Chapter 18
Let the Good Times Roll
After the shower, Celeste lay across Ginger’s bed to wait for Anthony to arrive. She was exhausted and needed a nap after so much excitement from the baby shower. Portia vacuumed Ginger’s area rug in the living room and Ginger put away what was left of the food. Portia placed the vacuum in the linen closet then went into the kitchen and sat down at the table to enjoy another slice of cake. “Ginger, do you remember what you said I could do with this cake?”
Ginger had hoped that Portia would have forgotten. “Remind me. What did I say?”
“You said I could smash cake in Celeste’s face.”
“I said that?”
“Yes, you did. And I can get her good while she’s lying down.”
“No, Portia. I paid good money for that comforter set. And smashing cake in someone’s face is childish.”
“But you promised me I could do this,” Portia whined. “I was looking forward to it.”
“I lied.”
The doorbell rang and Portia jumped up to answer it. “Hey, Tony.”
Anthony walked in and greeted Portia with a hug. He saw many boxes of baby clothes, a huge box that held a swing, a bassinette, a playpen, a Diaper Genie, a three-month supply of Playtex bottles, five cases of newborn Pampers, and a crib. “Wow, y’all women don’t be playin’ at these showers.”
Before Portia closed the door, she noticed the empty parking spot where she had parked the Escalade. Darn. David really came and got it. For just a brief moment Portia thought about reconsidering getting back together with David. “Nope, I’m not gonna do it,” she mumbled to herself. She closed the door.
“Where are Celeste and Ginger?” Anthony asked.
“Celeste is lying down; she’s probably asleep by now. Ginger is in the kitchen putting the food away. You want something to eat?”
“Nah, I’m cool.” Anthony proceeded to stack boxes on top of boxes.
Portia went into the kitchen and spoke to Ginger. “Tony is here and my truck is gone. I can’t believe that fool actually came and got it.”
Ginger wiped her countertops with a wet dish towel. “Good-bye and good riddance is what you should be saying, Portia. Go and wake up Celeste. And be careful; Tony says she wakes up swinging.”
The doorbell rang again.
“I got it,” Anthony yelled. He opened the door and greeted Joseph. “What’s up, dude?”
Joseph entered the foyer and shook Anthony’s hand. “What’s going on, Tony?”
Anthony sighed. “Man, look at all of this stuff.”
Joseph walked into the living room and looked all around. “All of this is for one baby?”
“One baby.” Anthony sighed.
Ginger came into the living room all smiles and went directly into Joseph’s arms. “There’s my sunshine.”
Joseph lifted Ginger and set her back on her feet but held on to her. They were wrapped around each other like pigs in a blanket. In Joseph’s arms Ginger felt warmth, comfort, and complete. If she had a wish it would be to stay in his arms forever. She smiled then exhaled loudly.
Clearly Ginger and Joseph had forgotten about Anthony. He decided to make his presence known. “Get a room, will ya?”
Ginger looked at him. “I have a room, three of them as a matter of fact, but we ain’t going there, okay?” She looked at Joseph. “I missed you, did you miss me?”
Joseph nuzzled Ginger’s neck. “You have no idea.”
“I made you a plate. Are you hungry?”
“I could eat but I’m gonna help Tony load these boxes in his truck.”
“Finally, somebody is showing me some love,” Anthony joked.
Ginger kissed Joseph’s lips lightly and left the men alone. In the bedroom she saw Celeste sitting up on the bed as Portia kneaded the lower part of her back.
Ginger came and sat at the end of the bed, placed Celeste’s left leg on her lap, and massaged the heel of her foot. “Are you tired, momma?”
Celeste moaned loudly. “That ain’t the word. I don’t have any energy to do anything.” She caressed the left side of her swollen belly. “This boy is already trying out for football. He hasn’t stopped moving since this morning.”
“Ooh, can I feel him move?” Though Ginger had been pregnant twice, she had never gotten far enough in either pregnancy to feel the fetuses move.
Celeste reached for Ginger’s hand and pressed it on her belly. In only a few seconds Ginger felt movement beneath her fingers.
“I feel him moving,” Ginger said excitedly. “I can really feel him.”
“Okay, it’s my turn,” Portia said. She reached around Celeste and pressed her open palm next to Ginger’s. Her mouth dropped open. “Oh, wow. He’s doing somersaults.”
“And he’s been doing them all day long,” Celeste complained. “I’m ready to go home, get under the bed, and hibernate.”
Portia chuckled. “You can get under there and get stuck if you want to. I don’t know who you think is gonna haul your big behind out from under there.”
The three of them laughed.
“Those are cute T-shirts you’re wearing. It is a little presumptuous don’t you think?”
“Nope,” Ginger answered.
“You couldn’t make up your mind so we did it for you.”
Celeste looked at Portia. “Oh, really? Well, what if I told you that Anthony and I had already decided on godparents and neither of you made the cut?”
“Celeste, you can try to pull that trick if you want to,” Ginger stated. “After all the crap that Portia and I had to put up with during the last nine months we deserve the right to be the godmothers. We earned the title.”
“And besides,” Portia chimed in, “who, other than us, could possibly be chosen? Your parents are deceased. You can’t stand your only sister and you really ain’t got no other friends beside me and Ginger.”
“That is not true, Portia.”
“It’s absolutely true, Celeste. Just face it. You are evil. You always have been and you always will be.”
Celeste rolled her eyes at Portia and Ginger chuckled.
Anthony came and stood in the bedroom doorway. He saw his wife sitting on the bed getting pampered. “How much y’all charge for that? Can I have next rubdown?”
Celeste smiled at him. “Hey, baby.” She caressed her necklace. “I love my cross, thank you.”
He returned the smile. “You’re welcome.”
“You see these heifers’ T-shirts?”
Anthony read the bold black letters. “I thought you weren’t gonna tell them, just yet, that we had chosen them as the godmothers.”
“You are so busted!” Ginger shouted out to Celeste.
“We knew it,” Portia said excitedly. “Sittin’ there trying to make us think we weren’t your first choice.” Portia waved her hand at Celeste. “Chile, please.”
“Oh, shut up,” Celeste said to them. Of course Portia and Ginger would be the godmothers. Celeste never thought differently. Her plan was to let her best friends sweat out the wait before she announced her decision. But Anthony’s big mouth spoiled it.
Celeste extended her hand toward him. “Can you help me up?”
Anthony assisted Celeste out of the bed. Ginger slid Celeste’s shoes on her swollen feet and Portia placed Celeste’s purse on her shoulder. Celeste hugged and kissed her friends, thanked them for a wonderful shower, and followed Anthony out of the bedroom.
“You wanna stay in my guest room tonight?” Ginger asked Portia.
“No. Give me the keys to your car. I’ll swing by and get you for church in the morning.”
“Don’t bother,” Ginger said, rotating her aching neck and shoulders. “I don’t plan on waking up until the afternoon. I’m saving my energy for Progressive’s broadcast tomorrow night.”
* * *
With Portia finally gone, Ginger’s living room was empty and clean, just the way she liked it. She found Joseph at the kitchen table eating.
“I see you found your plate. Did you warm it in the microwave?”
He shook his head from side to side and stuffed a forkful of cold spaghetti in his mouth. “I was too hungry for that. These barbecue wings are the bomb.”
Ginger sat on Joseph’s lap and fed him a forkful of potato salad. Then she took a napkin and wiped the corners of his mouth.
“I get the royal treatment, huh?” he asked.
“I know how to treat my king.”
“I can get use to this.”
“You might as well,” Ginger said.
When Joseph confessed that his belly was full, Ginger opted to take a shower. Joseph sat on the sofa in the living room and watched a basketball game and waited for her.
Fifteen minutes later, Ginger stood in front of the television wearing a long white silk nightgown. “I’m exhausted. I’m going to bed.” She pressed the power button on the television and went toward the bedroom. “You coming with me?” she asked over her shoulder.
Joseph rose from the sofa and followed her. Ginger lay on the bed and turned onto her right side. Joseph pulled his shoes off and lay behind Ginger and wrapped his arm around her waist and held her. Within moments he felt Ginger’s head go limp against his chest; then he knew she was asleep.