I grunted and shielded my eyes. What time was it? The barn was already filled with sunlight. I shifted my weight over to my side and pulled the blanket over my eyes. My pillow suddenly felt really uncomfortable.
"Willa! Get up!" Winter said.
The harshness in her voice caught me off guard. She was always the sweet and soft spoken one.
Wait, hold up. What is Winter even doing in my bedroom?
My eyes flew open. Winter was towering over me, a man holding a turntable right next to her. I gasped and inched back only to find out the uncomfortable thing I was sleeping on wasn't a pillow. It was Toby...and he was naked.
So was I.
Winter looked to the DJ. "I'm so sorry about this. I'll grab a mop and disinfect the entire area as soon as they leave."
"No worries. I'll grab a few more things from my car in the meantime."
The DJ turned and walked down the spiral staircase, leaving just Winter, my shame, and Toby, who somehow was still not awake. I gave him a sharp nudge and he grunted, suddenly opening his eyes.
He looked around, frantic, then froze when he saw Winter.
"Oh, no no no...this isn't good," he said.
"Look, I don't know what you two were doing, nor would I like to. I just know that we've got a wedding in here in four hours and I need you both out," Winter said.
My cheeks were red hot from embarrassment. Toby was in a frenzy to get dressed and threw on his shirt. Backwards.
"I'm super duper sorry," I said, my head hanging low.
"Look, I was a teenager once. I get it. I'll let it slide this time. Just be out of here in ten minutes."
We nodded and Winter wandered off downstairs, then out the door. We quickly threw on our clothes, rolled the blankets into a massive ball, then started our walk of shame down the dirt path, unsure of where we were even going. Just away, I guess.
My shirt rode up as we walked. My belly was getting bigger and bigger by the day, it seemed. Toby reached over and took the massive ball of blankets out of my hands.
"Just want you to watch what you're lifting," he said.
I giggled. "It's literally blankets, Toby. They weigh like two pounds."
"Hey, you've got precious cargo."
I made it all the way to the front steps of my porch before I had to take a breather.
"Hey, you good?" Toby asked as I sat down.
"Yeah...just...wow," I said, shaking my head. "That was a crazy night."
A smirk found its way across his face. "If that won't make you get back together with me, I don't know what will." I was trying my best to hide a smile. "Oh, come on! You know you liked it. Let's be official, come on!"
"You're back to begging, huh?"
"Yup. If it gets you to say yes."
"Eh..." I watched as his face twisted in horror. I nodded. "Yes. Let's be official."
"Yes! Finally!" He threw his fists in the air then held onto my belly. "She finally said yes, little buddy!"
He had a quick hug and kiss before he helped me to my feet. I told him I'd be good taking everything back upstairs.
He scampered off to get back home and be ready for work in a few hours. It was practically lunchtime already.
I walked back inside. The house was quiet. A bunch of us were usually busy when we had weddings. Winter directed everything, Wrylie hung lights and decorations, Winnie did hair and makeup for the bridal party, and, if they paid extra, Waldo would do his juggling routine during the cocktail hour, sometimes face painting if there were a lot of kids.
At the end of the night, my twin brothers and I would clean the barn up.
I sat down at the kitchen table with a jar of peanut butter and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. It was literally all I wanted to eat. I took a piece of stationary paper and a pen off the counter so I could write one last letter to my sister before she came home.
Hey Whisper,
I have so much to tell you! Toby and I are dating. Okay, that was literally all of what I had to tell you. Oh, and I already picked out the perfect theme for the gender reveal. Take care and stay strong. I'll see you when you get here. I'll have my twenty-week ultrasound pictures.
Xoxo,
Willa and your niece/nephew