by Dana Monahan
“What about Candy?” Kelly nodded toward Candy, who was walking off with a friend. “Are you losing your touch?”
“Hell no, the truth is that it’s sort of a bummer to know we’re all going our separate ways.” Turning serious, he draped an arm around her shoulder, “I guess I just feel like being with family tonight.”
A short time later, Kelly was pulling out some left over spaghetti while Trent checked out the house. After disappearing down the hallway, he dropped in the wooden chair at the kitchen table.
“This place is really OK. James must be good with a hammer and nails. Didn’t you say it was a dump when he bought it?”
“Yeah, he painted, put on a new deck, fixed holes in the walls, and all kinds of stuff.” Kelly served their dinner and they chatted through mouthfuls.
“I saw his friend, Ben, at the bar the other night. You’ll never guess who he was with,” he said, pausing long enough to suck up a noodle, “That red-headed chick from eighth grade that got Billie and Sierra in trouble. I think it’s Karen something.” He frowned, trying to remember he last name, but came up blank. “Anyway, I knew she looked familiar but couldn’t place her until she came up to me. She said she was sorry to hear about Sierra, but couldn’t make it to the funeral because she had work or something.”
“Yeah, right!” Rolling her eyes like Billie, Kelly bit into her garlic bread.
“That’s what I said. But she said that she and Sierra had become friends. They used to party together at Leroy’s.”
“I guess it’s possible. What else did she say?”
“Well,” Trent took his last bite and pushed his plate to the side. “She told me she had some good bud and asked if I wanted to go to her place for a few hits.”
“Did you?” Kelly giggled when he looked at her in amazement.
“I don’t think so,” Trent said sarcastically. “You know, I got stoned once though. It tasted rank. I ate a bunch of peanut butter and went to bed in the middle of the day.” He shrugged. “I don’t get what the big thrill is. Remember those brownies Billie made a few years back. They were under cooked and all gooey inside. Put it this way, I would’ve eaten the whole thing and thought they tasted good.”
“Ugh!” Kelly made a face. “It must be pretty bad if you’d eat those brownies. Speaking of sweets, how about some apple pie with a big glass of milk.”
“I’d rather have a beer? Hey, how does that sound?” Trent’s face lighted up with the idea. “You want to go over to Leroy’s for a drink? You know, it won’t be the same when we turn twenty-one. It’ll take all the fun out of it.” When Kelly took their plates to the sink, he followed with the glasses.
“I can’t drink beer. I’m pregnant.” When Trent looked up in surprise and took a step back, Kelly laughed. “Don’t worry. It’s not contagious.”
“That is very funny.” When she still didn’t deny it his blue eyes widened. “You’re really pregnant?” When she nodded, he led her to the couch. “Here. You’d better sit down.” When she was comfortable, he started to pace. “Does James know?”
“No. He can’t bear for me to see him locked up. Just imagine how he’d feel knowing he had a son.” Turning her head back and forth with his movements, Kelly watched as Trent started to pace again. He was quiet for a few moments; then he dropped down in front of her.
“Look Kel, I’ll never get shackled for love, but if you need a name for your baby, I’ll give you mine.”
“What? Trent you can’t be serious.”
“Yes, I think I am. I just broke out in a cold sweat.” He plopped down next to her, dropping his head on the armrest of the couch as if he had fainted.
Laughing, Kelly poked him in the ribs. Her smile was genuine, but moisture filled her eyes. “I could never do that, Trent, so you can start breathing again. I’m going to be okay. A few miles won’t break the bond between us.” At the slight catch in her voice, Trent sat up and put his arm around her. “It just means so much to me that you would offer. You are the sweetest guy I ever met.” At that, he cringed and pulled away.
“That is sugar sweet! Don’t ever let that get out. I had to work hard to build up my reputation. I’m a heartbreaker to the girls and a bone breaker to my opponents.” Stretching his legs out on the coffee table, Trent flicked on the remote control. “Now that we’ve got that settled, let’s watch the tube before we get all mushy again.”
Trent stayed for a few hours; then Kelly drove him home. He kissed her cheek and patted her belly, before hopping out of the car. After waving good-bye, Kelly headed back to her home, James’ home, and went straight to bed. Staring into the darkness, she imagined what it would be like if James were there. The two of them living together as a happy family; starting their new lives together like Billie and Brad. Then she cried herself to sleep.
Chapter 14
Time passed slowly for Kelly, even with her full schedule and growing belly. With sore legs after a long shift of waitressing, Kelly went home, put her groceries away, and fell to the couch with a loud sigh. Working at the Teacup kept her mind off her troubles, but at home she felt lonely. She still missed James, and her friends were far away starting new lives for themselves. Sometimes some friends from school would stop by the Teacup, always smiling, but Kelly could see the look of pity in their eyes. Every night Kelly couldn't wait to get home, rub her swollen tummy, and whisper words of love to her unborn child.
Her mother, Valerie, stopped by every day to see how she was doing. Today was no different from the rest, Kelly thought as she heard the slight knock on her door.
"Come on in, Mom," Kelly called tiredly, not bothering to pull herself up from her sprawled out position on the couch.
Valerie bustled in, a whirlwind of energy, arms laden with two large bags. A thick braid hung down to her waist and her bright smile lit up the room as she held out the gifts. Kelly sat up, smiling in anticipation, and reached for the bags.
"Oh you're going to love what I found," Valerie gushed to her daughter.
Kelly pulled out two maternity dresses. One was pink and frilly; the other resembled a blue sack. “You shouldn’t have.” Kelly tried to show some enthusiasm, but she hated the dresses on sight. Extra-large sweats and baggy shirts were more preferable than the silly-looking dresses, bows and all that buttoned up to her chin. As if just because she was having a baby there was some rule stating that she had to dress like one. She graciously thanked her mother and opened the other bag. A genuine smile spread across her features when she pulled out two teddy bears, one was dressed in blue overalls, and the other was cross-eyed with a bee on its nose.
Kelly's eyes were shiny with unshed tears. She was getting so impatient waiting for her baby to be born. Valerie saw the onset of tears coming and took her daughter in a hug.
"I know it’s hard, honey. I'm here and so is your dad. You’re not alone. I just wish you would quit your job and come back home." Valerie held back her own tears, wishing she could ease her daughter’s pain.
"Mom, you know I can't. After the baby’s born, I'll need that job. I'm already grateful that you're going to be the one to baby-sit, but I'm responsible for my child. No regrets, Mom. Just knowing you’re around the corner helps. Besides, all my tears are strictly hormonal." Kelly smiled to reassure her mother.
Deep inside, Valerie was proud of her daughter for not taking the offer of an easy way out. Her pregnancy had given her strength and eased the pain of her lost love. The child would be a blessing. With a sigh of regret, Valerie realized it was time to let her daughter grow up and make her own decisions.
"I'd better go and get dinner on the table. I’ll stop by again tomorrow.”
After her mother left, Kelly rubbed her extended belly and let out a contented sigh. When the baby kicked, she giggled, knowing she would hold her baby in her arms, soon.
Two weeks past her due date, Kelly was drinking a large glass of water and watching Saturday morning cartoons. She heard a knock and struggled to pull herself up from her sitting
position. Trent’s blue eyes widened when she answered the door.
"Wow, you’re huge! It looks like you’re giving birth to an elephant or something.”
Kelly laughed and hugged him as close as she could in her state. A white tank top showed off the muscles in his arms, and jogging shorts covered his long legs. A sheen of sweat covered his chest and Kelly looked past him for his car in the driveway.
"You jogged over here?" she asked, surprised.
"I’ve got to keep in shape. My mind gets me through my classes, but my bod got me my scholarship." He flexed his muscles jokingly and entered the house. "So how’s Junior doing?" he asked, walking past her to grab a glass of water.
“He is doing just great and growing every day." Kelly laughed when Trent looked at her in shock.
"You mean you’re going to get bigger?"
"No. Junior’s due any time now. I’ll get my figure back soon enough.”
Trent gave her a wicked smile. "Not all of it, I hope. I always wondered what you'd look like top heavy."
"Come over here. I want you to feel." Kelly waved a hand for him to hurry up because she just felt the baby kick.
"Cool, I get to touch them, too." He laughed at her glare.
"My stomach, you dumb jock, and you know it." Kelly grabbed his hand and placed it below her rib cage. A moment later, Trent felt something push against his hand. He jumped back, pulling his hand away as if he had been burned.
"Whoa, that is something else. You feel that all the time?" Slowly he placed his hand back, this time laughing when he felt the movement.
"You look beautiful, Kel, and your baby is one lucky dude to have you as a mother."
"How do you know it’s a boy?" Kelly asked playfully.
"Well I have bruises on my hand where he kicked me.” Trent gingerly rubbed his palm as if it were sore. “He's going to be big and strong, and his Uncle Trent is going to teach him how to play ball."
“Oh, my God!” Kelly just finished taking a sip of her water, when her eyes widened with excitement. “My water just broke. I need to go to the hospital.”
For a moment, Trent stared vacantly at the glass of water in her hand, and then met her eyes with a surprised look of his own. “Now! You’re having him now?” Looking wildly around, Trent wondered what the hell to do.
“Can you give me a ride?” Calmly, Kelly grabbed her purse and strolled to the front door. She made a slight grimace when she felt her first contraction.
“What was that?” Trent asked, alarmed.
“What?”
“That face, that face you made.” He screwed up his features in an exaggerated imitation. “You’re in pain.” In three steps, Trent was beside her, and he lifted her in his arms. With a grunt of pain, he took two steps back to catch his balance then stumbled forward, almost dropping her. “Christ! You weigh a ton.”
“Put me down, you blockhead.” With irritating calm, Kelly got to her feet and walked to the truck. “Are you going to be okay?”
“No. I’m hyperventilating. Maybe you’d better drive.” At Kelly’s wry look, Trent slapped himself on the forehead. “What am I saying? No, I’m cool. I’m okay. If you have this baby before I get you to the hospital, I’ll never forgive you.”
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Brad leaned back in his chair, watching as Billie stirred eggs in the frying pan. She was clad in one of his flannel shirts, showing off her long legs, and her hair was still mussed from sleep. She caught him staring and flashed a sleepy smile, causing tightness in his loins. His chest still swelled with pride as he looked at his wife of eight months. Since they were married, he had been so busy trying to prove himself at work that he had never been able to spend time with her. He knew it was hard on her, spending so much time apart, but Billie never complained.
“I’ve got good news.” Brad told her, when she placed his breakfast on the table. “I only work half a day today. I was hoping we could spend the weekend together. Do whatever you want.”
“Do you mean it?” Dropping into his lap, Billie kissed him on the cheek. “You’re on. I’m all caught up on my studies, so I’m all yours. In fact, if you hurry, you might catch me before I get dressed.” Billie jumped up; evading Brad’s grasp, and ran down the hallway. He caught her at the bedroom door, tackling her to the bed where they made love in a heated rush.
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Two hours later, Billie had the stereo blasting as she dressed herself up for an afternoon out with her husband. When the phone rang, she rushed to answer it, figuring it was Brad. “Hi, babe.”
“Hi, yourself.”
”Kel! How are you?”
“I’m in the hospital.” Kelly paused for a moment as another contraction rocked her body. “It’s time. I’m having my baby. Oh Billie, I’m having a baby.” Her voice cracked with a mixture of excitement and deep emotion. “I was just checked in. I had to call you.”
“I should be there.” Billie sounded suddenly breathless, “Oh, my God, Kel, I should be there. I’m so excited. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I was a little scared until I heard your voice.” Kelly laid her head back on her pillow, slowly loosening her grip on the phone. “My doctor just walked in. I’ll call you back.”
With a sudden attack of anxiety, Billie dropped to the floor. Kelly was having her baby, and she needed to be there. After looking through the telephone book, Billie called and made reservations for the first flight out. She taped a quick note on the fridge for Brad, and rushed out the door after packing a small suitcase.
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Brad found himself speeding home, as he anticipated his weekend with Billie. He frowned slightly when he noticed her car was
gone, but decided it would give him time to shower before she got home. Whistling a happy tune, he walked into the house and went to grab a beer out of the fridge. The tune died, along with his good mood, as he read the note. Billie had gone to Angel Falls. He felt guilty for his feelings. Kelly was having a baby, and he should be happy, but all he could think about was Brody. Billie would see Brody, of that, he had no doubt. He chugged his first beer without tasting it, letting the familiar pull of jealousy rule his emotions.
Billie’s flight landed four hours later. She rented a car and drove to Angel Falls in record time. After getting directions to Kelly’s room from a receptionist, she headed down the hall. When her elevator came to a stop at the second floor, Billie stepped out and walked down a long corridor to a small waiting room consisting of two vinyl couches and a T.V. She paused at the sight of Trent pacing back and forth like an expectant father. He saw her and rushed forward.
“Billie. I’m so glad you’re here.” Placing his forehead against hers, Trent draped his arms across her shoulders. “She’s in pain. I can’t stand it.”
“Don’t worry. When it’s over, she won’t remember any of the pain.” Patting his back, Billie offered comfort. It was so awkward for her, to see her cocky friend so serious with emotion. Before she could reassure Trent further, Billie felt Brody’s presence. She couldn’t explain it, or even understand how she knew, but her body tensed in apprehension. Slowly Billie turned her head, finding him leaning against the wall, his dark eyes burning into her. He looked the same, she decided, except his black hair was a little shorter and he no longer wore the earring. As if in a trance, she dropped her arms from Trent and walked towards Brody. At her approach, he pushed off the wall, never breaking eye contact. She felt herself blush under his intense stare, and nervously licked her lips.
“I didn’t expect to see you here.” It surprised her that her voice sounded so strong, when she was trembling inside. Awkwardly, she put her arms out. For a moment, it seemed he wouldn’t respond, and then he pulled her close.
“I couldn’t miss Kel having her baby. It’s good to see you.” Brody hugged her quickly, before abruptly letting go. He had hoped the strong attraction he held for her had dimmed with time, but he was wrong. Watching her walk into the room had been like a ph
ysical blow. She was a married woman now. She was married to one of his best friends. He had taken for granted the fact that she would be there, waiting for him, while he dealt with his feelings for her while he was away at college, only to come home and find he had lost her. “I’m sorry” He was referring to the last time he saw her and the way he’d treated her, but an explanation was not necessary.
Billie interrupted, touching a finger lightly to his cheek. “No need for apologies. It’s in the past. Where’s her room?” Brody pointed to the first door on the right, and she turned away, feeling his eyes on her back.
The small room looked sterile and cold. There were no windows, just a small bed and sink in a long white counter. When she saw Kelly, looking fragile and pale, all thoughts of Brody vanished.
“Billie, you’re here. I can’t believe it.” Kelly grabbed Billie’s hand in a death grip as another contraction gripped her body. Despite the pain, she laughed. “I needed you.” Lost in her joy at seeing Billie, Kelly never noticed when her mother slipped quietly from the room.
“Nothing would’ve kept me away.” Tenderly, Billie wiped a tear off Kelly’s cheek. “I’m here as long as you need me. You seem to be in better shape than Brody and Trent.”
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Billie stayed by her friend’s side through the whole birthing. She whispered soothing words when Kelly cried out in pain, shared her tears of joy and pain, and didn’t mind at all when her hand went numb inside Kelly’s tight fist.
Matthew James came into the world a few minutes past midnight. Perspiration covered her forehead, but Kelly’s face was drenched mostly with tears as she held her young boy close.
“Oh, my baby,” Kelly said as she cradled her young child close, “I’ve waited so long to see you. I love you so much,” she crooned softly, staring in wonderment at his red face and tiny body.
“He’s beautiful, Kel. Perfect.” Sitting beside her, Billie placed her finger in his open hand. When his tiny fist closed around it, she felt as if he’d taken a hold of her heart in his grasp.