22. Rosie
22
ROSIE
S ighing in contentment, I sit up in the hospital bed the morning after our adventure. Carter hands me our daughter, and we both have ridiculous smiles on our faces.
“Here is our little princess for her breakfast.” He sits on the edge of the bed and has no intention of leaving. I smirk at him as I adjust our daughter at my chest. He steals a glimpse of the sign that says Baby Cassidy Oaks. We’ll call her Cassie to incorporate Carter’s and my name. It begins with his and ends with mine.
We’re doing great after getting checked out. Truthfully, if it wasn’t for the hospital band around my wrist then I would say we could have just stayed home after this little bundle of ten toes and fingers came into the world. It’s unbelievable how this all transpired.
It still hasn’t registered that we are parents. It’s only the little gurgles that remind us of the fact.
I notice Carter’s smug smirk. “What are you up to?” I wonder then glance down at our daughter who is holding onto my crooked pinky.
Carter brushes the side of his hand gingerly across Cassie’s hair. “I have a surprise for you, but only if you want it.”
The corner of my mouth stretches. “Why wouldn’t I want a surprise? Oh yeah, because then I go into labor unexpectedly,” I remark.
“Okay, this surprise is more news.”
“That our parents won’t be here for another hour?” I look at him, intrigued but confused.
He laughs and rubs my leg. “The roads did clear.” He shrugs. “But that also means I can use an almost-mayor perk and the judge can stop on by… if you want.” Carter quirks his lips out and plays casual.
I sputter a laugh. “You mean to get married?” He nods. “Here?” He nods again. “As in, I’m washed out with a baby in my arms, but hell, let’s just knock out all life events in a twenty-four-hour period?”
Carter’s palms fly up to ease me. “Your choice.”
Sighing, I can’t help but smile at our little girl. “Your daddy is really putting me on the spot, you know that, right?”
“It was supposed to be our wedding today,” he points out. “The whole married before she’s born idea went out the window, but the sign-off on us can still happen.”
I point to the little hat on the bedside table, and like clockwork, Carter grabs it and positions it on Cassie’s head.
“Thanks. We need to cover her ears to prevent her from hearing me burst out laughing,” I explain dryly as my smile begins to creep across my face.
“A perk of being married twice to one another is that I can read you. It seems that I should be speed-dialing someone,” he gloats, and I roll my eyes because he’s right.
“So unfair. I don’t even have mascara with me.” Although I love my post-labor pajamas. A little lace over gray cotton tank and long pants with fuzzy socks. Gracie gave the outfit at my baby shower.
Carter takes that as an answer, and I’d be lying if it wasn’t the cue to my reply. He stands and fishes his phone out of his pocket. “I’ll call him then.”
Now I’m amused with this spontaneous development of our day. “What about our family that is about to descend upon us?”
“Your call. I can either tell them to wait once they get here while the judge does his thing or they come in here with no clue.”
My eyes grow wide. “Are you crazy? The whole hospital will hear our moms lose their cool.” I consider that for a moment. “I mean… if they’re here anyways, then we might as well.” I brush it off as though it’s no big deal.
The sound of Carter’s chuckle won’t be forgotten in my entire life. “I was not expecting that little plot twist.”
“What?” I’m ready to defend myself. “Cassie has the same trait. We like the element of spontaneity.”
He quickly steps to us and leans down to kiss our foreheads. “I’ll go make the call,” he whispers.
Staring down at the squinched little face who doesn’t understand the new world that she is in, I just want to cuddle in her cuteness. “Your daddy can be grumpy, demanding, and then out of nowhere, be far too confident and euphoric.”
A knock on the door before it cracks open raises my attention to see Hailey and Oliver peeking in. “Ready for visitors?” Hailey asks.
“Come on in.”
The moment the door fully opens, a giant balloon on a string that says beary excited to meet you appears, along with a fruit basket and a bag with tissue paper.
Hailey is cooing and approaching us with vigor. “She’s so adorable.”
Oliver is a little more reserved and gives us a little distance. “My little niece didn’t make it easy for you guys, did she?” He goosenecks to get a glimpse, but his wife is stealing the view. “I heard you had a guest at the event, too. Supervising so that my brother wouldn’t mess up.”
“Hey! Already? Can’t give me five minutes before the sarcasm hits?” Carter chides his brother as he joins us again in the room.
“He might be right,” I tease Carter. “Dogs can detect labor, apparently. He loves grumpy Carter so much that he came to save me. Don’t worry, guys, we gave him a treat from Carter’s hidden treat jar as a reward for his efforts.”
The lighthearted conversation continues as everyone comments on our beautiful little girl that we gush over.
“We kind of need your help if you don’t mind. It’s the least you can do for being away when we needed a neighbor the most,” Carter impassively reprimands.
“Excuse us for having a life. We got back as soon as we could. What can we do?” Oliver responds.
Carter and I smirk at one another.
“Keep our parents in line when they get here,” Carter requests.
Hailey laughs. “Not happening. The first grandchild is in the room, but I give you a point for optimism.”
“Gotta support my wife on that one,” Oliver adds.
“Fine. Can you at least meet the judge in the lobby to show him to our room?”
Oliver’s face puzzles, then he swims his eyes side to side. “Ah. Legal talk. Are you two getting hitched? Shotgun wedding kind of thing?”
Hailey squeals and brings her hands together. “Ooh, a wedding.”
“Yeah, keep that on the down-low until everyone is here and the judge just randomly shows up,” Carter implores.
“Love easygoing weddings,” she comments.
Carter points to the door. “Great. Now you two go and get to work.”
Oliver shakes his head in amusement. “They’re kicking us out already.”
“All good. I’ve arrived bearing gifts.” My sister Bella peeks around the door.
“We’ll be back, so get in line on the baby-holding list.” Hailey indicates with her fingers that she’s watching Bella.
“You two are already leaving?” Bella asks, perplexed, as she holds a big Labrador stuffed animal.
“We have an important mission,” Oliver explains in passing.
Carter circles the bed to lift Cassie out of my arms to let her rest in the hospital bassinet It will be easier for everyone to see her.
I stifle a laugh. “Did you choose that stuffed animal to remind Carter of who was present at the birth of our daughter?”
“Totally.” My sister has no qualms stating the obvious as she joins me on the bed.
The next few minutes, we chat and go over the details of the night before.
We don’t even need to check the door when we hear both sets of parents walking down the hall.
“Twenty bucks that Dad says he can’t handle the grandpa title,” she mutters under her breath to me as she straightens her back and stands up to go hide in the corner.
Carter winces as he scrubs a hand across his stubbled jaw and remains close to our daughter.
We all watch the door fling open when our parents pile through with flowers, wrapped presents, and a basket of baby clothes. I couldn’t even say what belongs to whom because they all blob together.
“My baby has a baby.” My mom is victorious on reaching me first and leans down to give me a big hug with tears in her eyes. “You did so well.” Then she playfully pinches my shoulder. “Don’t ever have a baby during a snowstorm again,” she scolds me.
“Speak to your granddaughter about that,” I remind her and smile.
My dad is quick to lean over and hug me. “I’m not sure I’m liking this grandpa title, I’m not getting that old.”
I glance to the corner where Bella sticks her thumb up. Then the next set of parents hug me in congratulations before everyone circles around our little marvel. Swinging my legs out of bed, I walk over to join them, and our little girl should probably be wailing at the top of her lungs right now with all of these new faces, but instead, she is calm and basking in the attention she isn’t aware that she’s receiving.
Nancy has her hands on her heart. “What a little darling. I’ll babysit you, yes, I will.” The voice that we all harbor comes out in full force. The type of voice that is an octave too high and so incredibly joyful.
“And she will have such a fun time at Olive Owl when I will babysit,” my mom corrects her, and I roll my lips in to hide my laugh.
“I have cigars, Son.” Edward slaps a hand on Carter’s shoulder. He never struck me as a man who loved cutesy moments with babies or animals.
The door cracks open, and Oliver gives Carter a thumbs-up.
“Well, Dad. Hopefully your brought extra cigars.”
My dad pipes up but continues to be enamored by Cassie. “No worries. I brought my own.”
Oliver enters with Hailey and the judge, an older man I’ve seen a few times at the grocery store.
“Judge Daniels, what are you doing here?” Edward draws everyone’s attention to our new arrival.
Before the judge can say anything, Carter comes to side-hug me. “If we just bang out the two-minute version then we’re okay, right?” he asks me offhandedly as though nobody is here.
I ignore that anyone is in the room as I reach down to swoop our daughter up into my arms. “Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll just pick her up.”
“What’s… what’s going on?” My mother is as bewildered as everyone else.
“Just getting married again. It will be like two minutes,” I explain coolly.
Her eyes flutter as my dad tries to catch up, and Nancy’s jaw just dropped.
Carter’s hand rests on my lower back, and he smiles at the judge. “Let’s get this done. If we’re lucky, we’ll be done before their freakout ends.”
“Oh, I heard that.” Bella is not impressed. She pulls a flower out of the bunch in a vase and saunters to me to offer the light pink rose to me. “Here. Be a bride even though you never told me.” Now, she’s just throwing on theatrics.
I lift my arm slightly to support Cassie’s head. “No flowers. I’m holding precious goods.”
“Fine. I’ll hold onto it as your maid of honor.”
“Self-appointed title, but fine, okay, sure,” I say dryly, but I’m still happy as a clam.
“Can’t any of my sons get married in a normal way? Preferably not hiding the fact from all of us until they decide not to?” Nancy shakes her head.
Oliver holds his hands up in the air. “Hey, not my fault Carter decided to take a very smart move from my book.”
“Or we can refresh everyone’s minds that Rosie and I were married once before, so we just need to hash out a few details to re-marry. So if you could all give us a second, maybe debate whose flowers are better arranged, as Rosie and I have something to do.” Carter glances to me with warmth and assurance on his face.
I grin widely because this is all perfect. Every single second, from a snowstorm to the bathroom floor, to our little girl in our arms, and a quickie wedding that catches everyone by surprise. You couldn’t imagine a better twenty-four hours.
“Let’s just go for it,” Carter instructs the judge.
“Oh, so we’re really doing this here?” My mom points to the ground.
“Yep.” I tighten the P.
There is a brief silence in the room before everyone jolts into realization that we’re not joking.
“Someone film this.” Nancy elbows Edward to get his phone out. “Thank goodness there is a bottle of champagne in the basket.”
“Or we have a bottle of Olive Owl wine in the car,” my dad mutters.
Carter clears his throat. “Uh, Judge. Let’s start.”
He looks bewildered at everyone in the room and smiles nervously but returns his gaze to Carter. “Of course.”
The judge steps closer in our direction, as Carter and I have our daughter in our arms.
“We are gathered here today…” the judge begins.
“We can keep moving,” I suggest.
“Do you, Rosalyn Blisswood, take Carter Oaks to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
I smile brightly, and my eyes meet Carter’s in recognition that I’m confident and ready for this. “Yes, I do… again.”
“And do you, Carter Oaks, take Rosalyn Blisswood to be your wife?”
He squeezes me closer to his body. “I do… again.”
“Do you two have vows?”
Awkwardly, I chuckle. “Well, we’ll skip those. This little girl speaks volumes as to why we maybe don’t need vows. She’s symbol enough of our actions.”
“Rosie!” I hear my dad tsk from the side.
“Chillax,” my sister tells them. “It’s obvious what it takes to make a baby, and it’s their wedding.”
The judge’s brows rise, and I’m sure this will go down as one of his most unconventional weddings.
“Okay, so no vows. Rings?”
Carter and I hold up our fingers. “All good from the last round.”
“You’ve made this a little too easy for me.”
“That’s not them, but okay, we’ll play along,” Oliver states from the corner of the room and pretends to look away.
The judge smiles at everyone. “Well then. By the authority vested in me in the state of Illinois, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Faintly, I hear the sounds of our family saying something, but I take no notice because Carter leans down until our foreheads touch.
“We can just forget the little blip that we were ever unmarried,” he whispers.
“We’re all mended now,” I promise.
His lips brush along mine, a mix of heat and a tickle, only soothed by his lips planting a soft kiss on my mouth. It’s nothing wild but powerful and sentimental. Pulling away, I can imagine the sparkle in his eyes must match a glimmer in my own.
And right on cue, our daughter begins to fuss before a full shrieking cry breaks out.