Chapter 40

BLAKE

“So, what do you think?” I ask as I look up at my construction. “I’m not just a pretty face.”

“I’m so impressed,” Carrie says. “If I wasn’t attracted to you before, now I certainly am.”

We are in my backyard, and I have just finished setting up a moon-bounce. I rented it online for the day, and although the company offered to set it up, I declined. I was in the mood to bust out my handyman skills.

“So, who is getting on first, you or me?” I ask playfully. I stalk her, and she takes a step back. She grabs her stomach and frowns at me.

“I don’t know if it’s good for the baby. I better not.”

“I guess I’ll save it for Tommy and Simon then. I haven’t checked with Ben, but I’m pretty sure that neither of them is pregnant.”

I’m actually feeling a little excited. More than I am letting on to Carrie. The reason for my excitement is that Ben, Janet and their two sons are coming over for a barbecue later today. While they are here, I am going to tell them the big news.

It’s been three months and we’ve been given the all-clear.

I was once nervous to tell Ben, thinking that he would judge me. But now, I cannot wait. Ben and I used to be such good friends, and although we still are, a definite divide opened between us when he became a father. Now that I will have a child of my own, we can finally bridge that gap, once and for all.

“When are they coming over?” Carrie asks, walking back to me, now that I have stopped threatening to throw her on the moon-bounce.

“Any minute,” I reply. “The food is ready, the table and chairs are set up. All we need now are the guests.”

I stop talking as I hear something in the distance. It sounds like screaming, and as I continue to listen, it gets closer and closer.

“What’s that?” Carrie asks, hearing the same thing.

I listen, my ears straining. Breaking into a smile, I suddenly realize what it is. The screaming is more akin to laughing, and I watch the side of my house, waiting for what I know is about to charge around the corner.

It’s Simon, Ben’s son. He is screaming playfully as he charges across the backyard to me. The second he reaches me, I scoop up him and literally throw him across the gap between myself and the moon-bounce. He lands in it safely, laughing the whole time.

“Hey there!” Ben calls out.

He and Janet walk across the yard to Carrie and me. Tommy walks between them, holding his mother’s hand. Ben and Janet have been married for over ten years. I actually met her first and essentially introduced them, although Ben will never admit that. She has long red hair, big green eyes and a kind smile.

“He came at me,” I say and I hold my hands up in defense. “I was worried for my safety.”

“Oh, no,” Ben says as he reaches me. “Are you okay?”

“I am,” I say, before leaning around Ben to face Tommy. He is only four, but is the spitting image of his father. “Hey, buddy. How’s my favorite guy?”

“Good,” he beams up at me.

“You want to join your brother on the moon-bounce?”

Before he has a chance to answer, I scoop him off the ground, throw him over my shoulder, and carry him to the moon-bounce. There, I throw him inside so he can play with his brother.

“I think they like you more than me,” Ben says, and he bites his lip as if in frustration.

“Who wouldn’t?” I joke.

The lunch is, of course, phenomenal. The chefs, again, have outdone themselves. Ben and Janet let the kids continue to play while we all eat and chat.

As we eat, I talk about everything but the pregnancy. It is constantly on the very tip of my tongue, but the words just don’t follow. And it’s not that I am nervous. I just don’t know how I am going to break the news.

I am sitting beside Carrie, and I love how easily she, Ben and Janet all get on. It’s as if they have been friends for years. I reach under the table and take her hand in mine, giving it a squeeze. I instantly notice that her hand is clammy and cold. Sweaty even.

“Are you okay?” I whisper, making sure that Ben and Janet are distracted by the kids.

“I don’t feel good. I need to go to the bathroom.” Without another word, Carrie pushes her seat back, hops to her feet and scurries across the yard.

“What was that?” Ben asks.

“I don’t know. I’ll be right back.”

I jump to my feet, hurry across the yard and inside. Once inside, I head straight for the bathroom door, which I see to be closed. “Carrie?” I say as I reach it. “Is everything all right?”

The obvious sound of vomiting echoes through the door. “I’m fine,” she yells out back to me. “Just a little—” She stops again, having been cut off by another bout of vomiting.

She assures me again that she is fine and that I should just get back to Ben and Janet. I do, but I walk away from the door with some trepidation. I hate knowing that she is sick and in need of help. I want to be in there with her, holding her hand. Sure, it is only a little sickness from the pregnancy, but I still think of that as a pretty big deal.

I pull up my seat and fall into it. I don’t even look at Ben or Janet. I’m too lost in my own head.

“So,” Ben begins. “How long has it been?”

“What?” I ask, and I look at him for the first time.

He wears a goofy, knowing smile. Which he shares with Janet.

“How long has she been pregnant for?”

“What do you mean? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I am so obviously lying, but I don’t know what to say.

“Please,” Ben says with a smirk. “You don’t think I recognize that look on Carrie’s face? She’s in there right now, blowing chunks.” Janet smacks Ben on the arm. “Ow. You know what I mean, though. She is pregnant. I’m right, aren’t I?”

I look from Ben to Janet and back to Ben. They both have insufferable, all-knowing smiles, and I know that there is no point lying to them. More than that, there is no reason to. I want to tell them the truth and have wanted to for a while. This may as well be the way that they find out.

“Yep, she’s pregnant,” I admit. “With our baby.”

A tremendous weight falls from my shoulders as I tell them. The two clap and cheer, and Ben hold up his glass as a toast. I raise my glass too, smiling as I do, and I wonder why I was ever so worried in the first place. Both Janet and Ben are so happy for me, and I am happier than I ever thought I would be in my life.