19 Days to Go

I slowly wake up the next morning in Megan’s bed. I could not stand the thought of being alone last night, so I crashed in here. Megan is with Lucy. I can hear her over the monitor. Megan is such an amazing mum. I feel jealous sometimes. It’s been just over seventeen months since I had a miscarriage. I remember it all like it was yesterday. Rich and I were in a car accident when I was thirteen weeks pregnant. I was crushed against the dash while Rich was thrown from the car. I lost the baby. Our baby. It was like my entire world fell apart that day. It took us a while to regain the spark in our relationship. We did try to have another baby, but after no luck and some routine tests, we received the news we didn’t want to hear. Rich was infertile due to the pelvic injuries he sustained during the wreck.

I sit up in bed and shake my head. Stop thinking about it, Jenny.  I have four hours till I’m needed at work. I need to get on with my day, so I slide out of the cotton sheets and sit on the side of the bed.

“Morning, honey,” Megan says in a cheerful manner as she walks into the room with Lucy.

“Morning,” I reply.

“I was just going to grab some clothes to get dressed,” Megan states. “Now that you’re awake, let’s have breakfast in our jammies.”

“Deal.”

Megan passes me a baby pink cotton dressing gown from behind her bedroom door. I stand up and slide it over my purple winter pyjamas. I didn’t think when I packed last night. These were the first ones I found, and it’s really too warm for them. As I tie the dressing gown, I look down. On the right side of the lapel, there is a small purple embroidered butterfly. I can’t help but smile. Megan heads downstairs to get sorted while I do what I need to do. I head to the bathroom to pee and brush my hair and teeth. Hopefully, I will begin to feel more like a human now. I take a deep breath before descending down the stairs. Megan’s house is very big with plenty of space. It’s the house she wanted from day one of house hunting. I love walking down her stairs. On one side, you can see what’s below; on the other side, she has pictures. There is a couple of us, some of Lucy, and my favourite one— the one of Megan and Mark when Lucy was born. Anyone can see how much he loves them in that picture. He is looking down at Lucy with a twinkle in his eyes. At the bottom step, the first drawing Mark did of Megan is hanging on the wall. Megan had a fight on her hands to get that off him. It has only been hanging a couple of weeks, but looks like it’s been there forever.

“What’s for breakfast?” I question as I walk into the kitchen, yet another big, spacious room complete with one large window on both sides. She had this dream kitchen designed for her. She always wanted to have a breakfast bar. As I walk towards the bar, I see Lucy sitting in her pink highchair.

“Whatever you would like,” Megan states.

“Fried egg sandwich, please,” I reply.

“I should have guessed. Do you just eat them at mine?” She laughs, walking over to the fridge.

“Of course, or I would burn myself like I did last time.” I take a seat at the breakfast bar with Lucy.

“Hey, Lucy Doo, who is such a cutie?” I ask.

I stand up and take Lucy out of her high chair, sitting back down with her on my knee. I take hold of the pink baby rattle and give it to her. I love watching Lucy. I’m always offering to babysit for Megan so she can have some time to do as she wishes. The problem is she has only taken me up on the offer once when she attended the funeral of a work colleague who died in a terrible car accident. Ally was only twenty-six years old. Megan and she had been working together for six years, so her death shocked Megan. I worked with Ally, but was not as close to her as Megan. Mark stood by Megan’s side the entire time. He would not leave her for anything. Ally was due to get married the day of her funeral. It stunned everyone. That day is the only time I have gotten to babysit Lucy. Even with sadness all around, I enjoyed my time with her.

“One fried egg sandwich,” Megan says, placing it on the breakfast bar, followed by a cup of coffee and some fresh orange juice. She looks after me well. I love her to bits.

“Thanks, hun,” I say, pulling the plate closer. “Your mummy’s so clever, Lucy. She makes Auntie Jenny happy.”

The next five minutes are heaven. I love fried egg sandwiches. Oh my. It’s like the world stopped. Megan is sitting on the other side of the bar eating cereal. She is still on a health kick to ensure she fits into her maid of honour dress. She does not need to lose anything at all. She is perfect as she is, but she will not listen to anyone.

“What are you two going to do today?” I question.

“Nothing much. Go to town, get a couple of things, and then wait for Mark and Mia to come.”

“Oh, I forgot they were coming today.”

“Remember, Mark is going to come to the venue tomorrow,” Megan says.

“Yes, I remember now. I hope Mia does, too. Is she going to come to the wedding?” I met Mia in passing once before today. Megan gets on well with Mia, and I would love to get to know her some more. I might have to suggest that Mark babysits and we girlies go out one night.


”I don’t know; I haven’t asked her.”

“Ask her, will ya?”

“Okay, okay.” She laughs.

“Time for Auntie Jenny to get dressed, Lucy Doo,” I state.

“Time for Lucy to get dressed, too,” Megan says while shaking Lucy’s rattle in front of her.

“Can I get her ready?” I ask.

“You can if you want.” Megan smiles.

“Of course, I want to. I want lots of time with Lucy.”

“Go on then.” Megan waves us off using the back of her hand. I stand up and walk to the door with Lucy on my hip.

“What is she wearing today?” I ask because some mums are fussy about what clothes their children wear.

“Whatever you want her to.” Megan smiles and collects the pots off the bar.

I run up the stairs with Lucy. “Lucy Doo, you need to get changed. I bet we can find a pretty little dress for you to wear.”

*****

“There you two are,” Megan says, standing in Lucy’s bedroom doorway. She’s wearing black leggings and a white strappy top that seems longer than the ones she normally wears. It has a little purple three-dimensional flower on the chest. As usual, her feet are bare.

“Yes, sorry. We were having a girly chat,” I state, sitting in the rocking chair in Lucy’s room with her lying in the crook of my arm.

“It’s okay.” She pauses. “I’m off downstairs to do some housework. Are you okay?”

“I don’t know. I keep thinking about Rich and what to do, but I can’t do anything with him away with Luke.”

“You will figure it out.”

“I know, hun.” I nod.

“What time are you at work?”

I look down at the watch Megan bought me. “I need to leave in an hour. I also need to run home for some nail polish because I forgot it with all the rushing I did.”

“I have loads, so use some of mine.”

“Thank you.”  I look down at Lucy. “What colour shall I paint them, Lucy?”

“What are you wearing for the leaving do?” Megan asks.

“A red halter neck dress that comes just above my knees.” I point to show her the length. “It doesn’t cling too badly, and I have some black heels to go with it.”

“So, red it is. I have a beautiful shade of red.” She smiles. “All of my polishes are in the normal place. Shall I leave you girlies to it?”

“You can if you want, then I can teach my goddaughter how to paint nails.”

“Sounds like a plan. Oh, that reminds me. I need to ring about the venue later.”

Megan leaves Lucy and me, and we head into her room to find a nice red nail polish for my toes. She definitely won’t mind me borrowing it. I can’t polish my fingers till later. I’m not at all sure I want to go out tonight, but I really need a drink.