by Tara Brown
“Ahhh, Lori!” she shouts and turns, trying to get away from the massagers.
I spin her so she’s under the water of the showerhead and I’m having a hydro massage on my back. “I’ll have another showerhead installed in all the showers.”
She laughs. “Or we could use the his and hers and you have to stay out of mine.”
“No.” I slide a hand around her back and pull her into me, pressing her soapy chest against mine, liking the way her body fits. “I like this just fine.”
“I see.” She smiles and sends me over the edge.
“You’re about to.” I can’t stop touching or kissing her, and as I’m seriously considering round two, Brady’s voice bellows into the room.
“Lori! Let’s go!”
“Fucking, Brady,” I mutter. “It’s like he knows.”
“Come on,” she says as she climbs out.
It takes no time at all to get downstairs to breakfast on the veranda. It’s how Sami pictured it. White linen tablecloths with everyone seated wearing soft-colored clothes. The table is covered in waffles, berries, sausages and bacon, and different kinds of eggs. There’s fruit and whipped cream and every breakfast food imaginable.
Nat and Brady are at the head of one of the tables, smitten, staring and blushing like schoolkids.
Sami has Eli who’s squirming to get down, which means Matt is somehow responsible for taking him to a blanket on the grass where Eli rolls around like a dog and chews on toys while drooling and sputtering. And for some reason this makes Matt happier than anything I’ve seen before.
This is the point where every person in my life would take the baby from the gathering.
But breakfast is intimate and close. Friends and family.
Bev sits next to Jenny and gushes about her hair now that it’s wet from the shower and so long it sits on her lap.
Nat’s mother still has something lodged in her ass, but her eyes flicker to me and Jenny every now and then. I have no idea what she’s thinking but I’d guess it’s bad.
Mike sits next to me and nudges my ribs. “You have color in your face today, Eckelston. Feeling better, bud?”
“Shut up, Mike,” I mutter and pass him the waffles.
“I will not. In fact, I’m enjoying every second of this.” He moves closer, smirking like a jerk. “Welcome to hell,” he whispers so Liz can’t hear him.
I laugh bitterly and nod. “Thanks, man.”
“So, Lawrence, is this a family home?” Mrs. Banks asks as we start to eat.
“I guess it is now,” I say with a laugh and glance at Jenny who frowns at me, making me smile wider. “Actually, I bought it a while ago.”
“Good for you. So nice to see young people using their inherited wealth to make smart investments, instead of frivolously living high on the hog and wasting money.”
It’s similar to being stung by a jelly fish who smiles at you as she does it. And I’m not the only intended target.
Nat’s stare pleads with me to behave myself.
But it’s Jenny who speaks before we can anticipate it, “Oh, he didn’t inherit his wealth.” Jenny pauses cutting her waffles and uses her work-Jenny voice which reeks of authority and firmness, “We were all talking about this the other night. I didn’t know this either, but Lori’s been investing and making money since he was a boy. He didn’t take money from his family. He earned it and played the stock market using tips he stole by following his grandfather’s portfolio.” She laughs as if that’s absurd.
But it works.
Nat’s mom smiles, genuinely. “You must be joking.” Her eyes flicker to mine.
“Oh—uh—no.” God I hate this moment, even if it began with Jenny defending me.
“Oh, don’t be so bashful, Lori. Tell Mrs. Banks how you bribed your father’s friends to do the investing for you when you were eleven by sharing the investment tips with them,” Rich says with a tormenting smile, enjoying this too much.
“How clever,” Mrs. Banks is impressed and I’m no longer some lazy trust-fund brat.
“My dad never thought so,” I offer, playing it down.
“Why did you do it?” She isn’t letting this go and now everyone’s listening.
“Hockey.” I glance at Matt because he knows how it is. “My family thought being an athlete was a joke. I was allowed to play hockey as a little kid.”
“Of course.” Mrs. Banks offers a girlish smile that will haunt me for a while.
“My parents tried to force me to go to the private school they wanted. It didn’t have hockey. So I chose my own and was accepted into Notre Dame and paid my tuition.” The memory brings back some of the pride I felt when I told my grandfather what was happening. “My father was outraged. He said I was acting like he couldn’t afford the tuition and demanded to pay. That got my ass up more, so I never took money from them after that.”
“Well, your parents might not find that admirable or be proud, but I am,” Sami’s dad cuts in. “You’re an upstanding young man, Lawrence. And we have always thought so.”
Sami’s mom nods along.
“Thank you, Mr. Ford.” My face heats under the scrutiny and I lower my gaze, not fast enough though, and I catch a glimpse of Brady making a jerk-off motion. Which is exactly the response I need.
Fortunately, the breakfast talk moves on.
When it’s over, it’s finally time for the parents to leave. Jenny takes a nap alone while I suffer a type of gratitude I’ve never experienced. Between Brady’s mom, sister-in-law, and Nat’s parents I hear the word “thank-you” more than I have in my life.
I’m grateful when they board their different planes and leave us all standing on the tarmac of the Martha’s airport.
“Oh my God, it’s over,” Sami sighs and Nat hugs her tightly.
Matt’s aged about five years in the last six months.
Brady’s got a stunned sort of expression, perhaps feeling the realness of being married.
The wind picks up and Bev slaps Matt on the arm. She doesn’t say anything, just turns and walks away with Geoff, holding his hand as they head for the car he’s rented to use on the island.
Our level of togetherness has been intense this last couple of months and now that it’s coming to an end, I have a strange sinking feeling of already missing them.
“Now it’s your turn,” Brady says to Carson and Rich.
Rich chuckles as though it’s a joke and Carson wrinkles his nose in disgust as he scoffs. “Pretty sure the one with the baby momma is getting married next.”
All eyes turn to me.
“Karaoke? I heard they have a killer bar for it here.” I turn and walk to the limo where Leslie is patiently waiting.
When everyone else climbs in, Nat reaches forward, squeezing my hand. I don’t know if she’s sucking strength from me or pleading with me to defend her when the cat’s out of the bag.
What I don’t know is that she’d decided to let the cat loose the moment the car is moving. “Okay, the weddings are over and life’s normal, and I had a thing planned but it’s ruined. So, the test was mine,” she says, not doing the special moment she’d planned or even warning anyone with a “can we talk?” comment.
“What?” Carson asks, lost.
Sami’s eyes widen in horror. She’s clued in too quickly, she must have suspected.
Matt winces.
Brady’s unaware she spoke at all. He’s daydreaming about something. I don’t want to know what that is.
Rich takes half a second to comprehend, his eyes flashing surprise when he does.
“Jenny saved my life with my mom.” Nat’s cheeks flush. “I had this huge surprise organized but there’s no point now. I don’t have the test anymore, and I’m done with the secrets.”
“I left it at Jenny’s, sorry. I didn’t realize—”
“It’s okay.” She covers her eyes and shakes her head. “I’m so embarrassed for Jenny. I don’t know how to apologize. I ruined her surprise and you found out horribly.
I’m so sorry, Lori.”
“It’s cool.” It’s not but what can I change now?
“What?” Brady comes to the realization Nat’s talking. “What are you talking about, Banks?”
“I’m—we’re pregnant. I was going to do a thing this morning after everyone left and surprise you, but whatever. It doesn’t matter anymore.” She’s being oddly casual, brushing this enormous news off.
Sami goes for the stupid question, still visibly shocked, “How? We took that special—”
“Yeah, that’s how—anyway, it didn’t work on me.” She’s trying to be firm and strong, which still sounds scared.
The journey Brady takes from disbelief to confusion to understanding and arriving at fear is amusing to witness. I’m glad I’m not alone.
“Did your balls suck right into your body?” I joke, nudging him when the silence is too awkward and long.
“Right in,” he murmurs and turns to Nat. He starts nodding, like he’s a robot forcing joy and acceptance. “Fuck, you guys got me.” He sighs, laughing. “That was a good one. I had full pins and needles, like a horror movie, ya know?”
He and Carson are laughing but we’re all staring at him, praying he shuts the fuck up.
But he doesn’t.
“Can you imagine?” He grimaces at Matt. “What a way to ruin the honeymoon.”
I’m shaking my head in tiny twitches.
Matt coughs and holds his hands against his throat, motioning for Brady to kill it.
But he’s nervous now and talking more.
“Wait? This isn’t a joke? You’re serious? Banks, you’re pregnant? How? Why? What?” He turns to Sami, seeing the stunned silence on her face. “You didn’t know either?”
“Brady!” Rich blurts.
“Fuck me! Why didn’t you say something before? Why here and now?” He focuses back on Nat whose expression has settled on fury. She’s doesn’t go the heartbroken route Jenny went. She doesn’t block him out or cut him off or shut down emotionally. She’s ready to rage.
Carson claws at the door, finding the handle, ready to sprint from the vehicle the moment it stops, which can’t come fast enough.
No one is saying anything. I’m suddenly grateful I found out the way I did.
The car stops and we bolt like rats from a sinking ship. Even Sami leaves.
We get inside, huffing breath and pacing.
“He’s such an idiot,” Matt mutters.
“That’s why Jenny outed herself.” Sami nods, piecing things together. “I thought it was strange she put a pee test in Nat’s purse.” Her eyes narrow. “Wait, did Jenny know before me?”
“I knew,” I blurt. “Nat needed somewhere to take the test so she took them at my place.”
“Why didn’t she tell me?” Sami shouts.
“Because you’ve been nuts with these weddings and your hormones have been messed up from that stupid pill you and Nat took to stop your monthly things, which the doctor did warn you about.” Matt waves her off. “Everyone has been walking on eggshells with you for months. And it ends here. Your own friend didn’t tell you she was pregnant. That should be a sign you’ve taken this all too far.”
Rich gives me a slight head nod, indicating his choice is to run.
I lift my gaze to upstairs.
I move for the staircase as Sami shouts back, “It was stressful, planning two weddings and running the company and being a new mom. Speaking of which, I bet our son is waking up from his nap.” She turns on her heel and stomps to the stairs.
Matt sighs loudly, closing his eyes.
Nat enters the house a moment later and slams the door, startling poor Sorel who’s visibly confused. She storms up the stairs and slams another door a few minutes later.
Carson looks at Rich who remains sort of paused at the base of the stairs. “I love you. I know we haven’t said that yet. But I do.”
Rich beams back. “I love you too.”
“Seriously?” Matt mumbles as Carson and Rich hug, kissing and walking away, though not going up the stairs where all the crazy females lurk.
Through the doors to the back garden, I see Brady pacing on the grass and walk that way.
“You okay?” I ask as I get outside.
“No, man. She flung that at me and then got mad that I thought she was pranking. How was I supposed to react to that news?” I haven’t seen him this upset since Nat made him choose between Matt and her.
“I think they have some expectation we’re supposed to be excited about it, like dudes in a movie are.”
“But not one of us has found out that way. They want a romantic response but throw us to the sharks as a way of telling us.” I commiserate and pace with him. “At least you guys are married and have been together for a while.”
“We weren’t together when I found out either.” Matt points out. “It was awful. And she was so angry at how I reacted.”
“But you knew you loved her. That was never in question. We’re still getting to know each other.”
Brady scowls at us. “Can you two go cry somewhere else?”
“No!” Matt points at the second story of the house. “You need to go up there and apologize and act excited, for fuck’s sake! Stop being a little bitch about it. It’s a baby, not testicular cancer or a death sentence. And try to focus on how she’s feeling. Probably alone.”
Brady parts his lips to yell back, but he has nothing to say that will defend his actions. And for the second time, I watch as he takes a short journey through his thoughts. Unfortunately, I relate to this one as well.
Matt’s words hit harder than I think he intends.
Brady turns and walks inside.
Matt glances at me, lifting an eyebrow as if he might begin lecturing me.
“Don’t give me that dad eyebrow. You need to go and find Sami and apologize for letting your inside thoughts outside.”
He thinks for a second and nods, muttering, “Carson and Rich are onto something.”
I laugh as he leaves.
19
Inspiring
Jenny
I’m midway through getting ready for dinner when I hear a voice call my name, “Jenny?”
“In here!”
“Hey, I just wanted to apologize for yesterday,” Nat says before she rounds the corner to the bathroom.
“It’s me who should apologize. I left before the wedding. I’m so sorry. I panicked.”
“Oh damn, it’s nice in here. This is impressive.” She comes right into the room and stares, forgetting our conversation.
“You haven’t seen it before?” I turn and sigh in disbelief that I’m here at all. “It’s the nicest house I’ve been in.”
“No, they’re rich. They don’t do the house tour thing. As you pass by a room, they say offhand things like”—she changes her tone to the uppity one Matt’s mom has—“darling, you’ve seen the parlor since we had the curtains redone? The fabric is imported from Singapore and made from the tears of orphans and tattered clothes stolen from the displaced refugees. Very rare.”
We laugh.
“That’s not how it sounds,” Lori says, making us both jump in surprise. “It’s more like this.” He changes his voice too, “You know that spotted cat born in the wild, said to be the last of his species? I can’t recall the breed, not that it’s important. I have him stuffed in the study as a reminder to always be grateful for every day. Inspiring.”
His imitation is flawless and we are both laughing at him.
“Why are we mocking my mother?” He lifts an eyebrow and leans on the doorframe, filling it up with his body.
“You never gave Nat the tour of the house. She didn’t know your hers bathroom was so impressive.”
“By the gods, Mrs. Coldwell, how can I ask for your forgiveness?” He maintains his silly impression, offering her his arm. “Let me start the all-access tour in a more appropriate area, my bedroom.” He waggles his eyebrows and leads her off.
She’s giggling at whatever no
nsensical thing he’s saying as he leads her around the huge suite.
When he brings her back to the bathroom, he kisses her hand and bows, still speaking that way, “I do hope that makes up for the grievous error I made in my negligence.” He winks at me in the mirror and walks away, speaking normally, “See you both downstairs in five? The karaoke won’t sing itself.”
I wrinkle my nose.
“He’s so odd.” She laughs. “Anyway, as I was saying, I’m sorry. I forgot the stupid thing was in there. And you saved my life with my mom. You have no idea. So thank you for ruining your entire pregnancy reveal to Lori. I feel awful.”
“Don’t. It was fine,” I lie.
“It wasn’t. It was terrible. And then I got so done with this whole situation that in the limo, when our parents had all left, I did the same thing as you. I sprung it on Sami and Brady. They’re both mad at me.”
“They won’t be for long. Sami’s probably minutes away from realizing what a capital thing this is, you both having babies to put on Princess and the Pauper.” I laugh. “And Brady loves you.” I’m not sure yet if I like him, but he’s funny.
“I guess.” She shrugs. “I just wasn’t ready, ya know?”
“I do.”
“Of course, you do.”
“I didn’t want kids.” I lower my gaze with shame.
“Why didn’t you just—”
“It’s crazy.” A nervous laugh slips from my lips with the words, “A psychic at a bridal shower told me my first baby would be a reincarnation of my mom, who’s dead.”
“Oh God, what a heavy thing to say to someone you don’t know.”
“Normally, I wouldn’t believe something like that. I don’t know how I feel about God and the afterlife and all those things. I’ve never believed in psychics. But I didn’t tell her my mom had died. She knew. She said she was still there, watching and she was proud of me and my brother. And I didn’t tell her I had a brother.” I’ve never told a soul this and I don’t know why I’m telling Nat. Maybe because we’ve found ourselves in similar situations. “So when the doctor said I was pregnant, my first instinct was to go a different route, but—”