Jess and Alexis were just as surprised to see them here, so they, too, were off the hook. It could be any one of the guards in the building at this point, someone who’d seen us in the pharmacy; with this bunch, it could’ve been the damn pharmacist who snitched.
They didn’t come right out and ask, they had about half an hour of small talk before her mom brought it up, and she used me as her Trojan horse. “So, Cody, how was the results from the doctor? Everything’s okay, I hope.”
“Yes, he didn’t find anything.”
Because of the things her daughter had taught me about her, I had the sensation of being circled by a killer shark who was ready to move in for the kill. I didn’t look her in the eye because if I gave this shit away, Lisa would be the one to take my scalp.
“Oh? I had a very nice conversation with your mom the other day. Something you two want to tell us?” I looked at Lisa to let her know that the ball was in her court. If she gave me the slightest indication that she wasn’t ready, I’d make up some shit and face the consequences later, but if there’s one thing about Lisa, she doesn’t lie, not intentionally anyway.
“What did she tell you?” Lisa croaked out the question.
“Oh, come on, you two.” Grandma Davenport cut in. “Lisa, are you pregnant or not?” I got closer to Lisa, giving her my support the best I could.
“I think so. I didn’t go to the doctor yet, but I took three tests….”
Pandemonium broke out, and I barely escaped with my life when I was pushed out of the way so the women could get to her. She was right. Until this moment, I wasn’t sure that her over-exaggeration was correct but seeing the way they reacted, I no longer doubted. I don’t think pregnancy announcements usually go like this, especially when the mother-to-be is a freshman in college.
I expected them to be disappointed, for there to be some sort of fallout, but instead, they seemed genuinely happy with the news. I doubt I’ll ever truly understand them and the way their minds work, but instead of recriminations and outrage, they all talked over each other with excitement.
Her mom was already talking about how often she’d have to fly home to see the doctor, who apparently is the only one in the world qualified to oversee the health and wellbeing of the as-yet-to-be-born first golden great-grandchild.
I sat in amazement at the rapidly changing conversations going on around me. From doctor’s appointments to whether or not they should leave a plane here for her use, a whole ass plane. At one point, I wanted to remind them that the kid wasn’t even here yet and what’s more, we weren’t a hundred percent sure that she was pregnant, though I’m pretty much sure I’m going to be a dad.
But of course, I said nothing, just watched and listened. I was really keeping an eye on Lisa for any sign of distress, but she seemed to be holding her own pretty well. This went on for what felt like hours until Lisa complained that she was hungry, and then the fun really started.
I got a firsthand look at what I could expect in the next few months, or rather what they expected from me. Her dad and both grandfathers gave me their sage advice which I locked away for future reference, like ordering from multiple restaurants at once in case she had a taste for something that I didn’t get the first time.
They had more rules about what we were supposed to do in the next few months to keep her and the baby safe than I knew what to do with. Things I didn’t even know were possible. I swear I heard something about a food taster; that’s when I checked out. As long as they weren’t screaming or threatening her, I was fine with whatever.
“Oh dear, we’ll have to move up the wedding again. My grandchild can’t be born out of wedlock.” Now that I agree with and so did she since she didn’t put up a fight. Wedding talk took over for a while, but every other sentence was about the baby. She knows them too damn well because every word that came out of their mouths she’d already warned me about.
Once they were satisfied with the wedding situation, her mother started looking for reputable hospitals in the area before she came up with the idea of Lisa moving back home with them; that’s when I put my foot down.
While these crazy people were talking about hundred-thousand-dollar wedding dresses, I was coming up with solutions of my own, all of which entailed her coming with me wherever I went as long as she was healthy enough to do so.