Page 47 of Mind

Gillian

“She lives!” Kat squeals and runs over to hug me. I left my hair wet and just pulled it up into a big clip. At least my attire matches everyone else’s. I’m wearing one of Chase’s dress shirts and a pair of yoga pants. When he exited the shower and saw what I had on his eyes turned soft and mushy. If there was ever a way for my stoic, controlling, overconfident man to look mushy, it would be the moment when he saw that I was more comfortable surrounded in something that smelled like him than anything else.

“Welcome to the land of the living,Puta! Done avoiding yourhermana’s?” Maria says with attitude, but she still gets up from her chair and pulls me into a hug. She sets her forehead against mine. Mesmerizing ice blue eyes focus on mine. I feel like they’re staring right through me. “You okay?”

“I will be,” I hug her back trying to fill my guilty soul with the love and kinship of my friends.

Bree stands and I pull away from Maria and go right into her arms. “I’m so sorry,” I shake as she holds me.

“Oh Gigi, you have nothing to be sorry for.” She hugs me tight. “This freak, they’re going to get him. Yes, we’ve lost a lot but we still have each other.” Her own voice cracks and she clears her throat.

I lean back and lay my hand over her belly. It’s still as flat as always but I imagine I can feel the baby inside, warm and safe. “And we have this baby to look forward to, right?” I look into her watery blue eyes. She nods eagerly, finally smiling.

“I can’t believe I’m going to be someone’s mother! Oh my god!” All the girls jump up, Maria fist pumps and whoops in the air then starts to rock her own victory jig.

“Best Auntie Ever title coming my way.” She does a little dance we all know too well. Kat turns, cocks a hip and gives the head tilt.

“I don’t think so. Not possible. Everyone knows I’m the best. Besides, I’m going to make her princess outfits and let her play dress up in my closet…”

I roll my eyes but Bree just smiles and watches the two in mock battle. “Hey guys, I think you’re forgetting one important factor.” They both stop their bickering and turn around to look at us. “It could be a boy,” I offer. Both of them look at me as if I’ve suddenly grown additional limbs.

Maria walks over to us and puts her hand over Bree’s belly. “Nope,chica.Never been wrong.” She shrugs, turns to Kat. “I’m going to teach her how to dance like a ballerina. Allniñaslove ballerinas.” Her face twists into a smug expression, eyebrow cocked.

I need to get in on this. No way are these two going to show me up! “Sorry ladies, but I’m going to share with her my love of shoes. You’ve seen how much Anabelle loves me? You know her shoe collection is stellar. Who do you think got her those? Hmmmm?”

Bree giggles and shakes her head. A pair of arms pulls me into a warm body from behind. Obviously, Chase is done with his shower. “Having fun?” he asks as Maria hands me a glass of wine.

I smile at her, tink our glasses and say “Salud,” then grip hold of Chase’s hands. “Very much,” I take a sip and snuggle back into his embrace even more. “Thanks for getting me out of the room and out of my funk. This is exactly what I need.”

“I’ll always bring you back. You know that.” He kisses the side of my neck and pulls away to chat up Carson. He’s handed a glass of wine and they head over to the pool table as the four of us girls reconnect.

“So what did Phil say when you both were alone? About the baby?” Kat asks the question I’ve been dying to know.

Bree takes a bite of a strawberry from a plate of nibbles the cook set out. “Surprisingly, he’s taken it really well. He made me take another pregnancy test with him waiting the three minutes so he could see the stick turn into a plus symbol. Then when it did he gave me another one with a huge smile and said, Again.” She uses a rough voice mimicking a male.

We all laugh and giggle. “That sounds like Phil. Never wants to be left out.” I shake my head thinking fondly of my best friend. He deserves this happiness and seeing how lit up Bree is now, I know it’s going to work out between them.

“Yeah, he wants me to move in right away. Get Anabelle used to the idea of me before we tell her she’s going to be a big sister. What do you guys think? I haven’t told him one way or the other. He gets out of the hospital next week and then he and Anabelle will be here with all of us until this situation is settled. But then what?” Her nose scrunches up and she pulls a knee to her chest resting her chin on it. “We haven’t really been dating that long. What if we’re not compatible in that way?”

“What makes you think that? You love him right?” Maria asks.

Bree huffs pulling her long blonde hair up, twists it into a spiral and stuffs it over making a snail swirl at the crown of her head. It’s like a magic trick, all that golden hair staying up all on its own. I’ve asked her to teach me how to do it but it never works on my hair. “I do love him, so much, but this is all so fast. I don’t want him to regret it down the road. We shouldn’t move in together just because we accidentally got pregnant. You know?”

Kat nods and twists her lips in thought. “But honey, what if it’s the best thing you’ve ever done. Look at Gigi. She and Chase were only together a few months and moved in, and now they’re getting married. Love happens when it happens. The timeline doesn’t matter.” All of us nod and wait while Kat continues to be the voice of reason. “Don’t miss out on something that could be everything you ever wanted because you’re scared.”

Bree contemplates this quietly and bites her lip. “Yeah, I’ll think about it.”

“And remember,” I add. “You have some time to practice living together here before you have to make the big change. All of you will be here as a family, sharing a space for a while. That could be a practice run,” I finish. Bree’s eyes light up.

“You’re right. It will give us time to see if we’re compatible day in and day out. You’re a genius, Gigi!” she hums happily, bouncing side to side in her chair like all the world’s problems have been solved. Boy, I wish it was that easy.

Maria winks at me and tips her glass in the air. I smile. “Toast!” Maria says. All three of us groan but hold our glasses up into the air. “Hey, come on. I’ll make it PG now that Bree is all preggers.” Bree scowls and gives her a dirty look.

I clear my throat. “I’d like to give the toast,” Maria nods. “To change. It’s happening all around us. Let it guide us into the next phase of our lives and feel blessed in the knowledge that we are all still together to share it.” All eyes go to Bree. Three women so thankful that their soul sister is still alive, that she’s carrying the next addition to our family within her and by God, we’re all determined to be around for years to come. The image of that poor young girl, the one who looks so much like Bree, comes fluttering back into my mind. I send up a silent prayer for the young girl and her family.

In that moment, I make a pact with myself. No more woe-is-me, no more pity party for one. These women, Phil, Thomas, Carson and most importantly Chase, deserve me whole. Instead of crying or hiding in my room, I’m going to face this head on. Whatever it takes. This bastard cannot take away my will to live or the fierce love I have of those around me.

“Let’s take a load off!” Maria whoops and fills all of our glasses to the brim with a jammy cabernet from Napa. Bree looks at the glasses with longing then rubs her belly. Right at that moment, the chef enters the entertainment room.

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