Pocket Rocket

Arriving at Henson Park on Saturday afternoon, we sat on the bench seats near the tuckshop as we cheered on the team in blue as it was their first game of the season. The team had been successful in recent years and there was hope they would make the finals series again. I did have one small surprise in that our engagement was announced at half-time, Hailey had retained her club membership so she did receive some flowers from a club official. I was worried about her reaction until she kissed my cheek and whispered that I'd be getting something special that night.

"We're not religious so we don't need a church wedding," she stated the next week over dinner as she was gazing at her ring, "I want something scenic for both when we exchange vows and definitely for the pictures."

"Why not the park here we enjoyed that first picnic? Harbour in the background, hopefully a sunny, warm day."

"And the reception?"

"That I don't know. There are plenty of options."

"Why don't we just do something at our house? The backyard is big enough. We can get catering in for the food. Just a few cases of beer, a lot of wine, and some spirits. Music can be handled by us, just build a list on Spotify. We can pick up furniture at Bunnings."

"So we do everything ourselves?"

"I'm not going to say it'll be fun, and we can always ask friends and family to help out."

The park was a public place, so we didn't even need a permit to host the ceremony. We did need to organise the celebrant who would conduct it. Catering wasn't particularly cheap though it was worth it as we wanted to make sure the food served was a good standard. And we agreed that the cake would be our favourite. We cared little about traditional aspects. There'd be no sit-down meal and grandiose speeches. At most, we'd thank everyone together and then just enjoy the party.

Hailey wanted one thing above all and that was a beautiful dress that she would look spectacular in while provoking a reaction from me. When she offered my two sisters the chance to be her bridesmaids, I returned the offer to her brothers to be groomsmen. I made sure to buy myself a new suit. There was no bachelor or bachelorette party as we were not interested in the idea, hearing one too many horror stories. Not that we didn't trust each other, but I wasn't missing anything anyway.

"Nervous?" Mike asked as we were waiting for Hailey to arrive. He was my best mate and therefore my best man.

"Nope. Done this once already. This time, I know it'll last forever."

"Any idea how she's feeling?"

Wayne snorted next to him. "Please, she's so excited, she probably barely slept last night and wants to get this over and done with so she can call herself his wife."

We had organised a beautiful old Holden to bring her to the park. In addition to our love for motorsports, we both loved classic cars. We'd visited a couple of motor shows and one photo now hanging on a wall in our house was of Hailey draped over the hood of one. Getting out with her mother and her best friend, Charlotte, I couldn't stop smiling as she walked towards me through the small gathering of people who joined us.

The ceremony went off without a hitch, ensuring it was kept nice and simple as neither of us wanted anything grandiose. What we wanted was to swap vows, sign the certificate, and confirm that we would now be recognised as husband and wife, Hailey surprised me somewhat by being adamant in taking my surname, aware many women now kept their own or would prefer it hyphenated.

We knew the photos were going to be spectacular as there was barely a cloud in the sky as we posed with the harbour and bridge in the background. The photographer asking us to kiss nearly got out of hand more than once. The dress was beautiful, but she continually teased me about not wearing any underwear, she had found white thigh-high stockings that finally fit her shorter legs.

All our guests were at our home when we arrived after taking a little time to relax, sitting in the back of the car and sharing a drink before Hailey cuddled into me.

"It's already perfect," she whispered, "Can't wait to take off for an entire week to ourselves. You realise your new wife is going to leave you completely drained the entire time, right? I mean, be glad we've booked a resort because you're going to need that time to re-energise."

"Good thing my new wife is insatiable."

"Not just that, my husband just makes me really fucking horny all the time. The only reason I'm not riding your dick right now is trying to do that in this dress won't be easy."

"I love how honest you are."

"I just like letting you know what I really think and feel. I've never played games with you, husband. I've worn my heart on my sleeve since day one."

"Another reason to love you."

We were greeted with large cheers as we made the rounds, greeting family and friends, thanking them for joining us and for any gifts they might have brought though we hadn't actually asked for anything major. In preparation for the future, we'd actually asked for things that we might need when it comes to starting our family and raising kids.

I paused the music for a few minutes once everyone had enjoyed a couple of drinks to make a little speech, just thanking everyone for joining us to make our day special in addition to paying tribute to my wife. I probably gushed about her quite a bit. All it did was earn one hell of a kiss in return before she turned to face everyone.

"I have just one thing to add. Chris had done everything in his power to make my life better and our partnership as magical as possible. He's gone out of his way to make our dating life, his proposal and now this day absolutely perfect. We now own a house together, we're husband and wife, and for some of you, you've probably heard we've already tried starting for a family. Charlotte, can you pass me my bag, please?"

"Sure thing."

Charlotte handed it over before Hailey turned towards me. "Know how I went off birth control a little while back?"

"Yeah, I know we agreed to that."

Opening her purse, she retrieved a small envelope and handed it to me before handing her bag to Charlotte. Holding it to her chest, she gazed up into my eyes. "Honey... Chris... All I wanted since I was a little girl was to meet a man to fall in love with, marry him, and then start a family. I wanted the family life. I wanted a baby or babies to raise alongside him." She handed me the envelope. "Take a look inside."

There was nothing on the envelope, opening it to reveal a couple of photos. It took me a couple of seconds to understand what I was holding, feeling a smile form on my face as I met her green eyes again. The fact they were glistening told me everything I wanted to know. "How far along?" I had to ask.

"I went for my first scan at three months. You've got some strong swimmers, honey. The doctor figured I fell pregnant within a fortnight of going off the pill. But take a closer look." I did and I couldn't quite figure out what she meant so I had to look back at her. "I'm not just having our baby, honey. I'm having our babies."

"You're having twins?" I exclaimed excitedly.

She could barely get a reply out before I pulled her into my arms and easily picked her up and swung her around, hearing her giggling away as I couldn't stop laughing before I held her to my body ever so tight, she actually had to ask me to release her slightly.

It was the perfect way to cap what had been the best day of my life.

*****

Epilogue

My husband had a constant 'best day of his life' the day after he met me. I never lied about falling for him that first night. I couldn't quite figure out exactly why it was so quick, but what I knew was that he thoroughly liked me by the end of that first night. When he held me in his arms as we sat on the armchair, I immediately felt safe. I'd never felt that before with any other man. Sometimes, you just feel this connection with another human you can't explain. It just is, and you know it's right.

Our relationship wasn't perfect. He didn't mention the arguments we had though they only really started after I moved in. I'd call them more passionate discussions than anything else. He knew that despite my size, I was no pushover. But despite the arguments, it was never too heated, and it always ended with some sort of agreement. We would generally only argue over the important things, and it never got bitter or personal. Never raised our voices, and I knew he was also careful to never be imposing on me.

He wasn't perfect. No-one is. I'm not perfect. I have my faults. But damn if he didn't try and be the perfect husband. He never stopped dating me. Never stopped romancing me. Never forgot what was important to me. It's impossible to make each day special, not with all the commitments we both had, but he went out of his way to do something for me at least a couple of times a week. And that was returned as I ensured I kept my husband just as happy.

He was absolutely fantastic during my pregnancy. I had to stop working earlier than normal as I was a tiny thing carrying two babies, and when we learned I was carrying twin girls, it was the first time I truly saw my husband nearly fall apart with the emotions he was feeling. He was by my side through all the classes, and the doctors' appointments, and would nearly wait on me hand and foot during the later months when I was the size of a house and desperate to get them out of me.

"Honey, they're coming," I said, shaking my husband awake in the middle of the night. I saw the fear in his eyes almost immediately as they were not due for another month, "It's fine. Everything will be fine."

He got me to the hospital quickly as we'd been preparing since I announced my pregnancy. The family arrived over the next few hours and Chris barely left my side the entire time. We were assured there were no complications, our girls were just eager to meet us. Going through the birthing process sucked, I'm not going to lie. I'm sure I crushed my husband's hand as I pushed each baby out, hearing them both crying when they were finally out was almost too much for my heart, falling apart as I felt his soft touch on my face, letting me know how much he loved me.

I loved being a mother, but to say Chris was born to be a father isn't an understatement. I'm watching him right now playing with our two precocious little girls in the backyard. He's constantly smiling and the love he feels for the three girls in his life must be overwhelming for him at times. Even after a shit day at work, he walks through our front door with a smile on his face, greeted by two little girls who run towards him screaming 'Daddy!'

Watching him pick them up in an arm each, kissing them each all over their faces, making them giggle... Then he'll greet me, and I won't accept just a peck on the cheek or lips. My husband receives a scorching kiss every single time to show how much I still love him. And when the girls are in bed, we prove our love for each other nearly every night.

Unfortunately, I can't have any further children. There were no complications with the pregnancy or birth itself, but it was suggested we prevent any further pregnancies. Chris said it was entirely my decision, but that he now had the children he always wanted in addition to the love of his life. That made the choice easy, and it meant I didn't have to worry about birth control.

Even though I've hit my forties, and our lives are manic as hell with a household to run and two little girls who try to run us ragged, I'm still his little pocket rocket. Not quite small enough to fit in his pocket, but I still make sure my husband regularly goes off like a rocket.