Chloe
I AM SO READY TO have this baby. I stopped wearing knickers a couple of weeks ago because I spent most of my time on the toilet. Besides, I couldn’t see my feet, to slip them on.
Whoever said being pregnant was wonderful, must have been sedated, or a man. I remembered when I started my day with a few cups of strong black coffee. Now, it was green tea and a couple of Tums. I wouldn’t need the Tums if Parker would stop demanding crap. Really, who likes anchovy and mozzarella omelets with guacamole? I eat this disgusting concoction a few times a week and he’s happy. It was only when I tried eating normal that he squawked.
I really miss steak. As soon as Parker gets here, I promised myself a big steak with a slice of aged roquefort and truffle pomme frites. And for dessert, warm chocolate soufflé with vanilla cream gelato. Oh yeah. I started to stand up and, “WHAT THE CRAP! Parker, Mommy said she was going to eat that after you get here.” I braced my hands on the bed for leverage and started to stand up again. “WHAT THE…”I quickly sat down and picked up my phone. I scrolled through the contacts and pressed the number. “Hey…uhm, can you come over…no, I’m not stuck in the chair smart ass…my folks are on an overnighter and I’m just not feeling well…no, I’m not in labor…I just want some company…okay, thanks…when you get here I’ll buzz you…oh you do…okay, I’m upstairs…thanks.” I hung up.
Twenty minutes later, I heard footsteps hurriedly tapping across the hardwood floor towards my room and suddenly stop.
“You know I don’t believe that crap about being lonely,” Bas announced. He walked toward me with a smirk on his face.
“Bas, you came.”
“I assume I was your last resort.”
“No, smart ass. Come over here and help me up, please.”
He walked over, grabbed my hands and I started to stand up. “Uhm…sit me back down.” He eased me back down on the bed.
“What’s going on?”
“Just a little cramp.” He reached in his pocket for his phone. “Who are you calling?”
“Alex.”
“No.”
“Chloe, it’s clear…”
“Don’t call Alex.”
“She’d have my head if I didn’t call her.”
“I don’t want to interrupt their weekend.” He looked at me, not smiling. “It’s probably just indigestion.”
“Indigestion?”
“Yeah. It was probably that anchovy breakfast burrito.” I rubbed my stomach.
“Is that as disgusting as it sounds?”
I started laughing. “I know it sounds bad, but my little boy has a thing for anchovies and eggs.”
He shook his head, laughing. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No.”
He pulled the chair next to the bed, took his jacket off and sat down. “So, what other disgusting things is my little godson demanding?”
I looked at Bas and thought, man, maybe another place and time, we might have…”Uhm…seems he likes guacamole, spicy hot wings, pizza with extra cheese, sausage, anchovies, onions, jalapeños and pineapple.”
“What?” he laughed louder. “What is going on in there? Sounds like someone has been to quite a few happy hours.”
My mouth dropped open and I thought back to the times Orlando and I had sex. “Oh, my God.”
“What…another pain?”
I grabbed his hand and smiled. “No. I just did a little instant replay. The times Orlando and I had sex sort of coincide with the nights he’d been out with his little girlfriend. The weird food is…”
“They probably hit a lot of clubs and bars.”
“My baby is a bar food junkie.” We laughed. “Oh…that was a sharp one.”
“I think we need to go to the hospital.”
“Can you stay with me until my mom gets back?”
“I was going to ask, why are you here alone? Where’s TD or Tucker?”
“I knew I wasn’t going anywhere, so I gave TD the weekend off.”
“And Tucker?”
“It’s his girlfriend’s birthday.” He nodded. “My mom and dad have been underfoot all week. So I begged them to give me a little space.”
“Do you think this sudden burst of compassion was a wise move?”
“Yes, but I didn’t know it was the housekeeper’s day off.” He laughed out loud.
“What were you going to do if I hadn’t picked up?”
“I hadn’t figured that out yet.”
He grabbed my hand. “Tell you what. How about I order a couple of pizzas. A normal one for me and a disgusting one for you, and we’ll watch a movie or play cards.”
“Extra anchovies and pineapple?”
“Yes.”
“Thanks.”