Georgie was half-asleep herself, but she got in the car, helped with the airport where she showed Jeremy’s birth certificate. The spot for the father’s name was blank.
I cringed and hoped we could get that paperwork fixed.
I hadn’t asked to fix it or anything that required thinking this early. The moon was still in the sky when we shuffled through getting to the plane.
As we approached the terminal gate, I’d guessed I’d been recognized, but I kept my head down.
A boy three years older than Jeremy approached for an autograph and selfie. If I got the contract I’d wanted, soon we’d book a private plane, if we wanted. For the next few minutes, I was standing with the agents to sign boarding passes as autographs and take selfies.
Normally, I flew first class, but Southwest had no option. So, this morning I pasted on my smile.
Three hours into the flight, Georgie’d had enough sleep and coffee that she sat up. I’d scouted wedding packages while she’d been out of it and now she said, “We’re lucky he slept.”
They were both here with me, so everything was good, no matter what. If we ended up at a drive-through wedding and not one of the packages, I’d not complain too much. I’d have my family, but I put my coffee on her tray for her and said, “I’d have flown you first-class, but the first nonstop plane was first come, first served.”
“Next time.” She lifted her cheeks in that pretty smile of hers that made everything near her shine brighter. “We didn’t mind holding our seats as you autographed boarding passes.”
I showed her on my phone the packages I'd found as I said, “We’re almost at Vegas. Do you have a wedding theme you want?”
She scrolled the pages and said, “I am digging the gondola ride.” She pointed toward our son. “Would Jeremy be able to join us?”
His face was plastered to the plastic wall.
I nodded. “He’s on the small side. He can share my seat.”
The plane started the descent.
“It sounds pretty,” Georgie said.
Chosen then. The captain hadn’t said anything, so we had a few minutes. I typed in my credit card information and picked the package options, as she sipped the coffee. I finished right when the captain said, ‘No Electronics’ or whatever the spiel about descent is, but I held my phone a moment longer until I saw the confirmation page. “Done. It’s booked.”
She locked arms with me. As we landed, I said, “We get a two-night stay, but we can’t take that right now. When baseball season ends, in November, if we make the playoffs, we can decide where we want a proper honeymoon.”
“That’s a lot of detail.” She ran her hands through her brown hair. The plane was finally nearing land. “So what was included in that package you booked on the flight?”
I checked on my son who pivoted his head from the wall to his mother’s side as I said, “We have the wedding, the lunch, the limo to and from the hotel, so we just need a ring and a dress, and you have two hours at the spa to get yourself ready. Less, if taking the dress takes more than an hour. Once we finish, we have to get right back to the limo for the flight to Tulsa, so I can be there for the home game.”
“Got it. You are a planner,” she said as the wheels hit the ground.
Once we pulled into a gate, I said, “With details taken care of, we get better service and what we expect, without guessing.”
“I normally consult spreadsheets to make decisions, but at least you plan something. I’d panic if the plan was to show up and just see what’s available.”
I remembered that detail about her already, but her comfort with me was good.
We’d have a good life together and taking care of my family made me feel more grounded.
A few minutes later, we were off the plane. I held Georgie’s hand and she led our son with her other. Her hands were soft but capable as she said, “Jeremy will be bored if I’m getting hair, makeup, and a dress.”
“He can come with me.” The limo drove to pick us up, so we headed right to the Venetian, where they had everything for us in one place.
“What will you both do while I’m off getting pampered?”
One of the perks I’d offered, but the word pampered rubbed my skin like sandpaper. I said as I realized Jeremy was listening to music, “We’ll get our tux’s and he can help me pick out a ring and check everything is in order.”
We stepped inside, but she lowered her voice as the driver took off, so only I heard her, “You and he haven’t spent any time alone.”
“Until now.” I pressed my forehead to hers. I wanted my son to trust me just as I needed Georgie to. “We’re about to be a family.”
“Sounds good,” she said.
I nodded and said, “Perfect.”
The limo went to the front and she tugged the earbuds out as she said, “Jeremy, take those off.”
“What’s going on?” He asked and put his headphones away.
The driver opened my side and I slipped out as I said, “We’re at the hotel now.”
I waited near the door and took her hand. Jeremy saw us and his face was red. “Did I miss the wedding?”
We headed inside the hotel and went toward the wedding reception desk as I said, “No, you and I need to go find a ring and get tuxes.”
I gave my name and the girl behind the desk typed it in the computer. Then, two women came for Georgie in their uniforms and she hugged us both. I kissed her cheek though she hadn’t offered her lips as she said, “Have fun, you
