"Wait, let me get this straight," said Haley. "You've known Taylor Hanson since the beginning of the year and you didn't tell anyone? And now you're pregnant with his baby and getting married in three weeks?"
Natalie nodded mutely.
"I'd say that about sums it up," Emma mused.
Lauren wagged a finger at Natalie.
"And why, pray tell, did you not inform us that you knew him?"
"Well, I thought if I told you that we knew each other you'd want details -"
"Which we do!"
"And well, there wasn't really that much to say."
"Except that you were dating and now you're pregnant and about to get married," Heley pointed out.
"Uhh, well..."
"There are no excuses," Lauren declared. "Pennance must be paid."
"Pennance?" Natalie repeated.
"Yes," and Lauren beamed. "We get to be your bridesmaids."
Natalie giggled.
"I was going to ask you to be anyway," she said. "But... Lau? Would you mind being my Maid of Honour?"
Lauren pretended to consider it.
"Absolutely."
"Yay."
"Hmph, that's not much of a pennace if she was going to do it anyway," Emma commented.
"Well, did you have something else in mind?" Haley asked.
"Yeah, I think we should get to meet them and get autographs and stuff."
"They will all be at the wedding," Natalie pointed out.
"Oh, I know. You have to work your wifey-magic and make them come here next tour and let us come back stage. And autograph their next album for us. And while I'm at it, do you think you could set me up with Ike?" Emma batted her eyelids.
"Ike's seeing someone already."
"Damn. If they break up, can you set me up?"
Natalie laughed.
"So, the 8th, you said?" Haley checked.
"Yep."
"We'd better get started picking dresses, huh?"
"Yep."
"Let's go today!"
"Okay," Natalie giggled.
"Oooooh..." Lauren said, her eyes lighting up. "As Maid of Honour, I get to throw a hen's night."
"Can you do one in three weeks?"
"Emma, baby, I can do anything in three weeks."
"Plus, you get to make a speech," Haley grinned.
"Oh yeah! Ha! Marvellous!"
"Oh dear... Maybe I shouldn't have asked you to be my Maid of Honour," Natalie joked. "Actually, Ike and Zac were arguing over who was going to be Best Man. We started talking about making Matt Best Man."
"Aww," Emma complained. "Wait... does that mean I get paired up with Ike?"
"Haha, no," Natalie smiled. "Ike's going to be the Best Man after all."
"So, I get him. Mwahaha," Lauren said gleefully.
"And umm, you two get to choose between Matt and Zac, I guess."
"Zac's mine!" Haley bags.
"Matty-baby!" Emma beamed. "I love older men."
"We know."
"Okay, now that that's been decided -"
"So, how are you planning one having your hair?"
"Weren't we going to go shopping?"
"You are going to look so beautiful."
"If the baby is a girl, can you name her after me?"