Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 227 -

Весса.

"James's proposal was amazing," I gushed to Madeline, my heart still warm from what James had done. Including the family really touched my soul. Seeing Dahlia and Alessandro there made me break down crying in the best of ways even more so than if James had been alone.

The nanny smiled at me brightly, currently sharing tea with me in the living room. She nodded, a glimmer in her eyes as she heard me speak. She'd been involved too, I knew, and had done a great job of distracting me. Her conversation about a baby shower was legit, though.

"I'm so happy for you, Becca," she said, leaning over to pat me on the shoulder and shaking me a bit. "The kids were thrilled to be involved, too. Did you see their little faces light up? They may not have known what was going on, but they definitely felt the happy energy.

My smile widened, and I nodded. She was right, that was for sure. James had made me a home-cooked meal, one of my all-time favorites, following the proposal. I'd played with the kids, talking to them about how we were going to be a happy family.

They didn't understand what I was saying then, but they would later in life! I chuckled and reached up to wipe away a tear, feeling very warm. "I'm glad I came around," I confessed, letting out a sigh. "I think I lost myself for a while there, with everything going on."

"Sometimes it takes a reminder, or anchor, to stay on earth. We can be swept away by many things, but that's just human nature," Madeline said, taking a sip of her tea and leaning forward. She was relaxed and happy to keep me company while I took a break out here.

I still wanted to look into Guatemala, but not go there physically. That required a lot of research, but I could hopefully handle it remotely. I needed to replace other people to help me, though, like locals and others very experienced in this sort of thing.

With that thought in mind, I decided Italy wasn't so bad. There hadn't been anything terrible that happened aside from the Allison incident, and that wasn't due to James's mafia times. Allison was an unhinged ex set loose by the Cartwrights, simply put.

I refocused and said, "Sometimes it does, you're right. I was a bit snappy and cold to James for a while there, but he was the same to me. Still, it was a cycle where we were both pretty tense for a while. I was very worried about his family business, but things really are quiet now."

Madeline nodded, saying, "Some issues are hard to avoid, but love and family tend to prevail. At least, that's what I've seen." She smiled. "Now you can focus on a wonderful, beautiful wedding. Do you have any ideas?" "Well," I said, blushing a bit, "as you know from James's proposal, my favorite color is pink. I think I will get a very detailed, beautiful pink dress with rose designs on it, if I can replace one. I'm sure I can get one custom-made, and I have the money."

"I can't wait to see it! You'll share pictures, right?" Madeline asked, causing me to nod. I planned on hiring a professional photographer for the ordeal. The night was going to be a magical one, with me, James, Dahlia, and Alessandro. I couldn't wait.

"I will," I said. "But you're invited too, Madeline, if you would like to come! You've done so much for me and are wonderful with the kids. It would be silly not to invite you if you wanted to come to the wedding, of course."

"To nanny the children, right?" she laughed, her tone a teasing one. She winked at me, then grew serious. "I'm honored Becca, really. These kids are little angels, even if a bit rowdy sometimes. They must take after their rambunctious, but thoughtful, parents."

I couldn't help but return a wide smile, chuckling at her teasing. "You'll be just the right person to watch the kids at the wedding," I said, kidding, of course. "In all seriousness, though, you'll be able to relax. I'll hire someone to be at their beck and call so you can have plenty of wine."

"I like the sound of that!" Madeline said, reaching over to pat me on the shoulder. She finished up her last few sips of tea before standing up and turning to the kitchen so that she could put it into the sink. "I'm going to head back to the nursery. Make sure to get plenty of rest!"

She reminded me of that much on the regular, but I appreciated it. "I will!" I said. Soon, I finished up my tea and stood up, heading to the other room and sitting down at the computer. Two thoughts were on my mind. Firstly, should I invite Antoinette, or count her out?

There was also the matter of the maid of honor. I frowned deeply, my heart clenching as I realized I didn't know who to even have as a maid of honor. I'd lost so many people in my life either through true death or going separate ways in an unsavory fashion.

Tally was the former, which to this day still caused me to tear up a little as I thought of that. She could have been my maid of honor, and Alessandro would be well-supported and loved by her. She was one of the many I'd lost. We hadn't always gotten along, but we'd been good friends for so long.

Layla and Allegra were gone. I swallowed, the thought of what Layla had done still causing me to tear up from time to time. She and I had been so close. She loved the kids and had been a wonderful nanny. But, like many others in the past, she was gone in a different way than Tally.

My thoughts fell upon Madeline. She was adapting to the house well, and a wonderful nanny. We hadn't known each other for long enough, though. I didn't consider her a friend yet. We were often too busy to cross paths, anyway, and she went to do her own thing when I spent time with the kids. She was also a lot older than me.

Biting my lip, I felt a sense of sorrow at all of this. I was finally going to get a huge celebration of James and my relationship, only to be scrambled at the most basic of things. Letting out a sigh, I walked into my bedroom and sat down. Who would be up for the task? I wracked my brain, deciding to tackle the other issue on my mind first. I grabbed my phone and stared at it. Antoinette had been conversing with me through text lately, and it'd gone pleasant. She really did value our friendship during my time in New York. I could tell by how she worded things that she still really regretted not doing more when faced with the other wives. Peer pressure could be a bitch.

I told myself over and over that I understood, but did I, really? I didn't recall ever being in a similar situation before. Everyone worked differently, and she had apologized so many times. I could just stop talking to her if this all bothered me too much.

Finally, I made my decision on that end. I grabbed my phone and texted: "Hello, Antoinette. James and I are getting married soon. I would like to send you an invitation if you think you'd be able to come all of this way to attend." That out of the way, I still had the maid of honor issue. I reached up and scratched my head, trying to think of the perfect person for the task. Then, it clicked.

Sophia.

She was a true friend, and she had predicted my pregnancy. Not that such a thing was a huge deal, but I just felt a weird, positive connection to her. We were in tune, as some people said. She would be the perfect maid of honor. I began to dial her number, then placed the phone against my ear. It rang once, twice, three times, before she answered. "Hello?" asked Sophia, sounding happy to be speaking with me.

"Hey, Sophia," I said. "James proposed, and I wanted to know if you could be my maid of honor. No pressure, but I would love it if you would." There was silence at the other end after I said that, causing me to swallow. Would she decline? "Becca," Sophia said, her tone hinting at excitement. "I would be honored. You really are a wonderful person, you know that? It means a lot to me for you to ask me that," she said. "He proposed? You'll have to tell me all about it.' She probably knew-just like she'd known I was pregnant, but I let her bask in her victory with a small smile. "I'll tell you the entire story the next time we see each other again," I said. I heard her squeal happily on the other line, and chuckled. “I can't wait. I will keep in close touch with you, Becca. I'm looking forward to being your maid of honor. If there is any other way I can help, please let me know. Oh, this is going to be so wonderful!" Sophia said, her voice warm. We chatted for a little while longer until I bid her goodbye. She had work to do, and told me that once I decided on a date, I should let her know so that she could prepare to take work off. I confirmed I would for her, then hung up the phone. Feeling all warm and fuzzy, I made my way to the bathroom, catching my reflection in the mirror. Those deep circles under my eyes I saw so much were starting to fade, causing my smile to widen. Carrying a baby would take its toll on me, that I knew, but at least I was getting sleep.

Nights when I was tossing and turning were stressful, and I never got as much as I wanted to get done the next day. My family was safe, and while that incident with Allison haunted me, I could move on with my life as a big happy family. A text came in from Antionette, one I picked up and read. She said, "I would love to come to your wedding, Becca! Stay on your toes, though. The Wives and Cartwrights are scheming something. Your name has come up a few times." I swallowed hard then told myself the Cartwrights were out of people to send after me unless they hired someone. Which was entirely possible. I texted back confirming that I would be careful. Having her as an acquaintance again was helpful for things like this.

Maybe our friendship could even be mended in the future. I hoped she would pay close attention and let me know what she meant by scheming something. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. But they also had to be running out of resources fast, too.

One could only hope.