Page 49 of Our Unexpected Beginning
“Fine, fire, and fuck all sound the same when you repeat them enough.” Melody pressed her lips together. “Alright, I’m ordering reinforcements.”
“I don’t want nobody else here.” Julia halted and pointed her finger at Mel. “No way. I’m not dealin’ with people.”
“I feel honored.” Melody picked up her phone, and friends and food were coming before Julia could protest any further.
*
“You know, you’re a little bit of a bully for an innocent-looking redhead.” Julia sighed, putting her arm over Melody’s shoulder as they watched Lexi and Mia go over decorations for the upcoming wedding.
“You isolate yourself when you’re in a funk. You needed to be aired out.”
“More than ten years of friendship and sometimes I still don’t know how to answer you.” Julia nudged Melody’s shoulder.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Melody’s question was innocent, but Julia couldn’t help but feel a grenade hidden inside her. She had told Graham, and he’d agreed to allow her to wait a few weeks until she was ready.
Telling Melodymade it real.
“I’ll be fine,” Julia replied, trying to push past her friend and make her way to the kitchen. Melody stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
“Stop running those legs and run that mouth,” she said firmly. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
Julia hesitated, feeling the weight of the secret she was about to reveal. “Waterboarding could be fun,” she joked half-heartedly.
Melody grabbed her hands. “Spill.”
“I’m pregnant.” Julia blurted. The words hung heavily in the air between them.
“Oh my God!” Melody exclaimed. “Really? Okay, so are we…” She reined in her excitement and focused on Julia. “Talk to me.”
Julia didn’t know how to articulate what she was feeling. The urge to call family and be filled with joy wasn’t there for her. Aside from Aunt Elaine, the idea of telling family brought a sense of dread, knowing from the past that all joy dies.
“I don’t know,” Julia admitted.
The secret was officially out, and it suddenly felt much more real. She was having a baby with Graham. She would be a mother, and this was when she needed one the most. Someone who would share the joy and wisdom of what was to come.
Julia needed a mom–just not hers.
“That’s okay. We’ll handle this however you want,” Melody assured her.
“Can I be nervous and you can be excited?” Julia asked, feeling a sense of relief wash over her.
“That’s what I’m here for!” Melody ran to Mia, bursting with excitement.
“A baby?!” Mia exclaimed, joining in on the celebration.
“Congradulolences!” Lexi shouted cheerily, raising her drink in a toast. “I’ll have one for you!”
“Have several.” It wasn’t Dry January anymore.
Graham
Graham stumbled into his camper, dropped his tool belt, and huffed onto the makeshift couch-bed, which was too uncomfortable for a man of his height.
It was an older camper with outdated flower wallpaper that had seen better days. However, it effectively kept him warm, his beer cold, and his shower steaming hot.
Julia:
Cat’s out of the bag.
