Breaking Bailey (Now on Radish)

Chapter 9

Seth stumbled as he carried me into his apartment, making me giggle more. Were both a little tipsy from our adventure after getting married. Libby and Marcy treated us to dinner, which turned into a drinking game at the bar while we were watching baseball on the tv. Seth had been holding me close all night long, and I wasn't tired of it in the least. I loved that he was happy to hold me and tell me that the loved me in public, but there were somethings saved for the home. Like cuddling after sex.

"Seth," I whispered, lacing my fingers with his. He tilted his head down and pressed his lips my head. "Do you want kids?" I asked, tilting my head towards his.

"Eventually, I want a couple of kids. Like when we're both in our late twenties." Seth said, hugging me to his chest. "When am I going to meet your parents, Bailey?" Seth rubbed my bare back as he pulled me on top of his chest.

"When all the crazy shit in my family dies down." I whispered, listening to his rhythmic heartbeat. "But I know that they will love you, no matter what."

"Tell me about them." Seth murmured as he traced his fingers along my back.

"My brother Cal, the oldest, is head strong. He's about ten years older than me and always had this natural sense of right and wrong, kind of like our dad. Cal majored in Law at Columbia, where he and his wife grew even more in love. Cal and Sophia met in high school and got married when Cal finished law school. They had their first kid two years ago. Then there is my sister Teddy, my only sister. She looks so much like our dad, with some features she inherited from our mother. She's always loved drawing and creating, ever since I could remember. She's only eight years older than me. She created her first dress when she was eight, something for my parents to take me home in from the hospital. She got married to this complete ass; it was our mother's idea to merge family businesses. He got her pregnant and now she's divorcing him on statutory rape of multiple minors.

"Then there's my brother, Nicky. We are closer that anything, but not as close and Cal and I are. He's been a huge fan of the publishing world and has made it his passion to open his own publishing firm. He's twenty-three and marrying my best friend this summer. Chris is the second youngest at twenty years old. He's following in Dad and Cal's footsteps to become a lawyer. He quiet and kind of reserved, but he's the funnest person to be around." I said, playing with his chest hairs. "My dad is this scary looking guy. He has scars all over his face from a motorcycle accident almost two decades ago. He's really the sweetest guy anyone has ever met, which makes him one of the best lawyers out there. He's never denied the five of us anything, but everything had a lesson in it. My mother is the complete opposite. She detests me and Cal for some reason. Nothing we ever do is good enough for her. And for a time, Teddy took after her. Teddy really loved Cal, but when she hit high school, the both of them were utter bitches to me. I became so depressed from their constant disapproval and nit picking. There were days that I just wanted to end it all." I paused, pressing my cheek to Seth's chest.

"I miss them so much," I whispered. "Except for Mom." I added. I felt Seth's chest rise and fall rapidly, like he was laughing.

"Well, I think that your family is more screwed up than mine, baby." He chuckled, stroking my hair gently. Seth leaned down and kissed me once before we stayed in our post sex cuddle.

*

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The next morning reality hit me. I'm married. I'm Mrs. Seth Matthews.

And we have to tell his parents.

Well fuck.

When I had come to breakfast that morning, Seth was eerily calm. He was eating his cereal and sipping his coffee while he read his paper. I was a shaking mess when Seth saw me. I couldn't face Meg and Tony with a secret this big. I felt like I was going to puke. This was as bad as lying to seth about who I was. Seth stood and held me, murmuring words of assurance in my ear. I did not help easy my anxiety, though. I was wearing her mother's wedding ring. How were we going to explain the wedding they never knew about?