Chapter 10

Shelly woke up on Thursday morning happy; last two nights were the best night's sleep she had in what seemed like forever. Sitting up Shelly found her nightgown and knee brace on the side of the bed and put both on before getting up and going to the bathroom. Finding her swimsuit still there, Shelly decided to put it on and head to the pool. She couldn't get into much trouble going that short of a distance with her knee brace on. Shelly had just left the cabin and was heading towards the pool when she saw, Chris and Cassie leaving Cassie's cabin both grinning from ear to ear, at least until they saw Shelly up and walking. Chris and Cassie ran to Shelly as she continued on down the path to the pool. Before Shelly realized what happened she was in Chris' arms and being scolded by both of them about being up walking.

"All I was doing was going to the pool for a swim; at least I had my brace on. Besides I had to get up and move some, my muscles were getting stiff from not using them." Chris still refused to put her down until they reached the pool, Cassie moved one of the chairs closer to the shallow end where Shelly could get in and out of the pool with minimal walking and pain.

"Thank you both. I take it Jennifer didn't return back to the cabin after her second date with Marcus last night did she?"

"Nope, but that was fine with us. Not that we got much sleep ourselves."

"You two head off and get some breakfast and when you are done if you could bring me a big fat cinnamon roll with extra icing and some strawberries, I am really craving those oh and a big glass of chocolate milk would be nice too." Both Cassie and Chris laughed at the combination. "If you're not pregnant then you have some weird eating habits, and based on what Cassie has told me, that is a combination you would normally not pick."

"No your right it's not, but it is still way too early for cravings or even morning sickness ... Yet my stomach has been doing somersaults all morning long." Shelly shooed the two of them off as she unstrapped her knee brace and carefully got ready to get in the pool. Deciding diving in would be easier then stairs. She executed a perfect dive; Shelly came up and heard applause behind her.

There was Marcus and Jennifer happy, and very clearly in love. Shelly would have sworn that they had been intimate last night, but after Marcus went to get them both some coffee, Jennifer told Shelly that she and Marcus had started to get hot and heavy after their second date, but when he slid his finger in her and felt that little barrier he stopped, at first she thought he would turn her from his bed and say he changed his mind. "He actually said that while knowing I was a virgin and his made him want me all the more, we would wait till our wedding night and just pulled me into his arms and held me all night long. I never slept that well before in my life."

"Jennifer, only a man who truly loves you would not have taken you right then and there, the fact he wants to wait until the two of you are married is a good thing. Although, he may get impatient about having to wait too long for the wedding date to be set." Smiling at Jennifer, Shelly was glad to see that Marcus kept his word to her about not hurting or using Jennifer.

"Later today when you and Cassie get a chance could you move my things to the cabin, Justin suggested I move my things there the other day so that when he does get back it will be easier for him to care for me, plus it does give me more privacy, besides I have enjoyed sleeping in his bed the last couple of nights."

"Sure we can do that, oh by the way. I scheduled a hair appointment at the salon for you at 5pm. It's been awhile since you have had your hair done and I thought it would be a nice treat."

"That sounds great, not sure how clean I got it Tuesday in the shower, couldn't stand too long and had to rush through it."

Marcus had come out with a cup of coffee for both him and Jennifer saying that Chris and Cassie would be out soon with Shelly's bizarre breakfast. He pulled a chair up next to Shelly's and he and Jennifer both sat on it sipping their coffee. When out comes this plate with an ooey gooey cinnamon roll on it and some huge strawberries and a big glass of chocolate milk. Everyone just laughed as Shelly's eyes lit up at the sight of her breakfast. "Yummy" she said. At once Marcus, Jennifer, Chris and Cassie said "Oh yeah she's pregnant all right."

"Hey I resemble that comment" Shelly retorted knowing full well that it was a weird combination, but damn it did sound good and it looks even better. Shelly's hands were dripping with icing when her phone rang.

"Will one of you look to see who it is?"

"It's Justin" Cassie replied.

"Would you answer it please?" Shelly asked as she licked the icing from her fingers.

Laughing, Cassie answered the phone "Hi Justin, this is Cassie, your girlfriend is making a pig of herself with a seriously large and gooey cinnamon roll, the huge strawberries she is also eating, not to mention a large glass of chocolate milk."

"Well I would have to say I got her good and pregnant the first time round. I wouldn't think she would have cravings yet, but who knows ... She had an upset stomach this morning?"

"Yeah Shelly told me and Chris that her stomach has been doing somersaults all morning long."

"Okay that is enough Cassie, don't give him anymore reasons to worry about me, give me the phone."

"Morning honey, yeah they are all giving me a hard time about my yummy breakfast, even Marcus Ashley agrees with Jennifer, Chris and Cassie that I have to be pregnant with that breakfast."

"Marcus Ashley, what is he doing there" asked Justin?

"Well at the moment he has his hands all over Jennifer and grinning from ear to ear too. Yes they had their second date last night and then went back to his room, while Cassie and Chris didn't get any sleep in their cabin." Shelly laughed at the looks on the four faces around her.

"Hey that is what you guys get for teasing me about my breakfast" Shelly laughed. Everyone laughed with her even Justin.

"I love you too; call me later when you get the chance. Bye Justin"

"Bye my love."

Justin grinned thinking Shelly has never eaten anything like that before, while she would separately and at different meals never together, and what of her stomach issues this morning. I hope that it's not just false hope on her part and that despite it being about 8 more days till Shelly should normally get her period, he could only hope and pray that this was a good sign. Justin was having second thoughts about getting Shelly's favorite wine for dinner tonight.

Justin pulled his phone back out and gave Dr. Carter a call. "Is Dr. Carter in, this is Justin Winters ... sure I can wait"

"Hi Justin what is up, I hope our Ms. Shelly is being good?"

"Yes doc she is as far as I know. Although this morning ... well she was having a very strange food combination craving, cinnamon roll with extra icing, strawberries and chocolate milk ... also she told Cassie and Chris that her stomach was doing somersaults all morning ... yeah Shelly did say it was way too early for that, but I was curious."

"While yes it would normally be too early, her body though maybe hyper sensitive to what is going on and may know what the rest of us only suspect to be true."

"Well doc I plan on proposing to Shelly tonight and was going to get a bottle of her favorite wine ... would it be safe to have some tonight with our dinner?"

"Sure Justin, small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy is not harmful, just as long as it isn't done too often or in large quantities, but a glass or two tonight will in no way harm the baby. If my calculations are correct Shelly should get her period in about 8 days. If it doesn't start next Sunday, then on the following Monday I will go ahead and get her set up for the blood test and we will know for sure, but it sounds like those tests will come back positive."

"Thanks doc I will call and let you know if we need anything between now and then." Justin went down to breakfast with Mr. Wilson before packing his bags and heading to the airport, Matt's flight would arrive about an hour before Justin's leaves so Justin would take the truck to the airport and hand off the keys.

"Anthony, I wasn't expecting you so early" Justin said as he made his way to the dining room.

"I had the rings ready and wanted to get them to you before you head to the airport. I hope you like what I did" Anthony said as he handed Justin the box.

"Oh wow it is perfect and will look beautiful on Shelly's hand. I can't thank you enough for getting this done in time."

"Not a problem at all. Larry asked me to have these ready as well" replied Anthony as he handed Justin another box. In it Justin found his and her matching wedding bands that complemented Shelly's engagement ring. "This is just too much; I can never repay his kindness."

"Justin, Larry thinks of you like a son and to him this is nothing, but his way of showing his approval at your and Shelly's relationship. I hope you have a long and happy marriage."

"Thank you Anthony"

Justin reached the dining room and looked around to see Mr. Wilson already sitting there with a cup of coffee, waiting for Justin to arrive for breakfast.

"Anthony just dropped off the rings. I can't thank you enough for all this." Justin's voice husky with emotion.

"Justin as you know I never had any children, but ever since becoming your guardian all those years ago I have thought of you as my son. You should also know that in my will I have left everything to you. No one will care for the ranch and all my assets like you."

"But you can't do that" stuttered Justin.

"I can and I have, once I am gone you and Shelly can have my suite of rooms or even build a home for you and your family and turn the home she has right now into a winter vacation home."

The waitress came up and flashed Justin a huge smile and tried to give him the fuck-me eyes, but Justin never noticed a thing, his thoughts on his future wife. "Can I get you something love?" the waitress cooed, snapping Justin out of his shock.

"Just coffee please, I am not very hungry." Mr. Wilson just laughed at the whole thing. Then while the waitress gathered the menus after he placed his order he slide the rings back to Justin and said quite loudly that Shelly was the luckiest woman on the planet, smirking as he heard the waitress mumble un-pleasantries under her breath. Drinking his coffee while Mr. Wilson finished his breakfast, Justin excused himself to head up to his room to pack; he would need to take Mr. Wilson to the show before meeting Matt at the airport.