AN: I know this was quick, but more ambition to write fanfiction is my coping mechanism for a fictional character's death. So, here is the new chapter. Also, in a future chapter, there will be a Jasher + Eden and Steve scene that I really would have wanted to see.
Summary: Lea comes to a realization at Jordan and Jared's wedding.
"Oh, come on! Really?"
Lea and the rest of the bridesmaids plus Mrs. Allen heard Jordan groan inside the bathroom as she and the entire wedding party were getting ready for Jordan and Jared's wedding.
Claire was originally going to return for it, but she had recently had her baby, Maya Aanya Browne-Patel, and was too exhausted to travel.
Lea and Shaun were going to serve as Jordan and Jared's Best Man and Maid of Honor. The bridesmaids consisted of Morgan, Charlie, her sister, a cousin, and two friends from college while the groomsmen consisted of Asher, Dom, and Jordan's four brothers.
With Jordan's 8-year-old niece and 6-year-old nephew as the flower girl and ring bearer, Mackenzie was going to assist Eden and Steve down the aisle with signs that read "Here Comes the Bride".
The ceremony was being held at the church Jordan usually attended while the reception was going to be at the hotel where Marcus and Dalisay had theirs.
"Jordan, what happened?" Lea asked.
"I got my period on my freaking wedding day," bleated Jordan. "I mean, I knew it was happening soon, but I had the hope that it would wait until tomorrow...but then my honeymoon would suck either way."
"Did you get blood on your dress, honey?" Jordan's mother, Patrice, consoled, gently knocking on the door. "There might be some club soda in the kitchen."
"No, I just need a tampon or a pad please, something to plug me up," sighed Jordan. "And some ibuprofen. My dress remains fine."
"I'll see if I have any tampons left in my purse," Lea offered as she walked over toward the couch to pick up her purse. When she peeked at the three wrapped tampons, she realized something.
Just enough time had passed for Lea to be aware that a pregnancy had taken place since one of the last times she and Shaun had sex. Plus, she was expecting her period to come soon. However, it hadn't happened yet...only spotting two weeks ago, but it still should have come sooner than that when spotting, not two weeks later.
The only times Lea experienced spotting followed by no period was when she was extremely early into a pregnancy. Since this happened to her twice, she could already connect the dots. Unless this was the start of early perimenopause, she was pregnant.
"Lea, do you have a tampon?" Morgan asked, snapping Lea back into reality.
"Oh, sure, yeah," Lea replied quickly, pulling one out and then sauntering toward the bathroom door to open it a little bit and stick her arm in for Jordan to grab the tampon.
Out of all the weddings Shaun and Lea attended since their own, Jordan and Jared's was the most traditional minus the uncomfortable garter toss (which both Jared and Jordan said "absolutely not" to that idea).
The ceremony started with the entire wedding party strolling down the aisle to Pachelbel's "Canon in D"; the photographer snapping pictures of each duo walking down the aisle. Jocelyn and Elijah, Jordan's niece and nephew, paraded down the aisle as they carried the wedding bands and tossed the flower petals. That was followed by each bridesmaid and groomsman walking down arm-in-arm with Shaun and Lea entering last as maid of Honor and Best Man. Then, before the tune ended, Mackenzie held the hands of Steve and Eden as they wore signs reading "Get ready" and "Here comes the bride".
Immediately, Jordan's parents walked her down the aisle toward Jared to "Here Comes the Bride".
With both the bride and groom at the altar, the Deacon began to speak.
"Dear beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the marriage between Jordan Jacqueline Allen and Jared Chibuike Kalu," the Deacon began followed by the declarations of intention and consent, and then the exchange of vows.
"In the name of God, I, Jordan Jacqueline Allen, take you, Jared Chibuike Kalu, to by my faithful husband," Jordan said her part, taking Jared's right hand and facing him as she exchanged a smile with Lea, who was standing right beside her at the alter; Shaun doing the same thing with Jared. "To have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow."
Still, facing Jordan, Jared took Jordan's right hand to say his part. "In the name of God, I, Jared Chibuike Kalu, take you, Jordan Jacqueline Allen, to by my faithful wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow."
The Deacon then asked for God's blessing on the rings as Elijah handed his aunt and uncle-to-be the rings. "Bless, O Lord, this ring to be a sign of the vows by which this man and this woman/these persons have bound themselves to each other; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
As Jordan and Jared exchanged rings, all Lea could think about was when she should tell Shaun that she was (probably) pregnant. Unlike the last two times she was pregnant, she wanted to find out about it together with Shaun.
As she took a glance at Steve, who was sitting with Eden near Park, Glassman, and Jo in the front row of the pews, she wondered how he was going to take the news of being a big brother.
The Deacon recited the Lord's Prayer before he said the peace and the Holy Communion.
Finally, after what felt like forever, Jordan and Jared finally shared their first kiss as husband and wife.
The wedding and reception had gone by smoothly without Jordan's white dress getting stained with red. However, Lea could tell that the cramps were starting to affect her since she went to her purse for ibuprofen.
At the reception, Shaun, Lea, and Steve sat at a table with Dr. Glassman and Jo. Steve was fast asleep in Shaun's arms, which signaled that it was probably time for them to leave soon. Thankfully, Shaun and Lea had already given their toasts.
Also, she was ready to get this pregnancy test over with, which she had purchased along with some tic tacs on the drive to the reception. To keep it discreet from her son, Shaun stayed in the car with Steve while she went inside the CVS to buy one before stuffing it in her purse and heading back to the car.
Now that they were home (clear of anyone's earshot) and Steve was fast asleep, Lea finally spilled the beans about her missed period while they were lying in bed together.
"Shaun..." Lea just quietly said his name.
"Yes?" Shaun asked.
"My period is late," she answered, sighing with relief and excitement.
"Oh," Shaun said quietly, forming a small smile on his face as he stared at the ceiling, lying flat on his back. "Are you really..."
"I'm not sure," sighed Lea, sitting up in the bed. "I bought a pregnancy test on the way to the reception. Remember, we wanted to find out together."
Shaun nodded, excitedly sitting up in the bed. "Let's go find out."
Shaun and Lea sat outside their bathroom as they held hands, waiting for the test result as Shaun watched the timer on his phone once it quietly went off.
To be honest, waiting for this test result kind of felt intense.
"Are you ready?" Shaun asked, getting up from the floor.
"Let's go see," chuckled Lea nervously as she got up and stood next to him.
Both their hearts were pounding rapidly as they walked towards the pregnancy test, which was sitting next to the bathroom sink with the cap put on. They squeezed each other's hands as Shaun reached out to pick up the pregnancy test.
"What does it say?" Lea asked apprehensively.
"It's positive," chuckled Shaun with excitement.
"Oh, my god," cried Lea happily, immediately embracing Shaun. "We're going to have another baby."
Lea said it quietly so she wouldn't wake up Steve. "Steve is going to be a big brother," she added.
"Yes, he will," rejoiced Shaun. "But when should we tell him?"
After a short debate, they decided that they wouldn't tell Steve until Lea was at least three months along.
AN: I hope you all enjoyed. Please review :)