Page 34 of Chasing the Horizon

“Thank you,” Catherine beamed. “I can’t wait for all my friends to see what you’ve done.”

Alex helped remove the cakes from their boxes and stayed until the glassware and china arrived, which Valerie dutifully cleaned, dried, and set out. The effect was stunning. Catherine sat on the sofa throughout this process, talking a mile a minute about anything that came to her mind. At some point, Valerie forgot to listen and made vague noises, suggesting she was listening. But her mind was fully focused on the party.

After Alex left, the cakes were out, the glassware was set, and the pillows were fluffed. Valerie sat beside Catherine on the sofa and tuned in to what she was saying.

“And that’s why I told Melissa, like, of course she can bring her little girl. I just don’t want her to do all that screaming that she normally does at other parties.” Catherine pressed her hands together so hard that her forearms looked like ropes.

“Kids are kids,” Valerie said. “They scream sometimes! I guess we have to prepare ourselves for that.”

Catherine looked at her with surprise, as though she’d forgotten Valerie was there. But before she could respond, the doorbell rang.

It was the first guest.

Valerie hurried to the foyer to open the door for Catherine’s college roommate Joy, who brought with her a massive present and a blond dye job that made Valerie’s eyes sting. It was just so blond! Joy followed Valerie into the living room, where she put her present on the gift table and turned to look at Catherine.

“Both of you are pregnant!” she said by way of greeting her friend. “What are the chances?”

Valerie laughed nervously. There was a strange air in the room, as though Joy and Catherine were fighting and pretending they weren’t. Catherine got up slowly and looked at Joy.

“Thank you for coming,” she said seriously.

“Of course.” Joy tilted her head. “You look good, Catherine.”

Catherine flared her nostrils.Why did what Joy said feel like an insult?Valerie wondered.

But there wasn’t time to consider it much. Another guest arrived, and then another. Valerie found herself going from foyer to living room and back again, saying hello, introducing herself, and asking everyone to help themselves to drinks and appetizers.

Catherine’s mother arrived and then her mother-in-law. They set to work filling glasses with champagne and nonalcoholic drinks, pretending to be the ones who threw the party. Valerie wondered what their dynamics with Catherine were really like. Why did Catherine feel she needed to be in control all the time? Did she want to impress all these people?

Soon, Catherine stopped getting up to say hello, presumably because she was too pregnant, but her friends bent down to kiss her on the cheek and give her little side hugs from the sofa. Laughter bubbled, and conversation flitted.

Valerie could pretend it was a normal baby shower for a little while.

But in the middle of one of the baby games—Baby-Themed Pictionary—Valerie first realized something was very wrong. Gail, one of Catherine’s Nantucket-Manhattan friends, stood up with a glass of champagne, saying, “Let’s all hope it’s a girl! We all know what Catherine’s like when she doesn’t get her way!”

Everyone tittered with knowing laughter. Catherine’s smile widened as though she were really trying to keep it together.

“Oh yes. A girl would be nice. But honestly, a boy would be fine, too,” Catherine said, her voice wavering. “Really, girls. I’measy. I’m just so happy to be having a baby. We’re just so happy.” Her voice sounded far away.

“Don’t joke with us, Catherine. We all know what happens when we tell jokes,” Joy said.

“Right?” another said. “Just tell us what to say and when to say it, Catherine.”

Catherine’s smile was stiff and strained. Valerie’s heart ached. She’d never seen friends at a baby shower act like this before. She looked at Catherine’s mother and mother-in-law, but they busied themselves with slicing the cake.

Catherine suddenly got to her feet. “I’ll be right back. My bladder just won’t quit!” She didn’t look at Valerie as she passed by and went upstairs.

There was the sound of the door opening and closing behind her.

Valerie turned to look at the baby shower with renewed interest. It felt as though everyone knew something she didn’t.

Joy bent over to whisper to Catherine’s mother and mother-in-law. “How is she holding up?”

Catherine’s mother-in-law furrowed her brow. “I don’t know what you mean. I’m sure you don’t mean to talk about things you can’t possibly understand.”

But Catherine’s mother clasped her hands together, looking nervous. “Is he on his way, Marge?”

The mother-in-law cocked her head and excused herself to a room at the back of the brownstone. The air intensified. Valerie’s feet were aching beneath her, but she was afraid if she went over and sat with the guests, they would notice her and sensor themselves.

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