Page 56 of This Memory
Harper leaned forward. “Yes, you very much do, Brystol. This is your body, your life you’ve put on hold, for lack of a better explanation. So yes, I think you have a right to ask that they respect any boundaries you have, including the timing of telling everyone.”
I looked at Cadie. She nodded. “I agree with Harper.”
“I agree as well,” Aurora said. “And I think it was very sweet of Gavin to offer to talk to them. I know you were upset on Halloween when Evelyn let it slip.”
“Iwasupset. I spoke to them that night, but it went in one ear and out the other. They’re having a decorator come in to design the baby’s room, and I suggested they hold off. Evelyn about bit my head off withthatone. She told me she’d been waiting too long for this baby, and if she wanted to decorate the room, she would. Maybe I’m being superstitious?”
All three of them shook their heads.
“May I play devil’s advocate here?” Aurora asked.
“Yes, I want your input on this,” I insisted, taking her hand.
Aurora looked around at each of us before returning her gaze to mine. “I have a feeling Evelyn is envious of you.”
“I was thinking the same thing, Aurora,” Harper quickly added. “Think about it, Bry. She tried for years to get pregnant and couldn’t. She found out her body wouldn’t carry her own child. Then you get pregnant on the first go-round. You’re experiencing all the things with this pregnancy Evelyn can’t. I think by her telling everyone, it’s helping her to remember shewill, at the end of all of this, have a baby.”
Harper’s words settled into my head, and I closed my eyes. Ihadbeen worried about how things would play out with Evelyn, watching the different stages of the pregnancy.
Opening my eyes, I felt a tear slip free.
“Oh no, don’t cry, sweetheart!” Harper said, jumping up to sit on the other side of me. She pulled me to her and held on tight.
“I’m a terrible friend!” I cried, as I buried my face in Harper’s shoulder.
“What’s going on?”
Gavin’s voice caused my stomach to flip and my heart to beat faster. I looked up, and the instant look of concern on his face made me fall for him all the more.
“Pregnancy hormones,” Aurora said.
I wiped at my tears. “We were talking about Evelyn and announcing the pregnancy.”
Gavin’s gaze bounced from Aurora to me. “I spoke with Evelyn and Denny, and she mentioned feeling jealous of you.”
Harper got up and returned to her previous chair on the other side of the coffee table.
“I mean, I completely understand why she’d be sad about not experiencing things, but what can I do about her feeling jealous?” I asked, feeling miserable.
Gavin took Harper’s vacated spot. “I don’t think she meant it in a bad way. It’s just like you were saying during lunch, that day in Saranac Lake. She’s sad she can’t experience this all for herself. She loves you, Bry, and she’s thankful you’re doing this. When she opened up about her previous miscarriages, she also realized it’s a good idea to wait until after the first trimester to tell people.”
“But does it matter?” Harper asked. “Half the town already knows by now.”
Gavin shrugged. “They’ll stop talking about it when some new piece of gossip shows up.”
Everyone but Gavin looked at Cadie.
“Why are you all looking at me?”
Aurora cleared her throat and looked away, as did the rest of us.
Cadie shook her head. “I think I’ve been featured too many times in this town’s gossip column. No, thank you.”
I grinned at Gavin. “Maybe now would be a good time to get James back for the Bingley’s Bitch thing.”
Harper laughed. “Oh my gosh, I forgot about that!”
“Bingley’s Bitch!” Aurora said with a laugh, while Cadie just looked confused.
