The Summer I Went Sailing {L.H}. ~ Book 3

Chapter Seven

I twirled in the mirror, looking myself up and down. "Is this dress okay?" I ask Luke. It's a pastel pink shade that comes to my mid-thigh and is patterned with delicate flowers, barely covering my arms and leaving a cut out shape at the back. I wore a pair of white sandals to match.

"You look gorgeous." He replies, standing behind me and buttoning up his shirt. I can't help thinking this is how it's going to be from now on. Us getting ready together, him zipping up my dress and me buttoning up his shirt, complete with a quick kiss on the lips and a heartwarming smile. 

Our guests flooded in a few minutes later, and had to open up the doors onto the balcony to create more room and also more fresh air. My parents arrived with my little brother and a carefully wrapped present that my father handed to me and I put into the corner with some of the others ready for opening later. My mother kissed me on the head, she'd calmed down a lot, and told me I looked stunning; glowing. I felt like I was glowing. 

Luke parents arrived, this was the first time our families had formally met unless you count that time we got into a car accident and then Luke's mum called my mum, and then my mum went crazy, and then Luke's dad towed my car, and my dad went crazy. But apart from that, they didn't really know each other. It was nice to finally see our family getting together. 

A part of me missed my sister, not the evil conniving bitch who lied to us all and drove us apart, but the sister who should've been here with us celebrating her new niece or nephew, and kissing me goodbye before I left tomorrow. 

Our friends came as well, Luke's old friends from here, Mason and Leo, other friends I didn't see all that often but I still would miss them. Gloria was running the whole thing, handing out drinks and serving the cupcakes. If the whole teaching thing didn't work out, throwing parties could be her new hobby. After an hour or so of speaking to everyone, floating around from person to person, and grabbing a cake or two, Gloria clinked her glass and announced it was time for Luke and I to open all the gifts we'd gotten for the baby. 

Apparently this was also a baby shower.

I was pretty sure the father wasn't really meant to be at the baby shower but since when had Luke and I ever been traditional. We where having a child out of wedlock after all. 

Luke and I sat in the large armchair as our families and friends surrounded us, my mother pulling out a tissue for her tears and a camera. 

Again, Gloria took charge of the situation and handed us each of the presents from the bundle. The first was a long rectangle box with a white ribbon tied on it, and a tag telling us it was from Luke's grandparents. Together we pulled off all the wrapping to reveal a silver plated baby cutlery set, engraved with little teddy bears and and wrapped in velvet cloth. Everyone cooed as we hugged both his grandparents and moved onto the next. And the next. And the next. Until all that was left was box from my parents and a card. 

Luke ripped off the paper, rather delicately I might add; he must've found the teddy bear pattern cute, and I opened up the box. Inside was an arrangement of baby clothes, jumpsuits, little booties and bibs, all in a matching set with pacifiers, bottles and a teddy bear holding a photo album. Opening up the photo album inside, I expected to see blank pages but I was taken aback when I found it had already started to be filled. Baby pictures of Luke and I started off and as I flicked through, I showed Luke the pictures of us growing up; me on the left and Luke on the right, growing up beside each other. It was funny to see the way Luke grew up, still in the same house his parents still live in, the same background in every photo and the same people. My photos where all different backgrounds, every different house we'd lived in as I grew up, every friend I'd made when I was younger that I no longer knew but still had the memories. Then as we grew into our awkward teen years, my braces and bad haircuts, Luke's chubby cheeks slowly progressing into cheekbones sharp enough to cut ice. 

There was also a picture that I had never seen before, of Luke and I, aged around maybe thirteen or fourteen. We're standing outside school, not together obviously, but close enough to look like we are. Luke is in the background as my mother takes a photograph of me on the first day of my new school, talking to his friends. Someone has circled him in the photo with a red pen and it makes me laugh. Oh, how coincidences happen. 

Then we move onto when we get older, then my high school graduation, Luke and the rest of the band winning an award, playing Madison Square Garden, me with my acceptance letter to college. And then we progress on and suddenly Luke is showing off his platinum selling album and I'm throwing my graduation cap into the air. And then then we move onto now; a photo of us taken only a few weeks ago by Luke's mother at their family barbecue. 

All this time we'd both been running, from something, whatever it was; only to find that we where both running back to each other; ready to safety pin all the pieces back together. 

I cried as I hugged my parents. Luke's parents must've been in on it too, but he was hugging them so I enjoyed my families love. For once it felt right just for the four us to be together, embracing what time we had left and being a family once more. Being the family we hadn't really been for a long, long time. Everything suddenly felt like it was falling back into place.

Everyone drifted away, back into their own conversations and stealing more chipolata sausages from the dish. When no one was looking, I grabbed the last card that was still sitting on the arm chair and hid it in my room. I held it in my hand for a few moments, wondering whether or not to open it just now. 

I read the name on the card.

Tusen.

She could wait. I'd read it another time, when I was ready.