The next day John is like an excited child showing me around the building site that he swears is only six months away from being a top-notch gym.
‘Have you decided on a name yet?’
‘I’m going with B-Gym-B.’
‘I think you made the right choice.’ It was between that, BallyGoBulking and The J-Team, but I always said B-Gym-B was the cleanest looking and sounding. Plus, Sadhbh said BallyGoBulking sounded like a war crime and The J-Team sounded like a Korean pop band.
It’s all raw plasterboard and concrete floors at the moment, but the building is huge with a vaulted ceiling and I can see why he went for it. So much potential. And there’s parking for fifteen cars behind it. To think these outhouses were basically sitting idle only feet from BGB’s Main Street until John came along with his vision. I’m so proud of him.
‘Over here is the weights room and behind it there is Studio 1, which is totally accessible through the double doors at the side. There’s going to be two more studios upstairs on mezzanine level. One will probably be just for Pilates if there’s enough interest.’
‘It looks mighty already, John.’
‘Oh, watch your step there.’ He flashes me a smile. ‘Precious cargo and all that.’
I let him take my elbow as I navigate a river of cables coming from the boiler room. Underfloor heating for hot yoga, apparently. I can just imagine Carol Boland pumping sweat while doing her downward dog.
‘And then down there to the left will be locker rooms, showers and toilets. What do you think about putting in a jacuzzi?’
‘I’d join a gym just to sit in a jacuzzi.’
‘Exactly!’
‘I can’t believe how fast things are coming together already. I have a couple of weeks before I start work so I can help you with the painting or the snag list or whatever.’
‘That’d be brilliant, Ais. Come on, I’ll bring you back to the office. It’s the only room that’s almost finished.’
John’s idea of almost finished is obviously different to mine, because when we get to the door he has to hoof out a load of cardboard boxes to make room for us both. There are wires sticking out of the walls where lights should be and a giant roll of insulation propped in the corner.
‘Cosy,’ I say, taking a chair opposite him at his desk. I don’t know whether it’s the jet lag or the pregnancy but I’m exhausted already and it’s not even lunchtime.
Something on his screen grabs his attention. ‘Hang on a second, Ais, I just have to reply to this email. Bloody sparks …’
As he taps away at the laptop I scan the desk. The usual half-drunk cups of tea on top of piles of invoices and receipts for gym equipment. Then my eyes fall on a book sticking out from under a packet of Bourbon creams. The cover is orange and the title on the spine reads Dude! You’re Gonna Be a Dad.
‘Sorry about that – all done,’ he says, clicking the computer shut. ‘Any interest in going to BallyGoBrunch for lunch? You’re eating for two now, remember.’
I hold up the book. ‘Doing some light reading, are we?’
He grins back at me. Then his face grows serious. ‘I have a lot to learn, Ais. I’m glad you said you were already on the folic acid because it’s so important for the baby’s spine and brain development. Have you thought about taking some omega-3 too?’
I can’t help but laugh. The man is as unflappable as they come. He’s only known about the pregnancy for four days and now he’s talking about foetal brain development.
He reaches under the desk and pulls out an Easons bag. ‘I got a few more books too. Some are more just for you, but I’m going to read them when you’re finished.’ Then he starts firing them out onto the desk. There’s Bumpin’: The Modern Guide to Pregnancy; Expecting Better; The Shit No One Tells You about Pregnancy; and The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. There’s even Drinkin’ for Two: Delicious Mocktails for the Mom-to-Be.
‘Jesus, John, did you leave anything on the shelves at all?’
‘I want us to be prepared. Turns out I had no idea what women go through. I finished What to Expect When You’re Expecting yesterday morning when I was waiting on the plumber, and let’s just say it was eye-opening. I couldn’t eat my breakfast after finding out what an episiotomy is. Have you ever heard of perineal massage? Do not google it.’
I’m starting to feel a bit worried now. Maybe I should be doing more on my end. I’m too suspicious yet to download one of those apps that compares your baby to a fruit. It feels a bit early. I was up twice during the night to go to the toilet, though, which is very unlike me; I’m usually like a camel. And I don’t feel sick in the mornings exactly, just a bit wobbly in my stomach. So there’s definitely something happening.
‘Have your feet gotten bigger? That’s a thing, you know.’
I look down at my trusty Skechers. ‘Still the same size, I think.’
‘And how are your boobs? Sensitive, are they? You know they might go up as much as three cup sizes.’
‘You weren’t too worried about them last night anyway.’ I smirk. He couldn’t keep his hands off me after Mammy had tipped off to bed and pointedly said she’d be watching Grey’s Anatomy on her tablet with her headphones on. I nearly threw myself out the window as she was saying it, but I was grateful in the end.
He grimaces. ‘Yeah, sorry about that. I hadn’t seen you in so long. It’s fine to have sex, though, according to the book. I checked. In fact, it might even help bring on labour if you go overdue.’
‘Can we not talk about labour, John? It’s going to take me a while to get my head around that one. The baby is still basically a fish.’
‘C’mere,’ he says, beckoning me over to his side of the desk. I gingerly step across a toolbox and he scoops me up onto his lap. ‘How are you doing, you know, emotionally? Your mood must be all over the place with all the extra hormones. I want you to talk to me about this stuff.’
‘I’m grand, honestly. But I’m starting to worry about you. September is miles away. We have loads of time to prepare.’
‘I just want to be a good dad,’ he says into my hair.
I lean back and study his face. His serious brown eyes. The slight furrow in his brow. Those thick, long lashes that are absolutely wasted on a man. ‘You’re going to be an amazing dad, John.’ I gesture at the books. ‘You already know more about pregnancy than me, which I must admit is slightly annoying.’
He puts his hand on my lower belly, and for once I don’t suck in or arch my back. ‘Does it feel different in there?’
‘No. I always thought it would, but no. Not yet anyway. I’m sure it will when I have a bump.’
‘I can’t wait for that part.’
‘Me neither.’ I sigh. ‘I’m going to get one of those Baby on Board badges for when I’m on the Luas or the bus in town. Anyone who doesn’t give me a seat will be getting daggers.’
‘You’re on week seven now. There’s so much happening. Did you know that in two weeks it’s going to be growing taste buds? Can you believe our little baby will have taste buds? How very advanced.’
‘I can’t really. I hope it doesn’t start demanding weird foods.’
‘Like olives?’
‘I hate olives. That would be very spiteful of the baby.’
‘Do you think it’s a boy or a girl?’
I close my eyes and try to connect to this little bundle of cells but I’m not really getting anything. ‘I can’t really tell. Maybe it’s going to be gender-fluid. Or non-binary.’
‘Hey, that’s fine by me,’ he says, rubbing my tummy. ‘If anyone messes with them, they’ll have Daddy to answer to.’