“That was the most disturbing night of my life,” Liberty yawned, leaning her head against Dom’s shoulder. His head was already leaned back and his eyes were closed.

“Yeah…’snot even over yet.”

“God,” she moaned, yawning again. “I hope Billy got on the plane okay.”

“Must have,” Dom yawned, turning in his seat so his whole body was facing hers. “Now cuddle up to me so I can get some sleep.” She did so and he pulled her into him, sighing contently.

*

“That looks mysteriously like a corset,” Liberty said, tapping Raya’s drawing with her fingernail. The two of them, and Liv, were having their girls day out; Liberty and Raya were going over plans for the dress, which would have to be finalized very shortly.

“We’ve been over this,” Raya responded shortly. “It’ll make you look about fifty times better. And it’ll make you feel all the more better when Dominic can finally rip you free of it. Trust me, it makes the honeymoon all the better.”

Liberty rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of a blush on her cheeks; she sipped her coffee, for lack of something better to do.

Liv chuckled slightly, but covered it up by coughing. “Are you ready to get married?”

“Is anyone ever really ready?”

“I was,” Raya said, not looking up from her drawing; she was making some adjustments.

Liberty sighed, but smiled. “I think I’m ready, yeah. I mean, if I weren’t, I wouldn’t have been the one to suggest a date and all that. He let me decide when, and so I must be ready, right?” She was trying desperately to sound like she was positive, but she looked frightened and worried.

Slowly, Liv replied, “Yes” which was accompanied by a pat on the hand and a small smile of encouragement.

Only time would tell, of course…for the wedding was slowly approaching. And the faster it came, the more nervous Liberty became, and the more excited Dom seemed to be.

******

“Why is it that I look more nervous than you do?” Billy asked, his voice carrying an odd edge that suggested he’d either had way too much caffeine, or he was really very nervous.

Dom, looking in the mirror, adjusted his tie, “I’ve been preparing for this day since I met Liberty. Probably you haven’t.”

“It’s not likely, no.”

“Calm down, Bill. Everything will be perfectly fine.”

Billy spun Dom around to face him and slapped his face, hard. Dom cringed and his mouth dropped open, but before he could speak, Billy starting squealing, “Haven’t you thought that maybe the bride will leave you at the altar!? What if she takes too many of Raya’s valium and passes out!? What if Anaka makes an unscheduled appearance and claims to have given birth to your love child!? What if Elijah starts freaking out and saying he’s in love with you?! Or what if Priya forgets to throw the flowers down from her little basket!?”

After several shocked moments, Dom burst out laughing; hysterical bellows of laughter were soon filling the room. “You’re not serious.”

“I bloody well am completely and utterly serious, Dominic Archibald Monaghan.”

Dom stopped laughing abruptly, “Well, there’s no need to use my middle name. Calm down, now.” He sighed heavily, “First of all, the bride will not leave me at the altar, and if she does…fine. We’ll deal with it. I’ll go on an alcoholic binge and check myself into rehab and finally be like everyone else in Hollywood. Secondly, Raya doesn’t even take valium. Thirdly, Anaka and I have never had relations, therefore she cannot claim to have given birth to my love child. Fourthly, Elijah is straight and very much NOT in love with me. Fifthly, can you even imagine Priya forgetting something as important as that?” He shoved Billy into a chair and nodded in a final type way.

“Well, maybe Elijah’s in love with Liberty?” Billy squeaked when Dom had returned to the mirror.

Turning to face him with a very harsh glare, Dom muttered, “Cut it out, Boyd. You’re grasping at straws. I‘m going to go and track down Elizabeth to see if she can settle you down.”

“Don’t bother,” Billy replied feebly. “Lizzie’s not here yet. She rang my mobile a minute ago and said she’s stuck in traffic.”

“Then I’ll get Viggo. He’ll calm you down.”

Billy yelped, “No! Not Mortensen! He’ll have my little Pippin feet hung up from the rafters for talking nonsense to you on your wedding day!”

“Then stop,” Dom laughed. “Where’s bloody Orlando, anyway?”

“Probably he and Raya have found a nice broom closet to get a head start on Bloom number 4.”

“She’s still pregnant with Bloom number 3. How is that even possible?”

“It’s not. I was being funny to try and make myself stop shaking.”

“Oh.” Dom surveyed Billy’s obviously shaking hands, “Nice work.”

Meanwhile…

“I think I’m going to throw up,” Liberty muttered, pressing a cold cloth to her head and sighing heavily.

Raya, with three-year-old Priya on her hip, tutted, “Liberty. Stop it, you’ll be fine.” She glanced at one-year-old William, who was snoozing in his stroller.

“I won’t,” she shook her head. “I swear I’m gonna throw up, Raya.”

“I’ll get a bucket…or something,” Alexia said, pulling her skirt up and bustling from the room.

“Do you have morning sickness?” Raya asked, grinning as she pulled a comb through Priya’s hair. Raya was just starting to show, being four months pregnant with their third child and Priya was ecstatic about it, always asking when it would come out of her mummy’s tummy. Orlando was fretting about Raya as usual, proffering fruits, but Raya could only seem to eat things that were bad for her like chocolate, potato chips and on occasion, red meat which she hadn‘t been too fond of before the pregnancy. She had a box of cookies and a roast beef sandwich next to her purse and Will’s bottle.

Liberty shot her an agitated look, “No. I am not pregnant, thank you very much.”

“Well, I just assumed, you know. Since you finally agreed to marry Dominic. I figured it was because, as Billy would say, you were knocked up.”

Liberty rolled her eyes as Priya fidgeted to be put down. Raya set her softly on the carpeted floor and watched happily as she twirled around in her flower girl dress. Jackson, Liberty’s half brother who had just turned seven, was the ring barer and was hanging out with the men in the other room. Skylar, Liberty’s good friend from University, came in carrying a bouquet of pink roses, her dress swishing about her knees as she walked.

“You still look pale,” she said in her high society British accent. She took a few tissues and dabbed at Liberty’s face. “You’re makeup should be redone.”

Liberty groaned and put her head onto the table; Skylar and Raya exchanged looks.

“Can’t this day be over yet?” She groaned, not picking her head up.

“This is supposed to be the happiest one of your life!” Raya chastised, tutting.

“It is, but I’m so tired, and I don’t feel very well, and…”

“Oh, Jesus,” Raya muttered, rushing to Liberty’s side. “You’re pregnant!”

“I am not!” Liberty retorted, lifting her head up; she didn’t look too well, she was very pale and her eyes were glassy. “I’m PMSing, so it’s not possible.”

“Do you have proof that you’re PMSing?”

“Ew, Raya, that’s gross. I am not proving to you that I’m not pregnant.”

“Check her bag,” Skylar suggested. “If there are any tampons, then she’s not lying.”

Liberty sighed, rolled her eyes, and leaned over to hand Raya her bag. “While you’re in there, could you toss me a couple Midols? Thanks.”

“Well, this will be romantic, won’t it.” Raya handed the pills over while Skylar bustled over with a glass of water. She set the bag down and shook her head. “This is very sad, indeed.”

“I don’t want to get into this, but don’t worry. This is my last day of it, so I’ll be okay in a couple of hours.”

“Thank God,” Raya replied, sinking into a chair and fanning her face. “I was so frightened for Dominic.” Liberty gave her a look. “And, you of course. Yes.”