“If you ask me, it’s more wrong do to something without having your whole heart in it. And what’s wrong with being just a mom? It’s kind of an incredibly important thing to do. While I don’t think it’s healthy, for you or the kid, to make your whole life around being a mom, it’s not a part-time job kind of thing.”
“Really? I remembered the way you talked about your mom, like you resented her for doing just the mom thing. You don’t worry you’re doing the same thing though? You did start as the housekeeper, and you’re still the one who cooks and cleans.”
“Fuck no, I don’t worry about it. Ethan doesn’t think like my dad, he never treats me like I’m a maid or his hands are broken and he can’t make his own damn sandwich. As soon as we got engaged he told me to hire a new housekeeper. I didn’t because I wasn’t working and I didn’t want to sit on my ass. But when I was taking classes and things started to pile on, Ethan had people coming in at least once a week.
“And while Ethan isn’t the best cook in the world, he does make breakfast and dinner from time to time. He’s gone grocery shopping, he’ll pick up and take the dry cleaning, and he’s constantly asking if I want him to pick up dinner or do I want to go out. Also when it comes to the baby Ethan already has it planned out.
Since it’s a big deal if he’s half-asleep at work, I take care of the baby at night during the week and he’ll take the weekends. He’s also pushing for us to have a nanny at least half days during the week so I don’t feel overwhelmed and I can keep editing. He’s not assuming I’m going to stop editing. He doesn’t take it for granted I’ll stop being Holly when I also become a mom. He doesn’t take me for granted.”
“Sorry, it’s easy to assume something when you aren’t in it, seeing how it actually works.”
Holly shrugs. “Sorry, I got a little pissy when I shouldn’t have. From the outside it does look like I’m my mom all over again, but I’m not. Ethan doesn’t want me to be, he knows we would both be miserable if I were.
“Anyway, next subject. Even though Ethan isn’t happy with the whole strip club thing and I don’t think he’ll ever stop worrying about you, he does like Chris.” I let go of tension I had no idea I was still holding on to. “It’s funny, you’ve always dated these whiter than pasty white, WASP guys and you fall for a bad boy, Latin lover. Is he as good as they say he is?” I blush so red I get light-headed. “Good answer, no need for words. That’s one of the few good things about a reformed manwhore: with all the knowledge they have, it’s like you don’t ever have to speak. They just work your body like the maestros they are.”
I exhale. “Yes! I’m all, how can he know my body better than I do?”
Holly chuckles. “Let’s be honest, sweetie, you didn’t know it chapter and verse like you should have. It’s not really a surprise he knows it better than you. There are places, spots on every woman’s body that make all of us swoon. They know all the fun stuff good girls don’t know.”
“Even...” Our waitress comes, and I’m almost glad I didn’t get a chance to ask. We place our order, and the minute she’s gone Holly laughs.
“You’re worried about anal. Don’t be. Don’t buy into the hype against it. I have some of my most intense orgasms from it. And I was worried since your brother, well—I was worried. Just trust him the same way you already do.”
“He’s just so thick.” I mutter my fear.
Her laughter is loud in the empty room. “Poor you. I have no doubt Chris will ensure you enjoy it. I’m surprised you two haven’t already tried it. Two weeks, every night, he’s being patient. That’s good, especially considering all the pictures with his hand full of your ass.”
Rolling my eyes, I blush. There have been several pictures of Chris’s hand not just on my ass, but grabbing a large handful. Every time I told him to stop, he just whispered my body was his to do with as he pleased. Every single time he said it, he made me so wet I could barely stand it.
“Well, he’s, um, done other stuff. We don’t have sex every night either. It hasn’t been too often we don’t, I guess, when you factor in the morning. I don’t know. It isn’t only about sex, which is another reason I’m having a hard time not telling him I love him.
The man asks for my opinion and he listens; he doesn’t ask just to pacify me. No other man has treated me the way he does, they always do their best to one up me as if we’re in competition. I had one guy tell me Harvard is completely overrated. Another guy told me he turned down Harvard for Dartmouth because he thought it was a better school. Chris isn’t threatened by my degrees or what I know. He’s happy I’m taking an interest in the building he bought. Then he’s attentive, thoughtful, and patient. I’m trying to learn about baseball. We’ve been watching games, and no question I ask is stupid. When he could be rubbing his knowledge in my face, he doesn’t even do it jokingly. Then he isn’t all about baseball, we talk about art, we’ve been to the Art Institute. And he’s a reader, he reads everything, even Austen and Morrison. I’m in love with his mind.”
“What?”
“I’m having a hard time not telling him I love him. Half a dozen times a day I want
to tell him.”
“I know, deep breath, it’s only been a few weeks. Give him time to get hooked on you which it kind of sounds like he already is. I know I’m not one to talk but be a little more patient, for the both of you.”
Our meals come and while we eat the topic goes to Holly and Ethan’s trip to Hawaii. To whether they’re going to look for somewhere besides the condo to live, and if it will be in the city or the suburbs. Both Holly and Ethan love the condo and don’t really want to move. If they see a house they like in the city they’ll consider it, but they aren’t looking.
As we share a dessert of tiramisu, Holly asks the question I knew was coming, or rather, in Holly fashion, tells me what I knew was coming. “Friday night, our place for dinner, bring Chris. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure Ethan has a scotch before you guys arrive.”
I don’t bother arguing it won’t do any good.
***
Amelia
As we eat dinner we talk about the progress of the building. Then I pull out the sonogram picture Holly gave me. “I’m so happy for them. Holly is going to be such an awesome mom. I hope it’s a girl, Ethan will be on his knees for her.”
Chris takes the picture and studies it for a minute. “Nope, not a girl. It’s a boy.”
“How do you know?” I study the grainy picture. Holly said they also did the 3D sonogram, but those wouldn’t be shown until the baby came. I’m proud to be an aunt, but the picture makes it hard to see it’s even a baby, let alone the sex.
“Guys bring in sonogram pictures all the time, boasting about their kids. I’ve seen enough to know the difference between a girl or a boy, even in a shot where they aren’t trying to show the sex.”