Page 59 of Best Laid Plans
I’ve never felt the need to be the girl that guys tell their friends and family about. There’s never been a desire to lay my claim to someone. At least not until Cole came along. This feeling is new and scary and it makes me feel vulnerable.
“What did you tell them?” I whisper, not sure I want to know the answer.
“That you’re the most alluring woman I’ve ever met.” He kisses my collarbone.
“Um. I have brunch plans with Sam at noon.”
“I can drop you off after.” He kisses his way down my jaw.
Cole is pretty persuasive. Somewhere between his hand in my sleep shorts and his tongue on my breasts, I agree to go to the hospital with him.
After we shower and get dressed, Cole makes fried eggs and avocado toast, but it doesn’t sound appealing to me, so I grab a banana from the kitchen on our way out. I don’t manage to eat much of it on the car ride. I can’t tell if I’m just nervous to meet his family or if last night’s conversation with Kara is the reason my stomach feels unsettled. After dinner, we danced for an hour before going home. Cole managed to fall asleep right after we had sex, but I lay awake for hours. My body was tired but my mind couldn’t relax. It was focused on replaying my conversation with Kara, dissecting what Cole told me about their casual relationship, and debating when to tell Cole about the surrogacy. I finally drifted off around three. Now, my whole body is achy and tired.
I yawn.
“Do you want me to stop for coffee? Or there’s a Starbucks in the hospital lobby.”
My head says yes, but my stomach says no.
“I’ll be okay. I’m just really dragging today.”
“You are quite the party animal.” He winks at me.
I just shake my head and can’t help but smile, his sarcastic comment is ironic, seeing that he was the one asleep at eleven o’clock last night.
When we get to the hospital, Cole gets a coffee, and while I can’t commit to my own cup, I do take a few sips of his, and it makes me feel a little better. On our way to the elevator, Cole steers me into the hospital gift shop, which I would imagine to have overpriced teddy bears and baby onesies with hospital logos on them, but the shop is actually a satellite location for a local flower shop, The Perfect Petal, and it has the most gorgeous arrangements. I help Cole select one for his sister and brother-in-law, then we take the elevator to the postpartum floor and check in with security.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, I’m not really prepared to meet his entire family, but when Cole leads me into the hospital room, I’m put at ease when we find his sister alone nursing the baby. Though I haven’t met Carrie, it’s safe to assume she’s the one in the hospital bed with a baby attached to her boob. She looks a lot like Cole, same dark hair and piercing blue eyes. Her complexion is flawless and glowing. I’ve never seen a woman hours after she’s given birth, but I can’t imagine this is normal. This is her third child so she’s likely a professional, regardless, she’s stunning.
When Carrie sees Cole, she smiles. When he moves to set the flowers on the table and she sees me, her eyes widen with curiosity.
“Brooke, this is my sister, Carrie.”
“Hi.” I give an awkward wave because a handshake or a hug are clearly not appropriate at this moment. I get the feeling that if she hadn’t just pushed a baby out of her vagina eight hours ago, she might have a question or a thousand for me, but to my advantage she is a bit preoccupied right now.
“It’s great to meet you.” Although I can tell she’s tired, her smile is genuine. “This is Jack.”
Cole moves around the side of the bed to get a closer look. I’m trying not to stare at Carrie’s boob, which is nearly the same size as the baby’s head. Bigger boobs had been something I was looking forward to with pregnancy, but the hard, veiny breast that is currently on display isn’t exactly what I imagined.
“Where’s Kyle?” Cole asks.
“He’s grabbing a coffee downstairs. You must have missed him on your way up. Mom was with us in the delivery room, then went back to our house. Dad stayed with the girls. They’ll both bring them over after lunch.”
I watch, fascinated, as Carrie easily maneuvers Jack from one breast to the other. Carrie’s husband returns with his coffee, and after Cole gives him a congratulatory hug, he introduces me.
We get a detailed account of Jack’s birth, it was quick and easy, then Carrie asks Cole about the gala. I wonder which part she wants to hear about. How Cole and I were dressed like it was our wedding day, which makes me feel nauseas but in a terrifyingly good way? Or that Kara, Cole’s ex-fuck buddy and work associate, was there and knows I’m going to be my sister’s surrogate, that I haven’t told Cole yet, and that I’m afraid she might use that information against me to try to get him back?
So, I just smile and say, “It was fun.”
Cole talks with the doctor when she stops by. It sounds like everything has been smooth sailing with both mom and baby, but I’m sure it’s Cole’s natural protective big brother instinct that has him checking all the paperwork.
Kyle offers me a seat, and I’m thankful. I’m feeling a little lightheaded, and wishing I had the rest of the banana I left in the car. A moment later, the door to the room opens and two little girls wearing swimsuits under tutus burst in the room with an older couple, who I imagine are Cole’s parents, following in their wake.
“Mommy! Mommy! I drew baby Jack a picture!” the older girl shouts. The younger one twirls around aimlessly, almost crashing into the bed tray. Both of them attempt to climb up into the hospital bed to see the baby, but need to be assisted by their dad in order to reach.
“We tried to hold them off as long as we could. They were really excited to meet their baby brother.”
Carrie smiles knowingly, “Yes, I’m sure you weren’t hurrying their breakfast along so you could rush back over here.”
