There's Always Second Chances

Chapter 36

"Look who's all grown up and going to school," I cooed taking pictures of Naomi. She looked so grown up in her little checkered dress. She beamed for the camera. What a cheeky smile she had. I'm still surprised that she didn't look more like Delilah. The bright green eyes, the dark brown hair and tanned skin. Like I got from everyone around me, she resembled me more than her Mother. 

I saw the smile drop and turn into a pout as she sniffled. I put down my phone and held her hands as she stood in front of me. "What's wrong?" I asked. Why was she upset all of a sudden? She's been begging to go to school for months because someone she was friends with at nursery was going to be attending the same school as her. 

"I don't want to go Daddy," she started to sob, tears rolling down her rosy cheeks. "Why don't you want to go?" I asked. I took a quick glance at the clock. We were going to be late if we didn't hurry up. "Then I can't see you all day," she mumbled. I tapped her gently on the nose with a loving smile. She's so cute. 

"How about this, I'll pick you up after school instead of Nat and we go out for ice cream. Then you can tell me everything you did today. Does that sound good?" I asked. I thought that this was going to work. Mum told me that it always worked for me when I didn't want to go to school. 

It'd still work now, I thought to myself. Naomi appeared to cheer up as she rubbed the tears away and nodded. I'll remind myself to thank Mum later, didn't know it was going to work so well. The sniffles were still there as I picked up her book bag and lunch box. "Do you want me to take her? I know you've got to drive your Mum to go get some stuff for the wedding?" Nat questioned leaning against the living room doorway. 

Keys hung from one of her fingers as she waited for my answer. I was going to say no because she should already be heading out to her Uni campus like she normally does right now. I thought about it some more. Seeing as she didn't look like she was going anywhere, I might as well take her up on the offer. "That would be kind of you," I murmured passing over Naomi's things. Naomi ran across the room to grab at Nat's free hand. I chuckled. Naomi really did think of Nat as her Mother. 

We made our way out of the house, locking the front door behind us. I kissed Nat and Naomi goodbye. "I'll see you later okay," I murmured squishing Naomi's cheeks together. She nodded enthusiastically. "And I'll see you later," I cooed giving Natasha a small chaste kiss. I quickly got in my car to drive to Mum's. 

"Are you ready to go get your stuff?" I asked once I pulled up at Mum's house. She nodded and looked really happy. She's practically glowing. "She's been ready since the companies called me up to say they're ready." Jess remarked. A very messily organised folder was held in her arms and she looked ready to do business. "Is that all the arrangements?" I asked eyeing the black folder. Jess nodded. 

"I'll show you later," Jess spoke as she got in the back of the car. I drove them first to the shop that dealt with the wedding favours. The things that Mum and Evan chose looked nice and it was definitely something people would take and use. We moved on to get the save the date and invite cards from a store just down the street. 

We did have to make a stop in the next town over to get Mum's wedding dress. We'd made an early start so we should get back in time for when I have to go and pick Naomi up from school. I sat with Jess on the fancy sofa they had in the bridal store. We were waiting for Mum to try her dress on. "What have you got left?" I asked eyeing all the overwhelming amount of white dresses. I never wanted to step foot in one of these stores again. Everything looked the same but everything was different at the same time. 

Jess flicked through the pages in her folder until she got to her list. It was long and full of details like what Mum and Evan agreed on, what they didn't, what they wanted. It was all useful information to Jess at least but to me it just looked like meaningless scrawl. I scrunched my nose up as she listed off the amount of things that she still had to arrange. That was a long list of things and I wondered how in the hell Jess could put up with doing all this as a career choice. 

"All you've got to worry about little brother is your best man duties, getting a suit and helping set everything up on the day," Jess cooed but her tone was tired. She was definitely stressed but she assured us every day that it's well worth it to see how happy the couples are once she's helped them. 

Mum stepped out in a wedding dress that, in Jess' opinion, fitted her figure perfectly. It was loose around the bottom half and slightly tapered at the waist and fitted at the top. I was happy I could witness how just being in this dress made Mum really happy. She was wiping away tears as the lady put on the veil and the very small tiara. 

"Mum don't cry," Jess sniffled, wiping away her own tears. I wiped away my own tears that were forming. It was really touching to be involved in such an intense and intimate moment. Mum went to change back into the clothes she came into the store with while me and Jess waited in the car. "How long until the wedding?" I asked. Jess was writing something in that black folder, presumably crossing out the dress from the list too. 

"6 months. We're right on track with everything as long as something doesn't go wrong. Did Evan tell you about finding a venue?" Jess muttered. She was counting on her right hand and biting on the tip of her pen. I guess she was roughly working out the budget. "Which venue?" I asked. I wanted to know more so I could at least lessen the amount of work Jess had to do. "Wedding ceremony and reception. Mum and Evan were hoping we could find a place that does both." Jess responded. She started scribbling more notes in another part of the folder.

I had to think back to my recent conversations with Evan and the places we went to. There was one that he liked that he was certain that Mum was going to love. I forgot the name of it. I sat there thinking about it for a while. "There was a barn place not too far from here that Evan thinks Mum'll like. I think they do ceremonies too." I remarked. I hoped Jess would know the place. Jess looked up for a moment trying to think of the place I meant. 

"You'll have to show me it" Jess requested. I nodded. "Next Saturday." I arranged for us to drive over then since I'm free. Nat was planning to take Naomi to a giant soft play area for the day so that would give me time to help out. That and Aaron wasn't planning on giving me any over time work yet. We were actually running out of work as he put it. Ever since that new auto shop opened on the other side of town, we've been slowly losing business. 

Mum finally got back in the car, her dress in a protective bag and her accessories wrapped up in small boxes. "Ready to head back?" I asked. Mum nodded. "I'm a bit tired after all that," she spoke. I frowned. She never normally got tired that easily. "You okay Mum?" I asked. I was a bit concerned since she's been worrying about everything and trying to do a lot despite us telling her we've got control of it. 

"Yeah, just been tired recently nothing to be worried about," she waved off my concern. We made it back just in time for me to go and pick Naomi up. I told them I would drop the stuff of later and that Mum should really keep an eye on how she feels. I was one of the last parents to show up at the gates to pick up Naomi. The crowd was waiting for their child to come out. Naomi came out holding the teacher's hand and then pointed me out. She bounded over to me happier than when she left the house this morning. 

"Let's go get ice cream shall we?" I asked leading her to the car. I strapped her in to her booster seat. "Daddy I made lots of friends today!" she beamed happily from the back of the car. I smiled. I was happy to hear that she had such a good day today. "Did you? How many friends did you make today?" I asked. I kept shifting my eyes from the road to look at her through the mirror. 

"I made three," she responded. She seemed to get distracted as we pulled up to the ice cream parlour. "ICE CREAM!" she squealed excitedly. I smiled fondly. I'll never get tired of this. I helped her get out of the car and walked into the shop with her. I can't wait to be able to always do these sorts of things with her. Right now moneys a bit tight but I'll do my best at giving her the best I can be and the best I can do. 

God I love my daughter.