Chapter 3

“Finally!” The woman said sounded annoyed. “It took you forever.”
“We’ve been on the road for hours.” The couple walked past me without so much as a hello.

“Eh, you look awful,” The man said in disgust. Tears welled in my eyes.

Hearing footsteps, they turn to my very angry looking fiance. They must not have noticed his expression because they both smile and greet him as though they were great friends.

“Our cases are outside,” The woman told me looking to the door making it clear she expected me to carry the cases.

Forget that my parents are both very fit farm workers – yes, my parents – now six months pregnant, my belly had balloned and it was clear I was pregnant.

I don’t know whether to blame my rubbish parents or hormones, but I started sobbing while they berate me.

Jared was red faced and yelled at the top of his voice, “JULES!” The head of security and a second security man arrived in only several seconds.

Not having to even speak, the man began escorting my parents out.

Jared uneasily moves to hug me.

His parents arrive just in time to hear my parents demand to be let go.

“Let us go. You don’t know who you’re dealing with.”
My mother glared at me and yelled, “You are an ungrateful little bitch! You owe us after ruining our retirement.”

Julia stared mouth agape as though she couldn’t believe it.
Whereas her husband, Simon, was clearly furious.

“Thank you, but you’re meant to be resting,” I say doing my best to not cry anymore.

“No-one treats you like that.” He was so angry I could see the veins in his head. He didn’t have to tell me what he was planning on doing to know he planned something.

I try to help him back to his office but quickly his parents took over much to his relief.

Once in the office Simon checks we are alright before leaving the room with his wife.
After assuring them we were alright he goes to leave with his wife, but not before she said directly to me “I’m sorry for everything.” The door closed behind them.

Jared glared at his mother as she left realising she was likely the reason my parents were here.

They were barely out of the room when we heard a raised voice.

“Are you sure you’re are alright, Princess?”

I nod and hug him. “I’m just really hungry.” He smiled for the first time in a few minutes and proceeded to literally feed me as though I am a child.

Not that I mind, I am exhausted.

At some point I must have fallen asleep on the couch in his office because the next thing I knew I was waking up to Jared telling his mother off.

“I was told she was… I was trying to protect you,” His mother was trying to explain to him probably why she brought my parents here.

“No! I told you she was different, that she is a good woman. She isn’t anything like your precious Casssidy.”

“Jared…” She sounded upset and he sounded angry.

I didn’t let them know I was awake.

“No! You’ve not given her a chance. She has been nothing but nice to you despite your obvious dislike.”

“I don’t dislike her.”

He scoffed, “I love you, mom. But you are a snob. She has never never once demanded anything from me. Even before the accident we’d spend all our time together and she was always helping me. And now…” I could feel his eyes on me.

“She does everything for me. I hate it but I can’t stop her. She is so tired when she’s done, she literally passes out. She’s meant to be resting, taking it easy.”

They go on like this, Julia even admitting that she misjudged me and thought I was just a gold digger after their money. She even had doubts about the baby at one point but that had changed only a couple of days after the scan.

Jared was beyond angry when she admitted to inviting my parents to prove I was lying. Only it didn’t work as she expected.

“I can’t believe…” Jared spoke quietly, clearly trying not to wake me.

“I can’t be blamed for thinking the worst when you take in a prostitute!” She whisper yelled.

Silence. I was mad but kept up my act for his reaction.

Several seconds before, “What in the fucking hell are you talking about?!”

“Don’t swear at me! Cassidy told me-“

He cut her off. “Cassidy, the woman who tried to kill me?! Are you kidding me?!”

“I…”

“Did it ever cross your mind she was lying because she was jealous?!”

She didn’t reply.

“God, mom, I love you, but you are a dumbass sometimes.”

“Hey!” She gasped and then I heard footsteps and her husband speak. “For goodness sake, Julia, I thought we talked about this?” He was clearly fustrated.

“Mom, she was a virgin.” A white lie. “She wasn’t-“

I cut him off with a yelp and he was with me in a second.

“Are you alright, princess? Is it the baby?” He knelt beside me despite the obvious pain.
I notice his parents were also close looking worried.

“I’m sorry to worry you.” I lift under my shirt to show my belly moving. “She is moving around and gave me a hard kick in the ribs.”

He watched in awe as my belly became much rounder on one side and then the other as she played around.

Jared placed a hand on my stomach feeling our baby move. His eyes light up.

“Wow, I can’t believe how strong she is,” He is in awe.

“Can I feel?” His father asks and I nod with a smile. I don’t mind. He has been amazing despite our first meeting.

He kneels beside his son and places a hand on my bump and the moment he did she hit him.

His mother is watching interested but I knew she wouldn’t ask bevasue she felt guilty.

I’m angry at her. Half of me is think ‘Ha, don’t let the bitch touch you,’ but another part of me says ‘She’s an idiot and a snob but she was just trying to protect her son.’

“If it was my son I’d probably act the same,” I tell her, letting her know I know she invited them.

“I’m sorry,” She mumbled, tears in her eyes clearly not used to apologising.

“I forgive you. But in future if you want to know anything about me ask me.”

She smiled and nodded thanking me.

I invite her to feel her granddaughter move and she happily accepts.

“Oh and please don’t invite my parents around anymore. They aren’t good people.”

She quickly agreed. “I could not believe it, they were so nice on the phone.”

“They are good at acting when they want something. You just have to ask the people of my town.”

“They are that disliked?”

I told her a few tales including my college plans. “And so they disowned me because I wanted to go to college.”

She listened but told me she couldn’t understand why a parent wouldn’t want their child to succeed.

**

I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I really like Jared’s mother is an amazing woman.

When she hasn’t got a vendetta against you she is really nice.

After that day she came around a lot more and helped us and we spoke.

She told me what Cassidy told her. Including how Jared met me online through my escort page and he fell for my lies. Among other bullshit.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m not going to lie. We did meet online, but if didn’t start anything sexual.”

I tell her the truth about lactating and selling for cash for food.

She surprised me by laughing. “That doesn’t surprise me. He’s been obsessed since he was a child.”

Jared was in his office working and we were preparing dinner.

“When he was about thirteen one of my friends had a baby and was breast feeding. He asked if he could go on the other breast… I was mortified.”

We were both laughing when I felt Jared walk behind me and hug me.

“What’s so funny, princess?”

“Your mom was telling me your embarrassing stories.”

He groaned like a child. “Mom, don’t you’ll scare my fiancee away.”

Together the three of us had chosen everything. Except the dress which she had a designer show me a few designs.

Using our choices and with the help of a wedding planner, very thing was being arranged.

I have even called my old teacher I was to walk me. He was surprised but happily agreed. He knew my parents and knew what asshats they are.

“You haven’t actually asked me.”

“What?” Both look at me.

“We left the hospital and you announced. You never actually asked.”

“I asked… Didn’t I?” He asked frowning.

“Nope. Still waiting.” I was kidding. But it would be nice.

“Seriously, Jared? I raised you better than to order women around!” His mother started scold him.

“I told your mom how we really met.”

I’ve never seen him blush so hard and he looked down embarrassed.

He only got more embarrassed when his father found out.

But if you expected him to suddenly ask me, you would be wrong.

To say I was upset about it would be an underestimate.

Don’t get me wrong, I am happy we are marrying and having a baby. But the question would have been nice.

**

The days passed and the wedding came fast.

We ended up with hundreds of guests, many I didn’t know.

My dress was beautiful. Tailor made for me. A long, off the shoulder ivory chiffon and lace dress. With a fitted top and fanned out below my chest. It isn’t to hide my now thirty week bump, just for comfort.

I hate tight, restrictive clothes. At least since I become pregnant. By now everyone knows we are I’m pregnant and think that was another reason Cassidy was so jealous.

When in truth I had no idea I was pregnant until much later.

A few people thought thats why we were marrying. But I knew otherwise.

Dressed, made up, hair in a pretty updo and holding my beautiful vintage bouquet, my several bridesmaids ready and Mr Richard – my teacher – holding my arm, we begin our walk down the aisle. My parents weren’t invited.

We were barely halfway down the aisle when Jared walked over and stopped in front of me.
He had a limp still but had strengthened his leg enough not to use his crutch for the short wedding ceremony.
Whispers and chatter began. Fear filled my heart and tears in my eyes.

Had he changed his mind? Realized I wasn’t good enough for him?

I was confused, he was looking at in awe and leaned in and kissed me.
Cue a lot of confused hushed chatter.

My eyes widen as he moves onto one knee. He was in obvious pain, he tried to hide it, but I know him.

I move to help him up but holding out his hand, he stops me smiling.

“My beautiful princess, so sweet, loving and always helping others when you should be resting. It is one of a hundred reasons why I love you so much.”

I tip my head to the side confused and his smile only grows.

“From the moment we first met I knew were special. I never intended to fall in love. I thought I’d be forever the bachelor.” People chuckled at this.

“But then I saw you.” His eyes were gloss. I was forcing myself not to hug him. “I knew instantly we’d spend the rest of our lives together. You are my best friend, my faithful partner, my true love always inspiring and encouraging me to be a better man. You love and care for me unconditionally. I know I don’t deserve you but I can’t let you go. I love you so much. Our daughter was the best accident.”

I am in tears by this point.

“I know it’s a little late,” He pulled out a box from his back pocket. It was a beautiful diamond ring. ” I want to spend the rest of my life worshiping you and making you happy. Marry me? Be my wife?”

“YES!” I cry, he cries and hugs me.

“Finally!” His mother exclaims. The crowd are confused but cheer and laugh.
I hear his father laugh out loud and say, “Always doing things backwards.

The rest of the ceremony was perfect.

I half expected someone to run in and stop the wedding or for my parents to force their way in since the wedding date was public knowledge, as was the location of the service.

But no, it was better than I dreamed. I ate way too much cake and we had our first dance as a married couple to John Legend’s ‘All of Me.’

Believe it or not, Cassidy’s parents send a gift, a good one. We were also informed had been cut off and couldn’t even afford a lawyer anymore.

Our honeymoon was spent in a cabin in the middle of the woods. A quiet place which we spent most of our time in bed.

He tried to carry me into the cabin and the house when we returned home but I slapped his butt and let him know it wasn’t happening.

“I want you to be able to hold our daughter when she is born,” I told him at the time. He wasn’t strong enough at that point. I know he thought he was but he’d only put his recovery futher back.

**

Three years later…

Cassidy was sentenced to twenty years. A lot of time but it was discovered she had been stealing millions from charities her mother was running and she had assisted with. Her excuse was they had put her on a one thousand dollar limit a week and that barely brought her a dinner. Lord only knows where she has been eating at. She even tried to tell the court I was a prositute who stole Jared from her and that is why she was so angry.

She told so many stories that she contradicted herself everytime.

After her sentencing she tried and failed to get a retrial. Even tried to contact Jared and his mother for help.

The thing you need to know about his mother, Julia is that she is now completely in love with me. We are best friends and she loves babysittering her grandchildren.

Yes, I accidentally fell pregnant almost straight after our daughter, Lily was born.

“Mama mama mama!” Baby Jules ran to me giggling. He couldn’t say much else, but I knew he had been up to mischieve. I notice he hasn’t got a diaper on. We are trying to potty train him, so he’s been wearing diaper pants. But he keeps taking them off when we aren’t looking.

Picking him up, I carry him into the hall just in time to see Jared exit a room with a dolls bath. He was holding it carefully.

He looked at me and then to Jules and shook his head. He was clearly amused but hiding it badly.

He is an amazing father. He loves his children. Working mostly from home, he gets to spend a lot of time with them. Helping me out a lot.

He turns and heads to the bathroom.

I am confused until Lily exits the room he had just come with an angry scowl. “Jew, pee in doll bat’.” She is still learning to speak but I understand perfectly.

I try to be sensible and tell him off but I end up bursting into laughter. He thinks everything is a potty. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened.

Last time it was a measuring jug.

“No, funny!” Lily tells me off and stamps her feet, she is a bit of a madam, but she’s at that age.

“Sorry, darling,” I am still chuckling and put her brother’s diaper pants on.

She disappears and comes back a moment later with her dad.

“Lily said you’ve been a naughty girl…” He smirking.

“Sorry, Lily.” I laugh again when Jules tries to take the clean toy from his sister.

I know I shouldn’t, but kids can be so funny.

“Lily, let’s go get you a new toy bath.” Jared’s back is much better normal. He’ll never be as strong as he once was. But he’s perfect to me.

Getting the kids ready to head out he pauses and gives me a brilliant smile.

“I am so happy I responded to your ad.”

Me too, me too…