For Better or Worse | Choni

Snow And Conversation

I jolted awake, looking around for Cheryl and Heather before realising it was just a dream. I flopped back against my pillow with a sigh of relief. That was not how I wanted to imagine our wedding night going.

I glanced down at my buzzing phone to see new messages from my best friend Josie.

Jose
So how's the cabin getaway going?

Me
Hard to complain
Though I wish it wasn't because my fiancee's
ex returned from the dead

Jose
Yh I can't even imagine
But you gotta focus on you and Cheryl rn
Enjoy the time you have away from it all

Me
You're right. Thx J

I put down my phone and brought my hand up to admire the gorgeous ring that now occupied my left ring finger. Feeling reassured that Cheryl and I could talk it out, I headed downstairs.

The smell of scrambled eggs and freshly brewed coffee hit me as soon as I entered the kitchen.

"Morning, beautiful. Sleep well?" Cheryl greeted me with a bright smile and a kiss but I frowned,

"Actually, about that..."

"What's wrong?"

I took her hands in mine and led her to one of the stools along the kitchen aisle, "I had a dream that Heather interrupted us on our wedding night. She was yelling and saying that you betrayed her and the twins by being with me. It was.. a lot."

Cheryl pulled me into a tender hug, "Baby, I'm so sorry. I know this must be awful for you and we haven't had much time to talk about it directly."

"The dream was just so weird and you're right; we haven't had the chance to really process it at all."

"You know you can always talk to me about anything, including Heather. Speaking of, my lawyers wanted to update me on their progress. They've been trying to confirm her identity as quietly as possible."

"Really?"

"Of course." Cheryl scoffed, "Five years ago a medical examiner told me my wife was dead. I saw her at the morgue. The twins and I buried her. After all this time she could be a stranger pretending to be Heather. I'm not taking any chances either way."

I nodded, "It's the only way to be sure."

"I was hoping to have it handled discreetly before we broach the subject with the twins again. If it's just some sort of sick joke-"

"Do you think it's really her?"

Cheryl sighed, "It's hard to believe, I know. I mean it's basically the plot of a soap opera and yet.. something in my gut is telling me it's her."

I hesitated for a moment but had to ask, "If it is Heather, what do you plan to do?"

"Well.."

Just then, the sound of two pairs of feet pounding down wooden stairs filled the kitchen. The twins came tumbling into the room a moment later.

"Mom! Toni!"

"We wanna build a snowman!"

Cheryl laughed as they took her by the hands and started to drag her out the door, "Okay, okay!"

Once outside, the pair ran back indoors to capture me next. I looked down at my thin pajamas, "Let me change into something snowman-building appropriate."

They squinted their eyes at me with a low huff, "Fine, but hurry!"

I raced upstairs and rummaged through my closet, smiling when I found the purple snowsuit Cheryl gifted me. Now I looked warm and sexy. Making sure to grab gloves, I headed back downstairs to join everyone outside.