“I heard sleeping on your stomach is bad,” I offer.
She presses her free hand to her cheek. “I don’t sleep on my stomach. I’m just saying I can’t. The point I’m trying to make is there’s nothing magical that’s happening right now.”
“There’s a human being growing in your stomach.” I point to her round belly. “That seems pretty magical.”
“He’s kind of got a point,” says Danielle.
“Whose side are you on?” Maddie cries. “I thought we were ride or die.”
“Yours, of course. There’s nothing magical going on!” Danielle snaps at me.
“Right,” Maddie echoes. “Now stop the games and take the handcuffs off.”
“Do you need to pee?”
“What?”
“Do you need to pee? Void? Release waste?” I ask.
“No. Why?”
“Then the handcuffs stay on.” I feel like I’m being eminently reasonable. She ran away, didn’t contact me, and hid that I had a baby. There’s no way I’m letting her out of my sight. “Let’s go pack.”
I try to direct her to the bedroom. She refuses to budge.
“Why would I want to pack?”
One of the things I read was that pregnant women would lose their memories, so I’m not sure if she is being forgetful or purposely obtuse.
“So that I can take you to New York, of course.” I’m sure I told her this when I first arrived.
“I’m not moving to New York. This is my home.”
“She really needs to stay here,” says Danielle.
“Why?”
The two are caught flat-footed with no response. They exchange panicked glances, communicating silently with arched eyebrows. Danielle mouths something to Maddie. Maddie shakes her head because she can’t figure it out.
“Your friend is saying ‘agency,’” I interpret for them.
Maddie flushes. “Yes, my agency is here.”
“I thought you were taking a break from modeling.”
“There are maternity shoots she could do,” declares Danielle. She’s a good friend. I approve.
“Right. I still have options.”
“Of course you do. Good thing you can do them in New York.” The debate is over. I pick Maddie up and start to the bedroom.
“I only go to New York at the request of fashion houses. No other reason.”
“She hates it there,” yells Danielle.
“You haven’t seen my New York.” I carry Maddie through her bedroom door and stop in front of the closet. Inside I find two large suitcases. With one hand, I pull out the largest case and toss it on the bed.
“She can’t fly! You can’t fly!” Danielle waves her phone in my face. Maddie grabs it and eagerly reads whatever Danielle found.
Maddie turns to me. “The AMA does not recommend flying for pregnant women.”
“In the eighth and ninth month and primarily because of the danger of going into labor in the air without a medical doctor. We’ll be taking a private plane back to New York and we will be flying with the head of obstetrics and gynecology from Mount Cedar Hospital. Any other excuses?”
When neither can come up with one, I commence packing. Everything is going well, I think.
Chapter Seven
Madeleine
I watch as he throws random clothes into my suitcase. I should probably tell him most of those don’t fit me anymore but I continue to let him pack. Hell, nothing besides stretchy pants and oversized T-shirts seem to fit me anymore. It’s not as though I can go out shopping. I’d only end up with my photo being plastered everywhere. If this were months ago, I would have gotten a kick out of my face being all over but now it’s different. I want privacy. It’s not just about me anymore but the little human that’s forming inside of me. I didn’t want the baby to grow up in front of the cameras.
“I don’t even fit in those,” I finally say. I can’t continue to watch him pack useless clothes.
“Where are your maternity clothes?” He stands, leaving my closet floor a mess.
“I can’t just go out and buy clothes.”
He looks at me like I’m crazy.
“Not that I’m not going to buy you clothes but I thought you could afford them.” He looks around my closet. “I know these clothes aren’t cheap. I’ve seen them on my credit card bills. I recognize the names.”
“Why the fuck are clothes like this on your credit card bills? Do you just give your mistresses your card number so they keep quiet? Is it because you have a wife stashed away somewhere? Is your wedding ring in your pocket?” Danielle takes all the things that had started to run through my mind and gives them life. I can always count on her.
“I do have a ring in my pocket,” he confirms.
Danielle and I both gasp at the same time. My free hand is in the air before I know what I’m doing. His face is my intended target but he catches me by my wrist before I can make contact. His hold is firm but gentle. His eyes land on mine and I know in that moment that whatever he’s about to say is going to change my life. Nerves bubble up in my belly as I wait for him to explain himself. Or it could be the tiny human that’s growing inside me that’s moving around and making my belly feel weird.