Chapter 400

Olivia

Two months had passed since the tumultuous events that had shaken our lives. Late autumn had set in, and a cool, crisp breeze had replaced the summer’s warm air. The trees had changed their colors from vibrant greens to brilliant reds and oranges, and it felt like the world was starting over fresh

Despite the challenges we had faced, everything seemed to be settling into something that felt a little bit like normalcy. I still visited Alvin’s grave whenever I could, but lately, it felt like life was getting in the way. I had a feeling that Alvin would have understood, though.

As I stood in front of the mirror, dressing the twins in warm outfits for the day, I couldn’t help but marvel at how much they had grown in such a short time. Elliot and Aurora, now nearly six months old, were thriving and beginning to crawl, exploring the world with their curious eyes.

My own body was undergoing changes too. I was still in the early stages of my pregnancy, my belly barely showing a hint of the new life growing inside of me.

We had decided to rush the wedding preparations so we could get married before the pregnancy started showing too much, and I was glad for it. I knew that if we waited until the new baby was born, we might wind up having to push the wedding back even further, and neither of us wanted to wait any longer than we needed to.

“And there we go,” I cooed as I finished buttoning up Aurora’s little sweater, a soft red color with mushrooms embroidered on the front. “And now for your brother…”

I turned over to where Elliot had been laying on a blanket on the floor, and let out a gasp when I discovered that he was no longer there.

“Elliot?” I called out, to which I was met with a soft gurgle and a coo coming from beneath the bed. Frowning, I crouched down to see him hiding under there, a cheeky grin on his chubby little face. “You rascal!” I scolded, reaching out for him. “Come back here!”

With a lot of giggling and a little extra willpower, I finally managed to get Elliot out from under the bed; however, by the time I stood, Aurora had managed to crawl away and was halfway down the hallway.

“Aurora!” I called after her, hoisting her brother into one arm as I jogged after her. Thankfully we had put up baby gates, but these twins were becoming treacherous. I was almost positive that someday soon I would find at least one of them swinging from the chandelier over the dining room table.

With even more giggling from Aurora and an exasperated sigh on my behalf, I scooped her up and decided to carry them both downstairs to their playpen, where I was positive that they wouldn’t be able to get up to any more trouble.

Just as I was setting them into the playpen, a knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. I glanced at the clock; it was time for my appointment with Kylie, the wedding planner, to discuss flower arrangements.

I welcomed the distraction and hurried to answer the door.

“Olivia!” Kylie greeted me with a warm smile as I opened the door to let her in. She was a tall woman with a friendly demeanor, her long brown hair cascading over her shoulders in loose waves.

“Kylie, come in,” I said, stepping aside to make way for her. “Can I get you some tea?”

“Tea would be nice,” she replied. She followed me into the kitchen, where I put the kettle on and got out the tea bags.

“So, I know you said you had your heart set on lilies,” Kylie said as she settled onto the stool next to the counter, “but I was thinking… what about some asters along with them?”

I scrunched up my nose as I thought for a moment. The light purple color of asters wasn’t the type of color scheme I had been going for with this all-white winter wedding, but now that I thought of it, it actually sounded pretty.

“We could try that,” I said as I waited for the water to heat up. “I think I’d have to see it in person first, but I trust your judgment.”

Kylie’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she jotted down notes. “Trust me,” she said. “It’s a beautiful combination. And a little pop of color never hurts.”

As we continued our conversation, we eventually settled on centerpieces, wreaths, garlands, and bouquets. Admittedly, I was a bit exhausted by the end of it all. I knew that planning a wedding could be tedious, but I never expected it to be this tedious.

And it was funny, how I had spent my whole life thinking that I wouldn’t care much about the tiny details of my wedding so long as I got to marry the love of my life, because now I had found myself agonizing over every little thing… And I loved it.

After an hour, I said goodbye to Kylie and watched her walk down the path with her binder under her arms. But then, as I turned to go back inside, I was greeted by the sight of Angela making her way up the pathway.

“Hey,” I called out. “I thought you were working today.”

“I decided to switch shifts with another nurse,” Angela said as she approached. “Wanna go for a walk? I was craving some coffee.”

I glanced at the twins, who were both gripping the plastic bars of their playpen and gawking at me, drool dripping off of their twins. They were restless, I could tell. Maybe some fresh air would be a good thing.

We bundled up the twins in their outside clothes and put them into the stroller, then began to walk. It really was the perfect day; the air was perfectly chilly with a nice breeze, the sky was just a little bit gloomy, and the town was bustling with other people who seemed to have the same idea as us.

“Can you believe how quickly time is flying by?” Angela remarked as we approached the bakery. “They’re almost too big for their stroller now.”

I couldn’t help but smile; it wasn’t just the twins, but also the upcoming wedding and the new addition to the family.

“So much has changed,” I said as I reached down to adjust Aurora’s hat. “Everything feels like it’s moving so fast.”

“In a good way, right?” Angela asked. “I mean, at least you’re keeping busy. After…”

Her voice trailed off, but she didn’t need to finish. I knew what she was going to mention; Jenifer and Alvin. I simply nodded, offering her a stiff smile.

“In a good way. I promise.”

As we continued our walk, my gaze fell upon a sign in the bakery’s window. “Help needed,” it read in bold letters. My heart ached a little just looking at it; I had been considering applying before, but it felt like a distant dream now between the twins, the pregnancy, and the wedding.

I paused, my eyes fixed on the sign, lost in contemplation.

Angela noticed my hesitation and gave me a gentle nudge. “Olivia, you should go inside and apply,” she encouraged. “It might be just what you need.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” I said with a shrug. “I have so much going on…”

“Aw, c’mon, Liv,” Angela replied. “What’s the harm in trying?”

I took a deep breath. Angela was right; maybe there was no harm in applying. I didn’t have to accept the job if it was even offered to me. If anything, it was more of a confidence boost knowing that I could get a job despite everything.

“You know what, Angela?” I said, shooting her an excited glance. “I think I just might.”