Page 66 of Forever After All

"Oh, Ali." Autumn beams at me, struggling to hold it together. "What did Carter say? I'm so happy for you both." She presses her hands to my stomach.

"He lost his fucking mind." I smile a little, struggling to know what to do with the information I put out in the world.

Autumn steps back a little and looks at me with concern. "Like…lost his mind in a good way or a bad way?" she asks. "Because if you need someone to kick his ass, I’ll do that for you." Autumn squeezes my arm, and I laugh.

Admitting out loud for the first time that you're pregnant to someone other than your partner is so scary. It makes it so much more real.

"Oh, it was absolutely a good way." I can't help the huge grin that forms now. "Autumn, I'm going to be a mum." My best friend pulls me into a hug and I melt into it, relieved to have told her.

"It's still so early and we haven't told anyone else," I say hurriedly. "We're still figuring it out ourselves. Shit. How am I supposed to raise a human? I'm not grown up enough myself yet." I shake my head a little, still reeling, finding it hard to come to terms with being pregnant. "How am I"—I point to myself—"supposed to raise this?" I point to my stomach, thentake a long, deep breath.

"Everything fucking hurts," I whine. "My boobs hurt, my back hurts already! What's it going to be like when I'm carrying a watermelon? Fucking look at me." I gesture up and down my body. "Fucking look at Carter." I raise my hand above my head a little to signify that he is taller than me. "We're going to have a giant baby with a giant head and a giant body, and I have to push it out of me." Talking about this out loud makes me panic with the possibility of this baby coming out of me. "It was fun making the baby. It wassofun, but I don't want to do that bit, I can't do that bit."

Autumn laughs at me. "Well, Ali, you're out of luck, babe. Because one way or another, that baby is coming eventually." Then she starts to Google the average length of monster babies on her phone.

"No. Nope. No thank you," I retort, trying not to think about my life thirty-one weeks from now. Screaming babies, shitty diapers, milk vomit, no sleep. Ever again.

"Might I suggest…wrapping it up next time? Going on the pill? Having an IUD fitted? Maybe even getting him to, oh, I don't know, justnotcome inside of you?" She giggles some more, trying her hardest to make light of my life changing news, to break the tension I feel.

"But where is the fun in that?" I ask, letting out my owngiggle.

"Tell that to your baby," she says, pointing at my belly. "Ali, jokes aside, you are going to be an amazing mother. If you’re half the mother that you are a friend then that little baby is going to be the luckiest child in the world, you know that?" She sits next to me on the couch. "Not to rush you, Ali, but it's time, your future husband is waiting."

The door knocks and my dad pokes his head inside the room. He takes one look at me before sobbing.

"I'm so proud of you, sweet pea. I am so proud to be your dad." He rushes over to hug me.

"Dad, stop," I choke out. "This makeup took an hour to do and I’m not crying it off for anyone—not even you."

He clings to me a little longer before standing to gain his composure. Then he holds his arm out to me to link through. I snake my arm in through his and his hand squeezes the back of mine.

"How am I meant to give you away when you'll always be my baby?" he asks, and no amount of willpower can stop the single tear that runs down my cheek.

"You'll always be my first love." I say the words so quietly, scared if I speak any louder, my voice will break completely.

My dad walks me through the yard, which is decorated like an English country garden. I had no idea Carter had planned thisto look like my childhood home.

"Oh." I breathe out, looking at the blooming flowers that line the path. I’m taken back by the thought and consideration that my very-nearly husband has put into the planning.

Walking to the back of the yard, my dad hands me to Carter, as he extends his fingers for me.

"I'll look after her, I promise," Carter tells my dad, as he links his fingers between mine.

"I know you will, Carter," my dad returns, and I turn to face my future husband.

"Black? Well, look at you." He admires my dress and lets out a low whistle as I shimmy a little. "Just when I think that you can't surprise me anymore, you do it again." He twirls me around, drinking in my unconventional wedding gown.

"Now, Alice and Carter have chosen to write their own vows, which they will read to you now," Sawyer announces to our guests.

"Alice, you are my guiding light. Every single day you amaze me. I never thought I wanted to get married, but when you came into my life, that changed in a heartbeat. All this time, I was just waiting for you. I exist to make you happy, and I will spend every single day of my life, reminding you why you said yes." The depth of his words drown me with love. "You are my best friend, future mother of my children, and the biggest supportto me. I promise, with every shred of my being, that I will love you through every season, until the day I die. I told you once before that I was not worthy of you, but every single moment of my life I will try to be a better man for you. Thank you for loving me." He coughs the last words out, and I wonder how I am ever supposed to top that.

I look around at our guests and there is not a dry eye to be seen.

Sawyer gestures in my direction, encouraging me to speak, slamming his eyes shut a few times in a bid to hide his emotional reaction to his brother's vows.

"Carter, thank you for saving me," I start, and Carter breaks immediately with silent tears running down his cheeks. Sawyer passes him a Kleenex, and he dabs his eyes. "You prove to me, day after day, all the ways you love me. From a cup of coffee in the morning, to running me a bath, to rubbing my feet after a hard day. When I fall, you catch me, and when I think I might break, you are the glue that holds me together. You are, quite simply, the love of my life. I will weather every storm with you, and walk through every sunrise." I hear Autumn sob in the background and it triggers my own tears once more. "You reminded me how it feels to be loved so deeply that nothing else matters. You are the reason I believe in taking chances, and until I draw my last breath on this earth, I will love you. Thank you for loving metoo." I drop my head into my hands and press on my eyes to prevent the tears.

Clearing his throat, Sawyer says, "Alice and Carter have chosen not to exchange rings, so I am very happy to announce the new Mr. and Mrs. Green."

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