A few minutes later, with my stomach settled and my mouth clean, I went back to where Hayley was. Everyone else had been sent out of the room, leaving only the two of us, and she watched me with concern.
“I’m so sorry,” I said quickly, moving to the vanity table to re-do my make-up. “It’s nothing, just a small bug. I’m sorry.”
Before I could grab the lipstick, Hayley had grabbed both my hands and tugged me in front of her. She peered up at my face, and I started to feel self-conscious. I folded my lips together and kept my mouth closed, worried that my breath still smelled. I had some mints that I’d bought just for this reason.
Just when I was about to ask her what the problem was, Hayley spoke.
“Angela, are you pregnant?”
My eyes widened, and I felt my cheeks grow warm. I thought of denying it, but my reaction and the look in her eyes told me it would be a wasted effort. She wasn’t so much asking, as confirming. We did spend the whole day together yesterday during the rehearsal, and she must have noticed the signs then.
“I don’t want Ben to know,” I said quickly. “Not just yet.”
Ben had assured me that she knew about us and she was okay with it, or I would have run out of there quickly.
Hayley smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Angela. I don’t plan on telling him, that’s your right. How far along are you?”
“Um, a little over a month, I think,” I said, sheepish. “I only realized it a few days ago myself, so I’m still trying to digest it all. I wanted to wait until after the wedding before I… think of how I’ll tell him.”
She patted the back of my hand and sat me down. She went and picked up her purse, handing me a small packet of mints. I took a couple, murmuring a thank you as I popped them into my mouth and chewed. Then, she picked up the make-up, tilted my face slightly up, and helped me apply it again.
“I’m not going to pry into your business with my son,” she said quietly. “But I can tell you that you don’t have to worry about anything. I know my boy is young, and he doesn’t come off like it, but he’s always been responsible, in his way. And, I’m sure that he’ll be happy once you tell him.”
She did the finishing touch on my lips and put everything away, then turned to me with a gentle smile. She took both my hands in hers again as she tugged me to stand.
“More than that, Ben is going to be happy, because I have never seen my boy happy with anyone. Oh, he always has a crowd around him, and he would laugh and smile around them, but the moment they turn their backs, his expression goes flat. I don’t know if he’s ever had a friend he felt he could be himself around before, and now that he has you, I couldn’t be happier.”
“So, you’re not worried about the age difference?” I asked haltingly.
She laughed. “That would make me a hypocrite, your father is older than me, too, and I’m still marrying him. All I know is that Ben was sad and lonely when you weren’t around, also very anxious. And now, my boy has a smile on his face like I haven’t seen in a long time. That’s something that you brought to him, Angela, and I’m thankful to you for it.”
My eyes stung with tears, and I knew I would ruin the make-up again, but there was a knock on the door, and we were called. They were ready to start, just waiting for the bride.
“Let’s go,” Hayley said. “Our men will be waiting for us.”
She took in a deep breath, then let it out, and her face lit up in a wide smile. She held my hand as we left the room together.Chapter Twenty-Seven
BenThe wedding ceremony didn’t take long. Mom and Winston quickly said their vows, exchanged rings, signed the necessary documents with Ben and my signatures as witnesses, then led the wedding party out to get some pictures, before we quickly moved on to the reception.
While the morning was hurried, the rest of the party wasn’t, which was just fine with me, because this way, I could gape at Angela all I wanted.
She’s so beautiful.
The cut of her dress bared part of her shoulders, back, and chest, and I could already picture myself pulling it off her. Or, better yet, just sliding the shoulders lower so I could get at her breasts as I lifted the skirt around her hips. The dress looked too nice to ruin, but I couldn’t help thinking what it would look like covered in my come.
I did my best to control my expressions, so no one would guess what was on my mind, but I wasn’t sure I was doing it very well.