Lizzie was annoyed at herself for giving into Rachel’s pleas. She would rather be sitting at home, working on the website. She had so many plans and ideas. Just one drink. That was all she was having, no matter how much Rachel begged. Then she’d hurry home.
Rachel answered the door and grabbed her hand, tugging her inside. “I thought you’d never get here.”
She glanced at her watch. Six o’clock, just like she’d promised.
“Come on, let’s go in the family room. It’s too hot to sit outside. The heat is bothering me today. I made us some sweet tea. Does that sound good?”
“Sure.” It actually did sound good. She’d rather have tea than a glass of wine since she planned for a long night of work.
She followed Rachel to the family room, and her friend flounced down dramatically into a chair. “I’ve had quite the day.” Rachel’s cheeks were flushed.
Okay, then. She’d get the tea for them since it was obvious that Rachel wasn’t going to. Lizzie poured them each a glass of tea from the pitcher on the side table and handed one to Rachel.
She sat down, took a sip of the tea, and eyed Rachel, waiting for her big news.
Rachel leaned forward and set her tea on the coffee table with a dramatic flourish, her eyes shining with excitement. “I have something to tell you. I’m going to burst if I don’t tell someone.”
“So… tell me.”
“I… I can’t believe it… I just found out today… I’m pregnant.”
Lizzie set down her drink with a clatter and jumped up to hug her friend. “Rachel, that’s such great news. I’m so happy for you.”
“I can’t believe it. After all this time.” Rachel’s face held a dazed expression. “I know I should have told Ronnie first, but I want to tell him in person and he’s not coming home until tonight. I had to tell someone.”
“And I’m glad you did. This is fabulous.”
“I’m already two months along. I think with Mom being gone and everything, I just wasn’t paying attention. But the last few mornings I felt a little sick.” Rachel laughed. “You’d think after years of trying I’d be more on top of things. It took me a couple of mornings to figure things out and schedule an appointment with my doctor. Then I just didn’t want to believe it was true. Not until I had proof.”
“Ronnie is going to be so excited.” Happiness swirled through her for Rachel and for Ronnie.
“I know. I can’t wait to tell him. I called him this afternoon and told him I was lonely. He said he’d squeeze in a quick visit home tonight but has to leave in the morning for the rest of his business trip.”
Lizzie was truly happy for Rachel. She’d wanted this for so long and had almost given up hope. But then, Rachel always got what she wanted in the end. Truly a charmed life. “And Sara Jane will be thrilled, too.”
“If she ever comes home. I’m pretty sure she caught Daddy cheating again. But why did she pick this time to leave?” Rachel frowned slightly. “I’ll call her tomorrow after I tell Ronnie tonight. I’m sure she’ll come home then. She’ll want to be here, I know she will.”
Rachel was probably right that Sara Jane would want to be here for her daughter’s pregnancy.
“I’ll have to talk to Daddy and tell him to just let Mom come home. Not to be a jerk about her taking some time to herself. He’ll listen to me. Though he is really, really mad right now.”
“What if she doesn’t want to move back in with your dad?”
“Don’t be silly. Of course, she’ll come back home.” Rachel shook her head as if the very idea of Sara Jane not moving back in with her father was ludicrous.
“Maybe she’ll want a place of her own. Some time to herself. Your dad… well, he’d be hard to live with. He cheats on Sara Jane. Regularly. You know that.”
Rachel sighed. “He does. I know. But Mom seems to just look the other way. They’ve worked it out in their own way.”
Lizzie wasn’t so sure about that, but she didn’t want to upset Rachel. Especially now.
Rachel patted her belly. “I think it’s a girl. That’s what I want.”
She had to keep from laughing. Rachel probably would get a girl just from pure force of will.
“And I need you to help me make the cutest nursery ever. I can’t wait to go shopping for furniture and oh! Clothes. Baby clothes. Lots of them. We’re going to have so much fun, aren’t we?”
They would have fun, but she couldn’t devote all her time to Rachel’s project like she used to do. She had a shop to open. She’d have to explain that to Rachel, but not today when she was so thrilled and delighted.
“Ronnie will be excited. Maybe he’ll stay home more now that we’ll have a baby. He’s going to be a great dad.”
“I’m sure he will be.” She was less sure he’d be staying home more. His job that paid for the big house and all the shopping and trips that Rachel loved kept him away quite a lot of the time. But to be honest, Rachel would probably rather have Ronnie around more than any of those things. “Maybe you should talk to him about cutting back or finding a new job that doesn’t require so much travel.”
Rachel chewed her bottom lip. “I think I will. Surely he can find something new with less travel.”
“I hope so.” Rachel was so lucky. She and Ronnie were so in love, so compatible, and now they were going to have the baby they’d wanted for years. How did one person get such a corner on the good luck?
She felt slightly guilty at the thought. She was glad her friend was finally pregnant and going to have a baby. Even with her problems with Eric right now, she couldn’t imagine not having him in her life. She loved him fiercely. But spreading some of the luck around might be nice. Like maybe over to her and Eric finding their footing again?
Rachel leaned forward. “I think I heard the doorbell. There. I hear it again.” She jumped up. “Come with me. I’ll answer the door, and then I want to show you what I bought.” She laughed. “I couldn’t help stopping at the baby store and buying some clothes on the way home from the doctor.”
She trailed behind Rachel and paused in the foyer while Rachel answered the door. Two uniformed officers that she didn’t recognize stood in the doorway.
“Mrs. Morrow?”
“Yes? May I help you?” Rachel beamed at the men, her happiness spilling all around her.
The younger man shifted from foot to foot and glanced at the older officer. The older man stared at Rachel for a moment. “Ma’am, your husband has been in an accident.”
Rachel leaned against the doorframe and Lizzie hurried up to her side, her heart pounding.
“Where is he?” Rachel’s face turned an ugly shade of ash gray, and she grabbed Lizzie’s arm.
“I’m sorry. He’s… He didn’t make it, ma’am. He didn’t survive the accident.”
Rachel gasped, stepped back, and paled to a ghostly white. Then her eyes started to roll into her head. Lizzie watched in horror as, almost in slow motion, Rachel fell to the ground with the frightening thud of her head hitting the tile.
Lizzie dropped to the floor beside Rachel and patted her cheek. “Rachel?” Nothing. “Rachel. Talk to me.” Fear swept through her. The younger officer knelt beside her. She touched Rachel’s head and saw blood when she took her hand away. She looked at the officer. “Call 9-1-1. She’s bleeding from her head. And tell them she’s pregnant.”