Page 59 of Not Your Basic Love Story

I looked at the menu. “So, I guess sushi is off the table for a while, hey?”

“Oh, god, I already miss it. And wine! Ugh, I miss wine. Once this is over, let’s go on a wine tour. Like, to Penticton or something.”

“Deal! So, when are you making it Facebook official?”

The waitress appeared and took our orders. Miranda got a burger and fries, and I the chicken strips. Leave it to us to go to a classy establishment and order plain crap.

Miranda answered my question. “We aren’t telling like,everyoneeveryone, until three months in. That’s what they recommend. God forbid anything happens, but generally that’s when it’s safe.”

“Who all knows, besides me?”

“Well Angelina, obviously. Hannah, my cousins, Nicole. Do you talk to them, anyway?”

“Nicole, lord no. Angelina and I text now and then,” I said, which reminded me that Angelina knew about Graham and Miranda didn’t. I should have brought it up, but the last thing I wanted was the wrath of a hormonal, pregnant lady bearing down upon me.

“What’s your deal with Nicole, anyway? You two are my best friends. It kind of bothers me you don’t like each other.”

“Oh, she doesn’t like me?” I raised my eyebrows in mock surprise.

Miranda’s expression remained serious. “I don’t get it. You’re both great. It would make things a lot easier on me if we could all hang out together. Which reminds me, I have to tell you something.”

Oh, god, what was it now? “What’s up?”

She bit her bottom lip. “Nicole’s already offered to do the baby shower for me. And I agreed. I hope you’re not mad!”

Of course, I was. “No! Not at all! Babe, as long as you get a baby shower, that’s all that matters to me.” So now I hadthatto look forward to—A perfect, over-the-top baby shower put on by Fakey-Fake McGee herself.

“Good! Good, okay. I was worried it would bother you for some reason. Don’t know what I was thinking. Actually, you know, I was wondering if you could give me an early baby shower gift.”

“What’s that?”

“Can you try to be friends with Nicole? I know she can come off as kind of arrogant sometimes, but it’s a façade. She’s really sweet when you get to know her. You just have to get past her walls. It would mean the world to me, especially now that I’m going to have a kid and have even less time for friends. If you two got along, then we could do girls nights and stuff, and it would make the baby shower a whole lot less stressful for me.”

I forced a smile. “Of course. Anything, for you.”

The waitress returned with our food. Miranda took a bite, and with a mouth full of half-chewed burger, said, “I am so sorry! I’ve been so wrapped up in my own life I completely forgot to ask. How was dinner with Dev’s family?”

I sighed. “It didn’t go well. There was a lot of yelling.”

“What? Why were they yelling?”

“Well, it started off fine, but then Dev’s mom walked in on him and I… you know. And then he decided to tell them he’s moving in with me.”

“He’s moving in with you? Becky, that’s great news!”

I shook my head. “No, he’s not. The next morning he changed his mind. We’re meeting up next weekend, but it doesn’t look good. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I think our relationship has reached its end. I… I don’t want to get any closer to him if it’s not going to work long-term. I don’t have time for that, and honestly, I don’t want to get hurt again.”

Saying it out loud to another person made me lose my appetite. I wanted to be with Dev, of course, but there was no sense in prolonging our inevitable break-up. Dragging it out would only make it hurt worse. This time, I told myself, I would be in charge. Perhaps that would make me feel better.

“Aw, Becky. I’m sorry. Everything was going so well! Why were his parents yelling? Because he wanted to move out? He’s a grown man, for Christ’s sake.”

“It’s not that simple. They have like, a huge family with his parents and grandparents, and they all depend on each other. It’s complicated. Anyway… you promise you won’t think I’m a creep?”

Her eyebrow raised at the possibility of juicy gossip. “No promises. But tell me anyway.”

I blushed a bit at the confession. “They were arguing in Punjabi and... I recorded it.”

“WHAT?” she said, far too loud, attracting the attention of the other diners nearby. She continued at a lower volume, leaning over the table, rapt. “What did they say?”

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