The Smell Of Freedom
Lorelai
Three months later
Waking up on the Friday before the wedding, I walked out to the kitchen and placed a hand on his back, leaning in to give him a kiss on the cheek, Two cups of coffee sat out in front of the coffee pot ready to go. “Is this for me, handsome?”
“No, it's for the ghost sitting on the couch.” He turned toward me and leaned in to give me a kiss on the lips.
I scoffed and giggled returning his kiss. “Too bad. Ghost Rider is going to have to fetch his own.”
He chuckled and kissed my lips once more. “Don’t forget, we’re meeting Luciana and Marie for breakfast today. Do you want me to join you outside for our morning coffee?”
“Yes. That would be perfect, Mr. Montgomery.”
He kissed me once more. “I’ll be up in a few minutes, soon to be Mrs. Montgomery.”
I pecked his lips once more and smiled up at him. “I’ll meet you out there, gorgeous.”
He winked at me and I blew him a kiss with my lips before I disappeared.
Sitting down at our table, I thought back on the last three months. Our second summer together was a lot different from the first. We weren’t sneaking around, but our wedding plans had definitely gone into full swing. Marie was at my side helping me make every decision. Luci kept her distance after the result of Santino’s big exit. After telling Chris’s parents about the engagement, Chris and I made the decision together on having our small vintage themed wedding out in Napa at the Montgomery Vineyard. I met with Mrs. Montgomery on Saturdays down at the Clubhouse for breakfast to work on plans for the wedding. Checking off my list from location to catering, entertainment, themes/colors, ceremony styles, meeting with a pastor, my wedding dress, and dresses for Luciana and Marie, and the invitations had all been planned out. I wasn’t able to find it in myself to invite my parents to the wedding. There was so much animosity between us about Christopher in the beginning, and I knew they had their hands full and I wouldn't be surprised if they were trying to keep themselves afloat, dodging bullets with the government.
With my trust fund being cleared, I tried to tell Mrs. Montgomery, from the first time we met to talk wedding plans, that I could help pay for the wedding. She wouldn’t have it. The following day, Chris told me we had to go to Napa to meet with his parents and Nana and Papa for the “engagement party.” His parents and Nana and Papa were overjoyed to find out I was joining their family and insisted to pay every penny for our wedding. There was no arguing, and Chris seemed to find it adorable that I was trying and picked on me later about trying to question them. Needless to say, I was sitting on the couch, crossing my arms with a frumpy face, and one eyebrow raised at my fiancé as he continuously teased me.
The time flew, and Chris and I were both working full time jobs; and we used the evenings and weekends to spend quality time together. The cell phones he brought home have also allowed us to stay in touch during the busy work week. Chris is closer to the club and arrives home earlier than I do during the week. He has told me the atmosphere of the club has been eerily quiet. The men in the black suits disappeared and the Black Diamond Club was still present, but the traffic going in and out had slowed down from what he witnessed.
The cabin door opened and Chris made his way to our table. We sat and drank our morning coffee in silence for a few minutes before I felt him reach for my hand, grasping it gently. “What are you thinking about love?”
I brushed my thumb over his, examining just how perfect my hand fit into his. “About how much our lives have changed in a year. How my family, aside from Marie, have become like strangers to me, that last night was my last night I had to sleep on Cakes and Pies. Life doesn’t feel the same, but I’m also not sad about it. I’m thrilled and ecstatic and… hopeful for our future as Mr. And Mrs. Montgomery.”
He squeezed my hand and leaned over, kissing my cheek. “It’s wonderful, isn’t it?”
I turned my head and leaned my forehead against his, looking down into his piercing blue eyes. “It is,” I whispered.
He looked back at me for a moment as we shared a quiet peace-filled moment before he reached over taking the coffee cup from my hand. He stood up before he pulled me to my feet and pulled me down into his lap, sending me into a fit of giggles. I placed my hands on his cheeks and pressed a sweet gentle kiss to his lips. He wrapped me in his arms, groaning softly before he broke the kiss and reached for my coffee. “Almost forgot to give this back to you. I wouldn’t want to be stabbed for holding your coffee hostage.”
I tried to hold back a laugh and failed miserably. “What makes you think I would stab you?”
He raised an eyebrow toward me, and shifted his eyebrows back and forth before he grabbed his own coffee. “Do I need to answer that?”
I laughed, “Not if you know what’s good for you, you don’t,” I teased.
He chuckled lightheartedly. “So. Is everything ready to go for tomorrow tonight? The rehearsal dinner starts at six?”
“Yes, all of our bags are packed for the wedding and honeymoon; and all of our boxes are packed for the move, so we will have little to no responsibility after the ceremony.”
“Besides actually moving…,” he stated.
I smiled. “Exactly, which won’t be hard since most of our belongings are already moved.”
He smiles. “True. Perhaps we could take this love fest to the shower…”
“Mmmm…are you talking dirty to me, Mr. Montgomery?” I spoke above a whisper.
“Oh, definitely.” He breathed out against my ear.
I tipped the coffee cup back and drank it down. “I need more of that. Not coffee…the dirty talk,” I rambled out.
He tipped his head back in laughter, cradling me bridal style into his arms carrying me into the cabin toward the bathroom, where the dirty talk turned the volume up on the steamy shower for a few short minutes. He left me breathless and needing so much more, but we had a schedule to stick to for our big wedding weekend in Napa.
***
After we were showered and dressed, we walked hand in hand down to the boardwalk toward the cafe. We walked in to find Marie and Luci already sitting in a booth and sat down across from each other. I sat next to Luciana, while Chris sat next to Marie. “Hey. Sorry, were you guys waiting long?”
Marie smiled. “Nope. We sat down about five minutes ago,” she said as the waitress came with four coffees.
My eyes widened at the glorious coffee sitting in front of me. “And ordered us all coffee? Best soul sisters ever.”
Marie smiled. “Of course. I knew you’d make a scene if we didn’t.”
Luci rolled her eyes. “If you plan to have children, that coffee addiction is going to have to be cut down.”
Lorelai smiled. “Then I guess I better sip this easy.”
“What?” Marie and Christopher spat off in unison.
I looked to Luciana, whose face also fell, as I reached into my purse. “Twelve weeks to be exact,” I said, putting the sonogram down.
“Honey!” Chris gasped. “You didn’t… say… anything!” He choked out and leaned over with Marie to study the sonogram.
“I wasn’t going to until I knew we were almost out of the danger zone…” I whispered, tears flooding my eyes. “Next week, we’ll be out of the danger zone. The doctor is really happy with mine and the baby’s health, too.”
Chris stood up and came to my side of the table, placed a hand under my chin and pressed his lips to mine like his life depended on it.
Not hesitating for a damn second, I returned his kiss and placed a hand on his cheek.
Marie squealed looking at the photo. “What a cute little peanut!”
Chris broke the kiss and looked around at everyone staring. “It’s okay! Everything is fine! I just learned that I’m going to be a father!” he announced to the entirety of the cafe.
I giggled as everyone started clapping and cheering for us. “Christopher! Sit down!” I scolded him playfully.
He turned to me and scrunched his face in playful disgust. “I’m a proud baby daddy, okay?” he snapped and I shook my head.
“You better be!”
Luciana shook her head. “The world should be petrified.”
I looked at her. “Why? Because we’re fun and adventurous?”
“No, because that kid is going to have Castillo blood in it.”
I furrowed my eyebrows. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. I just meant, you can’t push me away now because that child is going to be spoiled by his Aunt Luci.”
I eyed Chris and Marie. “Right,of course. Well, let’s order.”
The waitress came by just on time to take our orders, and Luci looked at me. “So, Mom called me a few days ago.”
“Yeah? How is she doing?”
“Good. She couldn’t tell me where she and Dad were. She’s leaving me and Marie in charge of the yacht club. We’ve been working closely with Mom and Dad’s assistants to learn the ropes.”
“What happened to staying in the family business?” I asked.
“Taking a mandatory break.” She spoke quietly. “To learn the business.”
I nodded. “Good. This place seems a lot calmer lately.”
“It has been calm. It’s weird not having Mom and Dad around though.”
“It’s only for the best though, right?”
She nodded. “Yeah.” She paused, and looked at Marie. “Anyway, Marie. You said you were taking the dresses and decorations up to Napa? Is that already done?”
“Yes. I did it yesterday after work. Chris’s parents were at the vineyards and showed me the bridal room. Lor, you’re going to love it. The interior of that place is immaculate, and the views are gorgeous.”
I smiled. “I can’t wait.”
“So what’s the plan? Are we heading up there after we leave here?”
“Well. Chris and I have to finish taking boxes over to his parents' boathouse. They officially moved to the new house and we’re going to rent the boathouse for now.”
“Rent is a loose term there. My parents aren’t charging us much to stay. They were able to pay it off when they got the loan for their new house up on the hill.”
Marie smiled wide. “Your lives are shaping up. I’m so happy for both of you. A wedding, a house, and baby Montgomery is on his or her way? You two must be so thrilled!”
I smiled wide. “We are. We’re very happy.”
“You deserve it and Armani would be so damn proud.”
I sucked my lower lip in and nodded, looking at Luci. I was going to ask her if she agreed until I saw angry daggers being sent in Marie’s direction, and bit hard into my lip. A dark awkward silence came over the table for a few minutes before the food arrived and we all dug in to eat.
Luci asked for the check when the waitress came by, and gave her cash. “I hate to do this, but I need to go take care of a few things before I leave to drive up to Napa.” I stood up slowly as she hurried out of the booth.
“Okay.” I reached my arm out to hug her. “We’ll see you up there.” She gave me a quick hug. “See you,” she said before she disappeared toward the door.
I sat back down, looked at her plate that she barely touched, and looked from Chris to Marie. “She’s acting strange.”
“You think?” Marie retorted. “She’s been like that since we started training on the business. I think she’s up to something, but I have no idea what.”
The waitress came back and I gave her the money with the check. “Keep the change.”
She walked off and Chris, Marie and I made our way out of the cafe. As we exited, a parade line of yachts had set out on the bay. I held Chris’s hand, looking down to the end of the boardwalk to see that the entire Black Diamond Club had been unplugged and taken apart down to the sign on the archway.
Goosebumps raised up my arms and down my spine. Perhaps this was why Luci was acting so strange, the life she thought she was inheriting in honor of our parents' wishes was ripped out from under her and she was left running their boring, legal, nine to five business. I didn’t understand it myself, but I knew that our home of Sausalito would be a better place because of it.
We walked down to the docks where the business used to be ran and walked through them before we sat down and dangled our legs over one of the higher docks. Chris wrapped one arm around me, and placed the other on the small bump of my belly and smiled down at me. “You’re so sneaky, wife to be.”
I giggled. “Am I?”
“Yes, but I love it. I would be okay if you surprised me like that for every child we have, or plan to have.”
My smile widened as I looked up at him. “I think that could be arranged, Mr. Montgomery.”
Marie nudged me with her elbow gently and I looked at her. “Yes?”
“I don’t want to interrupt your love fest, but can we just take this in? We’re sitting inside of the very place the Black Diamond Club used to be.”
I inhaled a deep breath with her. “It feels… it smells like… Hmmm…”
We sat staring off at the distant line of yachts disappearing from our view, and spoke in unison, “Freedom.”