The odd part was most of these things did happen. I found it odd that the mysterious blonde woman had been there on their date. Anyways, thanks for reading!
Chapter Four: Unexpected Roommate
“Yeah, babe, c’mon.” I took her hand then sighed a breath of relief mixed with uncertainty. I didn’t know if I would get another chance to meet the blonde woman again, but I also didn’t know when I would get another chance to ask Bella to be my bride. So, I decided to choose my future over my past.
“It’s so lovely out tonight.” Bella’s eyes twinkled at me and I kissed her pink cheek.
“Just like you, Bella.” I laughed, and so did she at my corny remark, “You’re my soul mate. You don’t play the ‘guess what I’m thinking’ game. You don’t argue with me when you want to be right and well…I…I love you, Bella.”
“You…you love me?” she sounded confused and unsure.
“Is something wrong?” I felt my back get hot with worry.
“No, I mean, I just…well, I’ve never thought about it, but I guess I do love you…”
I gradually reached into my pocket, spun around onto my knee, and revealed the tiny engagement ring from inside the black box to Bella.
“Then will you marry me, Bella?”
“Oh my, wow, everything’s moving so quickly!” she paused and gazed at the small diamond I held out before her.
“Well…?” I didn’t think engagement decisions were supposed to last so long…
“Yes, Ares, I will marry you.”
“Really?!”
“Really.” She smiled and I placed the small rock on her finger. I hugged her; we were going to get married. We headed home in a taxi cab together and as we laid down for bed, I couldn’t have felt more at ease. Bella had said yes and she would soon be Bella Rocker…
I awoke the next morning, eager for the wedding. Too excited, I woke Bella as well and we both set up our Perfect Couple wedding arch with few chairs; we were only inviting family and a few friends. We bought a white banquet table and a beautiful tiered wedding cake. We were so excited; Bella bought a dress in the afternoon for cheap and I put on my tuxedo.
Mom, Asclepius Rocker, Apollo Rocker, Themis Rocker, and Jocasta Bachelor arrived. Jocasta and Bella talked by the banquet table about something, I couldn’t hear over the music and chattering. When I looked back though, Bella looked distressed. I approached her and she wrapped her arms around my neck, burying her face into my shoulder.
“Bella, what’s the matter?” I pried her off of me and wiped away her tears.
“Mom just told me that…” she then began to sob more.
“Shh, what is it baby?”
“My father passed away…that’s why he’s not here!”
“Do you want to cancel the wedding?”
She sniffled a bit, then wiped under her eyes with her index finger.
“I guess not…” she grabbed a napkin off the table and fixed her mascara which had smeared from her tears.
We carried on with the ceremony, Bella finally put new makeup on and we stood under the wedding arch as everyone sat in their seats.
She placed the wedding band on my finger and she looked lovely, like an angel. She had her flowing black hair up in a bun, held together by a clippie. With some baby pink blush, just lightly brushed on her cheeks and dark eye shadow to accentuate her eyes, she looked marvelously brilliant and I stood there, proud to have her as my bride.
I placed the golden wedding band upon her finger and we kissed as our guests applauded our joining of families and the start of a new life together. They then threw rice in the air, both of our moms cried, and we gathered around the cake to cut it.
Bella put the knife into the moist bread of the cake, cutting a fresh slice for her and me to share. We both took chunks of the cake and smeared it on each other’s faces, laughing as we ate the icing around our mouths.
After some dancing, eating, talking, and congratulations, everyone had finally left. Bella and I cleaned up the banquet table, folded the chairs, took down the wedding arch, put away the left over cake, and turned off the music. Bella took a shower and I cleaned up the plates, then we relaxed in bed.
“I really wasn’t expecting you to propose. You were acting so distant and quiet. I thought you weren’t feeling well.” Bella said as she tapped her feet together.
“I saw the woman, Bella.”
“What woman?” she then turned and looked at me.
“I saw the woman with the blonde hair that’s dating my dad.”
“Where did you see her?”
“When we were at the park…she was there.”
“Don’t think about that right now,” she leaned over and kissed me, “It’s our honeymoon…” she smiled and we slipped between the sheets.
We enjoyed our honeymoon together; we worked out most of the time or read some books on repairing appliances. I felt sympathy for my new wife for she couldn’t shake a stomach virus, and often had to stop in the middle of her workouts to throw up. She pulled through though and after a couple of days, she came to me with big news.
“Ares, I knew this from the beginning. I had no stomach virus, but I didn’t want to worry you.” She smiled and looked down at her feet.
“What? Wait wait…you didn’t have a stomach virus?”
“No…I was sick because of something else--”
“From seeing me each morning?” I interrupted and she giggled.
“No, not that either. I’m...I’m pregnant!” she jumped a little from enthusiasm.
“You’re pregnant?!” I couldn’t believe it.
“Yes!”
“We’re going to have a baby?!”
“Yes!” I hugged her, picking her off the ground.
“We’re going to have a baby!” I kissed her.
I remembered being younger when my mother had gotten pregnant with Asclepius and Apollo. This, however, would be my child—
our child. I decided I would hold off on finding my father so I could help with the pregnancy and the baby when it did arrive. I knew it would be months, maybe even years before I started the search again, but I wanted to be in my child’s life, just as Mom had been in mine…
We went out and bought a cute crib, a high chair, potty chair, some pregnancy books for Bella, and of course, some ice cream. Her cravings were insatiable and she often times ate more than even I could hold down. No matter, we were prepared to have a new roommate with us and I grew more excited every day…