"Nadine! You look stunning" Kimberley stated, looking at the Irish woman in her wedding dress. She smiled gratefully in return. She held her hands out to Scott, Kimberley passed him over to her.
"This little guy is getting big!" she smiled, bouncing him gently in her arms. "Hello Scott" she said. He reached out and poked her on the nose. The three women laughed.
"Kimberley, I don't mean to be rude but could I steal Cheryl for a little while?" the younger of the three asked, her tone suddenly turning nervous.
"Sure" Cheryl replied for her and followed Nadine after she gave Scott back to her.
The two women walked a short distance into an empty room where the service was being held. Cheryl shut the door behind them both and saw the look on Nadine's face.
"You're not getting cold feet, are you?" the Geordie asked, remembering what she was like a few hours before her wedding.
"Oh no, it's nothing to do with that" she replied.
"Oh" said Cheryl, slightly surprised. She stood up straight instead of leaning against the door and waited for Nadine to continue.
"Do you know why I didn't tell any of you I was engaged?" she wondered, breaking the silence after a while. Cheryl nodded sadly.
"I thought you hated us for not telling you" the older of the two replied, talking about when she had malaria.
"I'm so sorry for making you feel like that, how could you have told me? You were ill. It wasn't your fault and I wish I had seen that sooner" the Irish woman said, tears glazing over her eyes.
"It wasn't anyone elses fault either. They were all too worried" Cheryl replied, feeling emotional herself.
"They were all informed except me. It hurt me too, you know" she said sadly.
"I'm sorry Nadine" said Cheryl, reaching out to hold her hand. "I think I was just the most hurt because I couldn't tell you and I felt like you held it against me that I never told you" she said with a sniff to keep her emotions in control.
"I'm so sorry" the Irish woman cried.
"Hey" said Cheryl, reaching up to wipe away the tear that had escaped her eye. "Today is for happy tears" she said before wrapping her arms around her in a hug. "I'm sorry too" she mumbled.
Nadine pulled back and held both of Cheryl's hands with her own. She put a smile on her face and looked at the older woman.
"Anyway, as a sort of way to make it up to you..." she started.
"Nadine you don't need to do anything" she said, interrupting the woman.
"Please. I want to" she replied before starting again. "To make it up to you... I want you to be the first to know" she said.
"Know what?" Cheryl asked. There was a moment of silence and a bigger smile appeared on Nadine's face.
"I'm pregnant" she said in a high pitched, excited voice. Cheryl's mouth dropped open with a smile. She screamed a little and hugged the Irish woman again.
"Oh my God, Nadine! Congratulations!" she said as she pulled away from the hug, her eyes were sparkling. "I'm so happy for you" she said honestly.
"Thank you" she replied, placing her hand over her beginning bump.
"It means a lot to us you told us first. I mean a lot" the Geordie said, taking Nadine into a hug again. "This is amazing... another little Aloud" she smiled. "Can I tell Kimba?"
"Of course! It's out in the open now, plus that would be unfair of me to tell you and not let you tell the woman you share quite literally everything with" she giggled.
They hugged one more time before coming out of the room. Nadine went off to redo her make up and Cheryl went to find Kimberley.
"You both have done very well" Nadine's mother said, looking at Cheryl who was approaching them. She stood next to Kimberley and kissed her on the cheek.
"Thank you" Kimberley replied, smoothing down Scott's hair.
"Nadine looks beautiful" said Cheryl to Nadine's mother.
"She does" she agreed with a big smile. "Anyway, I'll leave you three now. It was lovely to meet you, Scott" she said, shaking the little boys hand.
"Babe I need to tell you something" Cheryl said after the Irish woman left them both.
"What?" asked Kimberley after seeing the smile on Cheryl's face.
"Nadine... she's pregnant" she squealed quietly. Kimberley's face lit up.
"Oh my God!" she squealed back. "Did she just tell you?" she asked.
"Yeah, just like ten minutes ago" she clapped her hands together and bent down slightly so she was eye level with her son. "You're going to have a new cousin soon!" she told him, receiving a laugh in return.
