pretty girl (Lauren/You- first person)

chapter twenty one.

We spent the next week or so checking in often with Anthony and Ally, she was able to go home after only two days in the hospital but unfortunately the baby would have to stay a few weeks. He was making progress and growing stronger everyday, but it still wasn't enough for him to go home. The day Ally was discharged was the day she and Anthony were first able to hold him, and also the day they chose his name, Caden Wyatt, which meant "great fighter, little warrior." Lauren and I would take turns or go together each day to bring Delilah to see her baby brother through the window, and also to give Anthony and Ally moral support, as they were spending nearly every spare minute in the hospital. She found a good friend and support in my almost sister in law, since Madison was still a new mom herself. Since Ally was busy recovering and visiting Caden, I told her it would be okay if she chose to stay home the day of the wedding, that I understood completely, but she refused. She admitted that the nurses had been not so subtly suggesting she spend some time out of the NICU, since she was there nearly twenty four-seven.

In between supporting our daughter's surprise sibling, Lauren and I were finalizing any last minute decisions for our wedding, and I was secretly finalizing the plans for our surprise honeymoon. Clara and I had devised a plan that during our rehearsal dinner, we would present Lauren with the vacation when Mike stood up to give the "father of the bride" speech, since all three of us were in on it.

Amidst everything that seemed to be happening all at once, it had slipped my mind that we had registered with the sperm bank, until they sent us a thick envelope in the mail. Lauren and I decided to look over it together, but unfortunately because of our schedules we hadn't yet found the time. I made a mental note to try and find some time before the wedding as I walked past the envelope sitting on the kitchen counter, while I was on my way to get a last minute spray tan. We had two days before the wedding, so today I was doing all of the "glamorous" things with Normani, while Lauren went out with Dinah for the same treatment.

"Don't come back looking like a Cheeto!" Lauren joked as I zoomed around the living room gathering my things.

"Would you still marry me?" I feigned concern.

"I'd eat you." She winked while Dinah and Normani started hollering.

"One Cheeto bride coming right up then pretty girl." I winked back before leaning in for a goodbye kiss. "I don't know what time we'll be done, so I'll text you when we're on our way home."

"Okay, I love you."

"I love you."

As we walked out the door, I could faintly hear Dinah making some sort of comment about hot Cheetos. Whatever she said, I could hear Lauren's laugh from outside so I smiled.

"You're seriously getting married in two days!" Normani squealed a little as she started the car. I laughed and admittedly squealed a little too.

"I know, so much is going on right now but like that's all I can think about!"

"That's all you should be thinking about! This is your time, this is what you deserve to focus on. Both of you." I smiled at my best friend. "So on today's agenda we have," She cleared her throat dramatically, "spray tan, root touch up," she glanced disapprovingly at my hair, to which I gave her an offended look, "nails-"

"Normani I can't have fake nails!" I looked at her incredulously. "Do you want me to hurt my wife!?" I held two fingers up on one hand to hint at what I meant. She looked at me confused for a second before it finally registered, and when it did she laughed the loudest I had ever heard.