The Mute Fighter | 3

036

036 - The wedding

The flight to Statesville had gone perfectly. I was happy with it, Alex was supposed to pick me up and she didn't disappoint.

She and Louie were waiting for me. Both grinned widely when I walked out of the airport with my bag. "Wow you look–""--Don't even start, Louie" Alex cut him off.

I laughed before pulling them into a bone crushing hug. "Ugh, I missed you guys so much. I can't wait to see the dress" I gushed.

Alex squealed in excitement and bit her lip. "Is she with you?" I asked knowingly and bit my lip from the excitement. "She is," Alex said and I hurried to the back of the Camaro.

I opened the door and saw the sweetest little girl staring up at me. "Say hi to Celia Torres" Alex said and I aw'ed over her.

She was the sweetest little thing and I pouted as she giggled up at me. "Ugh, I want one. I'm getting baby fever" I retorted dramatically.

"Interesting" Louie said and threw his arm over my shoulder and pulled me into his side. "Oh god–you never stop do you?" I asked with a scrunched nose.

"Nope, he doesn't" Alex chipped in with a laugh. "Alright, let's get on the road. We have to be at the hotel in an hour, I have to get ready for the rehearsal dinner" Alex said and both Louie and I nodded before loading up her car with my bags.

I got into the back and instantly, the small baby looked at me, she giggled and took my finger in her tiny hand. "Aw, shit. I'm going soft" I retorted as Alex took off down the road.

"Aw, the big bad lawyer can't handle a tiny baby?" Louie mocked me and I rolled my eyes in response. "That's rich coming from you, since you saw Celia you and Janet have been going at it to get your own" Alex snorted.

"Oh really? Wow Louie, I didn't expect that from you" I teased and he rolled his eyes dramatically before crossing his arms.

Alex and I teamed up on Louie the rest of the way, it was fun to be around them again. I'd kept contact, it was easier when they hadn't been there and didn't exactly know what had gone down with Mitch and I.

"We're here" Alex sang, we exited the car and Alex held baby Celia in her arms securely, Louie looked like her bodyguard as he made sure to stay by and looked around.

"Is something going on? You're both tense, I thought everything had passed?" I questioned when we walked into the hotel.

"No, no–everything is fine. Louie is just protective, you know him" Alex said and rolled her eyes a little. I chuckled and shrugged before walking into the reception.

"Nick!" Serena's voice made me turn, I barely caught the woman as she jumped me, I laughed as she koala bear hugged me.

"Oh my word–you look amazing" I told her, she'd given birth a day apart from Alex. Hell, all four women had given birth. It had been a lovely couple of days, or so Jake and Marcus told me.

"So do you, I missed you" Serena said before letting her legs touch the ground again and we pulled away.

"This is Nicolina Martell, she's checking in. She's one of my guests" Alex said to the receptionist and I walked up to them and smiled.

"Oh–yes, of course. Here is your key, do not hesitate to let us know if you need anything" He said, I read his nametag and smiled kindly at him. "Thanks, George" I said and Alex looked at her watch.

"I know it's hasty, but we need to get ready for dinner. Let's go to my suite, we can all change there" Alex said and I nodded and followed suit.

"Honey, can you take her?" Alex called out as we made our way to the elevator. Marcus ran up and quickly hugged me and pressed a welcoming kiss to my cheek and then took Celia.

I smiled as I watched the two coo over their baby, they were perfect. Marcus, Jake and Roy came up and took Celia away to let us girls prepare for the dinner.

We headed up to Alex' suite, though on the way I put my bags in my suite and grabbed the dress I had ready and headed with the girls.

We all got dressed and did each other's hair. "How is the baby, Andrea?" I called out with a hairpin in my mouth as I did Serena's hair.

"Oh she's great, we're great. It went well, Jake got away with a broken hand but, it was good" Andrea said casually, right–she's a nurse. I chuckled and shook my head a little.

"How about you Claire? Was giving birth a second time easier?" I asked her and she scoffed and shook her head. "Fuck no–Lowell babies are not easy to deliver. No matter how many times you do it" She retorted with a wince.

All of us laughed and Alex and Andrea agreed with her.

"How about you? Are you seeing someone?" Alex asked me, I felt the girls share looks around me and I cleared my throat. "No, I'm happily single" I said and faked my happiness.

"Maybe you'll meet someone at the wedding?" Serena suggested and I chuckled a little. "And who would that be? I know everyone coming to the wedding, I met everybody" I said amused.

"Well, Alex' uncles are pretty hot," Tabitha chipped in from the side. "Hey! Leave my uncles out of this" Alex gasped.

"I would totally be okay with it if it happened, but wait and see, maybe prince charming will show up" Alex said and shrugged.

"You guys are seriously focusing on my sex life/ love life while being in a wedding? You guys are unbelievable" I retorted with a laugh and shook my head.

"Well, take it from us–you'll meet him when you least expect it" Janet said and shot Alex a look. I raised a brow as I saw it and let it go, it seemed like something was going on.

"Alright, we're all done here" I called out to Serena, she turned to look in the mirror and gasped. "Oh my god–that's fucking amazing–wow" She cursed and I smiled a little.

We finished up and headed downstairs to the dinner, the entire dinner started and there were about a hundred people there, if not more. It was overwhelming and I even saw a few I hadn't met before.

After eating I walked around chatting with Tabitha and Andrea, but when a name label on an empty plate and seat got my attention, I froze on the spot.

"What the hell–" I cursed and I immediately looked around, I spotted Marcus with his brother and I headed over, letting Tabs and Andrea practically run after me.

"Marcus, why didn't you tell me what Mitch would be here?" I called out as soon as I was close enough. Marcus winced a little as he heard, he started looking around for Alex–I assumed.

"I–uh–we forgot?" He said and scratched the back of his neck. "You forgot? Come on, Marcus. You can do better than that" I retorted in disbelief.

"Okay, alright– we didn't tell you because we thought–hoped you'd reunite. But he didn't make it for tonight. He doesn't know either" Marcus said and sighed with guilt.

"Reunite? Marcus–it's been three years" I scoffed. "It may have, but we knew how you still felt for him–this wasn't my idea. It was Alex'. Talk to her she's better at this" He said and ran a hand through his hair.

"No, it's. It doesn't matter–but you were wrong" I say and frown a little. He gave me a sad smile and I turned away, Tabitha rubbed my back and Andrea sighed.

"We're sorry. He will most likely be there tomorrow" Andrea said, I nodded my head as I began to prepare myself to see him. I calmed my breathing and pushed my panic down.