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“Sprinkles. Calm down. You’re making me a nervous wreck. Just pick one,” Slade huffed.
Candy bit at the inside of her jaw, looking over the wall of feminine products. The many choices for a pregnancy test were giving her anxiety.
Isis leaned up against the shelf, looking at the light above them that was flickering on and off, making the group even more on edge. She sighed in frustration, tapping her foot to the flicker of the light.
Gage had his forehead resting on his fiancé’s shoulder, with his arms dangling down like a bored child. “Make this torture stop. Please, just pick one, Pinky. I’m starving. All you have to do is pee on a stick. Boom! Done. It’s not that big of a deal.”
Candy looked over at Gage and snarled. “What if I choose the wrong one?”
Isis grabbed a handful of tests. “Here. Buy them all so we can go. We’ve been here for almost an hour.”
Slade turned Candy to face him. Her eyes were full of big tears, and her lip was quivering. “I’ll pick one. Will that help?”
Candy nodded. “Maybe?”
“Oh, baby. You’re scared, aren’t you?” Slade stuck his lip out like he was pouting and pulled her in for a big hug. “Don’t worry. No matter what, we have each other.”
Candy pulled back, fiddling with the buttons on Slade’s shirt. “What if…” She looked away, ready to cry. “Mom had so much trouble getting pregnant. What if I have trouble conceiving too? What if I can’t carry it? I want this so much. Don’t you?”
Slade rubbed her arm. “Yes, baby. I do. We have our entire lives ahead of us. As long as we’re together, we’ll figure it out. Together. Remember?”
“Together.” Candy hugged him.
Isis handed her a test with an understanding smile. “Let’s not think about the negative. Just find out if you are pregnant and go from there. This one. It looks easy to read.”
“Okay. Let’s go.”
Gage grabbed her in a dramatic, playful hug and started shaking her back and forth. “Finally! A decision is made. The people will not die of starvation. The pink princess has made her choice.”
Candy was laughing as Gage flung her around like a rag doll. “I can’t breathe, Gage. Stop, that tickles.”
Gage pulled her back at arm’s length. “Candy, you’re going to be a great mom. I know I give you crap, but I love ya like a sister. We’ll be here for you no matter what.”
“Thanks, Gage. Love you too. Now, let’s go feed you before you wilt like a delicate little flower,” Candy teased.
“Now you’re talking. IHOP, here we come!”
***
Candy paced the living room floor in the beach house. “It’s been like an hour.”
Everyone was sitting, watching her pace around like a wild animal, as Slade let out a chuckle. Looking down at the clock on his phone he noted, “It’s been less than a minute.”
Candy grabbed the phone. “No. It’s been forever… Crap. Okay, you’re right.”
Rubbing his hand over his face in annoyance, Gage said, “If she is this spazzed out now, what will it be like through pregnancy?”
Isis elbowed him in the rib and frowned. “Hush.”
“What? It was just a question.”
2 minutes…
3 minutes…
4 minutes…
(Phone alarm)
“Yes! Finally.” Slade jumped up from the chair and ran to the restroom. Stopping in his tracks, he turned back to Candy, who was glaring at him with her arms crossed over her chest.
He opened the door, motioning for her to go forward. “After you, my dear.”
Candy rolled her eyes and walked past him, glaring like he was an idiot.
A long silence from the restroom made Gage look at Isis and shake his head. Isis sighed and dropped her own in response. They knew it would devastate Candy if the test read negative. She had been through so much, all they wanted was for her to be happy.
Candy walked out and headed to the bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Slade followed with his head down, dragging his feet.
Quickly, Isis stood and went to his side, consoling him. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Slade.”
He nodded, and Gage noticed something wasn’t right. Slade was too calm and almost seemed a little too melodramatic. Why wasn’t he rushing to Candy’s side? He was so protective of her, yet he just stood there with no emotion?
About the time there was a yell from the bedroom. “YES! I’m having a baby!”
Isis ran to the bedroom, and Candy was jumping up and down on the bed. She jumped from the bouncing mattress and grabbed Isis in for a huge hug. “I’m pregnant!”
“You scared us to death, you brat. This is so wonderful! I’m so happy for you.”
Slade looked up through his lashes with a cheesy grin, and Gage laughed.
Rolling his eyes, he said, “I freaking hate you. I thought something was wrong.”
“She’s pregnant. She just needed a minute to process. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier than I am right now.”
Gage smiled and reached his hand out to his friend. “Congrats brother.”
The girls made their way out of the bedroom as Candy looked down at her phone. “I want to call my parents.”
Slade stopped her before she could make the call. “No. They need to know in person. I already told your dad I was going to propose. I think we should tell them together. I want my father and sisters there too.”
Candy thought for a second. “You’re right. We’ll do it in Vegas for the next pay-per-view.”
Isis squeaked excitedly. “We could throw a small engagement party.”
Candy got excited, too. “Oooh! The night before the show.”
Gage ran his hand over his beard, shaking his head. “How do girls always turn everything into a major life event?”
Isis giggled. “You’re just sick of wedding planning.”
Candy snarled her nose and stuck out her tongue at the thought. “Blah. Can’t blame him. It’s just so much work. Seeing your planning is exhausting. I rather just elope; small and simple. Not like Isis, who wants to have a huge royal wedding.”
Isis pouted. “I want to feel like a princess. Back home in Tennessee, I never dreamed I could have a wedding this big. Or one at all.”
Gage pulled her to him, kissing the top of her head, knowing how the years of bullying still made her feel inferior. “You will, love. I want you to have everything just the way you like it. You can have your fairytale wedding however you want it. I may complain, but as long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”
Slade turned to Candy. “Seriously? You wouldn’t want some overly girly pink Barbie wedding?”
“Oh, I want pink, just not too over the top. My close friends and family; that’s all I need.” Candy wrapped her arms around Slade’s waist, looking up at him with a smile to reassure him. “All I care about is standing next to the man I love. I don’t need a big elaborate display to know how much you love me. I just need you.”
Isis giggled, snuggling into Gage’s chest. “I know Gage loves me, but I put up with too much of his crap when we met to not at least get my fancy wedding. He owes me for all that time being a total dirtbag and hurting my feelings. Payment for time served.”
“Hey. I wasn’t that bad,” Gage grumbled.
Isis, Slade, and Candy said in unison, “Yes, you were.”
