After Five Years

Chapter 11

"Hamburger?" I ask the five-year-old sitting across from me. She shakes her head. "Spaghetti?" Again, no. "Chicken nuggets?" She thinks for a second before nodding. "Okay, chicken nuggets for Zoey, what about you Zander? Do you know what you want?" He nods, "A hamburger." Then continues coloring.

A few minutes later Mia comes to the table, she's dressed in a pair of jeans and her work t-shirt. The name tag on her shirt says 'Amelia' with a smiley face. "You kids figure out what you wanted?"

"Zoey wants chicken nuggets and Zander said a hamburger." I tell her.

"Okay," She looks at her watch. "I should be done with my shift by the time their food comes out so I'll bring it with me then I'm done. Also, there's food for Ryder in his diaper bag if he starts to get grumpy." She starts to walk away but turns back around. "Oh, Autumn texted a few minutes ago and said she and Johnathan were almost here, so they should be here any minute."

I watch as she walks toward the front of the diner and talks to customers she seated a few minutes ago.

Tonight Johnathan and Autumn's entire wedding party is coming here to Mick's to meet each other. Autumns bridal party consists of Rose, Mia, me, her cousin, her college roommate, and Zoey as the flower girl. Johnathan's groomsmen consist of Josh, Kyle, Trevor, his partner Kai, and Zander as the ring bearer. I guess he's still trying to figure out who to ask to be his fifth groomsman.

Zander looks up from his coloring page and his face lights up. "Johnathan's here!"

Autumn suddenly sits next to me in the booth and Johnathan sits across from her next to Zander. "Hey Champ, what are you coloring?" Zander lifts up his paper so Johnathan can see it. "It's me when I'm older and a police officer like you."

"Wow Zander, that's great." Johnathan praises him then takes his badge out of his pocket and pins it to the front of Zander's shirt.

"Cool!" Zander grins an ear-splitting grin.

It's then that I realize Johnathan is in a tux and Autumn's wearing a black lace dress. Were we supposed to dress up? I look down at my jean shorts and a t-shirt with the bat symbol on it. I hope not.

"What's with the fancy get up?" Mia asks walking up to the table with a tray of plates. She sits down next to Autumn and hands Zander and Zoey their food before sliding a plate of spaghetti in front of me.

"Your brother is taking me on a date after this." Autumn smiles. Thank god. It did not make sense for them to get dressed up just to come to Mick's.

"Oh, that'll be fun." Mia says taking the tomatoes off her burger and setting them on my plate.

Since confirming I was pregnant I've decided to embrace all the crazy things that come with pregnancy, including the weird cravings; which is currently tomatoes. That may not seem like a weird craving but when you consider that I've hated tomatoes since before I could talk, it is pretty weird.

"Did Autumn tell you ladies that I picked my final groomsman? The one that you're partnered with Meghan?" Johnathan asks.

"No," Mia shakes her head. "Who?"

"He won't tell me but he said it's someone we all know." Autumn pouts.

"That's good, right?" I ask. "If I already know him it makes walking down the aisle with him less awkward." I'm assuming it's someone who works at the station with him. Maybe Garret, I've met him a few times, he's pretty sweet.

"I hope." Johnathan mumbles. "He was working tonight but was going to come here right when he got off, so he could meet everyone else."

Thirty minutes later the group is taking up three tables and everyone is engaged in idle chatter. "Hey," Autumn leans toward me whispering. "How have you been feeling?"