The Shadow of Me

Chapter 19

"Holly, stay still, dammit!" Zsazsa snapped as she tried sewing a seam of the dress.

I had to be her mannequin for it since it was my dress. I hated having to do this. I always ended up being stuck with a needle.

Zsazsa still wouldn't tell me why she was making this dress for me. She just said it was a surprise.

Being seven months pregnant didn't help either.

"Zsazsa, when are you gonna be done?" I asked impatiently.

"Just a few moments more," she told me. "I need to make sure it's done before I give the okay. Besides, you're meeting them on an Air Force Base."

I looked at the ring on my left ring finger, seeing the delicate ring with a small diamond on it.

"How do you think Jeremy is gonna react to it?" I asked my Hungarian-American friend.

"Personally, he's gonna be a mama hen," she replied as she sewed. "He's gonna be in hysterics. An all around emotional woman."

I rolled my eyes at the thought of my cousin/father. He was definitely gonna act like an emotional woman. Even if Jeremy told him he was okay with it.

I thought about how Alan proposed to me.

*Flashback*

"Alan, what are we doing here?" I asked, laughing as we made our way into the restaurant.

"You'll see beautiful," he told me, pressing a kiss to my cheek.

I rolled my eyes as he told the waiter we had reservations. He nodded and led us to a spot in the restaurant by the balcony.

I knew this restaurant by heart. I loved the food here. It was such a lovely place.

After we ordered and had eaten our meal, Alan stood and held his hand out to me.

"May I have this dance?" he asked with a smile as the small band started playing a slow song.

"You may," I told him with a smile as I placed my hand in his and let him lead me to the center of the room.

As we danced, I felt like I was on top of the world.

"I owe everything to Jeremy," he whispered in my ear. "If he hadn't asked us for you to be Tino's drum tech, we wouldn't have ever met."

"I know, I'm grateful he did," I whispered in response.

"Holly, I love your smile, your personality, the way you let go when you're playing an instrument and singing, the way you say what's on your mind," he said before he started pulling away slightly. "Holly Crocifissa Heyde, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

My hands made their way to my mouth, which was open in shock as he got down on one knee with a velvet box in his hand.

Tears were streaming from my eyes already.

"Yes," I said, my voice almost a squeak.

His face looked relieved as he said the delicate ring onto my finger.

*End Flashback*

"Holly!"

"Huh?" I asked, looking at my Hungarian-American friend.

"Laura is here," she told me. "She has a gift for ya."

I rolled my eyes as I pulled the dress off with the help of Zsazsa. I quickly pulled on my sweats and Death Punch tee before I walked out into the front of the store.

"Holly," she said with a smile as she pulled me into a hug.

"Hey, Laura, it's been too long," I told her, laughing.

"I know," she told me. "But, Chris has a gift for you and the little one. Which reminds me, are we getting a niece or nephew?"

"Don't know yet," I told her. "Alan and I want to wait until he or she gets here. But, he's determined we having a girl and I think we're having a boy."

She laughed as Zsazsa joined us, "Are we ready to get you to the airport before tonight?"

I nodded, "Oh, are Alexis and Callie coming?" I asked as I sat down and pulled on my tennis shoes.

Laura nodded as she pulled her blonde hair into a ponytail, "Yeah, Alexis wants to spend time with her aunt before she leaves," she told me.

I nodded, "Alan said their tour manager is laying off the tours when we get closer to my due date because he wants Alan to be able to be there for the birth," I told my friends as we left the shop, letting Zsazsa lock up on our way out.

Laura nodded as we got into her car. Well, me and her got into her Bentley while Zsazsa got into her Ferrari California.

******

"Aunt Holly!" Alexis shouted as she pulled me into a hug.

I laughed as I returned the hug to the sixteen year old. She was just like Ivan. No question about her being his daughter. That's for sure.

"Do you and Alan have any names picked out, Mrs Ashby?" Alexis asked with a smile as the four of us took our seats at the table.

"Well, we were thinking Laura Alexis Marie for a girl and if we have a boy, we were thinking Alan Anthony Jr," I told them laughing. "And I'm not Mrs Ashby yet, ladies."

"Laura Alexis Marie?" Laura and Alexis asked simultaneously with shocked faces.

I nodded, laughing, "Yes, don't look so surprised, ladies," I told them.

The rest of the day went by quickly before I had to get to the airport to fly to Japan. The guys were supposed to be there to pick me up then we were supposed to meet Alan in Berlin for the last concert before their tour ends in a month. So, I was travelling with my family for a month. Then a month off for me before Alan comes home. Well, to Las Vegas. Then after the guys get the nursery ready and I'm feeling well enough to travel, I'm moving in with Alan.