Chapter 19 – Meeting Gracie Anastasia Beaton POV I walk into the café I spot Gracie almost immediately. I wave at her and walk over. She gets up and hugs me as soon as I stop at her. We sit after that. I don’t order anything to drink, I’ll need to pee soon. Though I did pee before we left the mall, I pee ten times more than I normally would. I’m telling you my new best friend is the toilet, I see it more than I see any humans. We sit and exchange what’s been happening in our lives while we weren’t speaking. I haven’t said anything about my pregnancy yet. It was big news, so I didn’t just want to blurt it out. “Is that the ring?” Gracie asks. I nod. She frowns. “It’s rather small, isn’t it? Couldn’t he afford something a little bigger?” she asks. I frown. “I chose this ring. I didn’t want something big. I wanted something I’ll feel comfortable wearing to work…” I told her. She nods in understanding. But now I’m worried about what people are going to think about the ring. I
Chapter 20 – Wedding dress shopping… Anastasia Beaton POV This morning I was woken up by all the women in the King family. I was asked to get ready. I didn’t know what to expect… Now you might be thinking why they would wake me at eight in the morning, I was having a good morning since my doctor’s appointment. Well not this morning… So, I’ve been throwing up all morning. I couldn’t keep down breakfast. I knew it was important when they refused to give up. So, I got ready. In sweats of course. I wasn’t going to try and get into a jean right now. But now I’m standing in front of a bridal boutique and my heart wants to make a U turn. I didn’t expect everything to happen so quickly. Axel had just gotten the ring two days ago. I didn’t realize how crazy the King family was until this very moment. When we got inside and looked around, I finally realized I would have to wear a dress. I wasn’t sure how comfortable I would be in a dress… Don’t they have a pants suit? Or a jumpsuit? I was
Chapter 21 – Gracie’s plan fails.Anastasia BeatonPOVIt all happened so fast. But in my mind, it happened in slow motion. Stepping in front Sadie and Oakley wasn’t something I needed to think about. I didn’t need to give it a second thought.I don’t know how but Axel was there when I was busy giving my statement. He rushed to me; he picked River out my arms. He looked at me up and down. “Are you okay?” he asks.I smile and nod. “Just another day at the office.” I joke.I have no idea how that woman even knew where we were. It still feels weird like it was planned. Like someone set this up. because the only people who knew we would be here is all here. and no one here would want to hurt Sadie or her innocent baby.I search the crowd. Ava is standing off on the side Deacon hugging her, it seems like she’s crying.Jessica is with Damon and their kids giving her statement.Sadie is clutching Oakley tightly beside me Beckett is holding the both of them in his arms.He looks over at me an
Chapter 22 – Grandpa Deacon’s adviceAnastasia BeatonPOVTears run down my face, I couldn’t stop them, I’ve gone through half the toilet paper roll already.The front door slams shut; I lift my eyes to see Axel frowning at me. “What’s going on?” he asks, looking at me.I pause my show and look at him.“Nothing, I’m watching this show I saw on Instagram…” I explain. He looks at me but says nothing.He looks at the screen, before making his way over to me. He turns up his nose at the discarded toilet tissues scattered around me.He sits beside me. “What are you watching?” he asks.I look at him before looking at the screen… “It’s a Kdrama, it’s called Goblin. It’s really good. This is the first episode.” I told him.He looks at me then the amount of tissue paper around me. “The first episode and you’ve already cried this much?” he asks.I nod. “It’s so sad, he died after coming back from the war, and then her mother died, she lost her mother and then the grim reaper is after her. Her m
Chapter 23 – Plan B…Gracie AlmadaPOVShe got away!!!!!!My plan was perfect, and Anastasia trampled on all my hard work. It took so much work to get that woman out here and it was all for nothing!My plan was foolproof. Who would have thought that a pregnant woman would jump in front of someone else and protect them, disregarding her life for that woman who hated her a few months ago. Did she forget how Sadie made Axel hate her more?This won’t do! I need to get Anastasia back on my side and make her hate Sadie again.Just thinking about what happened last week I want to throw Anastasia off a damn building for ruining my plans.Now I’m forced to go back to the drawing board. How was I going to fix this? I can’t attack Sadie again, not for a while, if I do it now, they’re going to investigate. I need to find a way to get to Sadie without fingers pointing at me.For now, I need to lay low. Seeing how Beckett held that bitch made me want to strangle her. I wanted to wring her neck then
Chapter 24 – Game NightTwo months later…Anastasia BeatonPOVToday the girls have planned a game night as a bachelorette party idea. Axel and I are getting married next weekend. We decided not to do anything fancy because Jessica and I were both pregnant, so we planned a game night, Jessica offered up her house since it’s close to Axel’s apartment and it’s the biggest between everyone here. Jessica invited her best friend Rebecca, Sadie invited Tianna her best friend and I invited Gracie… So, we were six girls all together. I didn’t have many friends so Jessica asked if we could invite more people. I agreed I didn’t mind the more the merrier.“This is one of the worst bachelorettes I’ve been to.” Rebecca says rolling her eyes.“Well, if I remember correctly, you did get married at a bachelorette party. I don’t Justin trusts a drunk you. And let’s not forget there are three of us with a bun in the oven…” Jessica taunts.Rebecca shuts her trap soon after. It’s crazy that Rebecca is a
Chapter 25 – The Gift.Anastasia BeatonPOVWhen I woke up this morning, I felt like I was in one of my crazy dreams again, I was getting married today, but not just to anyone but to Axel, the man I’ve loved since the moment I first saw him.I haven’t seen him and River all week because they were staying with his apartment while I went back to my apartment, with the help of my brothers I have been packing up my things. My dad has helped as well. With the little things, I’m not allowed to pick up anything heavy, so they did most of the work.My stomach is so big I waddle when I walk, I can compare the way I walk to a penguin, my wedding dress has been altered twice already, my seamstress is beginning to panic.We finished most of the packing yesterday, I spent the day with my family, we had a great time just hanging out and joking around, once they finished around one… I was so excited last night I feared I wouldn’t get any sleep, but the babies tired me out. That being said they are s
Chapter 26 – The WeddingAxel KingPOVJessica sitting by the piano starts playing Anastasia’s favorite Taylor swift song…(Taylor Swift - Enchanted)My hands shake as Anastasia walks into the church with her father beside her. My brothers were right she does look beautiful… I’ve never seen her all dressed up.I’ve been having second thoughts all morning; I’ve been thinking about all the things I’ll be missing out on now that I’m getting married. But then I remember I’m getting married because I’m about to be a dad of two three.Whether I get married today or not I’ll still be a father and it’s because of me that Anastasia is pregnant in the first place. So, I must take responsibility for my actions. Which by the way is not anything I would have done in the past but after everything that went down with River’s birth, I don’t want Anastasia to go through what Olivia had.I’m doing this not for myself but for my family. I know my mother would be disappointed in me if I told her I didn’t