“Are you nervous?” I asked en route to Hannah’s. It was an overcast day, but with spring fast approaching, the worst of winter was behind us.
“Not really. Baby showers are fun. I like meeting new people, and it’ll be good to see Victoria. I don’t really know Sadie, though.”
Sadie had done a good job of being discreet for the brief time she’d worked at Libellule’s, so that wasn’t surprising. “You’ll like her. She’s a good kid.”
I coasted past Hannah’s and pulled to a stop in front of two other cars. Deanna reached into the back seat and grabbed the gift-wrapped present.
We’d gone shopping together, and thanks to Deanna’s suggestion, we’d put together a gift basket of things for Mum.
After all, she deserved to be pampered after pushing something the size of a basketball out of her vagina. That comment had earned me a glare, which was precisely why I’d made such a crass comment.
We climbed out, and I met Deanna on the sidewalk. I grabbed her hand and led her up the driveway. A golden Labrador barked excitedly as we approached the gate.
“Quiet, Jake.” Grace appeared and grabbed him by the collar. “Sorry about that.” She opened the gate.
I looked at Deanna, recalling the first time I’d met Harley. “You okay with dogs?”
She poked her tongue out and strolled through ahead of me.
“Hi, Grace. I thought you’d be out with your friends.” I couldn’t remember if she was fifteen or sixteen, but she could pass for twenty. She was also a looker with her jet-black hair, smooth complexion, and dark skin.
“Nah, I wanted to help Mum and Mum and wish the new mums well. I’m going out tonight, though.”
I zipped my lips. “Mum’s the word.”
Grace laughed. “They know. And they’ve given me the talk about being safe.” She covered her face. “Talk about embarrassing.”
I turned to introduce Deanna and came eye-to-eye with the fence. Glancing lower, I spotted her fawning all over Jake.
“Grace, this is Deanna. Deanna, Grace.”
“Hi,” Grace said. “Come in.” She opened the back door and blocked Jake with her leg. “Not you, pup.”
We stepped inside, and Hannah came rushing into the kitchen. “Hello, welcome. I’m glad you could make it. Who’s your friend?”
“This is Deanna. My girlfriend.”
“Oh.” She rubbed her hands together. “New love.”
Deanna offered a hand. “Thanks for having me.”
“Don’t thank me yet. We have games to play.”
“Sounds good. And this is for the mums-to-be.” Deanna handed over the gift basket.
Odette appeared out of nowhere and whisked it out of her hand. “I’ll take that. Go make yourself at home. Everyone else is in the living room.”
“That was my whirlwind of a girlfriend.” Hannah watched Odette disappear. “Can I get you a drink?” She pointed to a line-up of bottles. “Beer, wine, Coke, lemonade, or there’s plenty of water in the tap.”
“I’m fine for now, thank you,” Deanna said.
“Coffee for me.”
“Cheeky tart.” Hannah pointed to the tea and coffee containers on the bench. “Help yourself.”
“I was kidding. A glass of wine would be lovely.” It was a cause for celebration, after all.
The door banged open and loud sobs pierced the air before Wiremu appeared, carrying a wailing toddler. He was a solidly built guy with dark skin and dark hair; tribal tattoos covered his forearms. He also had a smile that could put the most timid person at ease.
“Oh, baby. What happened?” Hannah held out her arms, and Amaia reached for her. Odette was her biological mother, but all three shared the parenting of both Amaia and Grace.
“Come on.” I nudged Deanna, and we made our way into the living room. Some of the guests I recognised, others I didn’t. I smiled at Sadie’s mum, who waved back as we took a seat on two dining room chairs that had been placed in the lounge.
“Listen up.” Hannah handed Amaia to Grace. “The ladies of honour will be here any minute. We don’t want to scare the baby out of Sadie, but can we all please yell ‘surprise’ when they arrive?”
Deanna leaned in close. “I didn’t know it was a surprise.”
“Victoria doesn’t either, and she’ll hate that. She likes everything planned. That’s why Hannah didn’t want her to know beforehand. She would’ve been here all day making sure everything was just so.”
“Control freak?”
“I prefer businesswoman.”
“Ah, part and parcel, is it?” Deanna nudged my shoulder.
I squeezed her leg, making her buck in her chair. “Behave.”
A knock sounded, and everyone inhaled at once, seeming to suck the oxygen out of the room.
Grinning widely, Hannah pulled open the front door. Everyone jumped to their feet and yelled, “Surprise!”
Wiremu grinned, and Hannah slogged him in the arm. “Don’t do that. Get out. Go.” She pushed the door closed. “Excuse my husband.”
She didn’t have to excuse him. Everyone was grinning. Odette appeared beside Hannah. She spoke in a low voice, but I caught something about her being pleased at times she didn’t get to call him her husband. It was said in a playful manner, but I detected a hint of sadness underlining the words, or maybe that was just the romantic Deanna had brought out in me.
Another knock sounded, and everyone stared at the door as if they could see through it. Hannah pressed a finger to her lips before turning to open it. And there they stood. Sadie looking gorgeous with her mummy tummy, and Victoria immaculately dressed and gaping like a fish.
“Surprise!” Everyone jumped up.
Victoria narrowed her eyes at Hannah. “What’s going on?”
Sadie stepped around them, her eyes on her mum. “What are you doing here?”
“I wouldn’t miss my baby’s baby shower for the world.” After Sadie hugged her mother, she did the rounds, saying hi to guests.
Victoria’s voice came from over my shoulder. “You knew about this?”
It was a silly question, really. I wouldn’t have been there if I hadn’t been invited. “Nope, knew nothing about it. Just wanted to show off my girlfriend.” The word no longer felt foreign on my tongue, and I loved the way it made Deanna smile.
“Officer Dunn. How lovely to see you.” Victoria pulled up a chair beside her, and I shot her a warning look. Of course, she ignored me. “Soraya thinks I’m going to tell stories about her.”
“Go on.” Deanna did an excited jiggle in her chair. “Seems only fair after my mother did the same.”
“Well, there was this one time…” I narrowed my eyes at Victoria, but that didn’t stop her. “I caught Soraya dancing around her kitchen with Shadow in her arms, singing, ‘What’s new, Pussycat?’”
Deanna turned to me, glee written all over her face. “Aw, what a softie.”
I flared my nostrils, my gaze on Victoria. “You’re ruining my reputation.”
“And I need to see if my wife was in on this.” Victoria vacated the seat she’d pulled up beside Deanna.
Odette appeared in front of us, carrying a tray of club sandwiches. “Ladies?”
I took a paper napkin and grabbed a ham, lettuce, and egg sandwich. “Thank you.”
Deanna took a cheese and onion sandwich, and I gave her the side-eye. She took a bite and breathed on me.
“Child.” I shook my head, trying not to smile.
Once guests had eaten and mingled, the afternoon moved on to games. Odette disappeared and reappeared, carrying a handful of tiny onesies.
“Sorry, Sadie. You have to leave for this part.”
“Fine. I’ll go see Jake.” She unfolded her legs and climbed off the sofa. Being pregnant suited her. Her face had filled out, and she was positively glowing. I wanted to reach out and touch her tummy, but I wasn’t that rude.
She stopped on her way past. “Thanks for coming.” She turned to Deanna. “You must be Officer Dunn.”
“I am. But please call me Deanna.”
Sadie’s eyes bugged out. “Ugh.” She clutched her stomach. “I swear this kid’s going to be a football player.”
“Or softball,” I said.
“How very cliché,” Deanna deadpanned.
“Huh?” I frowned. “Don’t all lesbians play softball?”
“Not all. I played rugby league.” Deanna held her chin high.
“No way!” Sadie looked impressed. “That’s badass.”
“Sadie,” Hannah called. “Go.”
“Oops.” She snickered. “I’m in trouble.”
Once she left the room, Odette handed a couple of markers and a onesie to each couple. “This is your chance to decorate an outfit for the baby. You’ve got ten minutes.”
Shit. I couldn’t draw to save myself. “Here, you do it.” I handed the items to Deanna.
“Uh-uh. Your friend.”
“What the hell am I supposed to draw? A stick figure?”
“You could write something.”
“Fine.” After a minute, inspiration hit. With my lip pulled between my teeth, I got to work.
“Time,” Hannah called.
While Odette gathered up the markers and onesies, Grace went and got Sadie. She stumbled inside with a paw print on her trousers.
“Jake,” she said in explanation.
“Right, here we go.” Hannah spread the onesies out on the carpet. “Now you get to guess who decorated each one.”
“That one’s easy.” Sadie pointed to a onesie with the letter I, a heart, and Nana on it. “Thanks, Mum.”
Her mother swiped at a tear. Although I didn’t want kids or grandkids, her expression said what a special time this was for her.
“This one…” Sadie tapped a onesie with the word Hello and a huge sun drawn under it. “Hello, Sunshine. That’s something you’d say.” She pointed to Hannah.
“Nope, it was them.” Hannah pointed to two women, whose names I’d forgotten.
“Boo. Then I know this one is yours.” She tapped the onesie with a leaf in the middle and the words Leaf me Alone written around it. “Because this has to be Soraya’s.”
Everyone was smiling, but I felt a little stupid now. “It was Deanna’s idea.”
“Hey! Don’t blame me.” Deanna bumped my shoulder.
Sadie held up the onesie and paraded around the room, showing it off to everyone. I read the words next to the arrow pointing up—food here—and the words next to the arrow pointing down—waste here.
“If you ever babysit, I’ll be sure to pack this outfit, so you have directions,” Sadie said.
I smiled to hide my discomfort. The very thought of changing dirty nappies and trying to settle a crying baby gave me heart palpitations.
“Okay, last game,” Hannah said.
“Thank God for that.” Victoria tipped back her glass of wine.
“Just for that, you can do the honours.” Hannah handed a stack of paper and pens to Victoria to give out.
“Using the names of our lovely guests, Sadie Stewart…” Hannah clapped her hands like a schoolteacher. “Write it down.”
“Here.” I handed the notepad to Deanna.
She jotted down both names as Hannah said them. Sadie Stewart and Victoria Miller.
“Okay, you’ve got five minutes to come up with as many baby names as you can.” Hannah motioned to Grace. “Start the clock.”
I stared at the names on the top of the page, mentally moving the letters around.
“Taylor.”
“There’s no Y,” Deanna said.
“Oh, yeah. Bugger.” Knowing it was a name Victoria and Sadie liked, I stared at the letters, trying to make it work.
I took the pen and paper back from Deanna and scribbled down a word. Taielor.
She tipped her head sideways. “What?
“Taylor, with an ie instead of a y. Do you think they’ll like it?”
“No! Imagine the poor kid’s teacher trying to pronounce it. Tai-e-lor.”
“It has a nice ring. Tai-e-lor. Tai-e-lor.”
“Stop it!” Deanna laughed. “What about Miller for a boy?”
“How very creative.” I rolled my eyes. “We might as well add Stewart while we’re at it.” I studied the letters again. “Tori.”
“I like it!” Deanna said.
“Millie.” I was proud of myself for coming up with a name with more than four letters.
“Tate.”
“Nice.” I loved that name. “Lisa.”
“Lola,” Deanna said.
“Ugh, please no.” Neither of us took our eyes off the page.
“Rose.”
“Cassie.”
“Tara.”
“Dave.”
“Tia.”
Just when we were on a roll, Grace called time.
“Damn. How many did we get?” Deanna asked.
“Not sure.” I ran my finger down the page and did a quick count. “Twelve.”
“Firstly,” Hannah said, “Miller and Stewart don’t count.” She grinned when a collective groan sounded. “Come on, ladies. Who in their right mind would name their child Miller Stewart-Miller or Stewart Stewart-Miller?”
She wasn’t wrong there. What a mouthful. I nudged Deanna. “And you thought Taielor was bad.”
She nudged me back. “It was.”
“First prize goes to the duo who came up with the longest name.”
“Way to tell us the rules after the fact,” Sadie’s mum protested.
“And your answer is?” Hannah asked, unperturbed.
“Six! Tamara.”
“Oh, I like that,” Victoria said, her gaze on Sadie. Sadie nodded slowly as if in agreement.
“Can anyone beat that?”
“Yep,” Grace and Odette waved their hands in the air. “We have seven.”
“William.”
I glanced down at the combination of letters again, and the name seemed to slap me in the face.
“I’m not naming my child after your father,” Victoria said, reminding me Wiremu was the Māori equivalent of William. Where was he anyway? Considering Amaia was nowhere to be seen, I could only assume he was keeping her entertained.
Not long after Sadie and Victoria opened the presents, guests started to disperse, including us.
Sadie walked us to the door. “Thanks for the pamper pack.” She looked like she wanted to hug me but was too shy, so I took the initiative, marvelling at the feel of her baby bump between us.
“Take care. And I expect a call as soon as bubs is born.”
Victoria appeared beside Sadie. “What are you lot talking about?”
“You,” I said, knowing she would hate that.
“What about me?” She folded her arms.
Sadie cupped a hand under her tummy. “That you’re going to call her the minute this bundle of joy is out of my belly.”
“Maybe not the minute. I have to cut the cord first.”
I screwed up my face.
Victoria put an arm around Sadie. “Hey, what happened to your waist?”
“Meanie!” Sadie scowled.
“You know I’m joking, snookums.” Victoria planted a kiss on Sadie’s cheek, and I marvelled at the playful side of her personality. It was a stark contrast to the businesswoman she presented to the rest of the world.