Between Friends

You had checked with your Obstetrician about the vomiting.  She said it's possible to start later for some.  She wasn't worried since all your exams were going perfectly.  Luckily, you didn't have to deal with it more than once or twice a week.

A week later you, Nat, Pepper, Jane and Maria all went dress and shoe shopping for you and Nat. Nat was first.

Pepper had brought fabric samples of different materials and shades of yellow. She held out the ring of cards with fabric pieces attached, "So, what shade of yellow do you want? I'll take the guys to get their tuxes and ties to match another day after you've decided."

You thumbed through them and settled on a soft, pale butter yellow, "This one." You pointed.

"I like that. It's very pretty.", Nat added.

The attendant in the shop asked Nat her size and left to bring back thre dresses; one above the knee, one tea length and one floor length.

She tried on the shortest one first and stepped out of the dressing room. The skirt was rediculously poofy. You sneered disapprovingly. She knitted her eyebrows in agreement, nodding, "I feel like one of those Barbie cakes with the doll stuck into it."

You and the girls giggled, then you said, "Yeah. No. Not it. But, Nat, you look so good in yellow. It really compliments your hair color."

"Thank you.", she beamed. "But nobody's gonna be looking at me, honey.", she winked. "Well, except Bruce... at least he better be."

You chuckled, "You know he will."

You didn't like the tea length one either; a little too country club for you.

When she stepped out in the third dress, grinning. You gasped, your hands up, "Yes!"

It was sleeveless. The soft chiffon fabric gathered from the shoulder seams and down, crossing over the chest, leaving just her shoulders exposed. There was another criss cross at the waist that was more compressed in size. The skirt of it had narrow, soft pleating just in front and the material draped gently.

You were up next. Pepper told the attendant that you were pregnant and would be just over five months on the wedding day so you needed room to grow. You told the lady your size and she came back with three dresses, all empire waisted, with lots of room in the belly.

The attendant helped you in the dressing room with the zipper. You stepped out of the dressing room looking less than amused. It had a light and loose hanging chiffon skirt with a lace, sweetheart neckline and cap sleeves. "This one feels like a nightgown.", you chuckled.

"I was just gonna say that.", Maria giggled.

The next was strapless with similar details to Nat's at the bust. The skirt was made of fluffy tulle with vines of small white flowers sewn randomly across it.

Nat laughed, "Now you look like a Barbie cake."

Everyone chuckled and agreed, then Jane added, "And we wouldn't see your cute baby bump very well."

You went back in for the last one. When you got it on and looked in the mirror, you eyes blinked in a flutter. This was the one.

You stepped out grinning ear to ear and everyone gasped. They were all clamoring quietly with enthusiastic compliments.

It was strapless, a sweetheart bustline trimmed with tightly gathered chiffon strips that twisted once between the breasts and continues underneath them towards the back. The bust had white and soft gold embroidery over it and also trimming the chiffon gathers. The skirt was lined underneath with white satin gathered at the belly. That was covered with softly gathered chiffon which was split in the front and cut on the diagonal to let it open slightly, the edges surged to make a wavy drape where it hung open. It was breathtaking.

Nat rushed you hug you, tearing up, "You look so beautiful, (Y/N)." She pulled back to look you over once more. "He's gonna cry." Then she chuckled, "And probably make you late for the reception 'cause he's gonna wanna sneak you off for a romp in a closet once you both say 'I do'."

You chuckled, tearing up a little yourself as all the other girls laughed at Nat's comment as well.

You all then went to lunch and a movie.

When Nat dropped you off, she pulled up along the curb and stopped at the end of the driveway. You hugged her, said goodbye and got out. As she drove off, you heard a loud whirring racket coming from up the driveway. You could see around your cars in the driveway that the garage door was open.

You walked back to find a large pile of two by fours in the garage and Chris wearing a black tank top, faded jeans, boots and safety glasses, cutting wood on an electric table saw. God, he was such a beautiful piece of work... And soon he was going to be your husband. Your heart fluttered.

When he finished cutting that piece, he switched off the saw and went to put what he had cut in another pile, he spotted you just inside the garage and smiled. "Hey, beautiful. How'd it go?" He took of the glasses, setting them on the table and went to you as you answered.

"Good. Really good. I'm so excited!", you beamed.

He put a light hand on the small of your back and gave you a quick kiss, trying not to touch you too much being that he was covered in saw dust. "That's what I like to hear.", he smiled. "And how's our baby bean?" He put a hand on your belly and bent down to kiss it.

You put a hand over his, "Fanstatic."

He straightened, "How you feeling, mama?"

"Really good."

"Perfect.", he kissed you again.

You brows furrowed in amusement. "What are you doing?", you chortled.

"Here, I'll show you.", he guided you out of the garage and around to the side of it where it met the yard. There sat a good sized, retangular bottomless box, a few inches from the outer wall. "Raised garden boxes." You smiled softly while he pointed along the length of the garage and down the high wood fence on the other side of the yard as he spoke, "I'm gonna put them here and down that whole side." Your smiled widened.

You had started tending to a few tomato plants in pots on the deck early on in the summer and had mentioned to him that you might like to have a garden someday.

He put his hands on his hips and continued, "We don't have a big enough yard for a garden plot, so figured this would give you a good amount of space while still keeping the yard usable." He looked to the box again and then back to you, "I'll fill these nearly full with soil and they'll be high enough that you don't have to bend over too far to work." He beamed proudly.

You started to tear up, "Thank you so much, honey. This is so sweet."

"Sweetheart," he wanted to hug you, but he'd get tiny, itchy pieces of wood all over you, so he stroked your arm instead. "You're killing me with the crying.", he chuckled softly, his face sympathetic.

You sniffed, "I'm sorry. But at least it's happy crying. You're just so unbelievably good to me... And pregnancy hormones. Blech.", you laughed weakly.

"I know, baby. It's just hard to see you cry." He dipped his head, "I'll work on being okay with the happy crying. Alright?"

You nodded, "Okay. How did you get all that wood here? And when did you get a table saw?", you chortled.

"Clint brought his over and let me borrow it. He also came with me to pick up the wood in his truck."

"Good deal.", you pulled down the corners of your mouth and nodded. "I'll let you get back to work, love. What do you want for dinner?"

"Nah, I'm done for today. I want a shower and to hold my babies. What do you want for dinner? Wanna go get sushi tonight? Not having to cook will give us some cuddle time before we have to go.", he titled his head expectantly.

"Mmm, yes.", you grinned.

"Alright. Let me clean up a little in the garage and get my ass in the shower. I'll see you inside, baby girl.", he kissed you once more and went to the garage as you headed into the house.

Once you had gone in, you peed, of course, grabbed yourself a water and a chocolate chip cookie out of the bag in the cupboard. Okay, maybe it was two cookies. Four! It was four.

You leaned your back against the counter and gazed out the back windows of the sunroom at all the green in the yard. It always made you smile, but now you smiled thinking about what Chris was doing for you. He was amazing; ridiculously thoughtful. It made you feel so loved.

As you took your time savoring your cookies, you thought of what you might like to plant. Definitely zucchini; you loved zucchini and it made such good bread- Ooh! Zucchini bread with chocolate chips. Mmmmm. Chocolate chips. Maybe some pumpkins? Sugar snap peas... Yes. Some lettuce and spinach too... And bell peppers.

Chris sauntered in and jogged up the two steps from the sunroom, scratching the back of his neck, "God. So itchy." He scrunched his face up.

"Honey, don't scratch.", you ordered through a mouthful of cookie. "You'll drive all those wood particles into your skin and then it'll be really irritated."

He wrinkled up his forehead at you as he rounded the island, "Someone's been caught with their hand in the cookie jar." He kissed your forehead and winked. You handed him your unopened water. "Oh, thanks, sweetness." He cracked it open and started taking a long drink.

"You bought them for me, dork." You took another big bite, scrunching your nose, narrowing your eyes and shaking your head in short jerks, defiantly.

He chuckled, "You're so fucking cute." He tapped the tip of your nose with a finger. He started for the bathroom, "Where you wanna cuddle, baby?" He disappeared through the doorway, waiting for you answer before shutting the door.

"Bed!", you called out, muffled from another bite of cookie.

He laughed and came to the doorway, resting his palms on either side of the frame, tilting his head, "Your mouth hasn't been empty since I came in, does it get upset when there's nothing in it?"

"Mm-hm.", you looked at him mischievously.

He smiled lazily, rocking his head to one side and closing his eyes for a beat, "I guess that was a dumb question. Meet you in the bedroom, sexy." He made a kissing motion with his lips and closed the door.

By the time he got out of the shower, you had fallen asleep on your back propped up on pillows on the bed, snoring lightly. You had peeled off your lightweight, mint colored, feathered henley and kicked off your flip flops, leaving you in just a black tank top and your favorite jean capris. The TV was still on, tuned to some obnoxiously colorful drag queen version of America's Next Top Model. He had to stifle a laugh and got into his dresser quietly, then slipping on some burgundy boxer briefs. He tapped off the TV and joined you on the bed, pulling the throw blanket over you both.

When he sidled up to you and put his arm over you, you woke, disoriented, your voice groggy, "Hey, why'd you turn of my show?"

"You were sleeping, sweetheart. We can get a nap before dinner. Go back to sleep.", he kissed your temple and nuzzled it.

"I wasn't sleeping. I was just resting my eyes."

"Well, your eyes were snoring, my love.", he chuckled. "Go back to sleep."

Your rolled over so he could spoon you, "Well, if you insist."

He started to caress your belly softly and you hummed as he asked, "Don't I always?" He kissed the back of your head and you drifted off again.