ASHLEY'S POV :

      I reach into the trunk to help CC with his and Anna's bags , and the three of us head toward the house , followed by Andy and Juliet , who are stopping in to see Tiana for a few minutes before they head over to Rick and Shan's place , where they're staying this weekend .

      After we gave everybody the news on Valentines Day , Tiana and I took our trip to Japan , deciding to just do everything sort of backwards , counting that as our honeymoon , then coming back and jumping into the wedding plans with everyone else . Since we'd already decided to keep everything simple , it really hasn't been all that difficult , and with everybody pitching in , we actually managed to get it all put together in just a little over a month .

      As we all head inside , we see Tiana sitting cross - legged on the couch , with a bowl in her lap , and a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos next to her . She looks up and waves , saying "Hi everybody !" , as she uses a chip to scoop some pinkish - looking stuff out of the bowl .

      "Do we even want to know what that is ?" , Juliet inquires .

      "Deviled Spam ." , she responds , before popping the whole mess into her mouth .

      "Babe , that's just ... wrong ." , I tell her . "On many , many levels ."

      "Well , I'm not the one you need to explain that to , y'know ." , she retorts , pointing to her stomach . "Apparently , this is what he , or she , wants for lunch . Wanna try it ?"

      "T , you know I don't eat that sort of stuff ." , I say .

      "Since that presumably started out as something resembling meat , Jules and I are gonna pass , thanks ." , Andy answers . 

      Tiana makes a clucking noise at Andy and me , and CC says , "Oh , what the hell , I'll give it a shot !" , and moves forward to fish a chip out of the bag .

      As he sticks it into the bowl of Spam , Anna giggles , and says , "That's my big brave man ."

      He pops it into his mouth and chews , with a thoughtful expression on his face . He finally swallows , then says , "Well , I don't think I'd want to eat it on a daily basis , but it actually tastes better than it looks ."

      "It'd just about have to ." , Andy mumbles , and Tiana laughs .

      Just then , Bonnie comes out of the kitchen and says , "It was cottage cheese with grape jelly for me , and I normally don't like either . And I've heard of even worse ."

      I introduce her to Andy , CC , and the girls , and ask where Gavin is , and they tell me that he rode with Brian to pick Kelli and her kids from the airport , and that they should be back soon . It's a good thing that we all have fairly roomy houses , because we're all packed to the ceiling right now , with people camping out on couches and air mattresses . Bonnie, Gavin , CC , Anna , Kelli , and her kids are staying here , along with several members of my family . The rest of my relatives , and the rest of the band , are dividing up between Rick's place and Brian's , and my friend Jazy has been nice enough to put up Blasko and several members of our crew , since she lives here in town .

      "Hey , aren't you supposed to be somewhere else anyway ?" , Anna asks me . "I thought there was something that said that you aren't supposed to see her before the wedding ."

      "I think that's only after I'm in my dress ." , Tiana tells her . "Besides , that seems kind of silly to me , anyway , under the circumstances ."

      The front door opens , and Brian and Gavin walk in , followed by Kelli and two small kids , who both immediately run toward the couch , shouting , "Aunt Tiana !"

      She moves her food to the coffee table , and snags a munchkin in each arm , giving them a squeeze and a kiss on the cheek , before getting up to hug Kelli . When they finally finish , Kelli actually walks over and hugs me , saying , "Congratulations , Purdy ." Then she lowers her voice to where only I can hear her , and continues , "You'd better appreciate her this time , or I'll fucking castrate you , y'know ."

      "Yeah , I know , Kel . And you have nothing to worry about , I'm not nearly that stupid anymore ." , I reply , just as quietly .

      Tiana and I get all of the sleeping arrangements sorted out , and then she , Bonnie , Kelli , and my Aunt Linda start getting everything sorted out for the get - together that we're having in the backyard later this evening . We'd talked it over while we were reworking the wedding plans , and we had both decided that we weren't really interested in the standard bachelor or bachelorette party , so instead we're having a pre - wedding cookout sort of thing out on the back patio area with our wedding party and relatives .

      I hang in the living room talking with CC , Andy , Gavin  , and my Uncle Dave until Kelli's little boy comes walking over and tugs on my pantleg . I look down and he says , "Aunt Tiana wanted me to asked you to tum out to fix the big cooker outside ."

      "Well , it looks like we've got grill duty , guys !" , I tell the others . Andy and Jules leave to go drop their stuff off at Rick's place and change clothes before they come back to the party . I head outside with the others , and the little guy tugs my leg again . I crouch down and he tells me , "Aunt Tiana says you have a big bike . Do you really ?"

      "Do you mean a motorcycle ?" , I ask him and he nods .

      "Actually , I have two of them . Maybe your mom will let me take you for a ride before you go home ." , I say , and his eyes get really big .                                                                                                         

      "Cool !" he exclaims .

      "What is your name ?" , I ask .

      "I'm Trent , and I'm almost five . I gets to go to kindygarden this year ." , he informs me proudly . I look at him as we walk toward the grill , and I can see a resemblance to his dad . He has the same brownish - blond hair , and similar features , but dark eyes like Kelli . Fortunately , though , he doesn't seem to have inherited Jackson's "I can do what I want , and if you don't like it , fuck off" personality .

      Tiana and Kelli are standing by the grill , along with Kelli's little girl , who tells me that her name is Jayna , and that she's six years old . She's pretty much Kel in miniature , attitude and all , and it sort of makes me wonder who our little one will look like . Will he , or she , have my eyes , or T's red hair , or some other combination ? Then for just a fleeting moment , I can't help but wonder ; what would Braeden have looked like now , at almost fifteen ?

      I force myself to let go of that thought , and turn my attention back to the conversation just in time to hear Trent say , "Mr . Ashley said he'd take me for a ride on his bike , Mom !"

      "Hold up there , buddy ! I said if it was okay with your mom , remember ?"

      She looks at me for a minute , then gives him a little grin and says , "If you behave yourself at the party , then I guess Ashley can take you around the block or so before bedtime , if that's okay with him . He's not going to have time for it tomorrow . We have a wedding to go to , y'know ."

      Jayna looks up at me and says , "Me too ! Pleeeze ?"

      "Okay , but Trent asked first , so he gets to go first ." , I tell her .

      She agrees , and they run off to play . Kelli looks at me , and says , "I'm almost impressed . You might just get the hang of this parent thing after all ."

      "I'm working on it , Kel ." , I reply .

      I get to work starting up the grill , but then my uncle and Gav take over , saying that since I'm technically one of the guests of honor , I should be enjoying myself instead of working . So I let them assume the cooking duties , and go back over to Tiana , sliding my arm around her waist , which has just recently started to round out . She smiles and puts her hand over mine , and I tilt my head down to give her a kiss .

      "How are you feeling , babe ?" , I ask her .

      "Hungry ." , she replies . "I never got to finish my chips ."

      I laugh , and then from behind me , I hear Rick say , "That's not a laughing matter , cuz ! Just wait until she's waking your happy ass up at 2:30 in the morning to go out looking for something she normally wouldn't even think about eating . And then , after you spend an hour hunting it up and bring it home , either she'll be asleep , or she won't want it anymore ."

      "Only once , babe !" , Shannon interjects . "It's not like you're out roaming the streets every night looking for a Quik - Trip or something !"

      Shortly after they arrive , everybody else starts showing up , adding chips , dip , a few casseroles , and desserts to the table , and Uncle Dave and Gav start assembling burgers and grilling steaks , chicken , and some brats , while Bonnie has made up some veggie burgers and a couple of other things for Juliet and Andy , and anyone else who might be interested .

      We eat and talk for quite awhile , and Bonnie finally gets Shan to tell everybody that they've found out that their baby is going to be a boy , which means he'll be called Tanner .

      "What about you guys ?" , Anna asks . "Do you know what you're having ? And have you picked out names ?"

      "We don't know yet , T has an ultrasound scheduled in about three weeks , so hopefully we can find out then ." I glance over at her , not sure if she wants to discuss the rest right now . 

      "We have talked about names , and nothing's definite right now ." , she says . "But we're sort of leaning toward Kylan for a boy , and Autumn for a girl ."

      "Oh , that would be pretty !" , Inna says . "And very appropriate , if she has your hair , Tiana ."

      "Y'know , I hadn't thought about it that way before , but she's right ." , I chuckle .

      After we finish eating , I bring one of my bikes out of the garage and give Trent and Jayna the ride I promised them , before Kelli takes them inside to have a bath before bedtime . She comes back out after she gets them settled in their room , and everyone hangs out for another hour or so , until Bonnie reminds everyone that they might want to get some rest , since we all have to get up pretty early in the morning to get ready for the wedding .

      Everyone who isn't staying here heads out to whoever's house they're crashing at , and the rest of us take turns getting cleaned up before heading to bed . Before he goes to join Anna , CC pulls me off into a corner for a minute .

      "You good with everything , Ash ? Not getting nervous or anything ?" , he inquires .

      "Not even a little bit ." , I tell him . "This is definitely what I want , no doubt about it !"

      "Good ! This girl is good for you , I've never seen you this happy with anybody else . If you let her get away from you again , I think the rest of us would have you committed ."

      He says goodnight , and I head to my room , where Tiana is getting ready to get into the shower . I decide to join her , since this is the only place where we might not disturb someone right now . 

      After a very entertaining shower , we dry off and climb into bed , where she immediately curls up next to me , pillowing her head on my chest . She yawns , then says , "Goodnight , Ash . I love you ."

      "I love you , too , sweetheart . Sweet dreams ."

      I lie here for a few minutes after she goes to sleep , and as I'm finally starting to drift off , a thought unfolds in my brain . 

      ' By this time tomorrow , I'll be a married man '

      Why is tomorrow taking so long to get here ?