Feeling slightly guilty that it slipped my mind, I text everyone.
–Me: Sorry! I totally forgot, and no, I’m not sick. What’s Hilary’s big news?
–Hilary: It’s something better done via video chat. Are you free now?
–Me: Yes!
–Kim: Hold on. I’m setting up a Zoom chat now.
I move to the bedroom, toe off my shoes and prop my back against the headrest because it’s the cleanest part of the apartment. Soon Kim texts us the meeting link.
I’m the last one in, so I wave. “Hi there!”
“We have everyone now,” Yuna says, a towel around her wet hair. Her face is freshly scrubbed, but you wouldn’t know from the flawless skin.
“So.” Hilary smiles, her eyes bright. I don’t think I’ve never seen her looking so excited. Well, she was this excited when she told me Mark proposed, but I doubt he’s proposed again. “Mark and I are expecting.”
“A baby!” Yuna squeals.
“Wow!” I say, truly happy for my friend. “Congratulations. Decided it was about time, huh?”
Hilary and Mark have been married for a while, but I thought maybe she didn’t want to have kids because of her career. If even a quarter of the stories I heard about her boss is true, he’s a demanding and difficult man to please.
“How she found out she’s pregnant is hilarious,” Kim says.
I position myself so I’m more comfortable. This is going to be good. “Do tell.”
Hilary laughs. “Well, we decided to go for it a couple of months ago. But I’ve been busy at work so I sort of lost track of my cycle, you know?”
I nod.
“Okay, so yesterday Mark made lobster bisque.”
I wince inwardly. Mark Pryce owns some of the best restaurants in the city, but his cooking is atrocious. “You didn’t eat it, did you?”
“No,” Hilary says, affection and resignation in her voice. “The smell was so… I had to run to the bathroom and throw up.”
I give her a sympathetic look. “That bad, huh?” I say, pretty certain it wasn’t your run-of-the-mill morning sickness.
“He decided I must be sick, so he called the family doctor to come over.”
“It never occurred to him that maybe it was the horrible smell?”
Kim and Yuna are laughing.
Hilary rolls her eyes. “Of course not. He was convinced the bisque was fantastic. Anyway, that’s when we found out. Mark’s insisting I see Dr. Silverman later this week to make sure…but I’m sure.”
I realize I haven’t made an appointment to see a doctor about my baby yet. I confirmed the pregnancy on Saturday, but still… I should make a list of the things I need to do for the little life growing inside me.
And I wonder if that’s the difference between me and Hilary. She has a husband who’s there with a checklist—or something like it that he probably got from his brothers who’ve gone through this before—to ensure she gets all the care she needs. I’m flying solo…and blind. For a moment, my mind goes back to what Edgar said about being there for me.
And I wish things were different. That I had a loving husband like Hilary and that I wasn’t worried about Aaron or any “Plan B.” Just the small life growing in my womb.
“You want me to refer you to her? She doesn’t take new patients without a referral,” Hilary says. “I mean, unless you already have a doctor in mind.”
“Actually, I don’t. I’d love that. Thank you.” I smile with relief and gratitude. My doctor retired earlier this year. Although she gave me a list of new ones, I haven’t had a chance to check any of them out yet. Dr. Silverman is one of the best, and I’d love to give that to my baby. To make up for being distracted and everything else.
“So. Are you going to finally marry Edgar?” Yuna asks. “And go to all the doctor’s appointments together and take photos and stuff?”