Aubrey
Chapter twenty-eight
Princess Julian.
It took us exactly twenty-seven minutes to find Ronnie a wedding dress, as well as four bridesmaid dresses that all match. And since they were simple A-line dresses, I was easily able to fit into the dark blue spaghetti strap dress.
The only one of us I’m worried about the dress not fitting properly is Cecilia.
She’s pretty short and has very large breasts.
But the lady who helped us find everything said it shouldn’t be a problem since the material is stretchy and the straps are adjustable, and since it’s a scoop neckline, even if the straps are loosened, it shouldn’t give her too much cleavage.
For the length, we’ll just have to wing it.
Ronnie’s gown is beyond magnificent. A beautiful lace A-line dress that ends midthigh, with a plunging sweetheart neckline and removable sleeves.
Then there’s a detachable train that secures around her waist, with an open gap in the front, exposing her tanned legs, but still giving the long wedding dress look.
And when she takes it off, as well as the sleeves, it leaves her in a white lace mini dress.
As we were searching through the racks for dresses in her size, not caring about the prices, Morgan suddenly gasped when her hands fell on it.
We didn’t even have to see it on her, we just knew it was the one.
But when she did try it on, we were all in tears by the way she visibly lit up. It was so her in every way.
It isn’t until we leave the bridal store and get back into Shane’s Rolls-Royce that something very important hits me, or maybe it’s because my daughter started kicking my insides like crazy. “Oh my God! We forgot the children!” I shriek, suddenly filled with panic.
“What!?” Morgan pulls out her phone too quickly in her moment of alarm, it clatters onto the dashboard, then falls to the floor. “Oh God, I’m a horrible mother! I left my babies and didn’t even realize it!”
She finally manages to grab her phone and quickly dials her husband, and by the time he picks up, she’s crying hysterically. I end up pulling the phone out of her hands and setting it on speaker since she seems to be having a hard time keeping it in place with how much her hands are shaking.
“Hey, babe.” Clay’s voice rings through the cab.
“Clay! We forgot the kids! We left our babies at Shane and Aubrey’s!” she yells out through her sobbing fit.
“Morgan, baby, calm down,” Clay says serenely.
“How c-can you tell me t-to calm d-down!? I left my ba-babies! Oh God, what if s-something happens to them, and I’m n-not there.” She cries into her hands, folding down toward her knees as Ronnie reaches between the seats to rub her back.
“Baby, I’m with them.”
Morgan’s head whips up, almost knocking Ronnie in the face with how quickly she moved. Her sobs quiet down as she stares at the phone in my hand. “What?”
“They’re here with me. I haven’t left the house. They’re safe,” he reassures her with a calming tone.
She lets out a huge breath and falls back against the seat. “Oh, thank God. I thought we were the worst parents in the world.” She lets out a wet laugh, wiping her tears and taking more deep breaths. “Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever panicked like that in my life.”
Clay chuckles through the phone as we all seem to relax a little. “Trinity and Theo are fine. I just fed them twenty minutes ago and they’re sleeping now.” He goes silent for a moment as we all wait for the ‘but’. “But… Ford and Em left their kids, so did Hayes and C.”
“You’ve been alone with all six kids!?” Morgan shouts appallingly.
“What, where’s Shane?” I turn back to look at Ronnie. “Did we assign him a task? I can’t remember.” I rub a hand over my belly, trying to settle my daughter as she seems to somersault in there. I think she’s getting hungry.
“Shane’s here… So is Julian,” Clay clarifies.
“Oh, good. At least you had help.” Morgan smiles, feeling better now.
He chuckles. “Yeah… something like that,” he says and it piques my interest.
“Okay, well, we’re on our way back. We should be there in half an hour. Are the others back yet?” I ask Clay as I hand Morgan her phone and start the car then pull away from the curb.
“No, not yet.” He chuckles again, and I’m pretty sure I hear Shane laughing as well in the background. “Just get back quickly,” he whispers into the phone and hangs up.
“Well, that was odd,” I say, driving us through the city and back to my home.
“Can you guys picture Julian taking care of those kids?” Ronnie snickers in the back seat.
“No,” Morgan and I answer simultaneously, which makes us all laugh harder.
We pull up to the house twenty-five minutes later. Somehow, traffic was on our side, which is a rarity in New York, and the ride went smoothly. I park in front of the house, since all the parking spaces in the garage are taken, and climb out of the car.
Ronnie and Morgan quickly get to the trunk and retrieve all the dresses before making our way up the steps and into my home. It isn’t until we reach the living room that Clay’s laughter from earlier makes sense.
“Oh my…” Morgan murmurs while Ronnie snorts and I gasp.
Clay is standing with Theo in his arms while Trinity is lying on her stomach on a mat. Shane is sitting with one of my nephews in his arms, although from this angle I can’t tell which.
But what has us all giggling into our hands is Julian sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of Gracie as she places a tiara on his head and hands him a toy wand.
He’s removed his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves to his dress shirt.
His face is a picture of a scowl mixed with the fakest and tightest smile I’ve ever seen him wear for the little girl.
It’s epic. I’ll have to ask Shane later about those cameras hidden in the house, and if we got a clear shot of Julian. I want to keep this image forever.
One of us giggles too loudly and Julian’s head whips to us.
He clears his throat, excusing himself politely to my niece, and hands her back her wand.
He then manages to stand from the ground in a graceful way and walks over to us with that hard expression, no sign of fake amusement left on his face.
“We shall never speak of this. Am I understood correctly?” he says adamantly.
“Yup,” Ronnie says holding in her laugh.
“Very.” Morgan gives him big eyes, but her face shows just how funny she finds this.
He then turns his stern gaze to mine, waiting.
“Mhm.” I nod, sucking in my lips. “But umm…”
He sighs with annoyance and closes his eyes. “What is it?”
“You… you still have…” I point above my head as his eyes snap open to me.
He quickly rips it off his head and returns to Gracie. “Your crown, Miss Gracie.” He sets it on her head and bows as she curtsies him.
He returns toward us. “If you will excuse me, now that you all have returned, I believe I have fulfilled my juvenile obligations,” he says and walks off to I don’t know where with his phone in hand.
“Do you think he forces himself to talk like that, or it’s natural?” Morgan asks, watching him leave.
“If it is an act, that must be exhausting to do.” Ronnie laughs and takes all the dresses from our hands. “I’ll set these in your room for later, is that okay?”
“Yeah, of course.” I smile at her as she heads in the direction of my bedroom, then turn toward Shane as Morgan goes to her husband and children.
When I round the couch, I notice Maddox sleeping in his little rocker, which means Parker is the one in Shane’s arms. “Hi,” I whisper as I crouch down in front of my fiancé. His hair is slightly tussled, and he seems a bit exhausted. “Are you okay?”
“I think so. We had a mini crisis, and I smell like vomit and milk, but I think we’re okay now.” He nods, his eyes a little terrified.
I giggle lightly. “All the kids seem pretty fine to me. I think you did a wonderful job.” I place my hand on his knee.
“Don’t talk too quickly, Dante has a little bump on his forehead.” He makes a displeased face.
“What happened? And where is he now?” I ask, looking around for the little Hayes boy.
“He’s somewhere in the house with Josephine. They’ve been playing hide and seek. And well, all the kids started crying at once, so Clay and I weren’t looking when he tripped and bumped his head on the floor.”
“That’s okay, accidents happen. I still think you did a great job,” I tell him softly. Standing, I stretch out my arms toward the baby in his. “Here, let me take over while you go change.”
“Thank you.” He slides a sleeping Parker into my arms, then helps me take a seat onto the couch. “You must be hungry. I’ll ask Marianne to bring you something.” He kisses my head and leaves.
An hour later, the house is in full swing.
Ronnie and I have been left on babysitting duty, since I’m pregnant and can’t help much and they don’t want Ronnie working on her own wedding.
Silas’s parents arrived a few minutes ago, as well as Emma’s dad and Amanda.
They also brought along a few helpers that work for Cecilia and Emma’s foundation and Amanda’s event planning company.
In just half an hour, the backyard is already being transformed into an enchanting scene, with fairy lights being strung up from one end to the other as well as in trees.
The boys are all hard at work setting up chairs and tables, while others are placing a wooden platform in one corner as a makeshift dance floor.
Flowers are being set along the walkway, and a wooden arch has been placed at the end, where Ronnie and Gabriel will tie the knot. They really are working at rapid speed. I guess with Em, Cece, and Amanda barking out orders every two seconds, it would make even the slowest man get moving.
The only one not participating in the whole wedding planning is Julian. He’s somehow managed to disappear somewhere in my house and no one has seen him since.
My phone pings with a gate request and I see my parents’ car in the camera. “Our parents are here,” I tell Ronnie as she finishes picking up around the living room.