Sophie Love - Forever, Plus One

Daniel and Emily wended their way through the crowds as Amy popped Chantelle back down on her feet. They stopped beside her and Amy became instantly red.

Emily hugged her friend tightly. Then, as she released her from the embrace, she caught her eye and wiggled her eyebrows.

Amy’s blush deepened. “Em, Daniel, this is Harry. Harry, my best friend Emily and her husband, Daniel.”

Daniel shook Harry’s hand. “We’ve met before,” he explained. “I’m an old friend of George’s.”

“Of course!” Harry said, his eyes widening with surprise. “But it was a long time ago now.”

Daniel nodded. “I spent some years in Tennessee.”

Chantelle looked up at Harry and beamed then. “That’s where I get my accent from,” she said.

Harry smiled at her, seemingly taken by her spirit. Emily noticed his fingers re-entwining with Amy’s. She felt a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Behind them, the flag parade streamed past. Then the thirty-strong marching band started, blaring out “Hail to the Spirit of Liberty” in trumpets, French horns, and woodwinds. The crowd surged toward the road to get a better look.

“Do you come to the parade often?” Emily asked Harry as people filtered past her. She was eager to know more about him.

“Of course, every year,” Harry explained. “We come from military ancestry. Both on our mom’s side and on our dad’s side. So it means a lot to both George and I.”

Emily wanted to speak to him further but the band was fast approaching and the noise was too great. She fell silent and watched them, thinking, as she was here to do, of all the fallen men and women.

At last the band passed, but the noise didn’t lessen because hot on their heels came the antique fire truck procession, their bells clanging. It was a long stream of them, not just fire trucks but old military tanks, too, clanking and rattling along the road on caterpillar treads. It was quite a sight to behold. And with the heaving crowds, it felt very loud and chaotic. Emily wondered if her overwhelmed feeling was partly from the pregnancy hormones heightening her senses.

“We have to follow them to the park now,” Chantelle said, grabbing Emily’s hand. “ That’s where they’re doing the gun salute. Quick! I don’t want to miss it!”

She tugged, and Emily followed her. The huge crowd of people who’d been watching streamed into the park. Emily felt like she was in a river of people flowing along the streets, caught in a current. It was a somewhat claustrophobic feeling. The only thing grounding her was Chantelle’s hand squeezing hers tightly.

She looked around, searching for Daniel, Amy, and Harry. She caught sight of them being herded along with the flow of people. Harry was looking adoringly at Amy, a protective arm around her shoulders. Her expression was serene, as though she were completely lost in her happiness. Emily smiled again, realizing that Amy was completely smitten. She couldn’t wait to learn more about Harry once the noise and furor had died down.

As the crowds reached the park and dispersed, the others caught up with them. They huddled around the group of military personnel in uniforms, who had their guns pointed to the sky. Emily felt a sudden sense of anxiety at the thought of the loud noise. Though she knew it was perfectly safe she couldn’t help but worry now, knowing that it was more than her own safety that mattered. The power of her maternal instinct to protect her unborn child almost took her by surprise.

“Let’s stand a little way back,” she said aloud, hovering a foot or so behind the crowds, trying to take a step backward.

“But I can’t see,” Chantelle complained. She bobbed up and down on her tiptoes, frowning, eager to get nearer to the action.

“Daniel, can you take her closer?” Emily asked, finally staggering back enough to be beside the benches. She gripped the back of one to steady herself as a panicky sensation swept through her.

“But I want us to go to the front together,” Chantelle said, her voice verging on whining.

Daniel knelt down and looked Chantelle in the eye. Emily overheard him say in a hushed voice, “Remember our secret? Emily needs to be here, at the back. So either you come to the front with just me, or we all stay together. You can climb on the bench or get on my shoulders if you want a better view.”

Chantelle wasn’t to be convinced. She folded her arms petulantly and pouted.

“I didn’t know the baby meant we wouldn’t be able to have fun anymore,” she grumbled.

Emily tensed. Not because she was worried about Harry and Amy overhearing – she was certain with the volume of chatter they wouldn’t be able to pick Chantelle’s voice out of the crowd – but because she felt bad to have dampened Chantelle’s spirits. She didn’t want there to be any competition or animosity between Chantelle and the new baby. It mattered to her greatly that they had a harmonious family life. She hoped this was just a moment of teething problems, something that wouldn’t grow.

“Chantelle,” Daniel warned, clearly not impressed with her attitude.

Suddenly, the guns started firing. The noise was immense. Emily covered her ears with her hands, alarmed and exhilarated by the sheer volume. The crowd was stunned into silence as the explosive sound cracked through the sky. It felt as if everyone was gasping collectively.

Then the firing stopped and everyone began to clap and cheer.

Amy turned to face them, her eyes bright with exhilaration. “Wow, that was awesome,” she beamed.

Emily nodded, glad to see Amy had enjoyed her small-town parade experience. But she still hadn’t had a chance to speak to Harry and she was desperate to know more about him.

“We should all go and get lunch,” Emily suggested.

Even though Emily was feeling a little nauseous and the idea of lunch made her stomach turn, she didn’t want Amy to hurry off with Harry and deny her the chance to speak to him properly.

Chantelle cheered up instantly at the suggestion. Everyone agreed it was a good idea.

As they left the crowds behind and ambled slowly along the roads, Emily wondered how well she’d be able to refrain from blurting out the news of her pregnancy to her closest friend. But then she realized that Amy would likely guess all on her own. Not just because she was intuitive but because all it would probably take was for Emily to turn down a glass of wine for her to guess. She felt a sudden sense of excitement as she realized that very soon someone she dearly loved would be party to her news.

She couldn’t wait to see Amy’s reaction.

As part of the Memorial parade, an outside barbecue had been set up, with picnic benches to eat at. Emily thought it a rather fitting test for Amy, who was so used to dining in swanky New York City establishments. But Harry was a local, like Daniel, like she and Chantelle had now become, and he was enthusiastic about the prospect of eating outside. Emily noted the way Amy looked visibly distressed as it dawned on her that she was the odd one out and wouldn’t be able to persuade anyone to eat elsewhere.

They took one of the benches at the end of the row, furthest from the busy streets, the music, and celebrations, where it was quieter. Daniel and Harry went off to order them all hot dogs and soda, leaving Chantelle, Amy, and Emily to catch up.

“It’s so nice to see you,” Emily said to Amy. “And to see you so happy,” she added, knowingly.

Amy blushed and replied rather stiltedly, “Yes. Well.”

“You fit in with the Sunset Harbor crowd now,” Chantelle said with a grin.

Emily smirked. “I agree wholeheartedly. You’re right at home here.”

Amy’s blush deepened. She was clearly very uncomfortable with the whole situation.