Chapter 14 — Shopping and Shot
When Vincent opened his eyes the next morning, he found Rebecca already awake and looking at him. He would have thought it was cute that she was watching him sleep if he couldn't tell by the look in her face that something was wrong. "What wrong, Mi Amore?" He turned on his side and propped his head up on his hand. "Talk to me," he rubbed her arm when she hesitated.
"I'm nervous," she said biting her lip.
"Nervous for what? Shopping today?" Rebecca nodded her head. "It's just shopping," he laughed.
"It's more than shopping!" She half shouted. "Roxy text me and told me that your mother and Lidia are coming now too," she told him standing up and waving her hands around. When she had gotten the text, she was in so much shock that she didn't reply and started staring at Vincent waiting for him to wake up. Now she was pacing.
"Hey, Rebecca," Vincent said standing up and walking around to the other side of the bed where she paced. "It's going to be okay," he grabbed her by both arms to stop her. "If you're worried about Lidia, I promise she will be on her best behavior. And who knows, maybe this will give her a chance to see just why I love you," he pulled her in for a hug. "Just be your perfectly amazing self and she will fall in love with you just like I did," He pulled back and look in her eyes. He noticed the tears that were waiting to fall but didn't say anything about them. He gave her a light kiss on her lips followed by a smile. Rebecca smiled back and nodded her head.
"I guess I better get ready for the longest day of my life," she made sure to keep the smile on her face. Vincent laughed and cupped her face giving her another longer deeper kiss.
"I will start breakfast while you are getting ready. Can't have the two most important people in my life starving. I know how much my mother and sisters can shop," he told her causing her to laugh. "I'm guess Joni is quite the shopper too." Rebecca nodded her head before standing on her tippy toes to give him one more kiss before turning toward the bathroom to shower. Vincent slapped her on the ass causing her to jump and squeal a little before laughing.
After her shower, Rebecca walked into the closet to get dressed. She grabbed her favorite pair of jeans and pulled them on. When she started to button them, she noticed they were a little tighter than normal. "That's weird," she said out loud. She turned to look in the mirror. She turned to the side and noticed her stomach was a little bigger than she would have expected so early on in the pregnancy. She made a mental note to go see Sandy before work the next day. She decided to change into something more comfortable since it was her day off and she would be shopping all day anyway.
When she walked into the kitchen Vincent stopped pouring a glass of orange juice to shoo her out to the dining room. He brought out a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast along with the glass of orange juice. "Wow. Look at you, finally realizing I don't eat like a small army." Vincent laughed and shook his head before going into the kitchen for his plate. They ate breakfast together talking about nothing much.
"What room would you like for the baby?" Vincent asked her as he was finishing up his coffee. Rebecca shrugged.
"I guess my old room? Might as well that way the baby will be right across from us." Vincent nodded.
"I will get some men to come and help my move the furniture to one of the empty rooms while you're shopping today then."
"Wait you mean to tell me there is already an empty room in this place?" She asked him shocked. She hadn't been in every room in Vincent's place yet but she just assumed that they were all in use of some sort. "We could just use one that's already empty." Vincent nodded his head.
"The one right next to my office is open. I wouldn't hate the idea of the baby's room being there. That way I can help easier when I am working," he tried to sound indifferent but the smirk on Rebecca's face told him he failed.
"Okay that is perfect. Let's use that room," she nodded. Vincent only slightly held back his smile but Rebecca saw it. Vincent stood up to clear the table.
"Now that we have settled that, I expect you to fill that room up with furniture and clothes," he winked at her before heading into the kitchen. Rebecca laughed she should have figured that he would find a way for her to spend his money. She stood up to follow him into the kitchen to argue with him but the there was a knock on the door before she could make it.
Rebecca answered the door and found Rosalina and Joni standing on the other side with huge smiles on their faces. "Hey guys, come on in. I have to get my coat and let Vince know I'm leaving," she told them as she moved out of the way for them to come in.
"Ladies," Vincent said as he came out of the kitchen. He stopped beside Rebecca and out his arm around her shoulder. "Are we excited for shopping today?"
"I'm excited to see these two in their bridesmaid dresses since I ended up not getting to go with them the first time," Rosalina said.
"I'm sure they will look great in them," he said kissing Rebecca on the forehead. "Let me get your coat, Mi Amore," he said moving toward the closet to get her coat. He helped her put it on and kissed her. He pulled her close and deepened the kiss. Rosalina and Joni made kissing noises and ohed and ahed causing them to separate and Rebecca to glare at them. He gave her a peck on the lips again but didn't linger, "I love you," he said. "Remember to spend a ton of money on yourself and my son." Rebecca laughed and followed her friends out the door.
A half hour later, Rebecca was holding her breath in her bridesmaid's dress. The floor length dress with a heart shaped neckline was nearly nothing but tulle but it was hugging Rebecca's waist a little too tightly. Who knew what the next two weeks would hold for her stomach? Not to mention her breasts were about to fall out. It was going to need to be altered.
"Bec, those boobs though," Joni said with a big smile. Rebecca sighed and glared.
"Just let me get in there so I can mark what needs to be done," the tailor at the dress store said. Rebecca lifted her arms so the women could get the measurement that she needed.
"I noticed a slight bump when I was getting dressed," Rebecca told the girls.
"Are you pregnant?" Marisa, Rosalina's cousin who was also a bridesmaid, asked.
"Well you better hope so or you just insulted her," Rosalina said before laughing. "Sorry. How far along are you?"
"About ten weeks," Rebecca told her as the tailor got done.
"Wow! And you already have a bump?" Rebecca had only met Marisa once and she didn't really like her. She couldn't really say why. It was just a feeling. She didn't really want to be talking about her pregnancy with her. "Nothing's wrong is it?" Joni asked before Rebecca had a chance to answer Marisa. She shook her head.
"I don't think so but I am going to see my doctor before work tomorrow just to make sure," she smiled at them before getting down and heading to the dressing room to get out of the dress. As she stepped out of the dress, her phone dinged. It was Roxy asking about lunch before they started shopping. She typed a quick reply and telling her to let her know where and they would meet them there soon. She took the dress off and headed out to the others. "Roxy wants to do lunch before we start shopping," she whispered to Joni. She raised a brow at her.
"Why are we whispering?" she whispered back.
"I don't want to have to be polite and ask Marisa to come with us." Joni nodded her head in understanding. She didn't like the girl either. Rosalina didn't even like her that much but her mother had insisted on her putting her in the wedding since she was her only cousin.
"Well, I'm off. Hot date," Marisa said from the door of the store. The other three women waved as she bounced out the door. All breathing a sigh of relief when she was gone. "Let's eat," Joni shouted as she marched for the door. Rosalina shook her head and laughed with Rebecca.
"Remind me again why she is in my wedding?"
"Because you needed someone to help with the planning you didn't want to do," Rebecca joked and they laughed before following Joni out of the store.
They had barely sat down at the table that Roxy, Nadia, and Lidia where at before Nadia cleared her throat and sent Rebecca a huge smile that she was highly suspicious of.
"Lidia would like to apologize to you, Rebecca," she said happily. "She has offered to throw you a baby shower as soon as you find out what you are having." Nadia ended her announcement by clapping her hands and smiling wider than humanly possible.
Rebecca looked at Lidia and she seemed almost as shocked at her mother's words than Rebecca was. Feeling uncomfortable with Nadia forcing something that was obviously not there, Rebecca looked at her best friends for help. Both were smiling with nothing to say for once. "Lidia that's very nice of you but, you don't need to do that. It's really not necessary."
"Go-," Lidia started before Nadia cut her off.
"Nonsense. Lidia is so looking forward to helping celebrate her niece or nephew."
"I could help you," Joni offered. Finally realizing just how bad this could be, she thought she would help out her friend. Plus, she had plans to be the favorite aunt and this was the start of it.
"That is a grand idea," Nadia clapped her hands again. She was obviously excited and Rebecca didn't have the heart to burst her bubble. She and Lidia would probably never be close, and Rebecca was okay with that. She didn't like that she didn't like her but she couldn't help that and stressing on it wouldn't do anyone any good.
They finished eating before walking down the street to a baby store where Nadia immediately found the cribs. "I want to gift my first grandchild with a crib," she turned to Rebecca who was feeling overwhelmed already.
"Oh, that's okay. I can buy one," she told her. Nadia placed her hands on her hips.
"Don't fight her on this," Roxy said under her breath as she walked behind Rebecca. Rebecca smiled at Nadia who was still waiting for something.
"Pick one out or I will," she told Rebecca. Rebecca relented and walked around the crib area taking them all in.
An hour and nearly fifty gender neutral outfits from Roxy later, Joni was saying goodbye to everyone while they were checking out. "Call me tomorrow," Joni told Rebecca quietly. Rebecca nodded.
They all headed back to Vincent's building together. Nadia wanted to make sure that the delivery person had gotten all the furniture that her and Rebecca had bought correctly. They stepped off the elevator and all paused. They could hear shouting and things being broken. The noise got louder and louder as they walked to the door. Rebecca put the code in and opened the door.
Domenico and Gio were standing in front of a very agitated Vincent siting on the couch. He was breathing heavy and running his hands through his hair over and over. Rebecca frowned at the scene in front of her. She looked from Vincent to Domenico then to Gio waiting for someone to say something.
"What's happened?" Nadia asked from behind of Rebecca. His mother's voice must have startled him because Vincent jumped up from the couch and turned around. He looked from his mother to Rebecca and back. He took a deep breath and walked until he was standing beside Rebecca and in front of Nadia.
"Padre has been shot. He is in a coma," he said with a sound of guilt in his voice. Nadia let out a loud cry and fell forward into Vincent's arms. Rebecca stood and watched the scene unfold in front of her. She didn't know what to say or to think in a moment like this. She watched as Lidia and Roxy both hugged one another and cried. Rosalina walked over to Domenico to comfort him. Rebecca had only dealt with this type of thing in the hospital a few times and she was expected to be professional not to comfort someone with this. Her heart was breaking for all of them. She could tell Vincent was purposely looking everywhere but at her and that confused her. She was sure that his father and him where close enough that this was affecting him. She just didn't know what to do about it.