Summer Nights

41: 'Preparations...'

Brooke gives me an unsure glance after I've finished explaining the whole getting married in Vegas plan.

She pinches the bridge of her nose, 'Scarlett, I can't even fathom the words to respond right now.'

'Look, I know it's stupid. Trust me, I get that. But I just want to give Arlo his last wish.'

She raises an eyebrow, 'And you're getting an annulment afterwards?'

'Yes.'

'And that doesn't bother you?'

I shrug, 'Not really no, in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter at all. I'll always look back at the day and know I've brought a little bit of magic into someone's final days.'

She sighs loudly before she wraps her arms around me tightly, 'You're truly my kid.'

My heart warms as I melt into her embrace, 'Speaking of kids, I was wondering...you know my dad hasn't really come home since the gender reveal and I doubt he'd be pleased if he found out the news. W-Would you walk me down the aisle? I know it's stupid and it's not even a real wedding-'

She cuts me off by squeezing me tighter, 'I would be honoured to walk you down the aisle.'

Hot tears fill my eyes as I nestle my face into the crook of her neck, 'Thank you for always being the mom I always wanted.'

'Don't thank me for silly things baby.'

I wipe my cheeks as I pull away from her, 'I'll always thank you, I don't think I'd be the person I am today if it wasn't for you opening your heart to me.'

'I think you would be, you've had a beautiful soul since the second I met you.'

I rub a hand over my bump absentmindedly, 'I'm starting to panic a little about being a mother, I just don't know if I can do it.'

'Of course you can and if you are struggling you have an army of supporters right behind you.'

My heart aches for a brief moment, 'I just wish that my dad was in that army.'

'He may change his mind sweetheart, you never know.'

'I don't know if I even want him too right now, I know he's my dad and I'm supposed to forgive him but now I'm actually a parent...I can't even imagine...like if something happened to Rocky, I would never blame our son.'

'Which is exactly why I'm not worried about your parenting skills in the slightest. Although I must admit I do still worry about your cooking skills.'

I shrug, 'Rocky's a good cook, he can take over that role.'

Brooke gives me a small smile, 'Things between you seem to be going pretty good.'

Butterflies take over my stomach violently as I nod, 'Yeah, they are.'

The brunette woman leans over the counter as she sips her coffee, 'What's the deal with Sammy and his boyfriend? Are they still on the rocks?'

I laugh loudly, 'How do you even know about that?'

'Because sleeping beauty, Rocky comes down here to get a glass of water while you are napping and we end up chatting a little bit.'

For some reason that melts me entirely, 'He sits and talks with you?'

'Yes he does, I like him very much.'

'Me too.'

'And I think he really likes you too.'

'Well he better he's marrying me in a few days.'

'Don't remind me, you're making me feel old.'

...

I huff loudly as I try and squeeze into the white dress from a maternity store called 'It's Not To Late'. I peer my head around the curtain of the dressing room to see Autumn and Sammy sat there chatting aimlessly.

'This is stupid!' I cry out.

Sammy claps his hands together, 'Show us the dress.'

'The dress barely fits! I'm a whale.'

Autumn rolls her eyes, 'You aren't a whale, you're pregnant.'

'Same difference.' I grumble as I poke my head back into the dressing room, I grab the other dress that is hanging up.

I mentally pray that this one fits, it was the only semi-nice one in the entire store. I fit my arms in the bat-sleeves of the dress, it elegantly flows down to my ankles. I stare at myself in the mirror, it was a beautiful dress, now it wasn't on the hanger. It made me feel as if I should be wearing a flower crown, it was loosing fitting something that I was grateful for except from on my bump, it clung to it perfectly.

I step out of the dressing room with an apprehensive smile on face, 'So, what do you guys think?'

Tears glisten over Sammy's eyes as he sniffles loudly, 'Holy shit. Why the fuck am I crying?'

Autumn places a hand over her chest as she looks at me in awe, 'Scar, you look so beautiful.'

The boy sitting next to her agrees as he wipes his cheeks roughly, 'You really do.'

My heart aches when I realise that this is one of the last times that us three will all be sitting together, everyone was moving on with their lives soon. And I didn't want that, I just want everything to stay exactly the way it is.

'I'm really going to miss you Sam.' I croak out.

He shakes his head as he stands up, he wraps his arms around me tightly, 'I'm not going anywhere just yet, you've still got my annoying ass for five weeks.'

I clutch onto him tighter, 'Five weeks, isn't enough.'

'Plus you know I'm always a phone call away, never doubt that. And I meant that to the both of you, you two are my favourite humans. Just because you aren't going to be involved in this chapter of my life, doesn't mean that you won't be at all the rest.'

Autumn's expression crumbles as she stands up and joins us in our embrace, 'I'm so fucking grateful my tire was flat.'

I reach over and squeeze her hand, 'Not as grateful as I am.'

...

A tired smile sweeps across my face as Rocky quietly attempts to sneak into my room, I told him that I was going to bed early but he was more than welcome to stay over, if he wanted too.

'Hey.' I murmur quietly.

'Hey sunshine.' He whispers as he kneels down at the edge of my bed, 'I thought you where sleeping.'

I shrug, 'My bed felt empty without you in it.'

He gives me a soft smile before he presses a kiss against the top of my head, 'You are so soppy, it makes me sick.'

I roll my eyes, 'Whatever.'

'Luke helped me pick out a suit.'

My body tingles at the thought of the boy standing across from me wearing a suit, 'I bet you look really handsome.'

'I always look handsome, that was actually one of the first things that the doctors said to me when I was born, holy fuck this baby is handsome.'

I snort loudly, 'Of course they did.'

He rubs the back of his neck, 'So, I spoke to my parents, neither of them are coming to the wedding. They both think it's a fucking stupid idea, I tried to ask my mom if I could take Harry with us and she said that Vegas wasn't really a place for a kid, which to be fair I can understand.'

'I'm sorry your parents aren't coming.'

He shrugs as if he couldn't careless but his eyes told a different story, 'I-It's not like it's a real wedding anyway, who cares?'

'Rocky.' I say softly as I reach over and stroke his back.

'I'm fine, seriously.'