Three For A Wedding

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Cecelia sat heavily down on the sofa next to her husband-to-be, a newspaper was clutched tightly in her fist and was open to the page that had put her in a frustrated mood. She huffed loudly to get her point across to the man that she loved. Riley chuckled at her reaction as he folded the paper he had been reading, dropped it onto the coffee table and moved over so that he could put his arm around her slender shoulder and pull her onto him. He kissed the top of her head and took a deep breath, filling his nostrils with the scent of the strawberry shampoo she used. Her moods had been all over the place, more so than usual, since she had gotten pregnant with twins, and he had learnt to take them in his stride and humour her.

“What’s the matter, my love?” Riley asked, a grin playing on his lips as he teased her. He knew exactly where this was going, he had known since he had seen the article first thing that day that she would get on her high horse about it all.

“I can’t believe it has been published. Are they having a slow news week or something? It’s a two-page spread and front-page news! It’s not like we are famous or anything!” She exclaimed as she looked at the black and white picture in the newspaper. It was a picture of the two of them walking along their favourite tree-lined pathway. Cecelia had a hand resting on her protruding belly as if it would comfort or protect the children that were growing inside of her. An arrow was pointing to her hand with a zoomed-in picture to the other end of it which was showing the diamond and sapphire engagement ring. Riley had his arm linked through hers and they were looking at each other, smiling as they walked and talked. The headline read “Secret Law Enforcement Nuptials?”

“I think it’s a good photo.” Riley teased her further as he looked at the paper in her hand. He took it from her and turned it over to see more pictures of the two of them together.

“But why is it such news? A small note, yes, but a double-page spread and a section of the front page? Mother reads this paper!” She ranted on.

“We are two very influential people in a pretty small town. We’re very well known, it’s not something we can escape my love.” He told her as he dropped the paper on top of the other one he had discarded earlier. “And even your mother isn’t stupid enough to hit a wedding full of Police Officers, Detectives, Forensic Scientists and Judges.”

“You should know my mother is capable of pretty much anything, Riley.” She retorted as she picked it up again and glared at the paper as if willing it to spontaneously combust in her hands. He smiled as he looked at her features.

“Look, in just over a week we will be man and wife, my sister will be here tomorrow. We pick her up in the morning. The cake is ordered and the fruitcake is already made. The flowers have been chosen and ordered, and everyone has already RSVP’d to us. The guys and I have our final suit fitting on Friday.” Riley said, taking the paper from her again and discarding it back onto the coffee table. He settled back and buried his face in her hair again, kissing her head, whilst running a hand up and down her arm. “Stop worrying about what may happen and start looking forward to what is going to happen. It will be a perfect day. Only our nearest and dearest know the location, the newspapers will be kept away. Nothing is going to go wrong, my love, I promise.”

“I know.” She said, finally smiling and relaxing by the side of him. She was looking forward to seeing Beth Riley’s little sister. It had been a long time since she had last seen her old school friend. They had both been in girls’ school together, and that was how she had first met Riley all those years ago.

“How are you feeling anyway?” Riley asked as he turned his body towards her so he could rest his free hand on her stomach and gently run it over the bump. He smiled as he felt one of his children kick at his hand.

“Not too bad.” She said with a soft smile as she watched him lean down and plant a kiss on her stomach. “They are rather active at the moment. One of them is using my bladder as a punching bag.”

Their wedding had all been a bit of a rush. When Cecelia had found out she was pregnant with twins, and that they could come at any time, they both decided that they needed to be married before the babies arrived.

“I really can’t wait to meet them.” He said with a smile, leaning over and kissing her passionately, his hand wandering over her belly and down her side, before moving back up and under the hem of her skirt.

“EWWWW!” Came the sudden voice of Cecelia’s little sister, Paige, as she came into the room. “Get a room already!”