“You sure it isn’t just you barking up the wrong trees?”
He looked up, looking weary all of a sudden. “Oh no. If she’s looking for a ring, I’m not buying it. I’m gonna go get a drink. I don’t think there’s any point in asking you to join me?”
I told him I was busy, and then I was going home to Brenna. I watched his back as he walked out. I always thought that he’d eventually get tired of living life the way he did. One-night stands and meaningless flings with women he’d never contact again. I thought that if he was going to do it so much, he must at least enjoy it. It didn’t sound like that though. It sounded like he had something to hide too and he was drowning his sorrows in pussy and booze.
He was next. I wouldn’t do it like my mother liked to do but I’d help him find someone. Look what finding Brenna again did to me? He deserved it.
22
Brenna
“Miss Brenna?”
I looked up from the book that I was reading. Freya, the housekeeper was standing at the entrance of the living room from the entryway.
“Yes, Freya?”
“Your guest has…”
She was going to say that my guest had arrived, but my guest beat her to it. Iris, the doula blew into the living room past a frazzled Freya.
“Brenna, it's such a pleasure to see you again.” She came right up and gathered me in a tight hug. I laughed because I didn't know what else to do at that moment.
“Iris, it's great to see you too.”
“Let me look at you,” she said holding me at arm's length. I wasn't showing yet, it was going to be another few months before that happened, but the way she looked me up and down, even walking around me to get the three-sixty made me a little self-conscious.
“Marvellous,” she said, plopping down on the sofa. “Come now, we have a lot to discuss.” She waved Freya away when she tried to offer us refreshments. I gave the housekeeper an apologetic look as she retreated to the kitchen.
“So,” she said, “tell me everything.”
Well, there wasn't that much to tell. I was only about six weeks in. My symptoms were pretty good. I was getting the changes in appetite, the fatigue, a little bit of heartburn and indigestion too, but I had gotten almost zero nausea or morning sickness. Iris nodded, listening to me attentively. She pulled some charts and books out of the bag she walked in with.
On one of the charts was a graphical illustration of what each week of the 1st trimester felt like. Apparently, my baby was only about as big as a pea pod. Even though that was the case, they had a heartbeat already and were beginning to develop distinct facial features. Besides the trip to the fertility clinic where I actually learned that I was pregnant, we had not yet gone in for our first doctor's appointment. I hadn't seen an ultrasound, so Iris’s help was really valuable.
I had read a lot of stuff online already, but it was different looking stuff up by myself online and actually talking to a professional. It was like when you actually went to a real doctor, even after searching the hell out of your symptoms on WebMD.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course,” she said.
“So, I don't know if this is normal, but I've had to pee so much lately. I don't drink any more fluids than I used to, at least I don't think so, but I have to go so much.”
Iris smiled, maternally almost. I felt a little silly for asking.
“It’s one of the most common early pregnancy symptoms, dear, you have nothing to worry about.”
“I’d say I have something to worry about,” I joked. It was more than a little bit annoying having to get up every couple of hours to go to the bathroom, again. Especially at work. To be honest, it was getting a little bit embarrassing.
“What is happening is the blood flow to the entire region has increased,” Iris said. “Yes, you need to urinate a lot more frequently, but on the plus side, a lot of women report a spike in their libido as well.”
I blushed like I was fourteen and my mother was trying to give me the sex talk. Iris caught it and laughed.
“Yes, it is completely safe to carry on your sex life while pregnant,” she said without me prompting. “As the pregnancy progresses, some positions and activities may become harder but listen to your body. Don’t do anything that causes you discomfort. In your second trimester, it’s going to get harder to do it on your back and of course, easy on the kink.” She added a wink at the end of that. I blushed harder.
“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Brenna,” she reached for one of my hands and held it in both of hers. “I’m here for you. Anything you need, anything you’re curious about, I’m here to clear the air for you. Nothing is off-limits and no question is a stupid question.” I nodded. I appreciated what she was saying but I was having a little trouble letting go. I grew up an only child and for the last few years, I had been solely in charge of caring for my mother while keeping my life afloat.