The Core Four Series

by Stacy Borel

  The doorbell rang, adding a whole new level of happiness for this preggo.

  “I got it, Babe.” He leaned over and kissed me, then kissed my stomach. “We’ll play again after we eat, little man.”

  He got up and got the door, while I cherished the love that was swirling in my home.

  ***

  “God, I can’t believe you’re almost thirty weeks already!” Keegan said, as she stabbed pieces of lettuce with her fork.

  “The time really is passing by,” Donna interjected.

  “Y’all are crazy. It’s dragging ass, if you ask me,” I grumbled.

  They both smiled at me. I had met the ladies in Athens to get something to eat, and to discuss what things I needed or wanted at my baby shower. I really didn’t come for the conversation, I came for the food. This place had amazing dishes. And I really wanted their cookie skillet with vanilla ice cream for dessert. We’d arrived about twenty minutes ago, and just got our food. My mouth was watering, but the food was keeping me in high spirits while they chatted about things that didn’t interest me.

  “What? I realize you’ve been pregnant like twelve times, Donna.” I was exaggerating to drive home my point. “Did you honestly go through your whole pregnancy not feeling exhausted and ready for it to be done?”

  She scoffed. “Oh, honey, I absolutely did. Don’t get me wrong I loved carrying all of my boys. But it is a lot of stress on the body. And you’re not even in the home stretch.”

  “Well, that’s encouraging.”

  She chortled. “I’ll tell you a little story.”

  Keegan and I perked up and leaned in to listen.

  “When I was pregnant with Camden, I couldn’t believe how big I’d gotten. I was even smaller then than I am now. I couldn’t wrap my mind around how much I stretched and changed to support this new baby. Well, one day, Paul came home and he found me sitting in the middle of the floor bawling my eyes out because I no longer felt petite and capable of doing anything besides waddling around like a miniature whale.”

  I nodded in agreement. My new form was making me waddle as well.

  “He approached me, cautiously, because I’d been quite emotional. When he spoke, I swear it was like nails on a chalk board. I swore up and down that he’d done this to me. Him even breathing the same air as me was enough to make me want to ring his handsome little neck. Anyway back then, smoking was still a thing. When our parents came to town, they smoked like a chimney.” Her southern drawl was making me bite my tongue to not interrupt with my laughing. “When I saw Paul that day, I couldn’t deal. There was an ashtray within reaching distance and let’s just say I took my chance to practice my pitching. The moment he spoke, I picked that ashtray right up and I threw it at him. I didn’t pay any mind to whether it would hurt him, or break into a million pieces. I just wanted to sit there in my own misery and tears ‘til Camden decided to get out of me.”

  “Oh my gosh, that’s too funny.” Keegan said. “Paul must’ve thought you’d lost your mind.”

  “No, dear, I’d lost my mind well before then.”

  I giggled. “Somehow I doubt that.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Because you’re always full of grace and poise.”

  “Just because I show calmness on the outside doesn’t mean I am always that way inside.”

  I sat and thought about that for a moment. A server came by, refilled our water glasses and asked if we needed anything. I asked for a few wedges of lemon.

  “Was Paul okay?”

  “Haven’t you heard the story about when Camden was born?”

  Keegan burst out laughing. “I saw the pictures, but I didn’t realize that’s why he had stitches.”

  I must’ve looked confused.

  “The ashtray hit him in the corner of his forehead. Blood was everywhere. I still have no idea if it was the excitement of the day, or if Camden was simply ready to come out, but while we were at the hospital getting Paul stitched up, my water broke.”

  “Oh my god, that’s hysterical. And talk about timing.”

  “Anyway, enough about me. Let’s talk about you, and what you’d like at your baby shower.”

  Ugh. I honestly didn’t even want a party. My days seemed to consist of working, eating everything in sight, and sleeping. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to celebrate the baby coming, but I almost wished it wasn’t considered rude to have a party without the pregnant lady in attendance. I mean, couldn’t people just bring a present, play their weird baby games, and leave. Nobody would really miss me.

  “I don’t really know what I want or need,” I replied.

  “She has some of the baby room together, but maybe I can help her come up with a list of things she still needs,” Keegan added.

  “Don’t forget to include bigger items in that. You never know what people are willing to buy.”

  “I can take care of the big things. I’ve got the crib already, and a rocking chair. I just don’t have a swing, and that bouncing thing.”

  Donna raised her brow. “What about a car seat, stroller, high chair, bath tub . . . there’s a ton of things you really don’t think about until you go to a store and register.”

  “All of that feels like begging.” I only say that because it’s me. I could provide for my child. But if it were someone else, I’d be telling them the same thing.

  “Take Dodger and find a baby store to register at. I promise it’s okay. Now, what about the cake?”

  “Now we’re talking.”

  Keegan smiled. “I’m going to order one from that lady who did Camden’s and my wedding cake. I’ve been looking at some of her designs online and I have something picked out.”

  “Do I even get a say on the flavor?”

  “Of course,” she said.

  “Good, ‘cause I really think a marble cake will cover the bases for everyone. I’d like all chocolate, but it’ll be good for people who want something vanilla.”

  “Are you opposed to carrot?” Donna wondered.

  “Not at all.”

  She spoke to Keegan. “Ask them to do a top layer in carrot. It’ll appeal to the older ladies that will be attending.” She looked back to me. “Now, I know you said you preferred something smaller, like an intimate get together. It’s going to be a little bigger than that. We have some friends from church that are dying to get the newest Brooks member a gift. Think you’re okay with that?”

  I eye balled both of their plates. Keegan had set her silverware down and she still had half a salad. Donna had barely even touched her stuffed chicken. My plate of chicken piccata was gone.

  “Erm, are you both done with your plates?”

  They both looked at what they had, then at my empty plate. Keegan broke out laughing.

  “Here, have mine.”

  Donna followed suit. “Baby boy must be growing like a weed in there.” She was sitting next to me and she rubbed my stomach.

  It was endearing that she doted so much. My own mother had definitely come around and she wanted to be here today to help with the planning, but she had a meeting that she couldn’t miss. Donna told her she would call her later and fill her in. My family was really coming together.

  “So has Dodger brought up the idea of marriage at all?” Keegan asked, dropping a bomb in the middle of the table that I didn’t want to talk about.

  “No.”

  “I bet it’s coming.” She clapped happily.

  “Hopefully not.”

  “Why not, Dear?” Donna asked.

  I sighed. “Because. I just don’t want to be proposed to because I’m having a baby. A ring coming while I’m pregnant is not my idea of romance, or good timing. Right now, I’d rather just not. And Keegan, come one. You say that like you don’t know me. I’ve told you this before. I know you want me to marry him, but we’ve talked about this.”

  Keegan’s face dropped and she looked at me with sad eyes. “I’m sorry. Yes, I know how you feel. I just assumed maybe it would change a little or
maybe you’d be thinking about it now that you two have a house together. Things have been going so well.”

  “Yes, they are going amazingly, but I’ll allow myself to think about it when I don’t have a basketball under my shirt. Not many pregnant brides out there that make a wedding dress look good.”

  “You’d be beautiful if you wore a paper sack,” Donna complimented.

  She was being sweet, even if I knew she wanted me to be with her son. Keegan sniffled. Both of us turned to give her attention.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “Camden.”

  Donna’s face etched with concern. “What’s wrong with Camden?”

  “We were talking last night. I told him that I wanted to start thinking about having a baby as well. I know we just got married and all, and I’m not saying let’s do it tomorrow. I just wanted to have some sort of time line so we could make plans, you know?”

  “Nothing wrong with that, honey. So why the tears?”

  “He doesn’t want to make plans. He likes life as it is. He is content with me and the dog. He thinks that I’m only putting the pressure on him because of Macie being pregnant, which that’s not really it.” She folded her napkin over and over. “I mean maybe it’s part of it. It’s only natural for me to be thinking of what our next step would be, right? I just don’t like that he doesn’t seem to want to discuss it. I don’t want him thinking that it’s always going to be like this, and I’m going to be okay with that.”

  Donna got up and moved to Keegan’s side of the table and took her hand in hers. “Listen to me. Camden isn’t shutting the idea out. Want to know how I know?”

  Keegan nodded her head.

  Donna dipped her head to look her in the eyes. “Because that boy is head over heels in love with you. His dad and I knew what you meant to him the moment we met you and he was still being stubborn about it. You have to remember, Cam is the one that we always thought would be a bachelor forever. Look how long it took for you to talk him in to getting a puppy.”

  She laughed, wiping her eyes. “He still never gave me permission to get one. I just had to go get one and bring it home.”

  “Permission,” I barked. “It’d be a cold day in hell when Dodger thinks he needs to give me permission for anything.”

  Both women smiled knowingly.

  “He’s going to come around. I promise when he lays eyes on his new nephew, he’s going to go soft. I know my son.” She patted her hand and let it go. “There’s not going to take much convincing.”

  Keegan nodded. I sat back and watched my best friend. It was kind of a hard pill to swallow seeing her saddened by just how much she wanted to keep moving forward with her life. She did everything right. She followed protocol from life’s book. She met someone, got engaged, got married, got a pet, so naturally the next step was a baby. And here I was, scrambling the order of things and she had been nothing but happy for me. I felt like an asshole.

  A waitress came past our table and put the ticket down. I snagged it before both women could grab it. They grumbled at me that it was their treat, blah, blah, blah.

  “Maybe next time. You’re throwing a baby shower for me, so for now, let’s just call it even.”

  “The baby shower of the century.” Keegan grinned at me devilishly, knowing they were making it so much more than I wanted.

  “Yeah, yeah, just make sure there’s cake and I’ll show up.”

  Donna snorted. “There will be cake, cookies, candy, and who knows what else.”

  “Are the guys coming to this?” Keegan asked.

  “No, I don’t think they’d have very much fun,” Donna replied at the same time that I said, “Absolutely!”

  We looked at each other. I could give a flying crap about tradition and that men typically didn’t attend baby showers. But times were changing, and I felt it only appropriate that Dodger come with me. I mean, he was the one that put me in this predicament in the first place. Well, mostly.

  Donna stood up from the table and put on a light cardigan. Winter was already past and Georgia weather was in the stage where it was attempting to warm up but it rained just about every day, making it cooler than I personally liked.

  Keegan looked back and forth between us. “Okay, well, I’ll bring Camden if you want to drag Dodger along. We can include in the invitations that men are welcome and maybe I can come up with some fun things that are just for them. I have seen some men’s baby shower games on Pinterest.” She stopped and thought about it. “Yes, actually, I can work with this. It’ll be a ton of fun, plus Dodger can help you with the presents if he wants.”

  I made a sour face. “Don’t include me in any shower games. So not my cup of tea.”

  “Oh come on,” Donna implored.

  “Hey, sticking my nose in a diaper that y’all melted a candy bar in to try and guess what the shit stain smells like will probably make me throw up.”

  “You’re impossible.”

  “Cake, Keegan. I’m coming for the cake.”

  As all of us headed out the door, we hugged and said if something came up they’d call and ask me. As we pulled away from the restaurant, I had nothing else on the brain except cake and candy.

  Chapter Twelve

  THE DAY OF THE shower arrived, and I’d wondered where the time had gone. I just stepped foot into the banquet hall where it was all taking place. Good Lord, this place was decorated to the nine’s. Donna decorated the room in blues, soft brown undertones, and gold. Round tables filled the large space as guests mingled. I tried to recognize every face in the crowd, but I couldn’t. For every five people I knew maybe one. Long rectangular tables covered in white cloths lined the walls. One table at the entrance had name cards with seating assignments. Opposite of the door, sat two high backed, cushioned chairs. They were placed front and center. Apparently that’s where Dodger and I were going to be sitting. As I looked around I may have been completely against having a baby shower, but it was all done so . . . not like it was a baby shower. It was classy, and more like a casual party for friends. Only understated decorations suggested this was a party for a new arrival. The cake that was in the far left corner, was different shades of baby blue. It was three tiers, and trimmed like torn cloth was around each layer. Bowls of candy were there for guests to help themselves before the cake was cut, and they could make their own bags as a treat to take home. Another long table by the chairs for the guests of honor was already filled with presents. And an over flow table was being brought in. It was all too much. Keegan and Donna really went all out.

  I couldn’t see them in the mass of people. Honestly, I expected to be smothered the moment I walked in the door. I had to be dragged out of the house by Dodger just to come. Standing here watching everyone chatting and mingling, I started to convince myself that this may actually end up being a good time. Well, as long as my belly wasn’t rubbed by a bunch of strangers and I wasn’t given advice from all the old ladies.

  Dodger was beside me, holding my hand, grinning from ear to ear. He seemed pleased that so many had come out to celebrate us and our son. You could see it in every detail that was hanging, made, or put in place.

  “Wow, your mom wasn’t kidding when she said she had this was she?” I leaned into him.

  He wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed my head. “Nope.”

  “Happy baby shower, bro.” Camden came up beside Dodger, slapping him on the back.

  Dodger turned to look at his brother. “Thanks.”

  “That’s a lot of presents over there.” He motioned toward the gift table.

  Dodger’s eyes grew wide. “Fuck. We may need to make two trips to bring all of that home.”

  “Nah, I’ll help. Keegan had me bring the truck.”

  “How you feeling?” he asked me, grinning from ear to ear.

  I blinked twice at Camden as if he should be reading my mind. “My stomach is the size of a small globe, I can no longer see my feet, every time I stand up my vagina feels like it’
s going to split in two, and I haven’t slept a full night in weeks because I am constantly peeing.”

  Not realizing, or caring that several other people were within ear shot of my little rant, I heard chuckling around me. Camden on the other hand was speechless. I could tell I shocked him into silence. He glanced from me to Dodger.

  “Sorry, you asked,” Dodger mumbled to his brother.

  “Yeahhh, well, good luck with that vagina thing. Pretty sure mom said there were cookies over here so.” Camden ducked away, giving him a look of pity as he left.

  Oops. Too much?

  I looked at Dodger and smiled. “He’s gonna be a mess when Keegan gets knocked up.”

  He rolled his eyes at me but smirked. “Damn, Macie, you couldn’t have gone a little easier on the guy? He’s already weirded out that guys are even expected to come to showers now.”

  “Well, if I have to deal with this, then so do you.”

  He pulled me into him, wrapping me up in his long arms. God, he smelled amazing. I’d roll around in a bucket of his scent if I knew I wouldn’t get stuck with this huge belly. This pregnancy was going to kill me. Better yet, the lack of sex was going to kill me. Dodger’s innocent kiss and scent was going to send me spiraling straight to Crabbyville if I didn’t move away from him and get this party started.

  “When can we have cake? Where’s your mom so I can find out?”

  He stepped back and looked around over my head. “Not sure, but I can go find her. Make your way to the front of the room, and I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Thanks.” I mustered a grin.

  My hormones were on the upswing. This close to the end of this pregnancy, I was thanking my lucky stars it wasn’t going to last too much longer. Everything I told Camden was unfortunately true. And little things set me off. Catch me on the bad side of it all, and I couldn’t promise you’d walk away unscathed.