Page 17 of Finding Jacob
“And you don’t have to go through with it,” she added quietly.
“I know, but…every now and again, I get excited.”
“Good,” she replied, giving me a smile. “And you know you have us as support.”
I gave her a hug and fresh tears washed my eyes. “Will this stop?” I asked, laughing and wiping my eyes.
“Not until you die. Your child has the superpower of bringing you to your knees with both despair and happiness,” she said, laughing with me.
We linked arms and left the restaurant. Outside, Nathan was lounging against the side of the car.
Julie leaned in. “Now, if that man ever gets horny, I’m up for a one-night stand, or many nights stand, with him,” she said, giggling.
“Is she talking about me again?” Nathan asked, smiling.
“Of course she is. She’s offered her body to you,” I replied, earning a playful slap from Julie.
“I’ll add you to my list, Julie,” Nathan replied. He earned an air kiss before a laughing Julie left with my girlfriends.
“I thought I’d collect you,” Nathan said, opening the rear door for me.
He was like my little homing pigeon; he knew where I was all the time and just appeared when I needed him most.
“Thank you. I totally embarrassed myself walking here, so I appreciate this. I could just do with sitting in a dark and cool room.”
I slid across the leather seats and closed my eyes.
“Pregnant,” I whispered. Nathan didn’t answer me. A lone tear rolled down my cheek.
The following day I took a rare day off. I was sick as a pig through the night, having to get up, shower, and change bed linens. Monica was surprised to see me sitting at the breakfast bar when she arrived. “Hi, are you okay?” she asked.
“Not feeling too well. I...” I looked up from my mug of tea. Monica frowned and must have seen something in my face. She took the seat beside me.
“You’re...?” she encouraged.
“I’m pregnant, Mon. Threw up all over the bedclothes.”
“Oh my God, that’s fantastic news...isn’t it?” she asked, and I assumed my face suggested otherwise.
“I don’t know.”
Monica took hold of my hand. “I take it this wasn’t planned,” she said, and I shook my head to confirm. “Does he know?” Again, I shook my head.
“I’m going to keep the baby,” I said, taking in a deep breath.
“I’m glad to hear that. You’d be an amazing mum. Have you told anyone else?”
I assumed she meant my parents. “Only the girls, and Nathan, obviously. Can’t hide anything from him.” I laughed as I spoke, but it wasn’t necessarily a happy laugh.
“Oh, Anna. It will all be fine, I promise. You have enough support, you’re an amazing and independent woman. We’ll get through this.”
Her kind smile had my eyes leaking again. She pulled me into a hug. “I wish this bloody sobbing all the time would end,” I said, sniffing.
She laughed. “Nope. Mine are mums themselves and I still cry over them all.”
Monica had three grandchildren, each of her children had one child each. She often told me of babysitting duties she cherished, parties for the kids, and the fun they had. There had been times I’d been envious. I didn’t recall having that much fun with my parents and sister, even as a child. My parents had always said I’d been jealous of my younger sister, but I’d believed it to be the other way around.
“I’m not telling my parents. Not yet anyway,”
