Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 59659 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 298(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59659 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 298(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
“Sure,” I said. “In case we have a child and want to put them in it.”
“It’s not blank,” she said, looking up at me curiously. “It looks blank because it’s framed, but it’s not. It just has something over it.”
“What are you talking about?” Mallory said, stepping over. Then when she looked down into the spot between and below Victor’s and mine.
“Oh, I see it,” Allison said. “It’s not White-Out. It’s a piece of cardboard matte pushed over the spot. It looks like there’s writing on the spot like the other ones. Right there, see? Ink.”
“What? No,” I said, shaking my head. But there was no use. They didn’t believe my denial and had the overt looks of women who had begun to figure out the jig.
“Babe,” Victor said, putting a hand over mine and squeezing gently. “It’s probably time we told them.”
I nodded, grinning madly. I had been waiting for this for a long time.
“Tell us what?” Graham said, a bacon-covered cracker in his hand before he tossed it into his mouth and began chewing.
I glanced over at Victor, who smiled wide. He nodded at me gently, and I cleared my throat.
“Well,” I said, “I wanted to wait until we had the party going full swing and either we had done gifts or were about to leave. I wanted this to be one of the last things we talked about.”
“Spit it out,” Allison said, joined in laughter by Mallory and Carmela.
“Yeah, out with it,” Mela said.
“Okay,” I said. “We’re pregnant!”
A chorus of cheers rose up among the close friends who either already had their own, safely at home with grandparents or babysitters until their parents could get home or were happily childless. Amy and Norma hugged me first, followed closely by Carmela, who squeezed me tightly.
“I can’t believe it,” she said, her eyes wide with excitement. “Actually, you know what, I can believe it.”
“What do you mean?” I laughed. “Are you saying I look pregnant already?”
“No,” she laughed. “It’s the grape juice for one thing.”
“Are you kidding?” I asked. “I thought I was so careful not to let anyone know!”
“Well, maybe that would have worked had I not been the one to fill the initial orders,” she said. “I got everyone’s drinks together to start the night and noticed you had grape juice. I thought you’d go for the shiraz, but when I saw grape juice, I knew something was up.”
“Good ol’ Carmela,” Victor said, taking her in a light headlock. “Ever the detective.”
“Congrats,” she said, shaking off the hold and then wrapping Victor up in a tight, short hug. “Seriously, that’s amazing. I can’t wait to play with a little one.”
“Me either,” Victor said. “Kids have the coolest toys these days. I’ve been meaning to find a way to buy them anyway.”
Laughing, we went back to our party and enjoyed the music as it turned back up and dancing the night away.
We all stayed until around nine, when Graham and Mallory said they needed to get out of there. I hugged them and told them Merry Christmas again and sat in the chair by the refreshments. As I watched friends say goodbye to each other, I was again struck by how beautiful my life had turned out. I had friends who I loved dearly who would do anything for each other and me at the drop of a hat. I had loyal customers who made sure to keep me not only in business, but with their references, they had helped me start to grow again.