The two of us - Nichorello

25. I love you too

<Lorna's POV> 

"How big is the baby?" Vinnie asks me, laying his hands on my belly. 

"Not that big, but I got a sonogram from last week, they didn't let me keep it though." 

"So, let's cut to the chase. We're getting married tomorrow. Right?" 

"Yes, I filled out all the forms that are needed." 

I force a smile as he takes my hands into his. He smiles at me, gently touching my skin. At once, his demeanour changes, he furrows his brows and clenches his jaw, standing up in an angry manner. 

"What the fuck is she doing here?" He stands up and walks towards Nicky who just entered the room. 

"This is America, chipmunk. The land of the free." She answeres, hovering over him. 

"leave her alone," I try to pull Vinnie off of Nicky, but instead he pushes her against a wall. C.O.s immediately escort him out of the room whilst he continues to insult Nicky. 

She looks at me sadly. "You really think that he is going to make such a great father?" 

"You know I don't have a choice. What do you want me to do?" I reply. 

We both remained silent while we held hands underneath the table so that no one saw. 

"You have a girlfriend, huh?" I ask, hoping that she was lying to make me jealous before.

"Yes. Her name is Monica." So it is true.

"That's a pretty name," I reply. I force a smile but know that Nicky can see right through me. 

"You're not happy for me, are you?" she asks, a little disappointed by the way I was acting.

"I want to be. I'm so sorry, Nicky. I really want to be happy for you. But-" I pause: "I really thought this time we would end up together." 

"I thought so too, kid. I thought so too. And believe me, I still wish we were meant to be. But if we were meant to be, we would have been by now."

"Is this really the end?" 

"You're getting married in two days. Anything else would just mess with your head. But I want you to know, if you ever change your mind, come find me. Even if it looks like I'm busy. You're all I see. You are all I ever see." 

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Piper and Alex had not been talking at all, but today they made an exception for my special day. Although the tension between them was filling the entire B dorms, they both smiled at me as if nothing happened. Piper ran her finger through my hair, deciding if it should be knotted up in a bun. 

"So, what do you think? Straight or curled?" she asked me. 

<flashback> 

"You look nice," Nicky's raspy voice said, as we ordered our food in the cafeteria. Well, if you could call metal tables where disgusting food was served a cafeteria. 

"oh, you noticed," I said, referring to the bun my hair had been arranged into. 

"Of course I did. It's nice to see you like this. There is nothing sadder than a ripe fruit just withering because of prison."

"You like my ripe fruit." 

"Mhmm..." Nicky almost groaned "So sweet, so juicy." A grin spread across my face. 

"Ew.. As if this food wasn't making me nauseous enough," Alex interrupted. We both laughed at her comment but were soon silenced by the yellowish food on our trays. 

"I thought you liked my hair best when curled." 

"That's true," Nicky said: "But believe me, you look fabulous in everything." 

<flashback ends> 

"Straight," I answered Piper's question. 

"I thought you liked your hair curly better." She asked. It's true I did like it that way better, but somehow I already felt guilty enough about this wedding, because I was in love with someone else than the groom. Still, I found myself deciding me to wear my hair straight, just because wearing it curly would remind me even more of her. 

Piper exited the room to get some lemon juice and water to tame my hair since we weren't allowed to use straightening irons in prison. 

"Nicky liked your hair curly. I know what you're doing Morello." Alex sighed. I turned around, not able to face alex because she reminded me of Nicky. 

"I love her," I mumbled. The raven-haired woman wrapped her arms around me in a comforting manner. 

"Then tell her" 

---------------------------

Only 10 minutes until I had to be in the visitation room to get married. Yet I had never felt this unhappy, maybe I shouldn't marry him. Maybe Nicky and I would be able to somehow manage the whole baby situation. I dialled in Nicky's phone number.

"Hello? Who is this? Alex?" An unfamiliar female voice spoke. 

"This is Lorna. Who are you?" 

"Oh my God, Lorna. I heard so much about you, I'm Monica, you probably don't know me. I'm a friend of Nicky's." 

I felt a sting in my heart like a sword had been poked through it, making it bleed into my chest. At the same time, I heard the sincerity in her voice, how much she adored Nicky and that she was considerate of our past. I was happy for Nicky to meet a person like her. Maybe she was better off with her than she was with me. 

"Nicky told me that you're her girlfriend, it's all right. You seem like a really nice person, she talks about you too." 

"Do you wanna talk to her?" She asked. 

"Yeah, but before you do that, please- Please just promise that you will be good to her." 

"I will. Don't worry." 

I heard Monica call for Nicky and shortly after the raspy voice was on the line. 

"Should I call you Mrs Mucchio?" 

"Not yet," I answered. Although it was a joke, I could hear the disappointment in her voice. 

"Then why are you calling?" 

"I- I just-." I sighed at how hard it was to say: "I love you." Tears rolled down my cheeks. "And I'm not telling you this because the wedding is cancelled or because I'm jealous or -" 

She interrupted me: "I love you too."

-----------------

"Lorna," the priest pulled me out of my thoughts, which were circling around Nicky once again, "do you take Vinnie Mucchio as your lawfully wedded husband in sickness and in health, so repeat after me: I Lorna" 

"I, Lorna," I mumbled the tears rolling down my cheeks. I faked a smile, making it seem like happy tears. 

"take Vincent as my lawfully wedded husband." So I repeated. 

"In sickness and in health until death parts us." 

"By the power invested in me by the State of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. you may kiss the bride." 

Vincent bent down to kiss me, but yet all I could picture was Nicky.