All I Ask Is... Why?

THREE MONTHS LATER...


I must have stood staring at myself in the mirror for about an hour and a half. I just couldn't adjust to the image of my eight month pregnant body. My belly was already looking like an over sized balloon and my belly button poked out about a quarter of an inch. Each month that Zacky was gone on tour, I would take pictures of myself and tell him that he did this to me. Often I would refer to it as a funny joke, but when I hit the mood swings, I send it in all capital letters and like ten exclamation marks. After a while he started getting used to my mood swings and would try to make me laugh instead of ignoring me. That's what I loved most about him, he could make me laugh no matter how angry or upset I was. Today was my final doctor's appointment for the month and I am very excited as to seeing how our baby girl is doing. Evelyn was too busy cleaning and Valary was out visiting her parents with River for the day so I had to face this appointment alone. Which isn't so bad, but today I was beyond nervous and I had no idea why. Maybe the fact that I am going to marry Zacky when he gets home next week and the fact that we are closer to becoming parents are settling in and causing me to feel this way. I have no clue.


I made my way over to the hospital after an hour of bedrest and my doctor, Dr. Haboski, greeted me right away. "Good afternoon Mrs. Baker. It's nice to see you again." She smiled at me. Dr. Haboski is such a big fan of myself and Avenged Sevenfold that she grew a bit nervous each time she saw us. Since finding out that I was pregnant, it's almost as if she expected us to be married so she called us by Mr. and Mrs. Baker. I smiled back at her and walked with her to the small room down the hallway. As I made myself comfortable, she started asking questions. "So, how are you feeling?"

I sighed. "Well, since Zack left for the tour it's been pretty hard. I've been getting sick a lot and throwing up almost everything that I eat or drink for the past couple of days. I am fearing that there is something wrong with me that could be affecting the baby."

She nodded slightly as she listened to every word that I was saying. "Well, during pregnancies it is possible to get a stomach virus more than once, it has happened before. When was the last time that you felt like this?"

"About three or four months ago. I figured it had to do with something Zack and I ate at a restaurant the night before because we both caught it."

"Okay, my best guess is that nothing bad is going on that could harm the baby, but I will have to take some tests just to be sure." She said as she wrote everything down in her folder.


After two of the longest hours of my life, Dr. Haboski made her way back into the room after gathering her final test results. "Well, as I suspected, nothing is wrong with the baby. You however, do have a bad case of the stomach virus. I am going to prescribe you with antibiotics that are safe for the baby, as long as you take one every twenty-four hours. And drink plenty of fluids, my suggestions are water and juice. And try sticking to eating soup and crackers for a little while. Because exposing the sickness to the baby any more is more harmful than exposing an antibiotic."

"Thank you Dr. Haboski." I smiled at her.

She smiled back at me. "No problem." We both stood up and she gave me a hug goodbye.
"If there's any trouble at all, don't be afraid to give me a call so I can squeeze you in."

We pulled apart and I gathered my purse from the small bed. "Thank you again. Until then, I have a wedding to prepare for." I flashed one more smile at her.

She gave me a thumbs up in excitement. "Go get him! And I expect to see pictures when you get back from your honeymoon."

"Will do. Bye." I said as I walked out of the door, hearing her tell me to take care before I closed the door behind me.

On my way back into town, I stopped at a near pharmacy to drop off my prescription note and pick up my antibiotics. While I waited for my antibiotics to be ready, I called Evelyn to see what she was up to. The phone rang three times before she answered. "Hello?"

"Hey sis. What are you doing?"

"Unloading the last bit of junk we have into the new house. It's coming along nicely. I'm just going to wait until the guys get home for them to finish placing the rest of the furniture in the house." She laughed. "What are you up to?"

"I just left from seeing the doctor. Now I'm here picking up my antibiotics that she prescribed me."

"Antibiotics? Are those even safe to take during a pregnancy?"

"Well she told me it is, and that if I didn't then exposing the baby to the sickness any further would be more harmful to her than the antibiotics."

"Well, if she says so. So are you excited for the wedding next week?"

"I'm very excited for the wedding. But I'm even more excited for Zacky to come home. I miss him a lot."

She sighed. "I know how you feel, I miss Brian so much and I can't wait for him to come home."

"Yeah, so when are you two going to start having babies? You guys are going on a year in three months."

She laughed. "Well, we just started by moving in together. I think the plan is to get married first and then start having babies. But that probably won't happen any time soon."

"Well sis, it just might have to. His nearly hitting his mid-thirties, and once he reaches his forties he has to start thinking of the alternative of starting a family of his own one day. He can't stay a bachelor forever and he probably won't be the eye candy of the group forever either."

"That is true, but we just aren't ready right now to be thinking about having babies. Maybe one day."

"Yeah." Just then I heard my name get called to pick up my antibiotics. "Well sis, are you too busy today?"

"Not really. Why?"

"I was hoping that we could go look around for a wedding dress today."

"Yeah! Just let me know when you are ready to go."

"Okay, well I am going to go home and get ready and then I will call you when I am on my way."

"Okay cool. Later sis."

"Later."


A few hours later...



"Eve, I think I found the one I want!" I said as I looked at myself in the mirror in the fitting room. The dress was very simple, but it also adjusted well with my baby bump. The dress was a pearl color because it would've made no sense if I walked down the isle in a white dress with my baby bump showing. Down the middle of the back of the dress, it seemed to split apart to show sheer with beading all the way to the small of my back. The dress was gorgeous and I wanted it. Zacky gave me his credit card to use strictly on the wedding and I was never one to break my promises, I wasn't going to break this one because then it would make me feel like I am giving him a reason to not trust me.

"Well, I want to see!" Evelyn said in anticipation. I walked out of the dressing room and one of the ladies that worked in the bridal store, placed a long veil on top of my head. When I came into full view of Evelyn, she looked at me and she gasped. "Wow. You look gorgeous!"

"You think so?" I smiled.

She nodded. "Zacky is going to lose his mind when he sees you."

Finally, after three long hours, I finally found the dress I want. This made me so excited for next week.


ONE WEEK LATER...


"Mercedes! Where are the flowers for the bridesmaids? I can't find them!" Evelyn shouted from down the hall. I sat in the dressing room for almost an hour to let Valary perfect my hair, she's been working on this style for so long that she couldn't wait to use it on me and it was only halfway done. Evelyn bursts into the room in her purple maid of honor dress and black stiletto heels that had straps going all the way to the knees. She said that she knew it would tease Brian if he saw her wearing them. Whatever. "Mercedes? You're still not dressed? You're getting married in two hours! You can't be late to your own wedding!"

"Evelyn stop freaking out! I'm the one getting married not you." I scolded at her reflection in the mirror.

She scoffed a little. "Well yes but I am the maid of honor. Meaning I am second in command to the bride, and when the bride is getting ready then that automatically puts me in charge."

"Whatever you say Evelyn." I chuckled.

"Alright. Looks like I am about done with your hair and makeup, now it's time for the dress!" Val exclaimed in excitement.

We spent the rest of the two hours preparing for the moment that I walk out. Evelyn was my maid of honor, and Val, Lacey, and Kimberly were my bridesmaids. Brian was Zacky's best man, and Matt, Johnny, and Arin were the groomsmen. After Zacky took his spot next to the minister when the guests were settled, the bridesmaids and groomsmen were the next to step out into the scenery of the evening beach pier. The night couldn't have looked more perfect. The sun was setting and the guests were waiting in anticipation for me to arrive. After Brian and Evelyn made their walk down the isle, Brian left her in her place and quickly turned back around to get me. I stayed sitting and staring at myself in the mirror. I couldn't have been more nervous to get married. The baby was kicking really hard and I almost lost my breath in anticipation until I heard a knock at my door and it made me jolt a little. "Oh, uh, it's open!"

Brian walks in with a smile. "Hey Mercedes, are you ready?"

I sighed. "As ready as I will ever be." Silence filled the room and Brian could tell that I was a little tense.

"What's wrong?"

I took a moment and sighed once more. "Brian, what if I'm not a good wife? What if I'm not a good mother? What if after the honeymoon and the baby being born, Zacky decides that he hates me?"

Brian raised an eyebrow. "Mercedes, you're just getting pre-marital jitters. All these crazy thoughts start taking over and if not given the proper talking to, you will get cold feet. Zacky loves you and I know that because he thinks about you every day. He did when we were on tour and he does even when he's around you. I see it. And I'm sure nothing and no one in this world is going to take the love that he has for you away from him." He smiled at me.

No wonder why Evelyn loves him so much, Brian has his way with words. I smiled back at him. "You're right. I guess I'm just really nervous about getting married and having the baby, that I almost forgot that Zacky and I love each other more than ever."

"Don't be so nervous. Just take a deep breath or two and when you are ready I will walk you down the isle to your husband." He then places a light kiss to my forehead and I smile at him.

"Thank you. And I know that the father or the brother or at least a male family figure is supposed to walk the bride down the isle, but you're the closest thing that I have to any of that. And I want to thank you for that, and for taking care of my sister. She pretty much worships the ground you walk on."

He chuckled a little. "And I love her just as much. You and Evelyn mean so much to me, and I didn't want to fuck this up. I know it's important to you and I know Zacky or any of the guys would've done the same for her if she and I were getting married."
I nodded in agreement and slowly stood up and gathered my bouquet together. I took one last look in the mirror and sighed. "Okay, I'm ready."



Brian and I walked arm and arm with each other all the way down the isle as the song "Here Comes the Bride" played through the speakers. Almost the entire time I spent looking at the floor until I was about five feet away from Zacky. I looked up at him and he was dressed in a black tuxedo with a purple tie. He flashed the biggest smile at me and I felt a smile form from ear to ear on my face. My heart was pounding really hard and the baby was kicking just as hard. When we reached the end of the isle, Brian gave me a small kiss to my cheek and gave me away to Zacky. He and I stared at each other with big smiles never leaving our faces. I've never felt so in love before in my life. After repeating our vows to each other after the minister. Zacky and I placed on our wedding bands. "By the power vested in me by the state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." He says to Zacky with a smile.

Zacky and I kiss each other passionately as everyone began to cheer and applaud in the background, but in that brief moment, it was just me and him. When we pulled apart for a second, he smiled at me once more. "I've always wanted to do this." The then takes me in both arms and dip kisses me enough to where I wouldn't hurt my back. I giggled a little during the kiss and he smiled as the cheering grew louder.

The rest of the ceremony was spent in Brian and Evelyn's new home where fresh homemade food was made from most of the women in the house. The dancing and music as well as everything else was taken care of in the backyard. I tossed my bouquet and Evelyn caught it. When it was time to take off my garter, Zacky went underneath my dress and pulled it off of my leg with his teeth, sending me chills. He tossed it to the group of guys and none of them caught it. Instead they all stared at it as it hit the floor. Finally Brian was the one to pick it up once they were all done with a quick laugh. The rest of the night was spent with everyone and Zacky and I made the decision not to go anywhere until the baby was born. Around midnight, we all decided that it was time to head home. Zacky rented a limo and carried me bridal style all the way into the limo. Once we waved goodbye to everyone, I rested against Zacky and he wrapped his arms around me, taking me away with a passionate kiss. "I love you Mrs. Mercedes Baker." He said with a smile.

I smiled back at him. "And I love you, Mr. Zachary Baker."

Notes

Okay loves, you've twisted my arm :) I have decided not to end the story here. And I decided to turn the fifteenth chapter into a long awaited Mercedes chapter. I hope it didn't disappoint. Look forward to posting the sixteenth chapter! By the way, check out my new story "When We Were Young..." I will be working on that one as well as soon as this writers block goes away. Enjoy deathbats! <3