Bella
“Surprise!”
After a relaxing morning of reading and writing down my birthing plan at the local coffee shop near campus, I walk into my apartment to find every woman I know standing in my living room. After nearly having a heart attack, I take in the room. There are presents, food, and a huge cake on the table, the entire place looking like it threw up an entire bottle of Pepto Bismol. Pink streamers, pink ribbons, pink balloons. Yuck!
But then I see my mom and I smile, knowing she’s the reason for all this. So, in the grand scheme of things pink isn’t so bad. I run up to her and wrap my arms around her neck. Some girls can’t stand their moms. That’s not the case for me. My mom is my best friend in the entire world. Maybe it’s because she had me at eighteen so she was a young mother but we have always had an amazing relationship.
This was the first Christmas Tristan and I didn’t get to spend the holidays with everyone in Breckenridge. With me so close to my due date, the doctor said it would be best if I didn’t fly. So, our families spent Christmas together, and Tristan and I spent it here in San Diego. We got a small tree and exchanged gifts but it wasn’t the same. I missed my family so much, so getting to see my mom is the best surprise of all.
“Thank you for doing this. But more importantly, thank you for being here.”
“You aren’t getting rid of me. You only have a few weeks, so I will be staying here until this precious little one comes. I’m not chancing being over four hours away when you go into labor.”
“Where are you staying? I mean you can stay here but with us only having two bedrooms and my room being cramped with the baby’s stuff, you will be stuck on the couch.”
“Don’t you worry. Your father found a good deal on a hotel downtown so I will be staying there. I can’t deal with trying to get on a plane when my daughter goes into labor. Your dad and siblings will fly out once we let them know.”
“Oh mom! Thank you.” I give her another hug.
“What I want to know is, and we can talk about this later, why aren’t you and Tristan sharing a room if you are together?” Her one eyebrow goes up and I feel sick. The only lie I have ever told my mom was about the father of my baby and it doesn’t surprise me she knows something is up.
“Mom…”
“Not now, let’s enjoy this baby shower. We have plenty of time to talk later.”
I see some of my friends from school smiling and laughing, so I agree and walk over to my friends. “Happy Baby Shower,” Lauren says. I met her in our freshman math class and we quickly became friends. She introduced me to Stephanie, Kristen, and Michelle, who are all in the same sorority as her.
At first, I thought they would be stuck up and full of themselves when I heard they were all in a sorority but I quickly learned there is a stigma about sororities that just might be wrongfully placed. These women are sweet and smart, and have become friends I can lean on.
“Thanks for coming,” I tell the four of them then continue to work my way around the room. Ashley, Tristan’s mom, is here along with Tristan’s sisters. My sister, Lilly, is here. I spot Hayley, Marco’s mom, with Marco’s sister, Mackenzie, and then I spot my Aunt Kayla, who is here with her daughters, Faith and Chloe.
While Kayla and Bentley are Chloe’s parents in every way that matters, biologically Chloe is Marco’s sister. They shared a mom, one who overdosed on drugs when Chloe was only a baby. Hayley and Caleb adopted Marco and Kayla and Bentley adopted Chloe. I hate that Chloe will never know this baby is her niece. I know she’s happy but I’ve heard her mention on several occasions she wishes she had more biological family like Marco has with Mathias. I make a mental note to make her feel like an Aunt, even if she won’t know they are blood.
When I get to Hayley, I give her a hug and I can’t help but ask, “How’s Marco?” I know she knows I’m the one who called Caleb, I just wish it would have made a difference.
“He’s ok,” she says. I want to ask her to elaborate but feel like now isn’t the right time. The last I heard Marco was on a downward spiral and Caleb and Hayley had cut him off completely after he refused to get help. Ever since Marco came over yelling and telling me I’m dead to him, I didn’t have it in me to ask for updates.
The day goes by quickly. Food is eaten, the cake is delicious, and the amount of stuff people bought the baby is ridiculous. I think my mom covered my entire baby registry herself.
As the party winds down, I say bye to my friends and the only people left are my mom and her friends.
“Have you thought about any names yet?” my Aunt Kayla asks. I have thought about names, a lot actually, but I don’t want to tell anyone what I’m thinking. I’m afraid it will give away who the father is. I know that sounds stupid but because it makes me think of the dad, I’m afraid someone else will put the pieces together.
“A little. I am waiting until she is born to decide for sure.”
The front door opens, and in walks Tristan and Mason. Mason flew over the day after Christmas and has been hanging out. He mentioned he’s thinking about moving out here, something about wanting a change of pace.
“Hell yes, just in time to eat all the leftover food,” Mason says, his hands rubbing together like he’s preparing for a feast, as he walks straight for the food table.
Tristan comes and sits down next to me, placing a kiss on my cheek. “Did you not tell them you hate pink?” he whispers. I laugh and shake my head. “No, I didn’t have the heart to.”
“How was the shower?” Tristan asks loud enough for everyone to participate in the conversation.
“It was good. You should see all the cute clothes and toys everyone bought.” Then I turn to everyone sitting with us. “Thank you. This shower means a lot.”
“Of course, sweetie.” My mom leans over and gives me another hug.
“I’m going to head out. Caleb flew in with us and we have to… meet with someone.” She gives Mackenzie a hug and kiss. “Be good for Aunt Kayla and I will see you back at home.”
She walks over to me and gives me a hug, “Congratulations, Bella.”
One by one everyone leaves. My mom said she needs to check-in to the hotel and Ashley and Kayla are flying back in the morning because school starts back up in a few days. Mason leaves last, saying he’s meeting some females for dinner. I tell Tristan he can go but he just gives me a look telling me to shut up.
“Bella, there’s a lot of shit in that room. I know you don’t want to share a room with me but maybe we need to consider getting a three-bedroom place.” Tristan and I have circled around whether to be a couple for the last few months. When he mentioned us sharing a room so we could make the second room a nursery I gave in. We spent one night in the room together and I told him I couldn’t do this.
I know he was disappointed and I hate that I am tying him down with a baby and the poor guy isn’t even getting laid. He’s a twenty-one-year-old man who should be out dating and having fun; not tied down to a woman and some other man’s baby. I just don’t know what to do. I’ve considered moving out and doing this on my own but every time I mention it, Tristan tells me I’m being ridiculous.
“The baby will sleep next to me anyway for the first few months so I can feed her.”
“But you will be pumping so I can help.” I went over the pros and cons of breastfeeding and came to the decision I would try to breastfeed and pump. I want to get back into working out and training after she comes as well as having to return to school, so pumping seemed like a good compromise.
“I know but I want to be close to her. Can we please just take it one step at a time? Once she gets bigger, if we need to we can move into a bigger place.”
“All right.”
“I’m really tired. I’m going to go to bed. You should go meet Mason.”
“Yeah? Maybe I will. I kind of hope he decides to move out here. I’ve enjoyed hanging out with him.”
“Good. Go. Goodnight,” I say. “Have fun!”
“Night, Bella,” Tristan says as he walks out the door.
I lay down in my comfy bed and not even ten seconds later, I am out.