Chapter 117 A girl

Chapter 117 A girl
Bailey POV

"I can't believe I am getting married while looking like a whale," I mutter, staring at myself in the full-length mirror.

The dress is beautiful with enough room to accommodate my very pregnant belly.
But still, I am huge.

"You're not a whale," Talia says from where she is helping to adjust my veil. "You're glowing.Orion is going to lose his mind when he sees you." She points out.

"He sees me every day looking exactly like this. Huge and waddling and unable to see my own feet." I remind her.

"And he looks at you every day like you hung the moon," Talia counters. "Bailey, trust me. That man worships the ground you waddle on."

Despite myself, I laugh.

"I can't believe you're getting married three months before me," Talia says.
"I always thought I'd be first."

"You would have been if this baby hadn't decided to cook for the full nine months," I say, rubbing my belly. "We wanted to get married before they arrived, and my due date is in two weeks, so..."

"So you're getting married at eight and a half months pregnant," Talia finishes. "Honestly, that's you.
Always doing things your own way."

Before I can reply, there is a knock on the door and Diana pokes her head in.

"Oh, sweetheart," she breathes, her hand going to her chest. "You look absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you," I say, trying not to cry and ruin my makeup.

"Orion is pacing a hole in the floor out there," Diana reports with a smile. "He keeps asking if you're okay, if the baby's okay, if you need anything."

"Tell him I'm fine and he needs to calm down before he has a heart attack," I say, smiling. That's typical of Orion, ever the worrywart.

"I tried but he won't listen. You know how he gets."

I do know. Orion has been impossibly overprotective since I hit the third trimester. He barely lets me lift anything heavier than a coffee mug.

"Is everyone here?" I ask.

Diana nods in confirmation. "Your grandmother is in the front row, already crying. Robert is trying to keep Orion from coming back here.” She reveals.

“ That's good. We will be there in five minutes.” I inform her.

"I'll let them know you're ready."
She turns around and leaves.

"How are you really feeling?" Talia suddenly asks.

"Uncomfortable," I admit. "My back hurts, my feet are swollen, and this baby is using my bladder as a trampoline.
Asides from that, I am ready to start this new journey with Orion.”

The sound of the music starting is my cue.

"Okay," I say, taking a deep breath. "Let's do this."

The ceremony is small and intimate, held in the garden behind Orion's parents' house.

There are maybe fifty people here.
We invited close friends, family and teammates.

As I walk down the makeshift aisle, I see Orion waiting for me at the altar.

One look at him and realise that Talia was right.

The look on his face when he sees me is everything.

He looks at me like I'm the most beautiful thing he has ever seen.

When I reach him, he takes my hands in his, and I can see tears in his eyes.

"You're so beautiful." He says, his eyes glistening.

"You're not supposed to cry yet," I tease. "We haven't even started."

"I can't help it," Orion says. "You're marrying me so I am allowed to cry about that." Orion replies.

The officiant clears his throat, and we both laugh.

The ceremony is short and sweet.
When it's time to exchange our vows, Orion goes first.

"Bailey," he starts, his voice already shaking. "When you agreed to fake date me, I thought I was the luckiest guy in the world just to pretend to be with you. I had no idea that a fake relationship would turn into the most real thing I've ever experienced."

He pauses, taking a breath.

"You've made me a better man. You've shown me what it means to fight for what you love, to sacrifice for the people who matter and to be brave even when you are terrified.
Now, you're giving me the greatest gift I could ever ask for…a family."

He looks down at my belly, then back at my face.

"I promise to love you through every challenge, every joy, every sleepless night with a crying baby. I promise to be your partner, your support, your best friend. I promise to choose you, every single day, for the rest of our lives."

I am crying now.

When it's my turn, I don't even try to be composed.

"Orion Hayes," I start, "you're the most annoying, stubborn, overprotective man I've ever met."

The people burst out laughing.

"You drive me crazy, you hover around me, worrying.
You try to carry everything for me even when I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself."

Orion grins.

"But you're also the kindest, most loyal, most loving person I know. You stood by me through everything. You never wavered or doubted us.
You forgave me when I drugged you and put my life in danger.”

Those who know the story laugh.

"I promise to love you through every game, every season, every championship. I promise to be your safe place to fall, your biggest cheerleader and your partner in every sense of the word.
I promise to try really hard not to drug you again."

"Appreciated," Orion says, making everyone laugh again.

"I love you and I can't wait to build this life with you." I finish.
We exchange the wedding bands to seal the union.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride." The officiant says with a smile.

Orion doesn't wait.

He pulls me into his arms carefully and mindful of my belly and kisses me while everyone cheers.

When we break apart, he rests his forehead against mine.

"Mrs. Hayes," he whispers.

"Mr. Hayes," I whisper back.

Just like that, we are married.
The reception follows and we move around, toasting to the guests.

Suddenly, I feel sharp pain in my lower back that makes me gasp.

"You okay?" Orion asks immediately, his hand on my arm.

"Yeah," I say. "Just... the baby kicked."
I lie. That was not a baby kicking but a contraction.

However, my due date isn't for two more weeks and I refuse to go into labor at my own wedding reception.

So I smile and nod and keep dancing with my new husband.

Ten minutes later, another contraction hits. It's stronger this time.

"Bailey," Orion says, his eyes searching my face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I try to force a smile. "I'm fine."

"You're not fine," Orion says. "Baby, talk to me."

Another contraction chooses that time to hit and I realise that I can't hide it anymore.

I double over slightly, gripping Orion's arm.

"Okay," I gasp. "Maybe I'm in labor."

"WHAT?!" Orion's voice comes out as a near-shout and everyone turns to look at us.

"She's in labor!" Orion announces to the entire reception.

"Orion…" I call.

"We need to get to the hospital," he says, already calling his mom.

Diana is already besides me.
"Robert, get the car!" She orders.

"Everyone stay calm," I say, even though another contraction is building. "We have time. First babies take hours…"
Everyone is panicking and I can't join them.

"We are leaving now," Orion interrupts. "Right now."

Talia appears at my side. "Do you want me to come?" She offers but I shake my head.

"No, stay," I say. "Enjoy the reception. I'll call you when—oh God…"

The strongest contraction yet hits, and I feel something.

A gush of water down my thighs.

My water just broke?
On my wedding dress?
At my wedding reception?

"Okay," I say, trying to stay calm. "Now we should probably go."



Six hours later, I am in a hospital bed, exhausted and sweaty and in more pain than I've ever experienced in my life.

Orion hasn't left my side once.

He has held my hand through every contraction, wiped my forehead with a cool cloth and told me I'm doing amazing even when I cursed him out for getting me pregnant in the first place.

"One more push," Doctor Clara encourages me.
We chose her to be our attending doctor since she handled my first clinic and had been with me throughout.

"You're almost there, Bailey."

"I can't," I gasp. "I can't do it."

"Yes, you can," Orion says, squeezing my hand. "You're the strongest person I know. You can do anything."

"Easy for you to say," I pant. "You're not pushing a human out of your vagina." I yell at him.
He doesn't take offense in my outburst.

"I know, baby," Orion says. "And I'm so sorry but you've got this. One more push and we get to meet our baby." He encourages me.

I gather every ounce of strength I have left and push.

Then, suddenly, there's a sound.
It's the sound of a baby crying.

Our baby is crying.

"It's a girl," the doctor announces. "You have a daughter."

A daughter.

I collapse back against the pillows, tears streaming down my face.