Page 28 of Giving It to the Man-Whore

Chapter Six

One week later

Mel stood in the mall as she looked at the different kinds of cribs, strollers, and baby accessories. They were everywhere, and she didn’t have a clue what to actually buy. Biting her lip, she gripped the handle of one stroller and shook her head.

“It’s really not that hard,” Natasha said, laughing. “You look like you’re taking an exam or something.”

“I feel like I am. My kid is going to be sitting in that while I walk around town. I don’t want him or her to you know, feel weird.”

Natasha was further along than she was. Penny moved up toward them, pushing Leonardo in his stroller. “I think you guys are overthinking it.”

“I don’t know, I get what Mel means. Our kid is going to spend a lot of time in these things.”

“Look at the cost of this, and all you do is push your child around,” Mel said. “But, this one is the same price and has a detachable car seat.”

“You really do like to save,” Penny said. “Does Pea put you on a limited allowance?”

“No, why?” Mel looked at how one stroller fit together, but she didn’t like the feel of something. Having a child wasn’t cheap, and she had a feeling she’d be pricing a lot of this stuff up. Maybe if she purchased one second-hand, she’d be able to clean it completely and get it looking brand new.

Ever since she had all that debt from her parents and stuff, she had always been careful with money. She didn’t want to waste any.

“How did Pea take it?” Penny asked.

“He’s looking forward to it. We’ve already moved a lot of stuff out of the spare bedroom to make room for the nursery. He’s painting it this this weekend, I believe.”

“Rage mentioned something about that.”

“Saint’s already done our nursery, but I don’t want to put anything in it in case something went wrong.” Natasha ran her hand over her stomach.

“I’m not going to buy anything,” Mel said. “I got tired of Pea going on about the furniture and worrying about us not having anything when our kid comes along.”

“Have you got an appointment yet with the doctor?” Penny asked.

“Not yet. There’s still time for that, though. I’ll make one.” She hated doctors, and surgeries, and hospitals.

“I’ve already told Saint that I’m going to be on the good drugs that the doctors give us for the pain. I don’t want to be screaming and hurting,” Natasha said.

“I’m thinking a home birth,” Mel said.

At Penny and Natasha’s strange looks, she burst out laughing.

“You’re looking at me as if I’ve grown another head. What’s wrong with wanting to go natural?” she asked.

“It’s going to hurt.”

She wrinkled her nose. “It won’t be that bad. I’ve seen the videos. After the baby’s out, you start to feel okay.”

Penny was shaking her head. “You’re making a big mistake. Really. The pain is like … hard.” Her sister glanced around the store, and then moved closer. “The baby is coming outside of your vagina.”

“You’re so cute when you’re trying to be scary and proper at the same time. I’ll think about it.” She hated hospitals, which was why she wanted to do the home birthing stuff. Of course she had to get that idea past Pea. That was going to be tricky.

She didn’t imagine her husband was going to like any room that she was screaming or giving birth.

“What about a water birth?” she asked.

Natasha shook her head. “All of this talk of giving birth, I can’t handle it. Let’s go have something to eat.”

They left the baby shop, and Mel picked up a catalog. The good thing about shopping online was all the bargains she could find. They found a seat in a fast food joint, and waited for their order to be delivered. Natasha excused herself to use the bathroom.

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