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There is an iceberg off the port side of the ship. It’s about twice the size of the cruise liner, and I keep staring at it. With the amount of cloud cover overhead, the ice is almost a light blue in color. It shines when bits of sunlight peak through the clouds and catches the crystals in the ice. Overall, it looks majestic — majestic and cold. Seagulls cry overhead, and a few minutes ago, I saw a Bald Eagle soaring by.
The boat dips slightly, causing me to grab the railing hard and lean into it. The movement is worse for my stomach. I don’t think that the baby inside of me is going to develop a taste for the sea or sailing.
“Are you okay?” Reese grabs onto my shoulder and leans against the railing so she can look into my face. From the way that his mouth pulls into a straight line, I know I am pale. Hoping to give her some comfort, I smile slightly.
“Morning sickness.”
Eileen crouches down to put her arm around my shoulder. “It’s afternoon, Mandy. Almost evening.”
“Tell that to the baby.” I rub my hands over my slightly bulging stomach mostly hidden by a faux fur coat that is fluffy and white.
Reese’s frown deepens. “You don’t have to do this today,” she argues.
I take her hand in one of mine and then grab Eileen’s with the other. The surroundings may be majestic, but the best part of weddings is the people that are there. After I told my friends that Christian proposed, they all jumped into a plane — and then a helicopter — to meet our boat.
What Reese doesn’t understand is that I want my wedding to be today. It may not look at all like I planned — icy and cold as opposed to flowering and warm — but I cannot wait another day to be Mrs. Christian Keeley. And I know that my groom cannot wait either. Plus, having my baby inside me for my wedding is just the icing on the cake.
I look up at both of my friends. “It has to be today,” I tell them. They both nod with understanding.
“Can you two give us a moment?”
The three of us look up. Sloane is standing to the side. She’s dressed in a nice black dress, not light blue, like my bridesmaids. I asked her to stand with me, of course, but she told me that Christian asked her to be his best man, or rather, woman. She’s the only member of his family here. So, I completely understand. His father wasn’t invited. I’m not sure he even knows.
Reese and Eileen squeeze my hands one more time and then walk over to their husbands who are waiting for the service to start. Alone, Sloane and I look at each other in silence.
“I guess you never thought that I would be your sister-in-law,” I joke.
Sloane’s long face pulls down into an awkward frown. “No,” she stops suddenly, rubs her hands over her face, and then looks at me. “I mean…No, I wasn’t expecting this, but because of Christian, not you. I’m proud to have you as my sister, Mandy. But look—” She grabs onto the railing, leaning on it, and looks down at me. Her face is serious. “—I came over here to tell you that Mr. Coleman resigned. Kane and Ashton know everything that happened, and they will not be giving him a good reference. Perhaps he will have to move out of Manhattan to get a job.”
That thought brings a smile to both of our faces.
“Thanks, Sloane,” I tell her. “You really had my back. I appreciate it.”
She frowns again. Her eyes look troubled. “I know I’m not the easiest person to get along with, Mandy, but I’m going to be your sister-in-law and the aunt to your child. I want you to trust me. You could have told me about the baby before. I don’t like that I found out from Eileen.”
I sigh and drop my shoulders slightly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think that you would accept me as part of your family. But I should have given you the chance to decide that.” I reach over and take her hand in mine. “No more secrets, okay?”
Sloane smiles. “Deal.”
“Ready, Amanda?” My dad and mom walk over, interrupting my moment with my future sister-in-law. Mom is shivering, her cheeks so rosy that I know it is more than blush, but still she is beaming at me. Apparently, the helicopter that Christian sent to my hometown in Idaho was quite the show. Mom thinks Christian is “fancy.” She’s kind of right.
After sending Sloane to get the ceremony started, I link my arms with both my parents. The music starts and we walk towards the bow of the boat. Everyone that I love is standing before me, waiting for me.
