Chapter 43: Chapter 43

Cassandra's POV

Five days prior to our wedding, Julian drove us to his parent's house in Southampton. We had packed enough for a week's stay. Nora came along with us too. Max was excited to meet his cousins Arielle and Alexander, having bonded with them on quite a few occasions when they met.

The house looked beautiful in the glowing light of the setting sun, with an all-white gazebo built at the end of a paved pathway. It looked so romantic that it took my breath away. Decorative lights and foliage were being installed everywhere. Lots of white chairs and tables were present beside the gazebo, to be arranged later. White, plum, and purple-colored tulle fabric were being bunched and fixed together with artificial floral garlands. The color combination had been my favorite and mom and Azura had appreciated my taste. Now seeing it all come into shape, gave me a giddy feeling of intense joy. It was looking beautiful indeed.

A tent was being fixed on the lawn overlooking the private beach for the Reception party. A grand entrance was being constructed too for the tented reception party area with curtains elegantly pulled back by foliage and accented by topiaries and candles. Julian too loved the decorations and ideas.

"Wow! Whose ideas are these?" he asked curiously.

"Mine but executed by mom and Azura," I said proudly making Julian smile appreciatively. "I never expected them to come out so well."

Julian carried a sleepy Max and led me into the house, where mom was busy overlooking the work in the kitchen. She rushed forward to greet us, "Oh, wow, you're glowing Cassie!" said mom, and I smiled thanking her. "Give Max to me." mom took Max in her arms and showered him with kisses. "Martha will feed and then put Max to bed in the nursery with Arielle and Alexander," she said as she called Martha and instructed her.

Then turning towards Julian, "Jules, take Cassie to your old room, she might need to freshen up," mom said as Julian nodded at her and led me upstairs to his room. We freshened up quickly, as our luggage was already placed in the room. It felt so good to be home with him.

"A few weeks back I was contemplating what our wedding would be like, what our future would look like after seeing Stefan's and Tristan's wedding. Now it's already ours already and everything has taken shape so well, just like a dream. Can you believe it?" I asked Julian as we watched the decorations take shape outside on the lawns through the full-length glass-tinted windows. He smiled and pulled me into a warm embrace.

"I wanted this to happen long back but Tristan's wedding came up, then Desmond's threats, so I had to postpone everything," he said as he rested his chin on my shoulder. I looked up into his eyes with surprise.

"Oh, you did? Here I was going crazy thinking why you wouldn't propose. None of the family was helping my situation with their constant queries but I'm glad now that we waited for things to be sorted out," I told him.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I thought we would grow old waiting for each other," he said with a chuckle. I smiled back, smacking his arm playfully.

"I'm glad that we're finally getting married before growing old," I told him. "In fact, I just noticed that it's going chronologically, first Claire, the Stefan, then Tristan, and now you," I pointed out making him smile at the realization.

"I know, it is all destiny. Although we had to wait a bit, I'm still the happiest man alive," he grinned, "I would be the happiest man in the universe, if I get something special, right now," he added, leaning in closer. Knowing Julian, I was expecting that sentence and chuckled knowingly.

"I wonder what makes you laugh!" he rolled his eyes making me chuckle more.

"You won't be able to digest so much happiness," I said grinning as I pushed him away and escaped out.

He groaned following me out. "It's due then? I will take what is rightfully mine, mind you." His threat echoed in the corridor and I smiled with excitement. With everyone around, I couldn't even think of giving him whatever he was asking for now although I would have loved to. They would be the death of me with their crazy teasings.

I went downstairs, followed by a grinning Julian, excited to see what preparations were going on. Apart from Tristan and Amelia the others had already arrived.

Dinner was ready and we were waiting for Tristan and Amelia to arrive. Max was well fed and in the nursery playing, when I checked him last, all his sleepiness vanished the moment he saw his cousins. Nora and Beth were there to look after them, so I came downstairs and went to the kitchen, looking for mom. I found her there, busy chatting with Martha and Amelia. Amelia hugged me when I went in, "When did you come?" I asked her.

"Five minutes back," she answered. "You were busy in the nursery so I didn't bother you."

"Anna will be delivering her twins before her due date," said mom, and Martha nodded while arranging all the crockery and cutlery together to carry out to the dining table. We were all ears, especially Amelia who was due next.

"In a fortnight or so," said Martha as Amelia's eyes widened with dread.

"And me?" She asked scared of what she would hear. It was all a first time for us girls and it was natural to be scared of childbirth.

"You have a month left," said mom as she heaved a sigh of relief.

"Are the decorations to your liking, Cassie?" Mom asked me.

"Yeah, I love them, thank you so much," I told her.

She smiled and said, "I'm glad you like them."

Tomorrow would be my bridal shower and they all animatedly planned it over dinner with everyone pitching in their ideas. I sat dumb and listened to their wild planning. With Julian sitting next to me, I could feel his warm hand on my thigh as he wrote 'Let's go' over and over again. I knew what he was hitting at but obviously, I couldn't just get up in the middle of dinner and flee to our room with him! My cheeks flushed with color even thinking about it.

Finally, the plans were all made although half of it didn't register in my head with Julian getting impatient beside me. When he started writing in Capital letters with frustration, everyone got up. Julian was about to make a dash for our room when I started helping clean up. He groaned and helped as well making everyone stifle their giggles.

Finally, I walked over to the staircase, ready to go into our room when Julian grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs before I changed my mind. The moment Julian closed the door, he turned towards me, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "Time to make me the happiest man in the universe," he said, approaching me with dark l*st-filled eyes. My jaws dropped knowing that this was what the hurry was all about. I was surprised that he even remembered it, I had completely forgotten in my excitement.

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