After I finish hurling up my breakfast, I take a deep breath and head into work. I try to arrive before everyone, but there’s a stream of well-wishers coming into the kitchen. Everyone has heard what happened by now and wants to check on me. I know they care, but it makes me feel a little like a freakshow as they ask about my black eye. The bruise from my forehead has sunk down so my whole cheek is purple and green. There’s no hiding it.
So far, Juniper has helped me spread the story that I was so focused about catering the Cavs meeting that I didn’t eat or drink anything. It was a really hot day Monday. Nobody has trouble believing I passed out from dehydration. I make sure to keep a huge glass of lemon water nearby at all times. Lemon is about the only thing I can consistently keep down. Whatever else this baby is, he or she most certainly is not interested in food. Definitely doesn’t take after me, I think.
Once the first big wave of Stag Law employees heads back to their offices, Juniper hangs around in the kitchen. She bites her lip and looks at me. “Want to go get some coffee and talk?” she asks. “I thought about calling you yesterday, but wanted to give you some space.”
I exhale deeply and nod. It will feel good to talk to Juniper. We head toward the elevator together. There’s a coffee shop across the street, and I try ordering mint tea. Juniper and I grab a table near the back and as soon as we sit, she says, “Look, I know there’s something more going on with you and Tim. And I want to be someone you can trust to talk about that.” I open my mouth to speak and she holds up a hand. “I want to prove that you can trust me, because I need a friend to talk to about something, too. So I’m just going to tell you--I’m sleeping with Ty.”
My jaw drops. “Ty Stag?”
She nods and takes a long sip of her drink. “It started before I even knew him. I needed to move on from...well, I needed to get laid, and I picked him up in a club. I had no idea who he was. You should have seen my face when Tim said he wanted me to represent his brother, and his brother ended up being that nameless guy I fucked in a bar bathroom.”
“A bathroom? You? Jeeze, Juniper. This is all...well I’m really surprised.”
She raises an eyebrow at me. “You know more than anyone how irresistible the Brothers Stag can be, right?” We share a laugh. “So tell me what’s going on. Maybe I can help? Or just be a friend at least. I’m new to this city, and there aren’t enough women at work.”
She’s right about that, which I remember she had planned to speak with Tim about last time I talked to her. “I slept with Tim during one of Ty’s hockey games,” I tell her and brave a sip of the mint tea. My stomach seems to accept it gratefully.
“Oh my god, Alice! The first playoff game where the whole office came to watch! I remember you snuck off for a ‘tour’ of the arena!” She laughs. “So this has been going on for awhile.”
I tell her how at first we were just infatuated, how we both thought we could get it out of our system. “But then, I don’t know. It just started to feel like more. He really opens up to me, and I really like how that feels.”
Apparently things are going the same for Juniper and Ty. It sounds like her feelings for him are stronger than she’s even admitting. For a brief minute, I let myself fantasize about us being sisters. Then a wave of nausea washes over me and I cram a crumpled napkin against my mouth.
She starts pushing a drink stirrer around in her empty cup, then says, “So look, Alice, I care about you and I care about Tim. He’s a good boss and a good guy. I just want you to know that you can talk to me. Because it sure seems like the other day was about more than a bumped head and dehydration.”
I bite my lower lip and nod, not trusting myself to talk without crying. I haven’t actually said the words myself yet. Even the nurse on the phone at the midwifery practice had access to my medical records from the emergency room when my sister made the referral. But if Juniper is in a relationship with Ty, she’s going to find out soon. I’m sure Tim talked to his brothers about what’s going on. Or at least I hope that he did. Juniper looks at me expectantly, and I figure everyone is going to know soon enough, anyway. At least I’ll have an ally when I have to run off and hurl while I’m serving lunch. My voice is barely above a whisper, and I tell her, “I’m pregnant.”
Juniper breaks into a wide smile. “Alice! That’s so exciting! I mean, I guess it must be a shock for you. But I was afraid you had cancer or something. Seriously, this is the best news!” And then she’s run around the table to hug me. To my surprise, I let her, and it feels really good to have a friend like her around. I tell her a little bit about Tim’s breakdown. She doesn’t seem surprised, telling me how he wouldn’t come out of his office until he stormed out of the building. She apparently called Ty and he came to get Tim’s car from outside of my house.
By the time we walk back up to the office I’m feeling ready to forgive Tim for freaking out--he’d had a shock, after all. Now seems as good a time to go talk to him as any, and Donna gives me a warm smile as I approach the executive office. “Is he in, Donna?”
“He is! Do you want me to buzz him for you? He’s just reading over some contracts that arrived this morning from Cleveland.”
“No, Donna, that’s ok. I’m just going to go in and...thank him...for helping me on Monday.” She nods and returns to her computer screen as I push open the door.
Tim’s desk is covered with papers, and he’s turned to face out the window. He stares out at the river below, looking peaceful and contemplative. I gently clear my throat and he spins around to face me. “Alice,” he says, his voice quiet and questioning.
“Can we talk?”