Every Road Leads Back

By Dottie

Copyright 2012

Chapter 30

            Christmas morning dawns and Giselle wakes up early. She smiles as she watches Nick sleep. Their wedding day is finally here. Thankfully, she convinced him to scale it down quite a bit. There will be roughly 100 guests and the only celebrities in attendance will be his band mates.

            She slips quietly from the bed and goes downstairs. The wedding and reception is being held at the church she found just before she and Nick decided to try again. She fully believes God answered her prayers when he brought Nick back into her life.

            After putting on coffee to brew, she slips into the living room, turning on the Christmas tree lights.  She reaches behind the couch and pulls out the gifts she had bought Nick and slides them under the tree. She curls up on the floor by the tree and calls AJ.

            He answers on the second ring, sounded half asleep. "What?"

            She giggles. "Merry Christmas AJ!"

            He groans. "Elle? What the hell, it's 6:00 am!"

            Smiling, she falls back on the carpet, staring up at the ceiling. "It's 6 am on my wedding day AJ! As maid-of-honor, shouldn't you bring me breakfast or something?"

            She hears Brooke in the background saying, "AJ, go talk downstairs! I wanna sleep."

            She sighs. "I'm sorry, AJ. I shouldn't have called so early. Go back to sleep."

            He stifles a yawn as he says, "Nah, it's ok. Are you ok? You sound...sad."

            Closing her eyes, she whispers, "AJ...AJ I'm pregnant. I don't know how to tell Nick."

            He whistles. "Just tell him, Elle. You know he'll be excited."

            She bites her lip. "But AJ...I'm so scared.  What if I...what if this one...I don't want him to be upset if..."

            He says, "Elle, you gotta stop that right now. Worrying isn't good for either of you. And he should know. You know that."

            She sighs, choking off a sob. "I know AJ. I'm just afraid."

            From the steps, Nick questions, "Afraid of what?"

            She turns to him, her eyes locking on his. "AJ, I gotta go. Nick's awake. See you at noon?"

            He chuckles. "Yes Bridezilla. I'm there at noon."

            After she hangs up, Nick says, "You're afraid to marry me?"

            Standing, she runs up to him and throws her arms around his neck. "NO! Nick...Nick...I'm..." She steps back and reaches up to cup his face. "I'm pregnant."

            His eyes widen. His hands move up to her hips. He looks down at her still flat stomach and he whispers, "You're sure?"

            She nods. "I took the test a couple of days ago." She bites her lip before whispering, "What if something happens Nick?"

            He presses his forehead to hers. "It won't G. Have you seen a doctor?"

            She shakes her head no. "I have an appointment January 10. Will you go with me?"

            He smiles, holding her closer. "I'd go anywhere for you."

            She can't stop the laughter that bubbles up inside of her. "You're so corny Nick."

            He kisses her gently. "You love me like that."

            She sighs, snuggling in his arms. "I do Nick. I love you just the way you are."

            After a breakfast of Belgian waffles, made for her by Nick, Giselle pulls him to the living room and they sit together on the floor in front of the tree. He laughs with her as she pulls out gifts for him.  He reaches under to the back of the tree and pulls out a stack of gifts for her.  Just like two kids, Christmas paper is flying as they rip open their packages.

            Nick loved the cuff links she got him to wear for the ceremony. They are silver and have Nick's and Giselle's initials engraved on them with the date.  She also gave him a box full of ‘honeymoon' goodies, which included massage oil, handcuffs, a mask and other assorted toys.  By the time Nick had the last item out of the bag, his comments about what he wanted to do with them had Giselle ready to skip the ceremony and begin the honeymoon. 

            His third gift was more sentimental. It was a journal she had kept since she started therapy. A journal of her feelings about Nick...about all the things she's been through and how she feels about him now. With tears in his eyes, Nick pulls her into his arms and whispers, "I'll make it all up to you, G. If it takes the rest of my life, I'll make it up."

            She kisses his cheek and whispers, "You don't have to Nick. I forgave you a long time ago. We're moving forward now. You, me and our baby."

            He hands her the journal back and says, "In that case, why don't you keep writing in this. Maybe we both can. Fill it up and someday, maybe our baby can look at it and know we went through hell to get back to each other."

            She smiles and wipes away her tears. They put the journal aside and Nick hands her a gift.  When she opens it, she gasps in shock. It's a diamond choker with a sapphire tear drop stone hanging from it.  When her eyes meet his, he says, "Kendall said you had to have something blue. Is this ok?"

            She leans forward, kissing him gently. "It's beautiful, Nick. Thank you."

            His smile makes her ache. She can tell he put so much thought into his gifts that he was worried if she'd like them.  As she gingerly sets aside the necklace, he hands her another box.  She opens it to find a stack of papers.  Looking up at him, confused, he says, "I want to build us a home. But I want it to be exactly what you want. SO...I bought the land and thought maybe when we get back from the honeymoon, we can work on it together."

            She stares at the papers. "Nick...a home.  For us? Really?"

            He tilts her face up to his with a finger and whispers, "Really. OK?"

            She throws herself against him and sobs, "Nick...Nick it's perfect!"

            He holds her tightly, kissing her neck.  She snuggles against him and he whispers, "Feeling up for one more gift?"

            She nods into his neck.  "Nick, you've done so much.  More than...you overwhelm me."

            He says, "I didn't pay a thing for this one." She leans back and looks at him inquisitively. "I'm giving you me." Her lower lip quivers. He kisses it before saying, "I've been the biggest fool in the world, G, but I know exactly what I have with you. I won't take that for granted again."

            With her cheek pressed to his, she whispers, "I love you Nick."

            Closing his eyes, he whispers, "I love you too, Giselle."

            After an afternoon of laughter and tears with AJ, Kendall and Meagan, Giselle finds herself in her wedding gown waiting for Howie to come and get her and walk her down the aisle. She fingers the sapphire dangling on her choker and thinks about Nick. About how much she loves him and how they've been through so much.

            A knock on the door draws her from her trance. She turns, seeing AJ walk in wearing a black tux looking as handsome as can be. He walks over to her and takes her hands and whispers, "You look beautiful Elle."

            She blushes and says, "My maid-of-honor is going to outshine me though." 

            He laughs and strikes a pose. Laughter bubbles up inside her and he loves the sound. "Elle, I'm so glad you're happy. You deserve only the best."

            She steps forward and puts her hands on his shoulders.  "I have the best. I have you, my friend. We've been through a lot, haven't we?"

            He smiles at her, tears swimming in his eyes. "We have. I'm proud of you Elle. I happy for you. And I love you."

            She smiles at him and whispers, "I love you too."

            He leans down to kiss her cheek. His lips land on hers and they both freeze for a split second before he hauls her against his body and deepens the kiss. Her heartbeat races and their lips part. She stares up at him, seeing for the first time that AJ loves her. LOVES loves her. What's more, she knows deep down in her heart she loves him too. He strokes her cheek and whispers, "Don't marry him, Elle. Marry me."

THE END