âItâs only been a month. Try not to get too ahead of yourself; there are still eight months left.â
Setting her down gently, Shawn wiped his eyes and sniffled. âIâm going to talk to your parents today about moving the wedding date up. I just canât wait any longer!â
Later that evening, the two families met up once again. Pregnancy before marriage made Katherine somewhat anxious about facing her parents.
Grasping her hand, Shawn said, âMr. and Mrs. Nash, forgive us. We let our emotions get the better of us. But Kathy and I are committed to caring for this child responsibly.â
On the drive over, Turner experienced mixed feelings of excitement and irritation. Everything with the wedding had been progressing smoothly until this sudden surprise.
He had only just accepted the reality of his daughterâs impending marriage. Yet now, Katherine was pregnant. Though Turner felt resentful, he chose to hold back his words. âYou two seem to have everything arranged, so we wonât meddle. Just make sure the wedding happens quickly, so Kathy can settle down comfortably.â
Agate remained cheerful, understanding the challenges of childbirth, and looked at Katherine compassionately.
Trying to ease the tension, Joelle chimed in, âMr. and Mrs. Nash, please relax. Iâll take care of the wedding plans for them. Itâs going to be a day to remember!â
âGood, everythingâs good.â
As Turner dabbed away tears, he felt a surge of conflicting emotions at the thought of his daughter marrying.
Once home, Joelle took charge of the wedding preparations. Having known Katherine intimately after years of friendship, she was familiar with her preferences. But precisely because they were long-time best friends, Joelle wanted to be extra careful and meticulous.
Joelle had been holed up in the study for several nights, meticulously planning the wedding. This left Adrian alone and restless in their bed.
By the fourth night, Joelleâs yawns were frequent, even at dinner, leading Leah to worry about her well-being.
âMaâam, it might be a good idea to turn in early tonight.â
âI canât,â Joelle responded, glancing at the wedding plans while eating.
Adrian had been incredibly supportive, enlisting top wedding designers from around the nation and compiling the best strategies. Yet Joelle sought something truly unique, using these contributions merely as a source of inspiration.
Catching Auroraâs eye, Adrian signaled to her, and she, playing the wise little adult, chimed in, âMommy, thatâs not good. Youâre not focusing at dinner!â
Joelle set aside her papers.
âAlright, I was wrong. From now on, letâs concentrate on our meal!â
After dinner, Joelle was back in the study. Her dedication surpassed even her days of auditioning for the international violin orchestra.
Adrian entered and took the pen from Joelleâs grasp.
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