That Baby (19 page)
Me:
The doctor was just here. He’s going to do an ultrasound and give her an IV, but it sounds like they might be able to give her something to stop the contractions. She’ll probably be able to go home later today.
Phillip:
That’s good news. I love you.
Me:
I love you too. They are getting ready to do the ultrasound.
Danny:
What did the doctor say?
Me:
We’re getting ready to do an ultrasound. We’ll know more then, but she’s fine, Danny. The baby’s heartbeat is good. They think they can stop the labor with some medicine. Everything is fine.
Danny:
Everything is not fine, because I’m not there. I’m an idiot.
Me:
Danny, it’s well over a month before she’s due. You couldn’t have known this would happen.
Danny:
Still . . .
The doctor does the ultrasound and we get to see the baby. This ultrasound looks so different from mine. The baby is big.
“Oh, my gosh,” Lori says, “its sucking its thumb.”
“That’s so adorable,” I say.
“Did you decide if you want to know the sex?” the doctor asks.
“I don’t,” she says confidently.
And even though she says she doesn’t want to know, I do. So I’m scanning the screen to see if I can see any boy or girl parts. But just when I think I may have seen a little boy part, the baby flips over and all we can see is its butt. So much for getting an advantage in the pool that I’m sure our friends will have to guess the sex and birthdate.
The doctor tells us everything looks good.
Lori gets an IV and a shot to stop the contractions and a couple hours later, Danny arrives.
He’s got a big bouquet of flowers and a tentative look on his face. He’s expecting her to be mad at him, but instead she just bursts into tears.
I give them both a hug and tell them to call me when they’re on their way home.
The roads aren’t as slick as they were this morning, so I stop at the store on the way home and get the ingredients to make lasagna. I figure the least I can do is have something ready for when they come home.
When Lori and Danny get back from the hospital, I take the food over to them on a tray and they eat dinner together in bed.
“Do you have to be on bed rest?” I ask her.
“No. I don’t have any restrictions other than to take the medicine they gave me. They expect I will carry the baby full-term now.”
I brighten. “That’s such good news!”
“We thought so too,” Danny says, squeezing Lori’s hand. “But I made her get in bed when we got home. She’s exhausted. And I’m going to make sure she stays hydrated going forward. In fact, while you’re here, Jay, I’m going to run to the pharmacy. We dropped off the prescription on the way home and I just got a text saying it’s ready.”
After he leaves, I ask Lori. “Are you still going to be able to travel up to Omaha for your baby shower?”
“Yeah, the doctor said it was fine.”
“Awesome. I think a girl’s weekend is just what you need.”
“I think you’re right,” she says with a sigh.
“Are things okay with you two?”
“Yeah, Danny felt really bad. And then I felt really bad for being mad at him.”
“You were just scared,” I tell her.
“I was so afraid I was going to have the baby alone. I was equally afraid that he’d miss his baby’s birth. Thank you for being there for me, Jade. I’m lucky to have a friend like you.”
“I think I’m the lucky one,” I tell her.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Dear Baby Mac,
You are now the size of a peach, and you have your very own fingerprints.
Lori gave me some stretch mark cream to rub on my stomach so you don’t ruin me for a swimsuit.
I keep looking at the ultrasound photo and touching my stomach. Honestly, it’s hard to even believe I have a baby growing inside me. Like it’s totally surreal.
Your daddy is telling everyone he knows—and even everyone we don’t—that we are expecting. He is so excited.
Even though I saw you in the ultrasound, I’m hoping I’ll feel you kick soon. Then I think it will seem more real.
March 27th
Dripping wet.
I wake up early and stretch my arms out. I feel good. I’m super excited to say that I think—hope/pray—that my morning sickness is officially over. I haven’t dared say it to anyone who asks how I’m feeling for fear I’ll jinx myself and it will come back.
I hear that Phillip is taking a shower, so I decide to surprise him by getting up and making him breakfast.
I open the pantry to get the pancake mix out.
“Ahh!” I say.
Okay, maybe I screamed really loud because Phillip comes rushing out, towel wrapped around his waist and dripping wet.
“What’s wrong?”
“Um,” I say, feeling ridiculous for screaming. “I, uh, thought I saw something.”
“Like what?”
I let out a big sigh then open the pantry and show him.
He jumps back. “What the hell is the gnome doing in there? And why is he holding a noose?”
“He’s threatening us!” I say, slamming the door shut. “He scared the shit out of me! How does he keep moving?”
Phillip narrows his eyes. “Danny was in our dining room last night after dinner. He said he was looking at our wedding photos.”
“The ones your mom decided to put into all the frames we got as wedding gifts and display all over the dining room?”
He glazes right over my irritation with his mother. “Yes, exactly. And he was looking sneaky.”
“Do you think he’s the one who’s been moving it?”
“It would make sense,” Phillip says.
“And it’s a whole lot more comforting than the alternative.”
“What’s the alternative?”
“That the gnome is slowly working it’s way into the kitchen so it can find a knife to kill us in our sleep.”
“You’ve watched too many scary movies.”
“You and Danny used to make me watch them. I hate them!”
Phillip wraps his wet arms around me. “I loved them because when you were scared, you always snuggled up next to me.”
“That’s because Danny was just as scared as I was. If I recall, he was snuggled up to you too. Although, I’m sure he would deny it.”
“So, what do you think?” he smirks, holding the gnome in front of me. “Time for some payback?”
“Definitely,” I say, my hand sliding under his towel.
“Let’s put the gnome back in the drawer, so Danny doesn’t know we know he’s moving it.”
Phillip’s brushing his teeth while I curl my hair. “I don’t know, Phillip. I’m not sure it was Danny. How would he even know to do it?”
Phillip has a mouthful of toothpaste and is talking through it. “I maybe told him you thought it stomped on the wrapping paper.”
“Were you making fun of me, Phillip?”
“I was maybe laughing a little.”
“A little?”
“Fine, I thought it was pretty damn funny. Danny was laughing his ass off.”
“Then it was definitely him. We need to get back at him by putting the gnome somewhere only he would find it.”
“His workout room,” Phillip says. “It’s going to be done in a couple days.”
“Yeah, but Lori is going to do yoga and work out there too.”
“Hmmm,” Phillip says.
“Oh! I know! The sauna. Lori said Danny is all excited for it, but she’s bummed she can’t go in it while she’s pregnant due to the heat.”
“That’s perfect,” Phillip says. “You’re brilliant.”
March 28th
Batshit crazy.
Nicky:
Will you please text Macy?
Me:
Uh, sure. Any reason?
Nicky:
Did Phillip tell you that she won’t see me or talk to me?
Me:
No, he didn’t. He’s out of town today visiting a client.
Nicky:
I’m dying.
Me:
Did she choose Peter?
Nicky: Not yet. Supposedly she’s not seeing or talking to either one of us until she makes up her mind. She wants to see who she misses.
Me:
And how long is that expected to take?
Nicky:
I have no freaking idea. Honestly, I don’t think she does either.
Me:
Remember the advice Phillip gave you?
Nicky:
About not sleeping with her until she decided?
Me:
Yeah. Did you?
Nicky:
I may have slipped a few times. Well, quite a few times. Okay, so I could only resist once. Look, I’m not this kind of guy. I’ve never screwed around with a girl who had a boyfriend. Let alone someone who’s engaged.
Me:
What about Karly?
Nicky:
She told me she didn’t have a boyfriend.
Me:
And Madeline?
Nicky:
They were sort of broke up. So fine, I have, but not on purpose.
Me:
Accidental cheating, Nicky. That’s why I love you.
Nicky:
Shut up. I don’t run a background check on every girl I meet. We’re getting off topic here. YOU NEED TO TEXT HER AND FIND OUT WHAT THE HELL SHE’S THINKING BEFORE I GO BATSHIT CRAZY!! I’m seriously ready to do something crazy here!