The Consequences of Forever (1) (41 page)

Chapter Forty-Nine

              Mason and Cynthia arrived on my due date, but Harper didn’t.

             
I woke up that morning expecting to feel something different, anything different at all, but felt the same as I had every other morning for the past week, which was just too pregnant.

             
I laid in bed for nearly an hour, trying to pay close attention to my body, in case I was missing some sort of vital sign that would tell me I was going to go into labor soon, but nothing seemed different. I glanced at Adam’s empty side of the bed, wishing he were there. I’d been nervous all week that something would happen while he away and I wouldn’t be able to get help. That was unlikely, since Julia stopped in every few hours if she didn’t hear from me, but still.

             
I waited until noon to call Thea, who seemed unconcerned, but agreed to make room for me later in the afternoon to give me a quick exam and see what was happening. I had no sooner hung up when the phone rang, and I was surprised to see Mason’s number pop up.

             
“Hello?”

             
“Hey, Lainey! Guess who’s in Haven?”

             
“The British?”

             
“What?”

             
“Never mind. You and Cynthia?”

             
“Yep. We just got here about an hour ago, got all our stuff unpacked. It was a long drive.”

             
“I bet.”

             
“We’re coming over to see you, okay?”

             
“Are you sure?” I asked, surprised. “I can come over there if you want, so you can get a little more settled in.” I was pretty sure Julia was still home, and she probably wouldn’t mind driving me over. She’d been even nicer since Lila left, if that were even possible.

             
“No, we’re coming over there. I don’t want you going into labor on the way or anything,” he said with a nervous laugh. I tried to imagine that happening, but an image wouldn’t come. I had a sudden fear that I’d never go into labor, that I’d be pregnant forever.

             
What a way to get famous. The girl who became pregnant at sixteen and never turned back; literally.

             
“If you’re sure. Do you know how to get here?”

             
“Give me the address and the GPS will lead the way.”

             
I did, and within fifteen minutes, someone was knocking on my door. It felt strange, seeing Mason for the first time in so many years. We looked almost nothing alike; if you saw us together on the streets, you probably wouldn’t even know we were related. While I’d inherited our father’s strawberry blonde hair and fair complexion, he resembled his mother’s side of the family, reaching nearly six feet, with light brown hair, and an olive complexion. Our eyes were the only physical resemblance we had in common.

             
“Lainey, wow!” He exclaimed, hugging me almost as soon as I opened the door. I was caught off guard, but it felt good, nonetheless.

             
He stepped away, holding me at arm’s length to get a better look at me. “You’ve grown up,” he remarked.

             
“I’d say,” I agreed, with a self-mocking smile. Behind him, a young woman stepped into the house and shut the door behind her.

             
She was pretty, about an inch or two shorter than me, and very petite. She had soft looking blonde hair that was pulled back in a simple ponytail, and big brown eyes. She stepped towards me, her arms outstretched for a hug.

             
“I’m so happy to finally be meeting you,” she said with a big smile. “Mason has told me so much about you.”

             
I didn’t know how that could be true, considering we barely knew each other, but I decided she was probably just trying to be polite. “Likewise,” I said with a smile.

             
“This is a pretty nice place,” Mason remarked, giving himself a brief tour of the main living space. “Not bad at all, especially since Dad doesn’t come included,” he grinned.

             
“Yeah,” I said with a slight smile. “I’m happy with it. It will be nice to have privacy after the baby gets here.”

             
“Wasn’t she supposed to be here by now?”

             
“Today.” I watched as both Mason and Cynthia’s eyes widened. “But I don’t think it will happen. I feel fine. I’m going to see my midwife in a few hours, actually.”

             
“I’m sorry we couldn’t have planned better,” Cynthia said, looking like she really meant it. “If we’d had known you were due the same week, we would have changed the date, but everything was already in the planning stages when we found out.”

             
“It’s okay,” I said with a smile. “Who knows? Maybe Harper will decide to stay in for a while longer, and I’ll still be able to go.”

             
“That would be great,” Cynthia agreed. “As long as you aren’t too uncomfortable, anyway.”

             
I had gotten so used to be uncomfortable that it felt like the new comfortable, but I decided not to mention that, in the risk of sounding whiney.

             
“You’re naming her Harper?” Mason asked, sounding surprised. “Dad never mentioned that.”

             
“I don’t think he knows,” I admitted. “We haven’t really been talking that much lately.”

             
“Yeah, well, that’s dad for you. He bails the second things get a little tough for him.”

             
“I’m sure he’ll come around when the baby gets here,” Cynthia said with a smile. “He won’t be able to resist his first grandchild.”

             
“Of many,” Mason said, wrapping his arm around Cynthia. They beamed at each other, and I felt myself smiling. They made a cute couple. I wondered if anyone ever looked at Adam and I and thought that.

             
“So where’s Adam?” Mason asked.

             
“At work. He started on Monday.”

             
“Wow, starting a job right after graduation? I’m impressed. I took the entire summer off before my first year of college. I don’t think I even got out of bed before noon the entire time.”             

             
“He didn’t really have a choice,” I replied. “We can’t support a baby off of savings and allowances.”

             
“True. He treats you right, doesn’t he? I’m not trying to pry, I just figure I’ve already missed sixteen years, I might as well try to get into big brother mode now.”

             
I smiled. “He treats me great, you don’t have to worry.”

             
“Good, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear.”

             
We spent the next few hours catching up, talking about what had been going on in our lives recently. Cynthia told me how insane the wedding planning got at one point, which led her to throw away most of the ideas she’d come up with and go back to basics.

             
“It’s not going to be fancy at all,” she declared. “Just Mason and I surrounded by our family, making a promise to love each other for ever.” They smiled at each other again, and for a split second I felt envious. Did Adam and I still look at each other the way they did? Did we ever?

             
“Adam and I are planning on getting married. After Harper arrives, obviously.” I fiddled with the engagement ring on my finger, bringing back the memories. “I don’t think we’ll do anything fancy, either.”

             
“Well, if you want to start planning this summer, I’d be more than happy to help,” Cynthia offered. “I’ve learned way more than I ever needed to know. I’m more than happy to share.”

             
I thanked her, and we kept the conversation light after that, until it was time for me to get ready to go see Thea. I hugged Mason and Cynthia goodbye, then walked them to their car. Julia was already outside, and I introduced them.

             
“We’d love for you and your husband to come to our wedding, if you don’t have anything planned, or if Lainey doesn’t go into labor at the same time or anything.” Mason said.

             
“That would be wonderful,” Julia agreed with a smile. “I love weddings. Let’s keep our fingers crossed!”

             
Lets
, I thought, running my hand across my stomach. As expected, Harper responded with enthusiasm.

             
Mason and Cynthia said their goodbyes, and Julia and I climbed into her car. I started to feel nervous as soon as she pulled out of the driveway.

             
“I bet you wish Adam could be here, huh?” Julia asked as we were on our way.

             
I turned to her and smiled slightly. “Yeah, a little.”

             
“It’s okay. Paul’s letting him carry his cell phone around on the job for this week, so if anything does happen, we’ll be able to get a hold of him really quickly.”

             
“Do you think it’s a bad thing? That she isn’t here yet and I don’t have any symptoms?”

             
Julia shook her head. “It’s probably nothing. It’s perfectly normal for a baby to be a little late. In fact, you might have a week or two left to go.”

             
I didn’t like the sound of that, but something told me I didn’t have much choice in the matter.

             
Thea saw me as soon as we got to the birthing center, and after a quick exam, she told me what I already knew, that I could go into labor in the next few days or so, or not for another week.

             
“Do you think you’ll have to induce her?” Julia asked, looking concerned. I remembered reading an article about induction online, but quickly chose to forget whatever information I might have gathered. It sounded scary.

             
“No, not at this point in time,” Thea said. “As a midwife, I don’t like to do that unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

             
“What are the chances it might be?” I asked nervously.

             
“I can’t really answer that. Given your age, if she doesn’t appear for another week or so, it might become a bit of a concern. But you’ve remained very healthy throughout your pregnancy, so you never know. The baby is going to get here when she’s good and ready to get here.”

             
I didn’t know which I preferred, to have to wait even longer for Harper to be born, or have her born within a few days. I wasn’t ready to meet her yet, but at the same time, I wasn’t sure I wanted to remain pregnant for much longer, either.

             
“It’s Thursday now, so tell you what. Give it the weekend, and if nothing happens and you don’t feel any different, call me on Monday and we’ll schedule another appointment. If you feel anything different, anything at all, even if you think you’re just being paranoid before then, call one of my private numbers. Do you still have both of them?”

             
I nodded. I still had the paper at home, stuck on the refrigerator, and I’d saved them both in my cell phone, Adam’s, Julia’s, and Hannah’s. I was prepared no matter where I was or who I was with.

“Okay, good. That way you can describe to me what you’re feeling, and if I suspect it might be labor, I’ll get you in here and prepare you. If not, I can always stop by and give you a quick exam, make sure everything’s fine.”

              “If nothing happens by Saturday, can I go to my brother’s wedding? It’s on the beach and it’s nothing big and fancy, but I’d really like to be there.”

             
“I don’t see why not, as long as it isn’t too far.”

             
“It’s right behind the Bella Vista bed and breakfast.”

             
“That’s fine, then. But don’t try to pretend you aren’t feeling anything in order to attend, okay?” She smiled.

             
“Okay, I won’t.” At this point, I was pretty sure I’d be jumping out of my skin if I even suspected Harper was getting ready to make her first appearance, anyway.

             
Julia put her arm around my shoulders as we headed back to her car. “I guess it’s just the waiting game now, huh?” She remarked, sounding somewhat disappointed.

             
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Let the waiting begin.”

Chapter Fifty

              Julia said she had a bad feeling about me going to the wedding, but I woke up the morning of June fourteenth and felt fine, so I insisted on going.

             
It was important to me, to be there for Mason on what is supposed to be the happiest day of his life. I knew he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, that he and Cynthia would remain in Haven the rest of the summer and I’d have all that time to get to know both of them better, but I still didn’t want to miss this.

             
I barely fit into the dress I’d picked for the occasion a week earlier, but I made it work. It was a little uncomfortable, but I was used to being uncomfortable. I almost couldn’t imagine my body being back to the way it had been before pregnancy, the skin not stretched over my stomach, being able to get up off the couch without a struggle. It almost felt like those days had never really existed at all.

             
The ceremony didn’t start until four, but Cynthia wanted everyone to get there an hour early, to make sure everything ran smoothly. The vows were going to be said on the beach, and then we were all going to drive over to a restaurant, where Cynthia’s parents had rented out an entire room just for us. It seemed exciting. I’d never been to a private dinner party in a restaurant before.

             
“You don’t think anything will happen, do you?” Adam asked nervously as I helped him put his tie on.

             
“Like what?”

             
“Like you going into labor at the wedding.”

             
I smiled. “No, I don’t think so. I feel perfectly fine. Thea said it might be another week or so.” My dad, Nora, and Hannah would all be gone by then, and it made me sad to think they wouldn’t be around to meet Harper after she was born, especially Hannah. But I had a feeling Nora wasn’t interested anyway, and with the distance between my dad and I in the last few months, whether he was in Haven or Washington probably wouldn’t make much of a difference.

             
Julia and Ned had decided to accept Mason’s invite to the wedding, and had forwarded it to Greg. I had a feeling Julia mostly wanted to go to keep an eye on me, but I didn’t mind. It felt good; knowing people other than Adam and Hannah really cared about my well-being.

             
It was a little cloudy when we got to the beach, and the ocean was far from still, but it was pretty private, and a relatively nice day. I spotted Mason immediately, standing next to my father, his hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth. He looked nervous.

             
“You made it,” he said with a smile when Adam and I approached him. His eyes focused behind us, on Julia, Ned and Greg, and he nodded. “You all made it. I’m glad.”

             
“Nervous?” I asked, reaching over and touching his arm lightly.

             
He nodded. “Is it that obvious?”

             
“A little.”

             
He let out a deep breath. “I just can’t believe we’re actually here. I mean, we’ve been living together for a year already, so it was kind of like we were already married, but I don’t know. This is big.”

             
“You’re making the right decision,” I reassured him. Maybe I didn’t know that for sure, maybe I didn’t know either him or Cynthia well enough to make that deduction, but I felt fairly confident he was. And even if not, it always felt good to be reassured. I knew that much from experience.

             
“This is Adam, by the way,” I said, realizing they had never been formerly introduced before. “Adam, this is Mason, my brother.”

             
They shook hands and nodded at each other. “It’s nice to finally meet you,” Mason said. “Lainey’s told me a lot about you.”

             
“All good, I hope,” Adam said with a small laugh.

             
“Mostly.” Mason grinned. “But you’ve done more for her then her parents have, so you’ve already met my approval.” If my dad heard that last part, he didn’t show any signs of agreeing or disagreeing.

             
Mason glanced towards the bed and breakfast. “I’d better go make sure everything is alright in there. She hasn’t been out in a while.”

             
“Do you want me to go?” I offered.

             
He shook his head and smiled. “No, you should stay here. Try not to move around so much. We don’t want that baby slipping out in the middle of the vows.” He winked and then hurried towards Bella Vista.

             
I turned to my dad, but he was looking elsewhere. He seemed bored, like he wanted to be anywhere but there. I wondered if he’d decided what day they were leaving yet, but didn’t ask because it didn’t matter. Clearly, he was already gone.

             
I hooked my arm in Adam’s, and we began to walk around the beach. Most of the people I didn’t recognize, but I spotted Mason’s mother pretty quickly; I’d seen her in a few pictures my dad had kept around of Mason when he was a kid. The resemblance was clear. She was standing with a man I assumed was his stepfather, who had helped raise him after my dad left. I considered introducing myself, but decided against it. I was sure there would be time for introductions later on.

             
We hadn’t gotten much further down the beach when an elderly woman approached us. She was tiny, barely five feet tall, and very slight. She had a concerned look on her face.

             
“My dear, you look like you’re about to explode!” She exclaimed. I stared at her for a second, wondering if I’d heard her correctly. She moved closer to me and patted my stomach, shaking her head.

             
“Any second now, I tell you. You’re going to pop any second.”

             
“Nana!” Cynthia came rushing towards us, shaking her head. “What are you doing? Mom has been looking everywhere for you.”

             
Nana waved her off, unconcerned. “I’m not going to get lost on a beach, dear. I know the difference between sand and water.”

             
“I’m sorry about this,” Cynthia apologized when she finally reached us. “Nana has a tendency to wonder around on her own. Good thing you ran into her, or who knows where she would have ended up.” She grabbed the elderly woman’s arm, but Nana pulled back.

             
“I can guide myself, thank you very much,” she said sternly. She turned to me. “I’d be careful if I were you,” she warned. “Any second now, I tell you. Any second.”

             
Cynthia shook her head and shot me another apologetic look before finally leading Nana away, towards where the guests were beginning to come together. Adam and I exchanged a look, then turned and followed them.

             
The ceremony started soon after. It was simple, and to the point. They had gotten a judge to reside, and he made a brief speech about the sanctity of marriage and the importance of commitment before allowing Mason and Cynthia to recite their vows to each other.

             
I never understood why people cried at weddings, but then I’d never been to one before this. My dad and Nora had gotten married in a courthouse, and they’d dressed up slightly and invited a few people, but there never felt like there was much meaning behind it. They got married because it made sense. They were both single parents, the other parents to their children long gone, and they wanted to make two broken halves whole. But this was beautiful. Mason and Cynthia had no reason to want to get married other than their genuine love for each other.

             
I glanced over at Adam, hating the way doubt started to fill me. Was he planning to marry me for the right reasons? I didn’t want to think about that now, when I was supposed to be concentrating on Mason and Cynthia. This was their day, not another day for me to go over every decision I’d made in the past year and criticize myself for half of them.

             
They finished their vows and the judge pronounced them man and wife, and they kissed for the first time since becoming so. I felt tears brim my eyes, and wiped at them quickly. Everyone clapped when they separated, and I felt joyful, truly joyful, for the first time in a while.

             
Everyone stood up and hurried over to them, taking turns congratulating and hugging them. When it came to be my turn, I gave them both the best hug I could manage, and told them I was happy I could be there.

             
“So are we, Lainey,” Mason smiled, ruffling my hair. “So are we.”

             
After about another half-hour of congratulations, everyone went to their cars and we all drove over to the restaurant. Julia and Ned had decided to go back home instead of the restaurant, but Greg chose to go, and drove over with Adam and I. As soon as we reached the restaurant, his motives seemed clear.

             
The room was beautiful, located at the back of the restaurant, and the entire back wall was full of big windows, giving a view of the Atlantic Ocean. There was a long table in the center of the room, big enough to seat everyone comfortably.

             
Greg walked over to Hannah before I could get a chance to, and ended up sitting next to her. We had gotten there a little later, so there weren’t many seats still open. I felt my heart drop slightly when I realized one of the few open spots for Adam and I was next to Nana.

             
I pushed the thought aside, reminding myself that she was just an old woman and probably meant nothing by her comments, and sat next to her. She looked at me for a long second, and I wondered if she even recognized me.             

             
The menu had been preplanned, and salads were brought out immediately, as well as wine glasses filled with water. I took a big sip from mine, feeling unexpectedly thirsty. I could feel Nana’s eyes on me, watching every move I made very carefully, and it made me feel nervous. Adam sensed it, and placed his hand on my knee underneath the table.

             
The atmosphere remained casual after the salad and then soup was served, and the waiters soon brought in the main dish; cordon bleu. I found myself looking over at Nora then, remembering that this was her specialty. She looked in the opposite direction of where I sat, as though she felt my gaze and wanted to make a point of not returning it.

             
“I ate blueberry pie every day I was pregnant with Cynthia’s mother,” Nana told me randomly as she carefully cut her dinner into tiny pieces. I was surprised by how steady her hands were. For some reason, I always pictured tiny elderly women as being unsteady, fragile.

             
“I ate hamburgers a lot,” I said. She looked at me as if I’d just said something ridiculously stupid, and I felt myself blush. “I never really eat red meat.”

             
Nana nodded. “Pregnancy is an amazing thing, but it’s also a real pain in the ass.” She stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork, and began to eat. I assumed the conversation was over, and turned back to my plate.

             
I wasn’t hungry. Before I was pregnant, I could eat soup and a salad for dinner and be completely satisfied and full. I’d forced myself to eat more throughout my pregnancy, wanting to get to the ideal weights Thea would assign for me, but today I just couldn’t stomach the thought of eating all that.

             
I’d gotten just about a quarter of the way through when the waiters returned to take the plates, but that was fine with me. Cynthia’s dad, a tall man with greying hair and an air of importance about him, stood at the head of the table and announced it was time to make a speech. He’d start, and whoever had anything to say could contribute after.

             
The speech was sweet, about a father not ready to let his daughter go, but having the peace of mind in knowing she’d made the right decision in marrying Mason. I found myself looking at my dad, wondering if he would make a similar speech at my wedding, and if it would mean anything, since it would be mostly all lies, coming from him. I wondered if he’d even bother attending my wedding.

             
As soon as his speech ended, Harper responded with what felt like a passionate kick. I put my hand over my stomach, feeling scared and nervous and shocked all at once. I turned to Adam, but he was looking at Cynthia’s mother, who was beginning her own speech.              

             
A feeling of wetness started very low, and spread down my legs. I felt my face grow bright red, at the realization that I’d just peed myself. I’d read these stories, about babies leaning too far on their mother’s bladders or something, causing the mother to pee herself. I never thought it would happen to me, let alone in a place as public as this. It would be bad enough having to explain myself and getting out of this small room; after I got out, I had an entire restaurant to get through.

             
I felt a cool arm on my shoulder, and turned to see Nana staring at me, a look of understanding on her face. I hated that she’d noticed, and frantically turned back to Adam, but he was still focused on the end of the table, where Cynthia’s mother’s speech was just coming to an end.