That Baby (21 page)

I hear a car, rush to the window, and see Phillip pulling into the driveway.
 

Thank goodness, he's home. Maybe he can tell his mother we will not be keeping the table. He's her son. Even if she gets mad at him or gets her feelings hurt, she'll get over it because she loves him.
 

I don’t want her to hate me, especially now. Lately, she’s made me feel like I’m not good enough for Phillip. My house is dusty. I don’t cook five-course meals every night.
 

I don't have a kitchen table.

I hear Phillip’s heavy footsteps coming down the hall, so I rush in my closet and rip off my clothes, so he'll think I'm just changing out of my work clothes and not hiding in the bathroom freaking out.
 

“Hey, he says, peeking around the corner as I'm pulling on a pair of yoga pants. He comes into my closet and gives me a kiss.

I expect him to say something about the table but he doesn't.
 

Maybe he already handled it and she's moving it to the garage as we speak?

That’s probably wishful thinking.

“So, uh, did you see what your mom bought?” I ask.

“Yeah, what do you think of it?”

“Um, what do you think of it?”
 

“It reminds me of when we were kids. Mom suggested we cancel the table we ordered. It'd definitely save us some money.”

My mouth falls open and my eyes widen. I'm holding back tears and unable to comment.

Phillip twists his mouth. “You still love the table we ordered, right?”
 

“Yeah, it's the perfect table for our future family.”

He frowns. “My mom made me think you decided against it. I was surprised by that.”

“No, Phillip,” I say, letting the tears fall. “We love that table. It’s what we want. You have to tell her she needs to take her table back.”

“I’m not telling her that. It will hurt her feelings, and she's all excited about it.”

“Phillip, it's hideous.”

He gives me a look.

“Okay, so it's not hideous on it’s own. It just looks hideous in our modern house. I wanted to cry the second I saw it.”

“What did you tell her?”

“That it was sweet of her to get, but that we found a table.”

“What did she say?”

“That we didn’t need it now. Phillip, you have to do something.”

He mutters something unintelligible as he goes to change out of his suit.
 

I consider refusing to even sit at the table but when I go out to the kitchen Phillip’s dad is sitting at it and dinner is spread across it.

After dinner, I’m hiding in my office sketching in my dream house book. I found out today that not only is Phillip getting a bonus, but I am too. Part of a company wide profit sharing plan. And I know exactly how I’d like to spend it. I want to work toward finishing our dining room. Because we already have the expensive furniture pieces, it won’t take much. All it really needs is two wingback chairs, curtains, fabric to reupholster the dining chairs, and a great piece of artwork.

I want to get Phillip on board, so I’m doing a rendering of how the room will look. And I’m really excited by how it’s turning out.
 

I print off a photo of the glossy pale grey metallic leather wingback chairs—which are highlighted by silver nail heads that accentuate its modern lines—and glue it to the page along with a swatch for the menswear-like grey velvet pinstriped fabric for the curtain panels and dining chairs. I add to that a traditional wool rug in muted tones and a funky silver and crystal chandelier.

It’s surprising, really, that someone who always hated to shop for clothes found out during a college interior design class that she’s good at putting rooms together. Interior design is like a puzzle to me. A fusing of elements to create the perfect feel, the perfect look. I actually considered switching majors during my junior year, but my advisor suggested that having the ability to do both structural and interior plans would enhance my resume. That it would allow my aesthetic ideas to be incorporated into the elemental design of a building. That’s part of why designing the Mackenzie’s new building was so fun. It had to incorporate the modern, luxe feel Phillip’s dad wanted with the required space, functionality, logistics, and security needed for transportation, warehousing, offices, and their call center.
 

Phillip strolls in with a beer in his hand and a big grin on his face. “I like what you did with my beer fridge. Are you working on more plans for our house or doing work?”

“House. I just finished with the dining room. Want to see it?”

“I’d love to,” he says, sitting on the floor across from my drafting table. I sit next to him and spread the book across our laps.
 

“So, I found—”

Phillip stops me with a kiss.

“You taste like beer,” I tell him after a steamy make out session.
 

“You’ve been craving beer,” he says with a grin.
 

“I miss it. I hope Baby Mac appreciates my sacrifice.”

Phillip laughs, but then he cradles my face in his hands. “I know I do. You’re being incredible with everything. Seriously, you amaze me. After all that Danny has been going through with Lori’s pregnancy, I’ve been expecting the worst. But, I should have known pregnancy wouldn’t change you.”

“It is changing me though, Phillip. I can cry at the drop of a hat. I’m hungry all the freaking time.” I look down at my stomach. “And I’m starting to show.”

“You seem happy.”

“I am happy.”

“I’m about to ask you to do something that won’t make you happy.”

“What?”

“I can’t tell my mom to take the table back. She’s so excited about it. What if we keep it until ours comes in and then move it somewhere else?”

“Phillip. It looks awful.”

“Please?”

“I want to be proud when our friends see our house. That table doesn’t make me proud. And I don’t want them to think I chose it.”

“Then you tell her. I’m not.”

I cross my arms in front of my chest and pout. “I’m giving away all the micro-brewed beer in your fridge and filling it with wine coolers and off brand cans.”

Phillip kisses me again. “You play rough. Why don’t you show me your dining room plans and maybe we can negotiate?”

I wake with a start, quickly realizing I had been dreaming. A glance at the clock tells me it’s nearly five am.
 

I can’t remember what I was dreaming about, I just know it was bad.
 

And when I close my eyes and try to go back to sleep, all I see is the red from my dream, running like a current.

April 5th

A little more fun.

Last night Phillip approved my plans for the dining room, so this afternoon I’m online ordering everything when Danny calls.

“Whatcha doing?”

“Working.”

“Phillip told me you are ordering stuff for your dining room.”

“And working,” I say.
 

“So, this baby shower thing.”

“Yeah?”

“Lori said you’re getting up early, driving the three hours up there, having the shower, then driving home that night.”

“That’s the plan.”

“Any chance you could change the plan? Spend the night?”

“That’s what I wanted to do, but Lori was adamant.”

“I need a night out, Jay. I thought Phillip and I could invite a couple of the guys over. Hang out. Play pool.”

“Phillip doesn’t want me driving back at night. Plus, it would be fun to go out with our friends after the shower. I think Lori could use a night out too.”

“That’s the spirit,” he says. “I’ll leave it up to you to convince her.”

“You’re a chicken, Danny.”

“Bawk. Bawk,” he says then hangs up.

I start a group text, figuring Lori won’t be as likely to argue this way.
 

Me:
 
Hey, everyone! I thought it would be fun if we all went out after the baby shower on Saturday. You up for a fun night?

Lori doesn’t respond but I get a lot of, hell, yeahs from our sorority sisters.
 

Chelsea sends me a private text.

Chelsea:
 
How are you feeling?

Me:
 
Really good. You?

Chelsea:
 
I had to leave a class to throw up this morning. My clothes don’t fit. I moved out of the sorority house and into Joey’s apartment. Am planning a quickie wedding. Have two tests and a paper due this week. But whatever. So here’s the big question. Are you free the weekend of May 11th?
 

Me:
 
Is that your wedding date?!!! I’ll make sure we are.

Chelsea:
 
I was going to ask you this weekend, but I know Lori will be with us the whole time and I didn’t want it to be awkward.

Me:
 
What to be awkward?

Chelsea:
 
Will you be my maid of honor?

Me:
 
OMG! YES!!!!!!!
 

Chelsea:
 
Joey’s going to ask Phillip to be his best man. It’s because of the two of you we’re together. Can you believe we caught the bouquet and garter at your wedding and a few months later we are getting married? When have you ever heard of that happening in real life?

Me:
 
Pretty much like never.
 

Chelsea:
 
He’s been really amazing, Jade. He took me shopping this weekend. Bought me a cute dress to wear to the shower.

Me:
 
That’s so sweet.

Chelsea:
 
Another favor. I saw your group text. Since I assume you’re spending the night is there any way I could get you to come dress shopping with me Sunday morning? That nice wedding shop here is having a big sample sale. It’s probably going to be a free-for-all but the deals are supposed to be amazing. Joey and I are going to use some of the money my dad gave us for the wedding to use toward the down payment on our house, so I’m trying to be really frugal.

Me:
 
I’d love to help. Okay if Lori comes too if she doesn’t have any other plans?

Chelsea:
 
Of course. What kind of dress do you think I should get? I don’t know what I want.

Me:
 
I think for us to find you a dress at the sale, you’re going to need to know what you want. Go this week and try on a dress of every silhouette. The big, pouffy ball gown. The softer version like mine. A-line. Drop waist. Mermaid. Ask Alyssa to go with you. She’s good with fashion.
 

Chelsea:
 
Good idea. Is it bad I want something super sexy?
 

Me:
 
My mom used to say to flaunt it while you got it.
 

Chelsea:
 
I’m not gonna have it much longer. Got to go to class.

Danny’s dad, Mr. D’s name pops up on my cell phone.
 

“Hey, Mr. D. How’s Europe?”

“Wonderful. Quick question. I know you’re coming for the baby shower this weekend. I have something for you. Can you swing by the house before you leave town, like on Sunday afternoon?”

“Yeah. When are you getting back home?”

“Not until early Sunday morning. We got our dates mixed up when we booked the flights. Tried to get it changed to come back on Friday, but it was sold out. Mary won’t be able to make the shower.” He lowers his voice. “And she’s not very happy about it.”

“I’m sure Lori won’t mind. This shower is mostly sorority girls. Her mom couldn’t make it either. So, uh, what do you have for me? Like paperwork or something?” Mr. Diamond is the executor of my trust fund.
 

“Something a little more fun than that,” he says mysteriously. “See you Sunday.”