"Sounds exciting." Auden winked as she sipped her drink. For some reason, Auden had always assumed my friends were boring. Even back in school. I'd never been as much of a free spirit as she was, I guess. But, I thought it was funny that she assumed her big brother was dull as hell…even when I was dating her best friend. Whatever.
Haddie joined us, looking even more beautiful than she did a few minutes ago. I had no idea what she did, but my mouth was agape as she walked past me to hug my sister and fill her in on Marty's schedule for the night. Auden listened attentively as she continued to shovel her dinner into her mouth. I spent my last couple minutes stacking pans with the little guy as the two women talked and laughed.
"Ready, Jase?" Haddie asked as she knelt down to hug and kiss her boy.
"Yep, see ya, kiddo." After a quick kiss on top of his head, I followed Haddie out the door, saying goodbye to Auden as she joined Marty on the carpet.
"She's amazing," Haddie said as she zipped up her jacket.
"Yeah, sometimes." I couldn't help smirking when my sister was mentioned. She'd always been a royal pain in my ass. Sometimes, even though I saw Haddie as a grown up woman, it was hard for me to see Auden in the same way. Our dynamic hadn't changed too much since we were kids. And I wondered if it ever would.
An hour drive into downtown Chicago and we arrived at Greek Islands, one of the places Kate had been pressuring us to try. I'd never been a huge fan of Greek food, but Haddie loved it, so I was more than prepared to take one for the team.
"Maxwell, party of four," I said to the lovely woman in her late sixties who stood behind the hostess counter.
"Oh yes," she said, glancing down at her reservation booklet. "The rest of your party just arrived. Follow me, please."
I had to hand it to the owner of the restaurant. The ambiance of the place was awesome. Rustic and European wall coverings, authentic wooden chairs that looked like they were taken directly from a restaurant my family once visited in Mykonos. I hadn't been there since I was twelve, but I honestly felt like I'd been transported as we walked to our table.
Evan and Kate greeted us with smiles and hugs as we arrived at the table. Everyone settled in and Evan ordered a bottle of red wine as we inspected the menu. Immediately, Kate asked if we had pictures of the baby. Giddily, Haddie dug into her purse and retrieved her latest order from the one-hour photo place.
Kate smiled wide as she flipped through the pictures of Marty sleeping, playing, eating and, of course, drooling like crazy.
"He…uh, has a lot of, um…" Kate said as she stared down at a picture of Marty and his soaked bib.
"Drool?" I laughed. She nodded, scrunching her lips and wide-eyed.
"I know absolutely nothing about babies." Kate smiled behind clenched teeth, embarrassed. But, there was something more to her expression. Something I was unable to put my finger on.
"He's teething," Haddie said.
"That sounds like fun," Evan joked as he shifted in his seat.
"It's brutal, man. The poor guy is always in pain. And let me tell you, that goo that's supposed to numb the gums only works for about three minutes."
"And you know this because?" Evan pressed me.
"He tried it," Haddie said, looking at me with pride.
"I wanted to see if it helped him." I shrugged. "No better way than to try it myself."
"And?" Kate asked, all smiles.
"And, it wore off…way too fast. Those commercials are a lie."
"I knew you'd be a natural," Kate said softly, almost to herself. But, I heard her and that compliment was one of the best I'd ever received. I always knew I wanted to be a father and I'd always liked kids. I just never really thought about it until Haddie and I fell in love. And by then, I was all in. It was still nice to hear.
The table was quiet as Evan poured wine for Haddie, himself and me. Kate sipped her ice water with lemon and Haddie and I exchanged a suspicious smile. She was hiding something, and I was pretty sure I knew what it was…which would explain the sudden questions about babies. She'd always been sweet with Haddie when it came to Marty and motherhood. But, she'd never seemed as genuinely curious as she did tonight.
Once our food arrived, Evan and Kate exchanged a glance. Evan nodded his head with a lopsided grin. He took her hand and Kate's cheeks turned crimson as she wiped her mouth and cleared her throat.
"We have something to share."
"Oh?" Haddie said, placing her fork down, listening intently.
"We're going to have a baby," Kate said, smiling as she squeezed Evan's hand in her own.
"Congratulations," Haddie and I said in unison. And then she asked question after question like a giddy firing squad.
"How far along are you?"
"Fourteen weeks."
"When's your due date?"
"September 28th."
"Will you find out what you're having?"
"Absolutely. I don't like surprises," Kate said with a laugh. "Neither does Evan."
"You must be so thrilled," Haddie said, looking starry-eyed as she stared at our friends. They were married; they were settled. And we both knew they would love being parents.
"We were a little freaked out at first," Kate admitted, as she glanced at Evan. "We weren't exactly trying to get pregnant. It just sorta happened."
"But, it's awesome," Evan said, kissing Kate's hand.
"You'll be great, you guys. Seriously, if we can do this, so can you," Haddie said, looking self-conscious after saying the word "we." Our co-parenting of Marty was something we didn't really discuss. And every time I thought she knew just how happy I was in that role, she hesitated like this. Reaching my hand under the table, I gave her knee a reassuring squeeze and instantly felt her muscles relax.
"I'm sure we'll be asking a lot of questions over the next few months."
"Please do," I said with a smile. "We'll be honest…the good, the bad and the disgusting."
"Lovely," Kate said, her words laced with sarcasm, before she turned to Haddie.
"Jason told me all about your job. Do you think you'll go back?"
"I really want to," she said, her head tilted slightly to the side as if she was lost in memories. "Just not sure if I can make it work with the baby."
"That makes sense," Evan said.
"I worry about that, too," Kate said. "I love what I do, it's like it's a part of me."
"I know what you mean," Haddie said. Her face fell and I knew she was missing her clients. They were so important to her. Hell, I missed joking around with Bryce every week, how could she not miss them all?
As our dinner continued, Evan and I joked around as Haddie told Kate all about her pregnancy, birth, and first weeks home with the baby. At times, Kate stiffened up as she listened, but overall she seemed excited. And even though she was trying to resist it, I could see a change taking over in my friend, a softening of Mrs. Maxwell. She always had a tough exterior with softness under the surface, but I knew that tough exterior would crack and fall away, revealing the gentle heart of a woman who'd never been happier. And that made me happier than I could ever say. My friends deserved all the happiness headed their way in the months to come.
"Bababababababababa," Marty said, squirming beneath my arms as I changed his diaper.
"That's right, little stinker tush." I laughed, grinning at my boy. "After this, Mommy's going to give you a bottle."
The babbling was awesome. I never thought I'd enjoy listening to a baby rattle off sounds as much as I enjoyed everything my boy said. It was an unexpected joy of motherhood. The simple things that just seemed like a part of life…teeth, appetite, babbling, crawling…it was all so incredible. Soon he'd be saying real words, walking around like a little boy. The time was going by way too fast. I wanted to bottle up this feeling and keep it forever.
Just as I finished preparing his bottle, the doorbell rang. Jason was meeting with his agent today, and my mom was working. Perhaps it was a solicitor. We'd had so many of those lately. It was more tha
n frustrating when the baby was taking a nap. Maybe I should get one of those little stickers for the door. I never thought I'd be one of those people to put "No Soliciting" on my door, but if Marty was woken up one more time, I would not be a happy woman.
Placing Marty on the Boppy pillow with his favorite blankie, I gave him his bottle before walking to the door. I gasped as the face on the other side of the peephole came into focus. What on earth is she doing here? We haven't even taken the DNA test yet. Do I open the door? Should I pretend we're not here?
"Hadley?" she said with a sharp tone to her voice. She must've heard me coming. Here we go.
"Lydia," I said, doing my best not to clench my teeth as I opened the door.
A plastic and rehearsed smile sat upon her clearly unhappy face. "Hadley, dear. How are you?"
"How…how did you know where I live?" I asked, my forehead creasing in confusion.
"Phonebook," she said dismissively. "This morning, I thought…where are my manners? I haven't given Hadley's son a gift."
"Oh," I replied. Conveniently, she neglected to mention he was her grandson.
"May I come in?" she asked. Her eyebrows raised, but her forehead didn't budge. Not a wrinkle in sight. No doubt, she just had her latest Botox injection.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea."
The makeup on her face was thick and I could smell her perfume. The same scent she'd worn for ages. Tucker used to joke that her perfume was called Old Money. That memory repulsed me as I studied her for the very first time in the seven years I'd known her. Her chocolate brown hair spilled down her shoulders. Her dark eyes were embellished with fake eyelashes and way too much eye shadow for 11 in the morning on a weekday.
She let out a sigh before handing me the metallic blue wrapped box. She then reached into her Dolce & Gabbana handbag. "Well, if we need to have this discussion here, so be it."
"Discussion? What is there to discuss? I already told Tucker we'd take the test." As much as I hated the idea of subjecting Marty to a DNA test, I had absolutely nothing to hide.
"That's just it. I've had some time to think it over. I'd like to ask you to reconsider."
"I don't understand. You planted the idea in Tucker's head."
"Yes, I know, but…" she stopped and looked down at my feet. Two little hazel eyes peeked out from behind my feet. Marty had abandoned his empty bottle and crawled to the door. Lydia turned pale, staring down at her grandson, really looking at him for the very first time. She had to know, even if she had no desire to be a grandmother. But, then again, maybe she'd had a change of heart? Maybe we could all move forward…have peace.
"He's so big," she said, tilting her head to the side and giving him a small smile. He sat back on his bottom and kicked his feet, a large smile plastered on his face and drool dripping from his chin.
"Seven months now," I said, relaxing my posture. Just as I relaxed, however, Lydia tensed right back up. She looked me dead in the eye, her eyes cold and distant. A complete 180 degree shift.
"Yes, well…" she cleared her throat before handing me a set of documents. I looked down at them in pure confusion.
"I—what is it you want?" I asked, looking up from the papers.
"You and Tucker have no future. Am I right?"
"You're right." My voice cracked with apprehension.
"I'd like to give you an opportunity, Hadley. If you'll sign these documents and have Tucker's name removed from the birth certificate, his father and I will place a very large trust fund in your son's name. College, car, you name it. We'll take care of it."
"Wait," I gasped. "You want me to lie?"
"For lack of a better word? Yes."
"Lydia, I don't understand. Tucker and I dated for six years…you know me. Why are you acting like this?"
"You don't understand. Tucker has a bright future ahead of him. He's not ready for a child. And a quality woman will never consider marrying him if he's a single father."
"Are you kidding? A quality woman?" My nose flared in shock. What decade were we living in? I knew his parents were part of the elite social group in Wilmette, but this was ridiculous.
"You and Tucker dated when you were children. You were never a good match. If you sign this, you can each have a fresh start. You can marry someone else. They can raise your son as their own. You can do whatever you want. And your son will want for nothing."
"But, you'll force me to lie to him. For his entire life. My son…I'm not going to lie to him, Lydia. And I don't want your goddamn money."
"Just think it over."
"I don't need to," I said, ripping the papers in half and handing them back to her. "Now, get the hell out of my house. You don't deserve to be anywhere near your grandson."
Slamming the door, I leaned back into the cold wood. My son's grandmother just tried to buy me off. How did I not see this family for what they were when I was dating Tucker? Keeping a brave face for Marty until naptime, we played on the floor with his pots and pans. The blue wrapped gift stared at me from the kitchen table. Don't open it. Don't open it. Don't open it.
I was never the best with willpower, but at least I came by it honestly. I stood up, crossed the room to the box and brought it back to the floor. There was no card, but the wrapping was elegant. Foil wrapping paper with a large grosgrain ribbon tied at the top. Pulling the ribbon off the box, I quickly tied it in several knots so that it wouldn't be dangerous for Marty.
With slight hesitation, I peeled back the paper on the box, revealing clothes…lots and lots of clothes. Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren and several other labels. Sweater vests, hats, jeans and chambray shirts. As I held up each item, though, it was obvious that Marty would never fit into anything in this box. Everything was size 3 months. Hundreds of dollars worth of clothing that we couldn't use. How could she think he was this small? This woman never ceased to amaze me. Scooping up the clothes, I placed them back in the box. Our local Goodwill would be thrilled to receive brand new clothes in their donation box. And I'd be happy to never have to dress Marty in something that woman purchased. Ever.
The rich scent of coffee surrounded me as I pushed the clunky stroller through the door of Beans. A smile crossed my lips when I heard my name called from a large table near the back of the shop.
"Hey there, lady. We've missed ya," Warren said, planting a kiss on my cheek. His smile was so wide, his bright eyes shined as he beamed at me. God, I'd missed that face. I'd missed his greetings each morning when he stepped off that bus. I took his hand briefly, giving it a squeeze before greeting the rest of the smiling faces at the table.
Violet was hopping up and down as she looked down at the baby. "He's so pretty."
"Thanks," I said, pulling her in for a hug. Lucy dove in for a group hug and I held her tight. When the girls pulled away, Bryce tore out his earbuds and practically pounced on me, hugging me with his strong arms.
"I miss you," he said softly into my ear. The pain in his voice killed me.
"I miss you, too, Bryce. I really do," I said, tapping him gently on the back as he clutched me. I tried to step back, but his grip on me didn't lessen.
"What music does he listen to?" He pointed to Marty with a look of suspicion covering his normally chipper face.
"His favorite is Jack Johnson."
"No, no, no. I don't know him."
"He sings the 'Upside Down' song from the Curious George movie. His voice settles the baby."
"I don't like it." Bryce glowered down at Marty. "He should be listening to Tears for Fears. Or Flock of Seagulls."
"Well, those aren't really appropriate for a ba—" My eyes widened as I interrupted myself, "Bryce, are you listening to 80s music?"
"Maybe," Bryce said, staring at the floor, before pulling me in for another strong hug. I guess he missed me more than I realized.
"Okay, buddy," Nick said, stepping in and pulling Bryce gently from me. Bryce looked annoyed with Nick but took a seat next to me.
Nick opened up his arms and gave me
a warm smile. I didn't realize just how much I'd missed him until this very moment. Ellie had come by many times to visit the baby and me, but I hadn't seen Nick since before the baby was born. Funny, easy-going, would-do-anything-for-our-clients Nick. He was a gem. It was so good to see him.
Nick pulled me in for a hug. "Missed ya, kid."
"Same here."
"So tell us about the man, the myth, the legend…Marty," he said, crouching down to get a better look at the baby. He was wide awake and playing with his squishy book with bright colored pictures of animals. He glanced up briefly at Nick, offered him a toothy grin with his two front teeth before cramming his fist into his mouth with a laugh.
Pulling up a chair, I told Nick all about Marty. How he was crawling, sitting, getting teeth and eating solid foods. After a few minutes, I realized everyone else was feeling left out of the conversation. It was time to focus on what they'd been doing since I left.
"So, how's Sunnyside?"
"It's awful," Lucy said, pouting, pulling at her curls.
"No, it's not!" Violet argued with her. "It's fii-iiine."
"They miss you," Nick said matter-of-factly. Clearly, he didn't want me to feel guilty.
"When are you coming back?" Warren asked, his eyes wide.
"I'm not sure, buddy."
The truth is, I really wasn't. I would have loved to go back and work for Sunnyside again. But, having this time with my son was priceless and it was time I'd never get back. The idea of working full-time gave me knots in my stomach.
"Why not?"
"Well…Marty needs me."
"So do we," Lucy said, her lips forming a full-on pout. My heart ached.
"Listen, guys. Right now, Hadley is where she needs to be. Let's enjoy our time today instead of making her feel bad," Nick said in his best authoritative voice.
"I'll visit more often. I'm sorry it's taken me so long. Motherhood takes time to get used to, I guess."
"Is it hard?" Violet asked.
"Sometimes."
"Does he poop a lot?" Bryce asked with a laugh.
"All the time," I responded with a chuckle.
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