A Chance for Normalcy

CHAPTER 20; miami

Friday of Miami Grand Prix

Sitting on your plane with Charlotte and Cass waiting for take off you have your headphones in looking out the window. Your phone dings and you look down and smile seeing a text from Max.

Don't worry about the plane ride princess, try to get some sleep. I'll see you when you wake up.

You lean against the window taking a deep breath as the plane starts to taxi down to the runway. Thinking about the events of the last week.

......

"Max, I can't make it." You say at the bottom of the hill after the hike with Bradley. Your legs buckling from underneath you. Max laughs, "hop on." You jump on his back laughing as Max gives you a piggy back ride down to the waterfront restaurant before enjoying a nice meal laughing with Max and Bradley. Max has to carry you back up to the car at the end of the night.

"That's it, I'm not moving for the rest of the week." You say as Max sets you down in bed.

"Want me to make sure of that?" Max says raising his eyebrow climbing on top of you.

"Hell yes," you say pulling Max in for a kiss...

......

"Does this look okay?" You ask Max stepping into the bathroom in a long floral maxi dress.

"Depends, are you trying to give me a boner in front of my family?" Max says looking you up and down.

"I'll take that as a yes then," you say laughing walking up to kiss his cheek.

"Yes, they're going to love you," Max says smiling.

The two of you wait at the restaurant for Max's mother and sister to arrive. You insisted on getting there early, as your paranoia on being late and making a bad impression took over. Max puts his hand on your bouncing leg settling you.

"Sorry," you say smiling softly at him.

"Don't apologize princess, just want you to relax and take a deep breath. They're here." Max says standing up smiling. You follow his gaze to two women standing at the front waving. Oh my god they're beautiful. Good genes clearly run in the family. Deep breath, here we go you say standing up next to Max.

The lunch actually goes really well, both his mother and sister are so nice and understanding of the situation. They both genuinely just seem happy for the two of you.

"I'm just happy to finally have a sister," his sister Hannah says laughing, "I always bugged mom for one."

"When you are pushing a baby out of your vagina for the third time, then you can tell me you want to do it again." His mom Paisley says laughing.

"Oh god mom, I don't want to think about that." Max says shaking his head laughing...

....

Walking through the fifth wedding dress shop of the day with Cass and Harper, champagne coursing through you as you start pulling dresses off the rack for Harper to try on. Your hands hesitate over a gorgeous strapless lace dress with sleeves. It's beautiful.

"Oh my god, Ari you need to try that on," Cass says running her hands over the dress.

"No way," you say shaking your head letting go of the dress. "Today is Harper's Day. Besides, we're not even engaged yet."

Cass doesn't take no for an answer though, she pulls the dress off and pushes you into one of the changerooms. One of the shop assistants helps you put on the dress, and you can't help but have tears in your eyes as you look at yourself in the mirror.