"You're my best friend too," I countered. "But no, not really. I'm just shocked is all."
Becky had been just as surprised to see me. We had lost touch (my fault) because Becky didn't know where I lived (my fault) even when she asked my steps (their fault). She said she hadn't recognized me at my wedding, and King had never referred to me by name, only by 'daughter-in-law', 'Prince's wife', and 'my son's wife.' I laughed at this bit of news, and admitted that King had once said her name, I just hadn't heard it. We caught up with latest news and gossip, shopping, showing off new things, talking about the ball...
All in all, we were elated to see each other.
"So, Becky, admit it," I whispered to her as we sipped coffee, the boys out and about golfing. "Did you marry King, a man old enough to be your grandfather, for the money?"
Becky sighed. "It's complicated. But," she said as I protested, "I married him mainly for love. When I first saw him, I latched on because he was the king. However, he's such a kind, funny man and I really love him. I don't think I love him physically, but certainly as a friend."
"I suppose that's a relief." I said. I shifted in my seat, suddenly feeling sick.
"Nausea again?" Becky guessed.
I nodded. "And my period's a few days late as well!" I grumbled a bit more about how it sucks to be a woman when Becky started chuckling. "What?"
Becky laughed, smiling. "Oh, Cindy. Don't you see?" I rolled my eyes. "You're going to be a mother! You're pregnant!'
I gasped. "No way," I said, worried. But the feeling crept up on me quickly. It was true, it made sense...
"Think about it," Becky said smugly, setting her coffee cup down to tick her fingers off, like a list, "You and Prince first made love about a month ago. Unprotected, I'm assuming?"
"Yeah," I muttered.
Another smug grin. "Morning sickness. No period. You're pregnant."
"Aw, man! Do I have to take a pregnancy test?"
"Already got that covered," Becky said, dashing out of the room. I took the opportunity to put our coffee mugs away. Becky came back holding a white bag. "Two tests. Just to make sure. I picked them up last night-thought you might need them."
It wasn't until late at night, when Prince was asleep next to me and I was fretting away that I built my courage to take the tests. Two pluses later, I was sure. I crept back to bed and rubbed my tummy lightly. I was going to be a mommy!
Being the knowing person she was, Becky had purchased maternity clothing on our shopping spree. They were made to stretch, which was good. When Prince had questioned me on my new clothing (having noticed my nightgown then my green t-shirt), I pulled him into the washroom, nervous for his reaction. "Prince, honey," I said nervously, fiddling around in drawers, refusing to meet his eyes. "I'm pregnant." I turned to him, scared of his reaction.
His magnificent grin was unlike any I had ever experienced before. "Oh my god." He wrapped me in a tight hug, engulfing me with his arms and lips. After a moment of suffocation and pleasure, my husband released me, looking like a very proud father. He lowered his head to my belly, pressing his ear into my stomach. "Hey there, little guy!"
I laughed, realizing the implications of this. I had another human being growing in my body! "How do you know it won't be a girl?" I said with a laugh.
"Oh, I just have a feeling it'll be a boy! A handsome boy, too," Prince said, his eyes twinkling.
"Oh, Prince, what'll we do! Are we ready for a child?" I said, joyful, yet slightly worried.
Prince took me into his arms again, patting my hair. "We certainly are financially. And I think we can make time to take care of our child."
"Should we tell anyone yet? Becky already knows."
"My dad, for sure. But no one else. Not yet. Not until we're sure."
I knew what he meant. Not until we were sure the baby was going to stay.
Seven and a half months later, the baby was close to popping out. King and I were having our morning food-him, coffee, toast, and eggs, while I was on my baby diet and craving menu with pasteurized milk and a bagel with mayonnaise on it (stupid cravings). "So, I was meeting up with one of my work buddies, when he introduces me to one of his clients and rushes off!" King said between mouthfuls of egg.
"No!" I cried, laughing, "What'd you do!"
"Well, what could I do? I stayed and chatted with him," King said, exasperated but chuckling nonetheless. "He was very touchy, and had an earring in one of his ears, so he might be gay..."
"Which ear?"
"Right, I think. I saw it when we hugged."
"You hugged?"
"I was taken on by surprise myself!" King chortled, shaking his head.
"Well, the right ear is the 'gay' ear," I confirmed, searching through Yahoo answers on my phone.
"Actually, I don't think he had it on while we skinny dipped, though."
"You SKINNY DIPPED?!"
King turned pink. "The client held major deals for which political party he would donate towards, and I wanted him to sway a certain way! He's the one who suggested the whole thing, not me."
"Did you burst out laughing when he suggested it?"
"I was shocked more than anything. He asked me if I had brought my swim suit. I said that I hadn't. He said he didn't, either. Then he asked if I saw any signs saying no skinny dipping, but then he looked at me and went, 'You're the king, though! You make the rules!' And he pulled off his clothes and dived in! I was feeling a little reckless, and no one saw us, so it's fine." King's face was positively tomato.
"Did you settle the deal?"
"Yes, thankfully," King said, running his hand through the patches of hair on the sides of his head. "I'd rather not go through another ordeal like that where I have to show a client of all people my wrinkly old man-"
"That's enough, thanks," I cut him off.
"-body parts. Cinderella."
"I'd better go wake sleepy bones if we want to get to the party on time," I said, reluctantly getting up and putting my dishes away. I took my time getting up the stairs, not wanting to hurt my child inside. I caressed my belly, enjoying the motherly instinct I had already adopted. I already knew things about my child, things that my baby liked, and things it didn't. For example-when Prince talked to my belly, I could feel the life growing inside of me giving a tiny, soft kick. That was a good kick. But if people started to fight, like sometimes Prince and King did, my baby would kick hard and fidget. My baby also enjoyed spaghetti (especially with veggie sauce), songwriter music, and laughter. My baby didn't enjoy the sounds of the television, dogs barking, or the doorbell. Of course, there was no way I would know for sure until my child grew up.
I kissed Prince long and hard as means of getting up. Once he had properly awakened, he kissed me back gently before bolting up and saying, "Morning breath!"
I laughed. "I didn't mind, honestly." Prince let out a moan and clenched his perfect stomach. "I'm the one pregnant, not you sweetie," I said, running my hand along his back.
"Hungry is all," he chimed cheerfully, then knelt down on one knee, took my hand and kissed it, said, "I'll be off, then, my lady," and ran downstairs. I had a case of the giggles all the way downstairs.
I hobbled into the washroom, glancing at my expanded stomach warily. Not much longer. I crouched onto the toilet, barely able to hold myself up. When I finished, I toddled into the bathtub I had been filling up. While I soaked, I mused about the intentions behind Anastasia's invite to see Prince, King and I at their house. She claimed that everyone wanted to see the two of us (Prince and I), especially because I was pregnant, but I was sure that Anastasia was merely greedy for gossip. However, I too was interested to see how my step-sister's love lives had been, which is why I accepted the invite.
When we arrived at the party, I found Anastasia standing in her ball gown, all dressed up, even though she had told me not to bother. I had brought my nice clothes in my purse just in case. There were a few other party guests, but none of them were that dressy. Simon Hodges was there. I wondered if he just lived with step-mother or something.
I ducked into the washroom to get changed, passing by Simon, who was dressed in a white muscle shirt and green shorts, his thick chest hairs splayed out over his chest. I tried not to gag as I passed by him. After all, he was the leader of what King was trying to prevent. I didn't want to betray anyone by telling King that Simon was the man he was looking for. Becky was at the party as well. She said that it was all good and well for her, too, because it was her birthday, and she was probably going to age up. I knew that this meant Becky was reaching her middle age, even though she wasn't that much older than me. Which meant it wouldn't be that much longer till I reached my middle age. Or Prince for that matter. I had found out that Prince was several years older than me, and had gone to a private boarding school, which is why people didn't see much of him until he came back for the ball.
When I got back, I found Becky shouting excitedly, and King waving a party clapper in the air. It was time for my best friend's age up.
"Yeah!" Becky yelled back, already glowing light that was so warm and luminescent that I received part of the impact. Even standing a few meters away, I could feel her glow. My skin loosened and it felt like little butterflies walking on my arms. Then I heard a very tiny 'pop!' A pop? Was that normal? I hadn't had a pop when I had aged up. How strange.
Becky looked the same, pretty much, besides a few small wrinkles. King gave her a big long kiss in the corner, so I turned away. As I did, I felt something wet in my crotch. Then something dribbled down my leggings. I tried to bend over to look down, but it was no use with such a big belly.
I grabbed King's arm. "It's time," I said, pulling him away. I found Prince and took his arm as well. "I broke my water," I said hurriedly, but had to stop, for in the next moment there was an even bigger surge of water. Gross.
"What are we going in?" Prince said, freaking out.
King huffed about, then said, "We can go in the Ferrari that Becky and I came in." King pulled Prince and I outside. "It'll have to do." He glanced back. "No point bothering Becky. You can just text her," King said, nodding at Prince. King ran away to get the car from around the corner.
"Ooh," I said, grimacing in pain as I felt a cramp like pain in my lower section.
"Don't push yet!" Prince cried in exasperation, "Just wait until we get to the hospital!"
I started laughing, but it made things worse. Prince was evidently freaking out, despite the months of prepared parents courses we had taken. You'd think after three sessions of holding my hand while I huffed and breathed would get Prince to at least recognize signs of contractions.
"Okay kids, pile in!" King called, speeding towards us before screeching to a stop. I hoped dearly he wouldn't drive too wildly on the way to the hospital. Prince and I squeezed into the very small back of the car. King's car was older, so the interior wasn't that great, and to get to the passenger seat, one had to clamber over the car. I wasn't about to do any climbing with my belly. Prince held my hand in the back for support. He looked way more worried than I felt. I got another uncomfortable twist in my lower region and groaned again. "Seconds between contractions?" King asked.
"Only gotten two so far, a few minutes," I blurted out in one breath, struggling.
"Okay, then we should have a nice, smooth ride," King said calmly. He noticed my look of surprise. "Trust me, I was like Princey boy here, too, the first time 'round," King said as we cruised calmly through the silent streets.
"I didn't know Prince had siblings," I said in surprise, glancing over at my husband.
King and Prince were silent for a moment, and I realized I must have touched on a sour spot. "I used to have siblings..." Prince said finally, though I could barely hear him because of the wind buzzing past my ears. "Mom had twins. Premature. Too premature. They both died."
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," I said, and I was. What a bad time to talk about this. Right before I was about to give birth. I noted that my child was premature, as well, by a few weeks.
"It's all right," King said, and his voice was gruff and held a lot of emotion. "But Prince's mother gave birth another time. Before Prince."
Prince gave my hand an extra squeeze.
"He was perfectly healthy. A perfectly growing boy. He was three years older than Prince. They were close when they were younger. Then, one day, when Prince was thirteen and his brother was sixteen, a drunk driver hit him. He was walking home from a party, late at night, and this irresponsible driver hit my boy before running into a tree. The tree fell on the car. Both of them died," King said, and I knew he was crying now. I sat in awed silence, feeling warm tears coming down my own cheek.
We stayed silent for the rest of the car ride.
After six long hours, my baby was born. I held him in my arms. He was so beautiful. King had gone home long ago, and Prince had called a cab for us. We were both exhausted, but I smiled. My baby was born. I had a baby. He was beautiful. I cuddled him on the way back.
"Can I hold him?" Prince asked politely. I handed our son over. Prince smiled at his son and kissed his forehead.
"How old were you when your mom died?" I asked.
Prince didn't look very surprised when I asked this. He cradled our son protectively. "My brother was killed when I was thirteen. Then my parents tried to have kids again. When I was fifteen, my mother gave birth to premature twins that died. It was too much for her. I think the shock of it all killed her. She died a few weeks before my sixteenth birthday."
"I love you," I said as we got out of the taxi. I held our boy in our hands. "I hope you know that. And don't ever forget it."
"I love you too," Prince said. "And I love our boy."
I loved our son, too. "What was your brother's name?"
"Andy."
I tried not to gasp.
We had named our son Andy.
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