Page 99 of Unexpecting

“Grandparents are a wonderful source of knowledge and support for the expectant mother. They will be eager and excited to meet the new arrival and often want to provide care for the entire family.”

A Young Woman’s Guide to the Joy of Impending Motherhood

Dr. Francine Pascal Reid (1941)

The next day, Monday—theday before my first official “date” with J.B.—was a bad day. Technically, it wasn’t my first date with him, because we had those couple of dates when we first met. This was like the first date the second time around. Or I could call it the first date after he impregnated me.

Anyway, it was snowing, which always gets the kids at school excited, and today they all flipped between being hyper and whining in the blink of an eye. Added to this, the babies had been kicking me all morning, I’d thrown up twice before breakfast and once at lunch, and I’d had a bad backache for the last couple of days. For the first time, I was tired of being pregnant.

Despite constant nausea—which had gotten a little better, but was still around—and the throwing up, I’d already gained thirty-five pounds, and today it felt like I was carrying even more than that. I had two more months of this, and right now I couldn’t for the life of me think why I had signed up for it. Oh, that was right—I didn’t. This is all J.B.’s fault.

I fought the snowflakes as I walked the few blocks to the store from the subway. The first snowfall always got me in a Christmas mood, even if it was in November. This year I’d have to watch out for ice on the ground. I was even more uncoordinated than I usually was. My hip still ached from when I fell last week.

Not ten minutes after I got to work, the door swung open with a gust of cold air and in walked my mother. Luckily, she seemed in a much better mood than the last time she came for a visit.

″Casey! Sweetface!”

″Hi, Mom.” I looked with surprise at the way she was dressed. She was wearing a grey tweed skirt and a black leather jacket. I loved the coat, but that was not the surprising part. Her skirt wasn’t too tight; all of the buttons of her blouse were done up without showing cleavage; and for Terri-with-an-I—or too-tight Terri—she looked quite respectable.

″You look nice,” I told her honestly. I wasn’t sure the last time I said that and meant it.

″Why, thank you, sweetie! And look at you! C’mere and let me get a look-see at that belly.”

I stepped out from behind the counter and let Terri have a rub. “What’s up?” I finally asked.

″How would you feel about taking a little trip next weekend? Like to Vegas?” Terri asked in a singsong voice.

″What’s in Vegas?”

″Only my wedding!”

″Oh! Your wedding—you’re really getting married. I mean, I knew that, but… um, can I fly being this pregnant?” I wondered.

″Of course you can. I’d really like you there, sweetface. I’d love for Libby too, but with the kids…” And since she’s barely said two words to you since you told her you were getting married, is what I didn’t say. “It might be hard on her, leaving the kids. Will you talk to her? Please. She listens to you.”

Libby refused to listen to anyone but herself. “I’ll try.”

″Will you come?” In all my thirty-six years, I had never heard my mother sound so vulnerable. She sounded like she actually, truly wanted me there. “And you don’t have to worry about the plane tickets—Eric said it was an early Christmas present from him.”

″Really?”

″Really. Having you there will make my wedding day just perfect! I know it’s short notice…”

″Okay,” I told her. “I have to check with my doctor, but okay.”

″Okay?” my mother cried with such happiness in her voice, it made me happy. “Really?”

″Sure. Why not?”

″Oh, baby!” Was my mother crying? “You know, sweetface, if there’s anyone you’d like to bring… are you dating anyone?”

″Well…” I paused, “I have a date tomorrow night.”

″With who?” she gasped.

″J.B.,” I admitted shyly.

″Well, that’s nice. Go have your fun now before the babies are born because you sure won’t have a lot of time then. Unless, of course, you ask me to babysit!”

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