Milagro
Chapter 22: RehearsalsÂ
Ch: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19Â - 20 - 21Â
âMaaaama, mi amore- say mama,â Callie encouraged, her shirt clasped in Leoâs hold and a wide smile clamped around a melting teething chewy. The round, golden eyes locked on Callie still glimmered with unshed tears after waking from a nap following a sharp tooth breaking through his gums, but now his short legs kicked excitedly when she squealed like he after some numbing gel was lathered across his swollen pads.
âOh my osito,â she sang, giggling when his staticky voice spiked into an excited shriek after she laid him across her chest. With any luck he'd catch the last of his afternoon nap and not completely derail his schedule the night before they left him. With one hand rhythmically patting his bottom in tune with a gentle song she hummed, the nails of her other dragged down his thick stripe of sandy colored locks, thick and tangled as hers always was.
Leoâs sleepy growls wound down to soft grunts, his little mouth pursing when he sucked on his tongue.
Her bottom lip quivered. To think she'd go four days without kissing this face or hearing his voice almost made her call off their already brief honeymoon despite desperately needing the break, not to mention the alone time she so craved from her husband to be. Quickies were fun in the moment, but when she'd have to walk right back out and balance Leo on her hip and a stack of laundry and dishes in the other arm, the yearn for a quiet, post-sex cuddle session resounded loudly in her bones.
âYou know weâll be back, right Leonardo? You won't even notice us you'll have so much fun with abuela y abuelo,â she smiled, recalling all of the toys Oleg had gone out to purchase in preparation for his grandson's extended visit, excitedly sending pictures to Nick every time he found something new.
Callie giggled, her eyes drifting up. She gasped softly, looking down at Leo. âGuess who's back?â
Her door swung open and Leoâs head craned back to find Nick placing their contribution to the dinner at her feet, a smile spreading across his gummy face immediately.
âWhat's with those sad eyes?â Nick pouted, reaching for Leo.
âHis tooth broke through,â she handed him over, their son rubbing his tired eyes against Nickâs chest after being leaned into the crook of his beefy arm. Nick groaned, rubbing Leoâs back.
âI feel bad we're taking off right when this starts,â
âMe too,â Callie sighed, pushing her messy hair back from her face. âI keep rethinking it,â
Nickâs head lifted with a pout. âYou don't wanna go anymore then?â
She exhaled loudly, shaking her head. âI really wanna go but I don't think the guilt will go away so I just gotta suck it up and deal with it,â
âWeâll only be a few hours away,â he reassured, a comforting squeeze left on her knee before he carried Leo to the backseat. Nick wiggled his face between Leoâs round cheek and shoulder to elicit bubbly giggles, his affections unyielding even after his son was safely strapped in his seat again, not until Callie reminded him that they were needed elsewhere.
A final squish of his cheeks, and Nick was off to the drivers seat again.
âLetâs do this,â he chimed, the dark clubmasters hiding the excited glint in his yellow eyes.
The weather was ideal for the windows to stay down, a soft breeze drifting through the cab that neither worried about overwhelming Leo as long as the traffic stayed this slow, but neither minded that, either. Nothing- not even that Callieâs dress had been delivered with a rip in the seam, could dampen their moods that day.
For weeks, more notably the sleepless nights they'd planned this and endless trial and error from music to food to seating, keeping enough excitement alive until their day came, and through rejections from churches that deemed their union unholy to now having a backyard wedding at his parents that a shocking number of family wasn't arriving to, they were here, the day before their wedding, and Callie couldn't shake the warmth that had held in her cheeks all day.
The butterflies fluttered about her stomach, bubbling in her throat when she tried to speak. As usual he held her hand while they drove, but now more than ever he toyed with her singular ring that would soon have itâs pair. When they stood in line to pick up Leoâs fitted outfit, he brought her decorated hand up to his lips to kiss shamelessly before the humans that rolled their eyes in disgust, further stirring the churning excitement before she leaned into his side to hide her blush.
Callieâs head landed against his arm rested over the center console, his big hand landing on her leg. Nick kissed her head while he drove, his thumb tracing the supple skin of her freckled thigh.
Callie grinned then. âI hope this song plays tomorrow,â she noted the raunchy beat bumping softly through the speakers.
Nick snorted. âSomeone's uncle is gonna grind on someone's aunt,â
She giggled harmoniously, her face rotating in to hide against his bicep. Nick egged her on, the dirty comments flushing her cheeks and leaving her breathless as they drove leisurely along the backroads. At red lights he made it a point to steal kisses, his hand leaving the steering wheel to hold her jaw when a taste of her tongue became too tempting to refuse. They were honked at a few times, but Nick blew them off, telling his pretty fiancĂŠe âthis is why we should've put the cans on the truck todayâ.
Their bantering settled enough to let silence pass between them, listening to Leo babble against his crinkly blanket or exclaim when he caught sight of himself in the mirror.
âDid Ward tell you what you guys are doing tonight?â she asked, pulling her hair over her shoulder when it whipped before her face.
âHe wonât even give me a hint,â Nick huffed, endlessly worried theyâd end up at a strip bar. âWhat about Rosie?â
âJust a girls night at her house,â she shrugged, hiding her excitement. A night to kick back with her feet up and gossip? With unproblematic people? Itâs fucking paradise, sheâd clarified to Nick when he was confused as to why bachelorette parties werenât rambunctious like the mens. âIâm not drinking until the reception though,â
âIs it the Orkish champagne?â
She moaned, her eyes closing as saliva pooled in her mouth. âForget the food, just hand me another glass of it when mine is empty,â
âOne glass will have you on your ass, mama,â he reminded, peeking at her from over his clubmasters.
âGood thing my husband will be there to carry me away from the judging eyes of the public,â she said, her chin balancing on his shoulder as he pulled into his parents' driveway. The street was lined with their guests, the chatter from the backyard heard over their engine.
âOnly because my wife is the fairest in all of LA,â
She pouted. âJust LA?â
âWho even matters outside of LA?â he asked.
âYouâre right.â She leaned in for a quick kiss.
The pair went about gathering Leo from his seat and his numerous bags theyâd store tonight in preparation for the following day, including a bouncer and swing. He was excited as ever when Callie lifted him from behind the buckles, the teething toy in his grasp. It took only three months for Leo to reach a girth that Callie could carry on her hip like a six month old, his head unwaveringly steady and held upright as he learned the world around him. Their pediatrician warned heâd fly through milestones faster than they could record, so when Leo started angrily gnawing on their hands and crying through the night, it took them some time to figure out he was simply teething when theyâd normally not expect it until later. Moments were cherished with greater excitement after they realized how quickly Leo was growing, and how brief this baby stage would be.
It wasnât until theyâd at last received the results of his genetics test were they able to find some peace of mind knowing when heâd hit a year, this rapid aging would slow drastically.
Being seventy-six percent Orc meant doctors felt confident leaning towards the likelihood that Leoâs growth would match that of a full-blooded one, but the moments remained bittersweet for the parents. In the blink of an eye Leo went from being a wiggling newborn to a hefty calf able to sit up on his own and mimic their mouths when they spoke to him.
His yellow eyes tracked and narrow in on objects he wanted, his colored hands able to pick items, and Nickâs ear was always on the menu of items he loved to gnaw on.
At the call of his name heâd turn his head, and a smile would grace his lips when it was either of his parents. Callie would walk from corner to corner with him between her feet, his grasp tight around her fingers and his feet dragging less everyday he built up the muscles of his strong legs. When heâd be done from such an exerting exercise, a frown up at Callie would signal his reluctance to waddle any farther.
The pouts and angry chuffs were Nickâs favorite. Heâd gnaw Leoâs thighs and roll him side to side just to see his little face snarl, a sharp cry rattling in his throat before heâd clamp onto Nickâs arm. Now that the sharp fangs were coming in, he found instigating a fight with his vicious little boy wasnât in his best interest. It had only taken a few times for Leo to learn if he laid over his dadâs head, he was further defenseless, including those ears.
âAh!â Leo exclaimed, reaching over Callieâs shoulder towards Nick. âAhh!â he cracked again, looking at Callie.
âHeâs cominâ, donât worry,â she assured, his chuff tickling her ear.
The door was cracked open upon walking up to it, and inside the furniture was already being moved around to create more space to linger around in.
âLate to her own rehearsal!â came Olegâs booming voice, strutting in false intimidation from the hallway, but his angry scowl melted into a wide smile once Leo recognized him and reached.
âIs everyone here?â
âThe booze went quickly,â he teased, walking toward the back of the house with Leo excitedly squealing in his grandpaâs arms.
âThatâs what happens when you get Orcs and Mexicans together,â Nick commented, grunting his way in with all the bags slung across his arms and shoulders.
âThey didnât drink the champagne, did they?â Callie frantically asked, following Oleg and leaving Nick to topple over with Leoâs luggage.
Nick and Ward both sipped their beers alongside Matuk and Sergey, the summer sun having been unbearable until Dinara silenced the mens whining and dished out the cold drinks. But the sun still kept glaring down at them even as it drew near sunset, their shirts sticking to their skin and hunger growing. Dura had been the only one to be blessed with a chair at the front, her belly near bursting as her due date approached.
âPay attention,â Dura hissed at Sergey, fanning her face with her sun hat.
âAll I do is stand here-â he hissed back, silencing when Ward elbowed him.
âCan you shut the fuck up sheâs about to come down,â Ward growled, jabbing his hand in the direction of the house.
âWeâve done this eight times, why do we need to be quiet?â
âHeâs right, thereâs no point,â Nick answered loudly, sipping his beer.
Ward glared at him in disbelief. âAt your own rehearsal?â
âLook, theyâre talking,â he pointed to Callieâs mom who sat beside Dyani and Joaquin, Leo and his mother coming to join them once sheâd finished walking down the mock isle.
âOkay music, yada yada everyone stands, then Callie,â Dinara called, tip-toeing around the line of bridesmaids to stand beside Nick at the front.
It was just the rehearsal, and there was nothing to match how spectacular and dreamy it would be the following day, but Nick still smiled watching her walk down like that, a glowing smile on her face and hanging onto her father's arm. Nick tossed a kiss to her before she was even there, tipping his bottle back over his lips to hide a nervous smile when she winked at him.
For the eighth time, Nick shook Diegoâs hand and accompanied Callie back to their spot at the front, his actions growing clumsier with every round.
âPre-gaming?â she asked, smiling at Nickâs loose nod. She was sure his eyes were half-lidded behind his sunglasses.
âOkay dearly beloved and all that, they exchange vows, beads, rings and kiss,â Dinara recited from the front with Leo still in her arms, wiggling towards Nick when he made faces at him. He stopped only to peck Callie sweetly, snatching his son from his mother's arms. âAnd weâre done,â
There was a collective sigh of approval from everyone placed about in the wide yard, all of which were starved for the cool drinks and savory dinner laid out under the shade of the patio.
Sergey stumbled to Duraâs side and only laughed when she scolded him for already drinking himself into a cloud, but Callie was there to loop her arm around the expectant motherâs and assist in her waddle across the yard. Nick and Ward picked Sergey back up, leaving hard slaps on his back while they teased him over being a lightweight.
âI hope Morn feels better by tomorrow,â Callie pouted, feeling her friend's absence.
âShe kicks shit fast, sheâll be good,â Ward answered. It was useless denying theyâd become quite cozy with one another, especially when Nick had stopped by unexpectedly to find her wandering around Darylâs house in his shirt. It was a sensitive topic, but Callie thought it sweet how lovingly he spoke of Morn when she wasnât around. There was always the hint of a longing sigh somewhere in his words, a hardened pout pushing his mustache up.
âWas it a stomach bug? Daryl wasnât feeling too good either,â Rosie noted, following her ear into their conversation.
âWas Dejza sick too?â
âYeah I think thatâs where she got the bug from. Grandparents wanted to see her,â Ward explained, finding a spot beside Nick once they all came up to the table. Leo perched on Nickâs thigh, reaching over to tap Callieâs arm so sheâd talk to him as the others found their seats. The chatter of Callie and Nickâs chosen family was lively among their friends, the last minute preparations or concerns rising into question and then settling quickly. Food was passed through mouths as fast as the words, the plates filling just to empty minutes later for seconds and thirds. The men of Nickâs bachelor party were ordered to lay off the beer and instead fill up on food before their night of celebration and farewell, waving off their disapproving groans and wails.
By the time they were all dug into their meals, Leo was drifting in Nickâs arms with a bottle balanced on his chest, at last catching a nap to soothe away the throbbing in his gums theyâd managed to mostly keep at bay all day with the chaos swarming around them.
When Leo spat out the bottle and rubbed his face, Nick took a final bite of the crispy pork ribs to lean back in his chair and cradle his son closer to his chest, a wide palm patting his bottom. Soft chuffs were the last of Leoâs attempts at consciousness before Nickâs purring did him in, his big eyes finally sliding shut.
Nick was lost staring at his son when Ward suddenly came into view, his ear almost close enough to press against his shoulder.
Ward snapped up, mild disbelief coloring his expressions. âAre you⌠vibrating?â
Callie laughed out loud, covering her mouth filled with food.
âDoes Morn not purr?â Nick asked, Ward leaning away from him.
âP-purring? Yâall⌠purr?â he looked up hesitantly at the other Orcs around him who were unphased by his discovery.
âDoes Morn really not?â
âNo! I think Iâd know if I heard somethinâ like that!â Ward exclaimed, returning to his meal with a shudder.
âI bet she does nâ it just puts you to sleep,â Sergey added, talking around a corn on the cob.
Daryl looked back to Nick. âSophia always told me she reminded her of a cat and I thought it was cuz of the ears nâ shit,â
The table chuckled at that, their laughter heightening when Daryl again leaned into Nickâs chest to listen to the rumbles, even placing a hand flat on him to make sure it wasnât some elaborate prank. The fervent manner in which everyone devoured the food calmed into small pickings here and there and the low rumble of chatter filling the backyard, everyone in their separate conversations or stories until Dinara pulled Nick's attention away from Callie and Rosie who spoke so fast, it only sounded like clicking.
âUkmall, youâll need to be here before eight to get Leo,â she informed, and his brows furrowed.
âSo early?â he groaned, having fully expected a few hours to sleep off a hangover.
âCallie needs to get her hair done. The fumes are bad for him,â she scolded, and he looked back to his bride.
âYouâre changing your hair?â he questioned with big eyes.
âJust a little bit,â she smiled, internally screaming. Sheâd come to this decision to alter her hair after talking herself out of going entirely blonde despite her curiosity for years pulling her the other direction, but now she wondered if heâd even notice.
âI guess I can get him,â he griped, leaning down to kiss Leo when Callie and his mother sucked their teeth in discontent.
âWhat time are people arriving?â Callie asked around Nick.
âThree, so we have a lot to do and a lot of cooking before people start showing up. That being said,â she grunted, standing at the head of the table with her glass of sweet tea raised. âIâd like to propose a toast and a thanks,â
Everyone hushed, reaching for their variety of drinks to hold up.
âWe want to extend our thanks to Callieâs family who have graciously accepted us in, not to mention our son who came with a reputation,â she gestured at Nick, the table chuckling. âTo everyone whoâs helped and put up with my screaming,â she admitted to bashfully. âTo my son, who I knew would be the father his own raised him to be, and now the husband I always knew he could be,â she smiled lovingly at Nick, his own grin goofy and adoring. Callie rubbed his arm, squeezing his wrist affectionately.
âAnd to Callie,â she cleared her throat, raising her glass. Callieâs smile dropped when she looked up, her anxiousness kicking into high gear. âItâs because of you my son smiled again, and itâs with your help heâs shown that beautiful baby in his arms such love. You werenât only a gift in his life, but ours too, and no matter the paths you both might take from here on out, youâll always have a place in our family. Cheeruk, mausan daughavas. Lat've bleukukun avhiuk famipak.â She finalized, her glass raised and Oleg following suit.
âIâd like to also say something,â Diego stood creakily, his age at last catching up to him after decades of back breaking work. He smoothed his hand down his church shirt, lifting his glass. âMija, you havenât always had the best of luck when it came to men, and to be honest I wouldâve pulled my hair out if you had brought home another white boy,â he chuckled, the table following suit as Callie hid her face in despair. âBut now I can rest easier at night knowing you have a man I wouldâve hand-picked for you specially,â he tipped his head at Nick, the orc nodding once in return even though he was inwardly elated.
âIâm sorry the ones you were told growing up were your family didnât make it here, but itâs their loss, cariĂąa. If they canât grow as much as you, let them leave. Youâve always been better than them. Nick,â he turned, startling his daughterâs groom.
âThank you. Youâre the standard I raised my daughters to expect, so thank you for taking care of her and Leonardo. I only want forever for you two.â He finished, his free hand resting on Lucianaâs shoulder as she looked on at her daughter with watery eyes.
âI second that!â Rosie declared, Santiâs glass following his sister only to spill across the table's surface and onto her plate.
Her cheeks were hidden in her palms when they toasted, Dinaraâs words whispered in translation into her ear by Nick after drinking to their parents speeches. He kissed her flushed cheek, promising the sincerity of her words. Her eyes wandered while Nick adored her secretly, watching their parents take turns hugging and speaking with smiles plastered across their faces. It helped ease some of the burns sheâd been dealt when her family started RSVPing just to say they wouldnât attend, and she wondered how much of it was because of Leo and how much was because of their choice to marry. Either way, she knew now who to keep up with.
The couple was dragged from their steamy bubble of secret kisses and whispers when Ward elbowed Nick insistently until he turned, motioning his head toward the door, but his hairless brows drew together.
âAre you okay?â he whispered, noting Wardâs lighter complexion.
He shook his head, waving his hand. âDrank too much,â
âThey took our drinks-â
âMan letâs go!â
Nick turned back to Callie, a loose smile curling her lips.
âIs it time?â she asked, and he nodded, leaning in for another lengthy kiss. âIf I get a call from Jake that one of his girls is shaking their asses in your face Iâm gonna make sure you canât make anymore babies,â she warned quietly, trying not to laugh when he gagged.
âI hid a nanny cam in the house so if I see a male stripper shoving his junk in your face Iâm gonna throw you in the ocean,â Nick cracked back.
âI canât swim!â she giggled, trying to frown.
âYeah, youâve been warned,â he kissed her before she could respond. âI love you, have a good night and be safe,â
âYou be good,â she reminded, pursing her lips for another kiss before he lowered Leo into her arms and smooched him goodbye. âNo tequila,â
He sucked air through his teeth, pointing at her. âI canât promise that,â and he was off, following the others into the house after kissing his mom on the head. They grew rowdy once separated from their lovers except Matuk who was as stoic as ever, and they could be heard causing a commotion all the way to the cars until they were off.
âTen bucks says they donât make it past midnight,â Rosie announced.
âMake it twenty,â Oleg raised his beer, his bright smile tightening when Dinara elbowed him in the side before making her way over to Callie as the rest of their guests found separate conversations to delve into.
âCallie, Iâd like to show you something we picked up today,â she said under her breath, tugging on her elbow.
âOh?â she piped, tapping Rosieâs shoulder so she could deposit her hefty son into her arms. Rosie doted over him lovingly, endless kisses pressed into his cheeks as he was roused from his nap, but that would be her problem, now. By the time Leo was awake and gnawing angrily into his tiaâs cheeks in retaliation, Dinara had led Callie into her room where the bed was lined with pressed and covered clothing, some decorations and linens hung over the small bench at the end. Callie wandered, her hands gravitating towards the colorful flowers protected in plastic boxes.
âHere, look,â Dinara called from the desk at the corner of the room.
The small lamp was flipped on when Callie was at her side, watching as she lifted the lid from a silver box carefully, but upon removing the satin material protecting whatever was underneath, her hands moved even more gingerly than before until a shining, silver plate looked up at them. Orkish letters were carved deep into its face, but the polished grooves were clean, elegant.
âMarriage Armor, itâs called. The bride wears the plate with her new name upon her back and the groom wears the bride's zodiac on his shoulders and chest,â she explained, a smaller pouch that she had in the top drawer of the desk emptying into Callieâs palm. The charms were attached to thin, dainty chains, and carved from a deep, grey metal shaped into bull heads.
Callie smiled, studying their details. âNick will wear these?â
âMhm. Youâll both wear the bracelets that are exchanged, but those are kept for the day of. Right now we need to get this on you to make sure it fits,â she explained, opening the pouch so Callie could deposit the charms back inside.
The âarmorâ had length to it she at first couldnât see between the satin covers. Her own sparkling chains braided across the shoulders as one long, jeweled piece ran the length of her back, stretching from the plate that spelled Jakoby. When Dinara had it balanced on her shoulders so she could clasp it at her front, she saw where the chains came together into the shape of the Taurus symbol. With delicacy she touched the pieces on her shoulders and at the center of her chest while it was adjusted at her back, her smile beaming. It was heavy- this was definitely some special mineral, for sheâd never seen one of such weight be polished finely enough to catch even the smallest glimmer of these dim lights.
âTomorrow youâll glow during that sunset,â Dinara smiled, tugging the chains at either side of her shoulders. âPoor Nick will be so blindsided we might have to give his men a heads up,â
They giggled, Callieâs smile wavering when Dinara held her hands tightly, staring at her with glossy eyes. âThese plates are traditional. A maleâs mother hands them down to his bride if she approves, so these should have come from my own mother in law, but they didnât,â
Callieâs smile fell. âWhat?â
âOlegâs mother hates me. She wanted her boy to have the smiling, waxy wife who pops babies out like rats. So I had these made the day before we were married, and I wore them in front of her,â she grinned.
âReclaimed the name?â Callie smirked.
Dinara nodded. âItâs a good name despite the reputation that came with it when you met my son,â
Callie only hugged her, their arms tightly wound one another in that moment. âThank you,â she said, giving her a last squeeze before they both wiped their cheeks of any stray tears.
âWell it fits,â she giggled before the two got her out of the intricate chains and back into the sleek box.
âCome on then,â the orc sniffled, turning the light off. âLetâs finish the night.â
â
Nickâs hand still hadnât come down from shielding his eyes, but as long as Ward was emptying his dinner and three beers onto Sergeyâs lawn, he wasnât going to even bother glancing at him. His excitement had drained the entire two hours it took to get here, itâs gradual drip starting as soon as theyâd left his parents.
âIâm fine, I just drank too fast,â were the kind of things Ward kept saying to excuse his deteriorating, sweating form, but Nick knew heâd heard him heaving into the toilet after calling Morn to ask exactly what sheâd come down with. Still, he insisted he was fine the entire duration it took him to shower and change before they headed to Sergeyâs next, but by the time theyâd gotten in the car, Sergey was starting to look worse for wear, too.
As soon as the car had come to a stop, both of them were falling out, one running into the house and the other making it to the lawn before he lost his composure. Now, Nick was alone in this filthy mess after Matuk had ditched them, but Nick hadnât expected him to go, really. Bachelor parties didnât seem like his thing even though there was nothing to celebrate anymore.
âJuh- just gimme a min-â Ward choked, retching loudly.
âFor three months Iâve dealt with puke almost daily,â Nick explained calmly, his eyes still hidden.
Daryl coughed.
âYouâve been hyping me up for this for weeks,â
Ward nodded, spit hanging off his bottom lip. âIâno,â
Nick dropped his hand and sighed when thirty seconds had passed- the longest yet- without him heaving, and he couldn't help laugh a little. Ward wasnât the kind of person to ever show vulnerability even when he was hurt, so seeing him hunched over and whimpering meant taking a few photos shouldâve been his top priority, but Nick showed mercy on his friend while the other was lost somewhere in his house likely calling Dura to cry.
âCâmon,â Nick groaned, lifting Wardâs limp body off the ground.
âI need tâgo to Morn's,â he grunted, walking unsteadily beside him.
âShe can come get you after I drop you off,â Nick used his lighter voice, clearing his throat when he realized what he was doing. âSit down,â
Ward instead flopped into the backseat, exclaiming when his head smacked the door panel. He continued to wail when Nick used his foot to push his feet in, flinching at how loudly he protested.
âJesus now I know why Sherri was such a bitch,â Nick mumbled, closing the door before Ward could scream at him. âStay there,â he knocked against the window, turning towards the house. âLet me go check the other childâŚâ
What started as Nickâs bachelor party he had looked forward to for weeks, had turned into a mini-pandemic between the parties involved- thank god they left his parents house when they did- and had resulted in Nick getting one giant man baby into bed with clean clothes after he was found on his bathroom floor, and cleaning the puke out of Wardâs car when he voided even more of himself while waiting. It hadnât come without a cold scolding from Nick, demanding to know why he couldnât have opened the door beside his head if he had enough power to sit up and spray everywhere, but Ward stopped listening when the words became languages he didnât know.
He hollered and gagged the entire way back to driving Daryl home, bursting from the car as soon as he was parked, but that only meant helping clean this one up too.
After nearly three hours of scrubbing, and gagging, and screaming, Nick sat on Wardâs porch waiting for his Uber, a cold beer in hand. No amount of air freshener or borrowed cologne would mask the raw stench of vomit under his nails and on his clothes. Heâd likely throw these away- his nose was too keen to allow back into his closet. Too bad; he really liked this shirt.
Night had at last crept over LA, leaving only a soft orange glow where the sun had slipped from. The night was humid, but cool, and the woven chair he sat in wasnât half bad.
He looked at his phone, tracking the driver who was coming down the street.
Heâd made the move multiple times to message Callie, but he couldnât bring himself to halt her night, either. If she hadnât messaged him about anything, that meant no sickness had befallen them either, right? Maybe theyâd been lucky to avoid catching it from Daryl. He texted his mom at least, warning of a stomach bug floating around and to keep a closer eye on Leo.
A compact little sedan rolled up, and Nick groaned. Now he had to squeeze into that.
What am I even gonna do all night⌠he pondered, walking towards the car. He chuckled. Sleep.
Nick slipped in the open door, closing it noisily behind himself before spinning the bolt shut. His palm popped up just as he smacked his inner arm, his keys flying onto the counter and sliding noisily across its surface.
Never, not even after his most grueling days at the academy or after an even more grueling workout did he ever desire a shower and sleep like this moment, kicking his shoes off excitedly.
âNick?â
He froze, his head half in the cabinets looking for something to take with him. Nick leaned out of the kitchen entry, his ears twitching. Was that�
âCal?â he called back warily.
âMaybe,â she called back, and he was off towards the bedroom he hadnât even noticed had been shut.
The TV was mumbling lowly with her favorite show, but she wasnât on the bed like he expected. Instead, sitting on the carpet on a folded blanket surrounded by her phone and wires that made up her headphones and charger with a pre-roll between her fingers, he found her sitting beside the cracked sliding glass door so the smoke could wisp out into the night.
Her eyes were just as wide as his, the pair speechless.
âWhat are you doing here?â he asked, almost afraid to move. Whereâs Leo?
âWhat are you doing here?â she returned, knowing heâd seen the joint in her hold.
âWard and Sergey-â
âGot sick?â she interrupted, her mouth tightening. He nodded, snorting.
âThe girls too?â
She nodded, relaxing a little bit. âI thought you were off already doing the bachelor party thing so I just came home⌠and left Leo with your parents,â
âYeah I didnât call them either,â he confided softly, licking his bottom lip.
âSoâŚâ she looked around. Why was this so awkward!?
Nick watched her, leaned back on his hands after pulling a fresh shirt over his scrubbed skin. His head lolled to the side, watching her at last let out the insane breath sheâd pulled in. The smoke from this one smelled foul compared to the scented trails from a cartridge, but he wouldnât speak out against it.
By the time heâd come out of the shower, she had gone through half its length and her eyes were already falling shut. Eight months of sobriety brought her tolerances way down, but this was also the first time in months he hadnât seen her chewing her inner lips or bouncing her knee. What a wonderful remedy this was, but the stigma attached to it would always leave Nick hesitant.
âThat wine is gonna knock you out tomorrow,â he mumbled, grinning when she swatted sleepily at his foot.
âI thought we already agreed youâd catch me,â she reminded, twisting the butt in the ashtray before looking at him.
âOnly if I can get really shit faced in San Diego,â he whined, and she laughed.
âDuh, me too,â
He smiled, watching her fidget around on the blanket and fix her hair hanging around her shoulders. She looked down at the ring on her hand, smiling adoringly at its face then clutching her palm to her chest. Soft humming came from her, a soft sway back and forth starting.
âWhatâre you doing?â he asked, knowing sheâd fallen into her dreamy haze.
Callie shrugged, looking up at him. Those balmy eyes were glowing, her cheeks flushing. âI canât believe weâre getting married tomorrow. It feels like itâs taken decades to get here but itâs only been⌠pfft three years? And now we have our baby?â she pouted, holding her own face.
âWow,â Nick mumbled, smiling at her in amusement.
âI shouldnât have left him there, I need to call your parents-â
âCal,â he called, catching her frantic eyes. âHeâs fine. Take a breath,â
She paused before nodding, sighing instead of taking an appropriate breath.
âI wanna be on whatever planet youâre on,â his words nudged her away from that guilt, a little smile lifting his spirits when he worried about her mental state. Sometimes the break-through anxiety was sneaky.
Her brow perked up, her smile growing devious.
âI canât,â he reiterated.
âYou can,â
âI canât,â
âIt would be out of your system in two days. Weâll be back way after that,â she too reminded him of the miraculous gift that was an Orcs metabolism, but Nick was a faithful worker and had his own, brittling views on the earth-made herb she relied on. âYou didnât get enough that first time,â
âIt tastes like ass,â he defended, growing weary when Callie sashayed towards him with the ashtray and lighter pinned under her palm. âIt makes my lips dry,â
âIâm not stopping until I hear ânoâ,â she clarified, sitting between his spread legs stretched across the floor and lighting the end of the blunt.
Still, Nick remained silent, watching her suck in her own small hit until the embers were crackling at the end. âI wonât make you do it if you donât want to,â she told him, sensing his hesitation. It wasnât that he didnât want to. If he liked the buzz from drinking, he was sure heâd like the buzz from smoking, but his encounters in the past not to mention the particular one that had left him in a room full of laughing people during a bad trip left bitter emotions.
But he trusted Callie when reminding him sheâd never do such a thing, and she trusted her when she said, âYouâll like it,â
âAnd Iâve seen how jittery youâve been,â she noted, patting the hand that had moved to rest on her thigh when he sat forward.
âWho wouldnât be?â he asked, pinching the shrinking joint between his fingers when she passed it. Then she sat back on her bottom, crossing her legs.
âItâs your decision, baby. I want you to have a good time but not if youâre uncomfortable,â she told him, knowing even in her bombed state that despite Nick accepting this more over the years and his own curiosity growing, pressuring someone wasnât how you did it.
He rolled it a little bit between his fingers, glancing at her with his critical, yellow eyes.
Ugh, heâs so yummy-
âHow long do I hold my breath?â his voice disrupted her thoughts.
âAs long as you can,â
Nick sighed, looking at it one last time. âFuck it, why not,â
Callieâs eyes widened every second he kept inhaling, caught between warning him and possibly making him panic or letting him get one huge drag in instead of coughing through a bunch of little ones, but by the time she decided, he was done. Silent, holding his breath, his eyes already watering when he handed it back.
Without looking she snuffed it out, waiting. âNick?â
He exhaled loudly, a cloud of smoke blowing around her that she swatted towards the cracked door. The coughing started before he even finished his breath, the next one bubbling up his throat before the previous one finished. His throat and nose burned, and he couldâve sworn he felt his trachea vibrating with every ragged cough.
âCough as hard as you can, it helps,â she coached, rubbing his back when he rolled onto his stomach to smother his teary eyed face in the carpet.
The ferocity of the coughing rang down his arms, his head throbbing when he managed to sit back up, but with the calming of his body came⌠warmth.
Nick cleared his throat over and over, wiping the back of his hands across his eyes, but the warmth surrounding his head was making it hard to keep his eyes open. They felt like they could fall into a slumber at any moment, but his mind was as wakeful as ever. He glanced down at his body; why did he feel so⌠floaty? He cleared his throat again of its scratch while rocking side to side, tensing his arms. Upon lifting his hand, he found he still had full coordination.
He snorted, coughing a little.
âAre you okay?â His head snapped around, finding Callie staring at him in suspense. âHow do you feel?â
He inhaled. âI feel like thereâs cotton in mâhead,â he mumbled, an eye closing. âLike fuzzy cotton,â
She repressed giggles. âBut are you okay?â
He nodded loosely, looking around their cluttered room. âItâs like being drunk but sober,â
âIâve never been able to explain it that well,â Callie grieved, her arms throwing up into the air. âAre you gonna be one of those insightful people when youâre stoned?â
Nick blinked, his eyes reflecting when Callie snapped a photo of him. âWho?â he asked.
âOh my god.â Callie mumbled.
âDamn,â Nick exclaimed under his breath, his face twisted in horror.
âI know,â Callie nodded, her knee draped over his thigh.
âCould you imagineâŚ?
âNo. Itâs bad enough we have dragons,â she said against his chest. Every blink felt like eternity.
âImagine if they did that,â Nick pictured, his body shuddering under hers. âWhatâs this movie called?â
âPrincess Mononoke,â
He scoffed; no way he was remembering that. Nick took a final bite of their ordered dinner, chewing slowly as he stretched to rest the bowl on his nightstand. Maybe this would finally calm his voracious appetite, but as long as Callie kept opening that bag of Doritos, he was hopeless.
âIâm gonna gain thirty pounds by tomorrow,â he mumbled into her hair, the both of them chuckling.
âI never lost my thirty,â she pouted comically, stuffing another chip into her mouth.
âDamn, what that mouth do?â he teased around a yawn.
âYo mama,â she mumbled, giggling when he snorted.
Silence lulled between the two snuggled and surrounded by snacks in the bed, both of their minds lost somewhere in the clouds as they re-watched various Netflix series.
He thought heâd heard her slip in and out of sleep earlier, but truth be told, he couldâve been listening to himself breathe. There had been a few times his reddened eyes snapped open to be in the middle of a completely different episode, but mentioning it would be admitting he was falling asleep which he continued to adamantly deny. With a blind reach, he retrieved his phone from the nightstand.
Just a little past midnight, but way too late. He was enjoying this too much, though. Nick was only selfish in the sense that sometimes he just wanted to snuggle right up to Callie and feel her body against his. The last time theyâd had a moment like this without Leo in the way was at the beginning of her pregnancy, and laying like this only made him realize how long ago that was.
âWe should be in bed,â Nick mumbled, rubbing his eye.
âWe are in bed,â she laughed, sliding her cheek up to look at him.
âYou know what I mean. Big day tomorrow,â he looked down at her, reaching to move some of her hair from her cheek so he could better see those big eyes that always sparkled.
âEverytime I think about it I get so nervous,â she whispered.
âWhy?â
She shrugged. âI dunno. It feels like that first time I met you at Santa Monica. I stress ate like seven funnel cakes. I was so anxious,â she admitted shyly.
âI changed a bunch of times. Couldnât decide on anything,â
âOh you did good, sir,â she winced, biting her bottom lip. âYou couldâve drowned in my panties,â
âI wouldâve if your sister hadnâtâve interrupted,â he grumbled, forever bitter.
âOh hush, it was a sign we would be together forever,â
âHow so?â he questioned, twisting in her direction a little.
âI wouldâve never called a guy back if that happened with anyone else, but you were so perfect that I swallowed the embarrassment and saved my horniness for another day,â
Nick smiled, a big goofy one. âShut up,â
âShut me up then,â she came back with, fast as a whip.
His eyes dropped to her lips, lingering before coming back to her eyes. âIsnât that bad luck?â
âIt was bad luck when we both ended up home,â she whispered, the weight of her hand once on his chest now coming to stretch across his meat.
That was enough convincing for Nick.
Callie was a little slower getting over him, but her heated kisses kept him concentrated on what they both wanted. When she was in her spot sitting in his lap, he could better taste her tongue after pulling her chest flush against his, his strong hands quickly continuing to her round ass he pulled back and forth over his growing dick. A steadying hand against his chest meant he could leave her skin that was marked red where he grabbed, her hips resuming the motions.
With his bottom lip pinched between his teeth, he easily pulled her loose sleeping shorts aside, revealing her plump pussy lips.
He could already feel how warm she was through his sweats, shortening his breaths in anticipation.
âYouâre so hot,â he admired, looking up in time for her hair to fan around them when leaning down to kiss him. Strong, sinewy arms wrapped tightly around her waist, grounding himself to the angel that squirmed in his hold deliciously. Silently, inwardly, he thanked those who had blessed him with such a girl, promising to worship more as soon as he was done with this.
A firm tug on the ends of her shirt had it flying past her fingertips, thrown to the floor.
Callie gripped the railing to the headboard when he pulled her chest into his open mouth, a long lick gliding over a hardened nipple that had goosebumps fire up her arms. She snickered when he smacked his lips a few times, moving onto the other side. An old technique had her limp in his hold, her thighs tightening at his sides. He encouraged her hips to keep moving, his cock desperate for attention, but her mind was only a pool of melted pleasure at that point.
A hard gasp fell from her wet lips when he graced her clit with tight circles, hanging off of his neck to look down at his hand flat against her lower stomach as his thumb massaged her into a trance. Gradually her eyes fell shut, hair sticking to her cheeks while she panted softly.
His loose smile made her rock into his touch. âYou want it already, donât you?â he asked quietly, his voice vibrating with growls; Callie could only nod. He pecked her sloppily. âGet naked,â
Callie stumbled off into the center of the bed to kick off her shorts and socks, moving onto the food and remotes and phones that were now being swept onto the floor without a care.
Nickâs shirt and sweats had already been tossed off, but now as he rummaged through the drawer of his bedside table, his excitement was plummeting. Here was the box, butâŚ
âWeâre out of condoms,â he announced, looking back at her sat naked at the center of the bed on her knees with her dishevelled hair a mess around her shoulders. It only added to the tragedy of the situation.
âSo?â she asked, her fingers drumming against her thighs.
Nick stood straight, his head cocking.
Since sheâd been cleared for sex there hadnât been a session they forgot to use protection, no matter how it dampened the sensation. Heâd done it for her, for he wasnât the one whoâd be carrying anymore surprise babies, although it was the memory of her sweet, bare pussy around his unsheathed cock that helped bring him to an end, now. Heâd wanted to ask her, even just for one quick slide in, but Nick had always assumed this was the new norm until either of them were snipped.
âAre you- really?â he asked.
âI hate them, Nick. Iâm so over using them,â she exhaled, her shoulders drooping. âIâve been trying to be good but if I have to ride your dick one more time with a balloon over it-â
She yelped, her legs pulled from under her ass and Nick finding his spot between her flailed knees when she realized what happened.
The mood shifted again, and suddenly they were in perfect sync.
Her knees drew upwards when the top of his thighs pressed under her bottom, his hand finding its place at the bend of her leg that was closest to her chest.
She made it up onto an elbow when he spit at his tip pressed against her entrance, her hand hovering against his belly.
âIâll go slow,â he soothed, meeting her eyes. The first time theyâd reunited in bed, his excitement resulted in hurting her, and from that came the need to remind him to be gentle, even this far down the road. A guilt heâd always carry, but heâd work on fixing it.
It didnât burn this time his head popped in, his thick shaft following until she was filled to his base. Her shoulders fell back with a loud sigh while his eyes slammed shut, pressing to her as tightly as he could. Heâd dived into a pool of ecstasy, sending strong shivers up and down his spine as he basked in her heat.
The stinging tug of a condom was at last absent, and there was only Nickâs velvet skin gliding against hers, creating the friction she so wildly desired.
âBaby,â she called, holding the hand at her leg when he stared down at where they were joined. His dilated eyes landed on hers, a low snarl curling his lips when he withdrew only to slip back in.
Her head rolled back in time with her eyes, a loud moan rumbling under the hand that slid up his chest when he rested forward on his hands, her knee hooked around his chiseled arm. Heâd draw out until her heat was kissing his head, just so he could feel that delicious pressure before pushing back in. Nick leaned into one hand so he could touch her, dragging his rough hands up and down her body that gravitated towards his caresses. When her pussy bucked into his thrust, a surprised moan came from him, an eager thrust bouncing her.
A low, rumbling growl moved into her when he yanked her hips up in line with his, his nostrils flaring as he scented them together like this.
âDo it,â she smiled, her feet planted into the sheets behind him.
Their eyes locked during the time he adjusted his feet beneath himself, his breaths deep and loud. A few leisure bucks were her warmup, and then came that smirk. She bowed until she balanced on her shoulder blades, his grunts and chuffs nothing compared to the singing made in his name during his fucking. He was a force driven purely by instinct; the need to fill his girl again, to lay claim to what would officially be his that day.
The slapping of their bodies coming together drowned out the TV beside them, Callieâs resounding cries piled atop his raucous moans as he shoved his way into her body again and again, her juices covering them as he pounded that spot hidden deep between her tightening walls.
Her ass was dropped from his hold so he could lean forward for a kiss, her mind spinning when he rolled her on top of him.
With a flip of her head to move her hair off her sticky back, Callie sat straight, her fingertips guiding him back in as her knees slid out until she was sitting flat on him, flinching when his tip found the back of her pussy.
God, she was so small in his hands when he held her cinched waist; if he stuck his thumbs out, they could touch.
A deep moan rang in his chest when she snapped her hips back and forth, her sweet cunt massaging his entire length. When a dip of her center was particularly low, sheâd gasp, holding her stomach where it felt he was poking, but a wide smile always followed those overpowering shocks of spine curling bliss.
Nick held steadfast to her hips, guilty in keeping her flat against himself so there was the added friction on his head.
âOh fuck,â he drawled, his hand landing back into the sheets.
âNick-â she gasped, her hand flying to his chest. âIâm-â
His last burst of energy was used flipping them again so she was spread below him, his hands hooking under her knees to push back into the bedding beside her ribs.
There was no more words as he poked his way back in, pistoning into her with such power her toes curled, her arms falling limp above her head when her climax came crashing around her. In an instant, she was stiff as a board, her legs strong enough to fight past his hold and stretch straight in tight trembles at his sides as he continued. When she could catch her breath, she shouted, a deep flush blooming across her cheeks and chest. Nick watched with a proud smile as she convulsed under him, her silent mumbles barely words as she came down from her high.
Her limp thighs shook mightily in his hold when he pushed them apart, their bodies touching in a paused moment so he could adore her with soft kisses.
She was still breathless as he brushed his lips across her jaw, her soft throat pulsing with the blood racing through her. Her pussy throbbed dully around him compared to the fist like hold he barely made it through moments ago.
A soft whisper in his ear brought the tempo back up, but Nick wanted to stay like this.
A beauty such as her was only admired best this close, and even though sheâd found her climax, she whimpered below him, holding his face as he fucked her sweetly. Her ankles locked behind him, a heady groan to follow before he dropped his face beside hers.
âShould I cum on your stomach?â he panted, his thrusts weakening as the pleasure peaked.
âInside me,â she kissed into his cheek, tightening the hold with her legs. âCum inside me baby,â
The hand lost in her hair gripped her roots, a loud hiss coming from between her teeth when his entire body tightened and jerked against her flushed cunt. The screaming engine of Nickâs orgasm overtook him like a wave would at the beach, ringing from every end of his body and back to his center that spilled into his ecstatically beautiful bride to be. He grunted with every thick stream of semen forced into the space they both snuggly occupied, slowly stilling until they were both a heaving pile of sweaty parts and cloudy minds.
He worried heâd crush her the longer he laid over her, but the soft gliding of her hands up and down his back were too good to pass up. He exhaled, his face buried between the mattress and her head. âFuck,â
Callie giggled, her cheek leaning into his so heâd force himself up to look at her. The urgency was gone in their kisses, but now he could feel how sleepy she was.
âReady?â he asked against her mouth, only moving when she nodded. Her thighs trembled when he dragged out of her, bringing a thick stream of the nectar heâd left behind.
âOh I can feel that,â she grimaced, sitting up on her elbows warily. It wasnât clear at that point if it was the weed or sex that had left her feeling like her head was vacant.
âYou should see it,â he smirked, his cocky pride coming through. âHow many siblings did you want Leo to have?â
âHa,â she shouted. âGood luck getting me pregnant ever again. My body said one and done,â she grunted sitting up, scurrying off to the bathroom after Nick had hoisted her up. He didnât answer, and wouldnât. Callie adored the idea of having a big family, but the night the topic came up when Leo was two months old, it only ended in her confiding in Nick that she felt sheâd never be so lucky again. She wasnât wrong in saying her body would likely fight off pregnancy for years, maybe endlessly if they ever tried again. Where it once happened so effortlessly, the time following to get where they were now had left them both a little⌠doubtful.
Nick yanked the blanket off their bed, tossing it beside the door so he could flop into the cool sheets of the mattress after turning off the lights and TV. His arms were already open when she came wobbling back in, her naked body collapsing into his. They rolled and wiggled until they found their spots, her head tucked under his chin and their legs tangled.
âWe broke like four traditions,â she mumbled through a closed jaw.
âThinking about it, I donât think it applies to us,â he yawned; the sleepiness was at last getting to him. She looked up at him curiously.
âOur whole relationship is taboo. Curses donât apply to morally incorrect choices,â he explained, laughing when she did.
âYeah I guess youâre right,â she settled, her soft smile lingering when he rubbed her arm. The soft breeze from their ceiling fan moved her loose hair around his arm, tickling his skin, but the gentle strokes across his chest from her was lulling him into sleep.
âYouâre not gonna bail on me tomorrow, right?â she asked suddenly, and his eyes opened.
He leaned away from her so he could better see her face when she looked up. âWhy would you ask that?â
âI had to ask, my mind wouldnât let me put it to rest,â she sighed. âIâm sorry,â
âHey,â he pulled her chin up, holding her face. âIâve been trying to get you to marry me for years, remember?â
She giggled, nodding. âWhat if right when I said yes you were like âfuck, she said yes, what do I do now?ââ
âOh my god that brain of yours,â he sighed, laying back down to pull her tight against his chest. âIâll prove it to you when Iâm waiting at the altar,â
âPromise?â she asked, her big eyes already closed. He pushed some hair aside, her lids fluttering a moment.
âAlways.â
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did i plant a seed in this chapter? are those church bells in the distance? honeymoon in san diego where they have the best tacos HWHAT?
only 3 chapters left! ;_; thanks for reading, my loves! â¤
















