Big Tex (24 page)

Willow left the doctor's office in a daze.  She knew that Brody wanted a family, but didn't think he meant this early.  'Well, at least he can't take it out on me, it really wasn't my fault that the birth control pills weren't strong enough.  That guy must have super sperm or something.'  Willow thought with a slight laugh.  'How am I going to tell him?'

Willow walked from the doctor's office to the park.  She sat on a bench and tried to gather her thoughts.  No matter how much of a shock this baby was, she was happy about it.  Yes, she was worried about the timing and the fact that it wasn't planned, but it was still a baby that her and Brody made together, out of their love for each other.  All of her negative thoughts rushed out the window as she got up from the bench and walked back to her car.

As Willow drove home, she  picked up her cell phone and called Brody.

"Brody Harris."  Brody answered quickly.

"Hi, it's me."  Willow said nervously.

"Is everything ok?  Did you go to see the doctor?"

"Yeah, do you think you could get away from work and meet me at home?  I think I need to lie down right now."  Willow asked.

"I'll be right there.  Is everything ok?"  Brody started to panic.

"I hope so."  Willow said and hung up the phone.  When she got out of the car, she walked into the house and went straight up to their bedroom to lay down.

Brody got home about ten minutes after she did.  She heard him running up the stairs, taking two at a time.  He ran into the bedroom, short of breath.  "You need to tell me what's going on."

Willow looked at him and wondered what his reaction would be.  "Brody, what do you have planned about 7 ½ months from now?"  She asked.

"What?  I don't know.  What does that have to do with anything?  Willow, you need to tell me what happened at the doctor's today.  You're starting to scare me."  Brody snapped.

"Well, I'm trying to tell you, and I'm a little scared too.  You need to understand that above all else."  Willow said, then took a deep breath.  "How do you feel about someone calling you daddy?"

Brody looked at Willow like she was crazy.  "What do you mean?  What are you saying Willow?"

"Brody, the doctor told me today that I'm about 6 weeks pregnant.  For some reason, when they changed my pills, they weren't strong-…"  Willow started to say before Brody jumped onto the bed and grabbed her in his arms.

"You're pregnant, really?   We're going to have a baby?"  Brody's eyes got wide, and a huge smile spread over his face.  His eyes glistened with tears.  "I'm going to be a daddy!"  He shouted.  "Are you okay?  Can I get you anything?  Is the baby ok?"  He asked softer as he rubbed Willow's belly.

"I'm fine, the baby's fine.  I have to schedule my first ultrasound in a few weeks, just to make sure the development is normal and the birth control pills didn't affect the baby."  Willow looked deep into Brody's eyes.  "So, you're not upset about this?"

"No, I am far from upset.  I am so excited, and I am so in love with you!  I'm going to take good care of both of you, I promise."  He said, still rubbing Willow's belly.  He touched his lips to Willow's, and when they met, he deepened the kiss.  When he broke the kiss, he said, "I can't believe you have a little life growing inside you.  This is so amazing!"  Brody was gushing over her.  "Oh, I forgot to ask, are you okay with this?  I know we didn't plan on this happening so soon, are you upset?"

"At first I was a little shocked, but I'm not the least bit upset.  I think I was more worried about your reaction than anything, and I see now that there was no need to worry.  I don't think it's fully sank in yet."  Willow said, smiling, happy tears now coming from her eyes too.

"Can we call my mom and tell her?  She's going to be so happy!"  Brody asked, sounding like a little kid at Christmas.

"I have a better idea.  Ask your family to come for dinner tonight, and let's go shopping."  Willow said as she jumped out of bed.  Brody called his family and invited them to dinner, then took his fiancée to the mall.

After a wonderful meal prepared by Stella, Brody's family sat around the dining room table, talking with Brody and Willow.  Willow excused herself for a minute and disappeared into the next room.  She walked back into the room holding three gift bags.  She handed the appropriate bags to Maggie, Brian, and Brighton, then went to sit on Brody's lap.

"What's this?"  Maggie asked.  "We didn't realize the dinner invitation included presents.  Did we miss a holiday or something?"  She laughed.

"No Mom.  Just open your gifts.  You'd think you would be happy we are feeling generous or something!"  Brody laughed at his mother's curious look.

All three of them dug into their gift bags.  Brian revealed a picture frame that said '#1 Grandpa'.  He looked at it, not understanding what it meant.  Maggie pulled out a keychain that said '#1 Grandma', and her eyes got watery.  Brighton got a small decoration trophy that said 'World's Greatest Aunt'.  She looked up at the smiles spread across Willow and Brody's faces.  The only one who didn't get it right away was Brian.

"You're having a baby?"  Maggie asked, looking between Brody and Willow's faces.

"Yup!  Willow found out this morning that she's about 6 weeks along.  It wasn't something we planned, but it's definitely a welcome surprise!"  Brody said, happy tears in his eyes.

"Oh!  I get it now!  Congrats guys!"  Brian yelled.

"Wow!  I'm going to be an aunt!  This is so cool!  I'm so happy for you both!"  Brighton squealed and got up to hug them both.

"I know this isn't exactly the conventional way to have a baby, the whole getting pregnant before the wedding thing, but it wasn't on purpose.  My doctor screwed up and gave me a lower dose of birth control pills, which obviously didn't work.  I know it's not the best situation, but I we're happy about it anyways."  Willow told them cautiously, hoping that Maggie and Brian weren't upset with them getting pregnant before they were married.

"Oh honey, we are so excited for you.  It doesn't matter when the baby was conceived, all that matters is how much you love each other and how much you will love that baby."  Maggie reassured Willow.  "I'm finally going to be a grandmother!  I can't wait to tell my friends!"  Maggie said excitedly.

"Well, Mom, can you wait until after the wedding?  We want everyone to be concentrating on our marriage at the wedding, not the pregnancy.  Besides, we want to wait to tell everyone closer to the end of Willow's first trimester, just in case there are any complications."  Brody explained.

"I understand, no problem.  Now, let's figure out the last minute wedding plans that I can take care of so that the mommy-to-be can rest and not have to worry about that stuff."  Maggie said.

During the rest of the visit with Brody's family, they talked about the list of last minute preparations that Willow had made.  Most of the stuff was weekly follow ups, to make sure everything was progressing.  Brody and Maggie split the chores on the list, leaving Willow nothing left to do for the wedding.  She made them promise that they would update her weekly on everything that was being done.  She had wanted daily updates, but neither Brody nor Maggie would agree to that.

"I just hope I'm still able to fit into my dress by then!"  Willow said as Maggie, Brian, and Brighton were getting ready to leave.

"Don't worry about it.  You just keep yourself healthy, and don't worry about gaining weight.  You eat when the baby wants you to eat, and if the dress is tight, we can have it let out."  Maggie said, then gave her a hug.  When she pulled her closer, Maggie whispered into her ear, "I am so proud to have you for a daughter-in-law.  You make my son and the rest of the family so happy.  Take care of yourself honey."

Willow, being very hormonal because of the pregnancy, let some tears slip down her cheeks.  "That means so much to me Maggie!  Thank you."

"Mom, what did you say to make her cry?"  Brody started to defend Willow.

"It's ok Country Boy.  I'm just happy."  Willow told him.

Brody wrapped his arms around his fiancée and told her, "Me too.  I've never been so happy!"  He kissed the top of her head, then said goodbye to his family.

*****

The next few weeks were a whirlwind of activity.  Brody and Maggie were busy finalizing all of the last minute plans for the wedding, to Willow's specifications.  Willow had hired an assistant, and was working shorter days since she got tired so easily.  No one aside from Brody and his family knew that Willow was pregnant.  She justified her shorter work hours saying that she was working out of her home part of the day.  The only work she did when she was at home was change the channels of the TV, and watch the back of her eyelids while she slept.

Because of the frequent morning sickness, Willow still hadn't gained much weight.  In fact, if anything, she lost a couple of pounds.  Her breasts were fuller, which Brody sure didn't complain about.  He was doing a magnificent job taking care of Willow.  She couldn't have asked for someone more supportive than Brody.  He even dealt with her horrible mood swings.

At they lay in bed one night, Brody was rubbing her belly after she had gotten sick.  "I just want to know who the idiot was that coined the term 'morning sickness'!  I get sick at all hours of the day, not just in the morning.  Must have been some stupid man!"  Willow complained.

"Isn't that a sign of a healthy baby though?"  Brody asked.  "I know it must be horrible for you to have to get sick all the time, and not be able to eat anything without it coming back up, but it makes me happy to think that the baby is healthy."

"I've heard that too, and I'm overjoyed that the baby's healthy, but I can't wait for the sickness to end.  Hopefully, as soon as I get into the second trimester, I will get rid of the morning sickness and fatigue and start feeling like myself again."  Willow said.  "You know what else I heard about the second trimester?"

"I'm not sure, but I know you'll tell me."  Brody joked.

"I heard that a pregnant woman's sex drive goes into overdrive in the second tri."  Willow smiled at him seductively.

"Now that's nothing to complain about.  Will it hurt the baby to have sex then?"  Brody asked.

"No, I think we can have sex as long as I feel ok, and as long as I'm wanting it.  I've heard of people doing it right before they go into labor.  I think it's an old wives’ tale that having sex just before your due date brings on labor."

"Will you be able to have sex on our honeymoon?"  Brody asked.

"I could have sex right now, but I want to wait until after we're married."  Willow said.

"Don't you think the damage is already done?"  Brody laughed.

"Yeah, I know, but that's not why I want to wait for the honeymoon.  I just want to make sure you're really wanting me when we get to Hawaii."  Willow said innocently.

"I don't think you'll need to worry about that!  I crave you all the time, even five minutes after we've just had sex.  You turned me into a nympho!"

"Well, you did the same to me.  It's killing me to wait too, but it's only one more week."  Willow said.

"Ok, but as soon as we're married, you better look out!"  He kissed Willow, then kissed her belly and pulled her close to him as they lay down to sleep.  'Only one more week until the love of my life becomes my wife.  I can't wait for that day.'  Brody thought as he drifted off into a deep sleep.  

Chapter 19 I Do's

A few days before the wedding, Willow went for her final dress fitting.  Because Sierra was at work, Maggie went with Willow to keep her company.  Willow was relieved that Maggie was with her, and not Sierra, in case the dress didn't fit anymore.  She didn't know how to explain it to Sierra without giving away her pregnancy, but since Maggie already knew, Willow wasn't worried.  Luckily, Willow's dress still fit, and if anything, it was a little too big in the waist.  The bust was tighter, but looked as though it was made to fit that way.

After the fitting, Willow and Maggie picked Brody up from work and they all went out to lunch.  "You know, we all better rest up now, because tomorrow, all the guests from out of town will be coming and we're going to be entertaining a lot.  Do you feel up to it Willow?"  Maggie asked.

"Yeah, I've been resting a lot, so I think I'll be able to handle it.  If not, I'm sure all the adrenaline will kick in or something."  Willow replied.

"Well, if you get too tired, just let us know and we'll figure something out.  We can't have you getting exhausted before the wedding…or the honeymoon."  Brody said and wiggle his eye brows when he mentioned the honeymoon.

Willow laughed.  "Don't worry about that.  I'm starting to get some of my energy back anyways.  I feel a lot better now than at the beginning of the pregnancy."

"Ok, but just promise us that you won't push yourself too hard."  Maggie said.  Willow promised, and they continued on with their lunch.

The next day brought a whirlwind of activity.  It was Thanksgiving Day, and the out of town guests were starting to arrive.  Because of the wedding activity, Willow and Brody weren't having a typical Thanksgiving Dinner.  Instead, they were having a buffet at their house so the guests could eat whenever they dropped by.  They had rented a large van to go back and forth between the airport and hotel, and another one to go from the hotel to their house.

The house was full of laughter and cheer as everyone mingled and got to know each other.  Brody's family was there to help out wherever Willow and Brody needed them, along with Stella and a few other hired helpers.

Willow's friends from New York were all there, and she enjoyed seeing them.  She couldn't help but notice that her friend Jordan, or Jordy had his eyes glued to Brighton.  She chuckled as she walked up to him.  "I notice you find my sister-in-law very interesting Jordy.  Is this just a crush from afar, of would you like to meet her?"

"Huh?  I'm sorry, did you say something?"  Jordy asked, finally turning his gaze to meet Willow.

Willow laughed and grabbed Jordy's hand.  "Come on, there's someone you need to meet."  Willow pulled Jordy over to where Brighton stood getting a drink.  "Brighton, I want you to meet one of my cutest, nicest, and sweetest friends.  This is Jordy.  He's 26 years old, one of the most promising veterinarians in New York, likes reading, playing sports, and hanging out with friends, and he's single.  Jordy, meet Brighton, just turned 22, will graduate from college this December with a degree in Public Relations, and after which, we are stealing her to work for our architectural firm.  She likes boating, jet skiing, and planning wild bachelorette parties.  She is also single."  Brighton and Jordy were both red with embarrassment by the time they finally shook hands.