then, so she didn't notice the gaping hole. But everything above her legs is stretched to the max. I'm worried it will tear. It's bad Martha. Real bad."
"There's no time to add a panel," Martha thought out loud, "What about covering it with a cape?"
"It's 94 degrees outside. I don't think anyone has a cape lying around."
"What about some sort of train that starts at the base of her neck?"
"I'm sure she'd love that. It'd look great with that trim little number she's wearing. We could totally get away with it. She'd never notice an extra three pounds of fabric tangling her all up."
"We have to tell her."
"Hm-mm," Lanie shook her head, "Not me."
"She can't go out there like that! She really would kill you!" Martha's excitement caused her voice to be pitched a great deal higher than she realized.
Inside the dressing room, Kate tilted her head, catching Alexis's eye in the mirror.
"What is your grandmother talking about?"
Alexis's eyes widened. She hands froze in Kate's hair. She swallowed loudly.
"Ummmmmmm," she stalled.
Kate pushed back her chair, nearly knocking the girl over, and stalked to the double doors into the hall. She yanked them open, fire blazing in her eyes, startling the two women arguing in the passageway.
"What the hell is going on?" she bellowed.
"Can we," Martha motioned into the room, glancing nervously up and down the hall, hoping her son didn't hear the commotion.
Beckett stepped aside, slamming the door the moment Martha and Lanie were inside.
"Talk. Now." She demanded, her cop voice turning Lanie's knees to jelly.
"Well…" while Lanie struggled to talk to her best friend, Martha shooed Alexis across the room, trying to get away from Beckett's coming fury.
"Your dress didn't button." Lanie spit the words out fast, like ripping a band-aid off.
"What?" Kate went pale, her knees starting to buckle. Fortunately Martha was quick with the vanity stool, catching her before she fell.
Kate's eyes were wide, her expression more confused than angry.
"It fit like a glove two months ago," she muttered.
"You been stress eating?" Lanie asked.
"Hardly," Kate snorted, "I can barely keep anything down."
Lanie's eyes went wide.
"What am I going to do?" Kate asked her friend.
Instead of answering, Lanie asked a life-changing question.
"Kate? When was your last period?"
Beckett's world began to spin.
"Oh my God," she groaned before running to the bathroom and vomiting in the sink.
Taking charge, Lanie pointed to Martha.
"Get Castle."
Pointing to Alexis, she said "My purse is the green one over there. Find the closest pharmacy and pick up a pregnancy test. Or three."
She strode over to the bathroom, knocking on the door.
"Kate, honey, you need to come out."