Wedding Bells

Chapter 28

*A month Later*

"Guys look what I bring!" I shouted, bursting through the doors of the bridal shop. Faces of the customers confused as I enter with a baby carrier and a bag of presents.

Once the realization set in people started rushing towards me. It was early in the morning before too many brides were here. I'd finished with my morning feeding of Aurora and decided I would head down to the shop to see how things were going.

Clara was the first to make it to me, as she was the closest to start. She quickly grabbed the carrier out of my hands, placing it on the ground and unstrapping the now away child. She held her up in front of her wrapping her arms around the baby.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, I always wanted one of these," She whimpered looking at Aurora as she started cooing towards her. I rolled my eyes dropping the bags on the ground. My mother was next, but she snatched the baby out of Clara's hands holding her close to her chest.

"Now this is where you belong little one," She mumbled shooting a look to Clara.

"Hey, that's not fair I got here first!" Clara shouts, reaching for the baby once again, but my mother turned pulling away from her. I scoffed, before letting out a deep huff of air. Why wasn't anyone paying attention to me?

"Is this how the rest of my life is going to go? Second best to the child that I MADE?" I picked the bags back up before gathering them all into one hand. Scooping up the carrier in the other I made my way towards the stairs. I'd leave this stuff in my office til I was ready to leave.

The crowd of young woman crowding around the infant didn't even notice that I had left, and I knew Aurora was in good hands, none of them would let anything hurt a hair on her tiny little head.

The last month with her had been easier than I had expected. I'd sleep when she slept, and found myself with more sleep than I'd ever had. Just in smaller bursts. My body was growing accustomed to breast feeding every so often as well. As everything seemed to get easier with time.

I closed the door behind me before heading back down the stairs to save my precious girl from all the hungry vultures. I could hear a couple of grunts from her, as I assumed they passed her around each one fighting to keep her away from my mother.

I'd brought gifts for everyone, hoping to thank them for all the help they have been since I've had her. Taking over the shop and dealing with everything so I didn't have to worry about a thing.

It really made the transition of being a mother one of the easier things I'd done.

Carter and I had so much love for the sweet little thing he almost refused to accept a job offer that the school had given him to help teach a few of their classes.

It wasn't paying as much as we would like but it covered the bills it needed to. He was happy to be off of the computer and working with young minds once again.

It was okay, since I was making more at the shop than I ever had before. The numbers had gone up, the workers were easier to find, and everyone was able to get a raise.

Once I was finally at the bottom of the stairs, I swooped into the middle of the group of girls, grabbing my sweet child out of Kylie's arms. She stomped her foot in protest before whining.

"I just got her, it was my turn," Before she glanced up and realized it was me. She chuckled lightly rolling her eyes, "But of course you can have her back,"

"Thanks I guess," I lean down to kiss Aurora's forehead, so in love with how cute she looked all cuddled up in her wrap. Everyone else couldn't get over how adorable she was either as they tried to stare at her just a little bit longer. "Okay guys, get back to work," I mumbled trying my best to not sound too rude. I wanted my child though, I wanted to keep her to myself and they were making it pretty hard to do that. Clara and my mother hovered around and that was okay with me, but one by one each of the other girls broke away from the group.

There would be a wave of brides in here soon. These would be our busiest days, so they should be preparing their dressing rooms, organizing the racks, and making sure everything looks okay anyways.

"How are you guys doing at home with the baby?" My mother asks, we follow her to the cash register. She needed to continue working on counting in the money. I took a seat on the stool behind the computer, gently bouncing Aurora on my knee.

"It's been really good, she gets stronger every single day and I already can't believe how much she has grown," I smiled staring down at my little angel.

"I know she looks like a little chunk," Clara grabbed her fingers, tugging on them lightly. "Enjoy it while it lasts sista, cause this is the only time your fat will look super adorable," I couldn't help but laugh at her comment.

As Aurora's mother I knew she would always look adorable no matter what.

"No fat shaming," My mother piped in placing her hands on her hips as she tried to show off her larger than normal thighs. I shook my head. Sure the Chemo had made her binge eat causing her to put on a few pounds but she still looked as beautiful as ever.

"Hush, a little hips and thighs are fine," Clara corrected herself based on my mothers comment.

"You two are absolutely insane," I moan.

The bell above the door dings, bringing all of our attention to a smaller girl in a sundress. There were a few people following behind her, dragging themselves along as they tried to take in all the sights. She must be one of the brides on the schedule.

"Looks like that is me, gotta go," Clara muttered saying goodbye to Aurora one more time before heading off to help the girl that had just entered the store.

"How are things going with the shop?" I ask, watching my mother carefully count the money as she places it in the cash register. As far as I had seen or heard everything was running smoothly. People were finding the dresses they wanted, loving the selections we had.

"A lot of people think the selection has gotten better now that you took a step back from being her so much," My mother comments, shaking me slightly. Was I not as good as I thought I was? I was still the one ordering the dresses, spending a lot of my free time at home staring at gowns for hours on the computer, listening to the soothing sounds of Aurora snoring away.

"That's not very nice to say!" I scoff holding my child closer to me, "Think you get to see your granddaughter again today, I think not," I teased holding Aurora just out of sight of my mother. I knew she knew I was joking but the panic that flashed through her eyes at the thought of not seeing Aurora again today as tremendous.

A fear so true I would think she needed counseling for it.

"You have so much more time to spend looking at the new designs, you used to complain all the time that something would come in and you knew it was dresses but none of them were memorable. It wasn't as often you were out here as excited to open up boxes as you are now. It seems like every time you come in there's a box you just couldn't wait to get your hands on, it's welcoming. People are really noticing that the dresses are on another level now," She was completely right.

When we would get a delivery it was work, annoyance at the best. The dresses, though beautiful were just not as amazing as some of the ones I'd see a week later, dresses that I should have ordered in the first place and would have if I would have looked harder, or even longer.

Trying to pick was dresses would sell was almost impossible, it was a delicate task that took a lot more of my energy that I used to give it. That was one of those things I could do from home though, to help the shop out as much as I could while caring for Aurora.

Soon I would be back though in the full swing of things. Helping everyone while Aurora hung out. Once she was old enough for a pack n play, or something of the sorts I'd be here, with her, every single day.

"How is Carter liking the new job?" My mother asked. He'd placed his two weeks notice in once this job had come through. Working both of them two weeks after Aurora was born was difficult on him. He found it hard to focus on anything other than her. His sweet little princess.

But somehow he managed. Making it through the two weeks of hell.

"He is just glad that he doesn't have to work both of them anymore. Today is his first day where he only has the one. The other ended last week, he just has to do one more project for them this weekend that won't take too long, so things are slowing down for him and he loves it. He gave up paternity leave to help take care of the family and it really is taking a told on him. I can tell he wishes he would have waited a little bit longer before getting his new job and just dealing with his old one for the time being." My mother nodded her head, she must have understood what I was getting at.

"He does overwork himself at times and you need to pay attention to that, make sure he doesn't go off the deep end. He is a good man." My mother's smile warms my heart, reminding me how lucky I got in the husband department.

"You should see how cute it is when he answers his emails with her resting on his chest. She just sits there and enjoys every little minute of it, watching the ceiling while he is lounged out trying to read emails over her." A storm of butterflies attack my stomach just at the thought of Carter and Aurora together.

"That sounds so precious," My mother smiles, slamming the cash into the cash register so that it would fully click into place. The loud noise startling Aurora. She jumped looked around for a moment to check if it was safe before snoozing back into my arms.

"It really is, but speaking of which, Carter and I are going on a date for our first year anniversary and was wondering what you were doing next weekend?" My mother's eyes lit up as soon as the question left my mouth.

"Of course I'll go on the date with you guys, I'll be Aurora's date." She smiled, patting the top of my head as we step down from the cash register and back onto the lower level of the room.

"Not really what I meant, but you can still be Aurora's date if you would like to babysit her for us," I chuckled to myself, hoping she would say yes. There was no reason for her to say no. "I'll feed her before we leave and bring you some breast milk so her food will be covered, we go to bed early so I'm sure we won't be out late," I tried to throw in as many things to convince her as possible.

"Of course I will watch her, you don't even have to ask me, just drop her off at my house...can I adopt her?" Her words were flying out of her mouth faster than I could process them. I shook my head. This woman was insane and I wasn't sure I'd ever get my daughter back if I left her at her house.

"Mom," I moaned, hoping she would get my point. Hopefully she would calm down.

"Fine, fine, let's go get those present you got everyone, even though Aurora is present enough I want to know what I got." She chuckled hopping up the stairs to grab the bags I had left in my office. I rolled my eyes loving every weird flaw of her personality.

She may be crazy, and a little weird to have as a mother but she was the most supportive person I knew besides Carter and Clara. They were my family and Aurora was lucky to have them as part of hers as well.

Even if she didn't know anything about it right now.

My mother travels back down the stairs holding all the bags in her hands. She walked around the shop handing out the gifts before heading back to meet me in the middle of the floor.

"Do I really have to wait until Clara is done with her bride to open mine?" My mother whines, holding the bag close to her chest. I shook my head laughing at how adorable my mother was acting. "Oh thank god," she ripped the bag open, digging through the contents before pulling out the black dress that I had purchased her. She held it up to her body, trying to get a good glimpse of the design.

"There's more in there," I wasn't sure my mother had heard my words anyways. Her mind too focused on the dress to figure anything else out. Finally she placed it on the counter digging deeper into the bag. She grabbed the shirt next pulling it out.

One the front of it were the words, 'worlds craziest grandmother' She looked at me, confused as of why it as the craziest and not the best I'm sure.

"Is craziest really the word we would use to describe me?" Just like I had wrote it myself she responded just as I had planned her to. I couldn't help but laugh at her reaction to the mug sitting gently at the bottom of the bag. She pulled it out with so much excitement she nearly flung it across the room.

On the front of the mug were the words 'but still the worlds best, love Aurora'

"Oh my god Erin, this is the most amazing thing I've ever gotten, thank you so much. I love it more than anything," I point towards the baby that was now sleeping in my arms. My mother shook her head realizing what she had said. "Except for her of course," She added, making the whole thing even worse. What did she mean just her? Why weren't we just a lump deal.

"Oh fine, you too sweetie!" She scoffed after realizing I was now pointing towards myself. I was still a little hurt by her words. She raised me how could she possibly forget about me that quickly.

"Maybe she will forget you if another baby walks in, so don't get your hopes up Aurora, it hurts the more you care," I muttered speaking to the baby as if she could understand a word I was saying. Rolling my eyes before looking back at my mother.

"I've got to head out here soon, gotta get back so she can feed again, but are we still on for our double date doctor appointment tomorrow?" I couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous we were. Still scheduling our doctors appoints at the same time so we could just be there for each other. Though mine was now in a different part of the building my mother still wanted to come to all of them. I wasn't going to deny her. The help when we were out and about was very much appreciated.

"Of course, it'll be my six month checkup since being cured. I'm hoping for really good news," I couldn't believe it'd been that long since the day we found out she was clean. Free from all cancerous cells that had once took over her body. She didn't look so fragile anymore, and that was the greatest thing about it all.

I was happy she was going to be around for a really long time. Finally able to watch one of her grandkids grow up into a beautiful young woman. Just like she had watched me.

"I'm so proud of you mother," I mentioned leaning in to take a hug from her. She gladly took it, wrapping her arms around me and the baby, holding us close to her. Her fingers tangling in my hair as she takes in a deep breath.

"I wouldn't have been able to do it without you," She pulled away smiling at me eagerly. I hated how easy it was to make me cry now days. Since I'd had Aurora I was crying over everything. I cried when the flowers from the hospital finally died. I cried changing Aurora's first diaper at home. I cried the first time she sneezed. Everything was such an emotional moment for me and I hated that this one was becoming one as well.

I cleared my throat trying my best to fight them back.

"Well, I guess we will be on our way home to do some more wedding dress shopping. Maybe I'll find a dress she will love when she is older, than you guys can stop teasing me for saving one for myself for so long, cause this girl is insane," I pointed towards her once again, before tickling her slightly.

My mother rolled her eyes not as amused by my comment as I was.

"Well maybe we should just get her a Tinder account as well then, how about that?"

"Nope!" I shouted, placing my sweet baby into her carrier, getting her all ready to leave.

"That's exactly what I thought,"