by K, S
Waking up, I looked around a small room, enclosed off by what looked like sheets hanging from the ceilings. I could hear the commotion outside the closed off space, but I couldn't see it. Pushing down against the bed, I tried to sit up, but sharp twinges of pain had me looking down to my hands that were wrapped in white gauze.
Brooke jumped off the chair to the right of me. "Hey," she said, a hint of worry in her tone, "you finished pretending you're Mike Tyson?"
A smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth as the flood of memories came to the forefront of my mind, and I remembered myself assaulting my bathroom mirror. Just before I could respond, the doctor walked in. "Mrs. Worthington, I'm glad to see you're awake. Just so you are aware, there are stitches in your left hand. Luckily for you, your right hand sustained little damage."
I glanced down at my hands again and shook my head. What was I thinking flying off the handle like that?
The doctor interrupted my thoughts. "I'm going to sign off on your paperwork, and you'll be free to go. Oh, and one more thing. I was able to run a few more tests while you were asleep, and it does, in fact, look like you are pregnant. Congratulations."
With those very words, I remembered exactly why I'd flown off the handle.
Brooke could see the pain in my eyes, so she tried to calm me down before I could get worked up again. "Savannah, please, just take a deep breath."
Inhaling a deep breath, I sat up and flung my legs over the side of the bed and slipped my sandals onto my feet. I stood tall, squared my shoulders, and glanced at the clock. It was five in the afternoon "I need to get home. Jake will be home by eight, and I need to get that mirror fixed and the bathroom cleaned up."
Brooke's face paled. "Don't you want to talk about the…" I cut her off before those four letters, b-a-b-y, could escape her mouth.
"Please, don't say it."
The white towels and bathroom rug all soaked in bleach while the maintenance guys Carl had sent up installed the new mirror. Brooke hadn't left my side, but was a nervous wreck. She kept asking what I was going to tell Jake, and I knew she was talking about the baby, but I just kept telling myself it was about my battered hands.
"Ma'am, the mirror is as good as new. Is there anything else we can assist you with while we are here?"
I walked to the bathroom, and they followed as I examined their job, sliding my bandaged fingers over the brand new, flawlessly installed glass mirror. "Perfect, I think that is all. Thank you again for being able to fix this so quickly."
The tall lanky Spanish man nodded his head. "Not a problem."
Ensuring every piece of evidence that they'd been in my condo was picked up, I showed them to the door and then turned to meet Brooke in the kitchen. Reaching for a bottled water, I peered over to the wine refrigerator. "Would you tell on me if I got really drunk right now?"
Brooke scoffed, "No, I'd just beat you over the head with the bottle before you could pour yourself a glass."
Lightly laughing, I took a seat next to her on the barstool. "How did this happen, Brooke? Six weeks ago, you and Josh invited us over to announce your pregnancy, and now Jake and I are in the same boat. I just don't understand. I took my birth control like clockwork, never missing a single day. Jake even uses condoms, and you know how anal I am about tracking my ovulation. I watch that thing like a hawk. I just don't get it. This is not the plan I had in mind."
Brooke rubbed my arm. "It's life, and it's not going to go according to plan every time. You've just got to roll with the punches. It's not that bad. Jake is a wonderful husband and is going to be thrilled. Sure, you're upset, but I promise you, babies are such a blessing. Nine months from now when you're snuggled up with Jake junior, you're going to sit back and wonder what the fuss was all about. You won't be able to ever imagine your life without that perfect bundle of joy."
I rolled my eyes, "Whatever, Brooke, I don't believe that garbage about the minute they place the baby in your arms you forget about everything else, and those motherly instincts kick in."
Brooke looked at me, and I could see that she was saddened by my lack of excitement, when all of the sudden, Jake's voice rang through the condo. "Babe, I'm home."
Startled, both our bodies jumped, and I looked at Brooke, panic on my face as I whispered, "Not a single word about this." Pointing to my belly, I glared at my best friend. "Do you understand? He cannot find out."
Brooke's mouth fell open, and she whispered back, "That's not fair, Sav. You've got to tell him. You can't keep this from him."
Jake walked up to me and wrapped his arms snuggly around my body. His beard skimmed my cheek when he kissed me. "Tell me what?" he asked.
I lifted my bandaged hands, and Jake lightly grabbed my wrists. "What happened to you? Are you okay?"
I forced a happy smile. "You know how crazy I can get at work. There was a photo shoot today, and I wanted a better angle, but gravity wasn't on my side. I fell off the ladder and sliced my hands on some of the props, only five stitches in my left hand. I'll be as good as new in a few weeks."
Brooke glared at me as if she was going to wrap her hands around my throat and strangle me for lying to Jake.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Brooke
I WALKED IN THE front door of my home, basking in the aroma of the taco meat and queso. Some fiesta music playing in the background led me to the kitchen where I found my amazing husband chopping and dicing toppings.
"Hola, como estas?" he joked as he turned to face me; instantly dropping the enthusiasm as he spotted my face. "Brooke, honey…" Taking my hands, he held them delicately, caressing the skin with the pads of his thumbs. "What's wrong? Are you feeling sick? I was hoping you'd be up for Taco Tuesday, but I can get rid of it." After he released one hand, he felt my forehead and looked me over for any sighs of nausea.
I rolled my shoulders back as the knot in my stomach tightened its hold on me. Josh and I had no secrets between us, and every ounce of me pleaded with my brain to tell him. But that other piece, the part of me that had known Savannah since our days in preschool at KinderCare knew that I couldn't. I had been sworn to secrecy before driving off from the condo. Shaking my head, I relieved his worry, forcing a half-truth though my lips. "It's Savannah. She fell off a ladder at work and cut her hands up pretty bad. I had to rush her to the hospital, and I was just scared."
"Oh, Brooke," He soothed, pulling me in and wrapping his strong arms around me.
"She will be fine," I amended. "But this dinner, it smells delicious." I felt terrible, weighed down by the guilt as soon as the lie and redirect came out of my mouth.
Josh, none the wiser, spun around and began fixing up our tacos, knowing exactly what I would want on mine as I took a place at the table.
The next day at work I dragged my feet as I walked in to my office, exhausted from a restless night's sleep. Savannah came barreling in, looking at my outfit with a critical eye. In a rush to escape the house and Josh's innocent questions, I'd thrown on a maxi-skirt and shirt, tossed my hair up in a bun, and dabbed on some makeup on my drive. Plopping in my desk chair, I rubbed my temples with my fingers in exasperation.
"Sav, just don't. I got home, and Josh knew something was up with me."
"You didn't!" Savannah accused, pointing her manicured nail at me.
Shaking my head no to her accusation, I felt the tension in her body slip away as quickly as it had come. "Oh, thank God."
"Savannah." I began rising to my feet and squaring my shoulders, knowing she would not like what I had to say, "I will not lie to my husband for long. I love you dearly, but this," I waved a hand between the two of us, "this is killing me."
Her face dropped as she closed her eyes. "I know. I just need some time to process it all. I will tell Jake." Savannah turned and started to walk out of my office, obviously knowing I was done and not in a mood to argue or talk more.
"Make it real soon," I muttered as she reached the threshold.
The rest of the day at work dragged on and on, so
much so that at three I left, done with it all. "Lisa," I spoke as I walked past my assistant's desk. "If anyone asks, I had an appointment, then after that I'm going to finish my work from home."
Standing up, she looked on at me with concern in her eyes. "Oh Brooke, are you still having the morning sickness?" Lisa was one of the first to catch on to my disappearances and had even ensured I had saltine crackers and ginger ale at my disposal at work.
"No," I replied, shaking my head. "It seems to have finally gone away. I just didn't sleep well last night." I walked over to the elevators and pushed the button, the doors dinging open just as Savannah walked by.
"You're leaving?" she asked.
"Yes." I nodded. "I have an OB appointment today. You know… for my baby." The snideness in my voice came through fully as I placed a hand on my stomach. I stepped into the wood-paneled elevator, desperate for the doors to close, but knowing it'd be rude to press the button in her face.
"Brooke," she began. I forced my eyes shut, unable to stomach another reason to keep quiet. Savannah was my best friend. I loved her with every fiber of my being, but I didn't agree with her choice right now and had to play second fiddle to the lie. Just before the doors slid closed, a solitary tear trickled down Savannah's cheek.
I parked my car in the first available space at the doctor's office, spotting Josh's a few spaces down. As I reached over to grab my purse, my car door swung open.
"Hey, beautiful," Josh crooned, taking my hand and placing a kiss on it before helping me out. "I'm so excited for this," he continued, his excitement pouring out of him and warming me from the inside. This was something joyous and happy that we could celebrate, and I clung to that thought, pushing Savannah's troubles to the back of my mind.
We were called back quickly and taken to an exam room. I had chosen to go with a midwife, wanting as natural of a process as possible for our baby's journey into the world.
Melissa came strolling in, my chart in her hand as she reviewed my file. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Worthington, Mister" She nodded to both of us with a genuine smile that was infectious.
"Brooke, please," I said, returning her smile as she shook Josh's hand. He'd been unable to make the first appointment due to work, so she quickly introduced herself to him before turning back to me.
"So, I'm a bit concerned. Your weight has dropped a little. Has the nausea subsided?"
I nodded my head in reply, and she went back to flipping pages.
"Well, I want to keep an eye on it. Make sure you are eating plenty and taking your vitamins. You are now," she flipped a few more pages, "thirteen weeks, so we will just measure and listen to the heartbeat today, but seven more weeks and you'll have another ultrasound."
Josh's shoulder slumped as a laugh took over my body, reaching over I took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Hey, don't pout, baby, you got one on the way," I teased as I lay back on the table and placed my feet in the metal stirrups.
The paper crinkled beneath me as I lifted my cotton shirt up to my bust line and pushed the waistband of my skirt down to my panties. Melissa grabbed a tube of the lubricant jelly and shook it to the top, then squirt a dollop on my flat stomach. She spun in her chair, picked up the little gadget on her counter, and placed it on my belly. The room filled with the annoying sound of static. Suddenly my heart skipped a beat as I heard that of my child, beating strongly and loudly, echoing through the room.
Thu-dump, thu-dump, thu-dump.
Tears trickled down my cheeks as Josh turned me into him, hugging me tightly around the neck.
"Oh, Josh," I choked out, reaching up and grasping the starched collar of his shirt to pull him closer to me. Sharing that moment with my husband was just… magical. Leaning back to the table, I took the tissue offered by Melissa and dabbed my eyes. A few quick measurements and we were sent on our way with another appointment scheduled in four weeks.
Josh walked me out to my car and opened the door for me to climb inside the driver's seat. "That was, that was amazing, Brooke. I want to call Jake, but he is so touchy about all things baby," he said wistfully as he messed with the handle of my car door.
I felt the bile rise in my throat and covered my mouth as I fought to hold it back.
"I thought it had stopped?" Josh asked, obviously concerned that I was looking a little green.
"It has. I think something I ate is just disagreeing with me," I lied once again, this one coming out easier than the last. Mentally, I cursed Savannah for putting me in this predicament. "No big deal, I'm heading home anyway. I told Lisa if she needed me to call me there."
Josh nodded, looking pleased that I'd be home resting. "Good. Be sure to elevate your feet and take a nap. You don't have to work full time, you know."
My eyes went heavenward as the irritation bristled within. "Josh, dear. I'm fine. I'm going to go home and work. I have to start getting this pregnancy feature finalized so I can get it to Monica for final approval."
As Josh leaned down, his devilish smile had me turning to mush before his eyes. Damn that man.
"Well, I have to go back to the office. I will see you later. I love you." He dipped his head into the car, his lips coming within a centimeter of my own, and I could smell the spearmint of his gum as his warm breath blew out.
Puckering my lips, I closed the gap, tasting him and enjoying every second of his warm delicate lips on my own. When we broke our hold, that same devilish smile reappeared, and I desperately wanted to tell him to skip work entirely.
I waved Josh off and pulled out of the parking lot, reminiscing on the appointment we'd just enjoyed together, Josh's words about sharing it with Jake replaying in my mind. The red light burned in front of me, bringing my car to a halt in front of a baby boutique I had never seen before, and instantly a genius idea struck. The light turned green, and I gunned it, cutting off several cars as they honked their horns at me, so I could make the second entrance to their store.
When I stepped into the store, the doorbell chimed above me. A friendly sales clerk walked from the back stockroom, a bright smile on her face as I perused the endless racks of the most adorable clothes ever. "Can I help you find something?" she sweetly asked in her sing-song voice.
"Oh no, I'm just looking," I said, sliding hangers across the pole as I looked at each tiny newborn outfit in a wide array of pastel colors. I wasn't sure what I wanted to get, but I had hoped that by showing Savannah the cuteness and get her excited, she'd deal better. And the faster she dealt better and told Jake, the better off I would be. Freezing suddenly, I pulled out the most adorable yellow onesie with a cute fluffy duck that said I Love My Mommy. I saw a ton of things begging for me to purchase them, but I figured I'd keep it gender-neutral until we knew whether we were having a boy or a girl.
After making my purchase and walking back to my car, I realized the new mission I had been assigned. Operation Baby Worthington would be my toughest yet, because my best friend was as stubborn as they come. But I promised myself then and there I'd smother her in all things baby until she accepted the reality that she and Jake were going to be welcoming a little blessing in nine months. I felt confident that once she accepted the facts, she'd be excited too, and then we could all breathe easier.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Savannah
BROOKE SCURRIED INTO my office the next day with a huge yellow bag in tow and closed my office door behind her. She placed the huge bag on my desk and sat down in front of me, grinning from ear to ear.
"What is this?" I questioned, plucking the bag off my desk and placing it onto my lap.
Brooke bounced in her seat, beaming with excitement as I carefully extracted the wads of tissue paper one by one from the bag, peering in as if something was going to jump out and scare the hell out of me. As the last piece of tissue paper was removed, I peeked in, and instantly my mood shifted from pleasant to angry.
"Brooke, no, I'm not doing this. I can't. What if Jake sees this? I can't risk him finding out, not yet."
Brooke di
dn't falter; rather, she sat up straight up and began in on me, "Savannah Worthington, you're pregnant. You need to get on board. It's a wonderful thing, and the sooner you accept it, the sooner I can stop lying to my husband. Now take a better look at what's in that bag."
I hesitated for a moment before I reached in and pulled out a white onesie, holding it up in the air as I read the writing, If you think I'm cute – you should see my aunt!
Brooke chimed in as I examined the outfit, "I've got one for my little peanut too. That way they can wear them together and match."
Shaking my head, I stuffed the onesie back into the bag and stood before I crossed the room and opened my closet. I tossed the bag inside and slammed the door shut with a loud thud. "Brooke, I'm not getting on board. You can buy me every piece of cute clothing Denver has to offer, and I'm still going to hate the fact that I'm pregnant." Back at my desk, I snatched my camera up and stormed out of my office, looking over to my shoulder as my best friend's face watched, hurt by my words.
Needing to clear my head, I briskly walked down the street ready to snap a few photos of my beautiful city, when I found myself in front of a familiar high-rise. I walked into the building and hopped into an elevator and pressed PH. Shoving my camera into my giant purse, I exited the elevator and gazed up at the entryway to our favorite social club, The Penthouse.
Elizabeth, the hostess, greeted me, "Mrs. Worthington how may I assist you today?"
Walking past her, I made my way to our usual spot at the bar. "I'm just going to have a drink. Thanks, Elizabeth."
Taking a seat at the bar, I relaxed for the first time that morning, when one of the usual bartenders greeted me, "Good morning, Mrs. Worthington. May I offer you a mimosa?"