Page 123 of Consummation

Thirty-Four

Kat

“So where do you guys want to go for lunch?” I ask, floating happily through the parking lot outside my doctor’s office, my hand caressing my baby bump. But when I realize nobody’s walking alongside me, I stop and turn around. “Guys?” I ask. “Any ideas on where we should go for lunch to celebrate little Gracie Louise?”

“I’m sorry, honey,” Sarah says. “I can’t do lunch. I promised to help my mom today.”

“Oh,” I say, deflated.

“There’s only two more weeks before school starts back up, so I promised I’d help down at Gloria’s House every day ’til then.”

“Oh, no problem,” I say, trying my best to sound sincere. Of course, I know intellectually that helping victims of domestic abuse is far more important than celebrating my baby’s gender—and, of course, I know we can celebrate any time, not just today—but I still can’t help feeling disappointed, nonetheless.

“No worries,” Josh says breezily. “The four of us will go out another time. How about a celebratory dinner later this week?”

“Great,” Sarah says. She gives me an enthusiastic hug. “Bye, sweetie. Congratulations again.” She pats my bump. “Bye-bye, Gracie Louise. I can’t wait to meet you, boo.”

Jonas hugs me goodbye and then shocks the hell out of me by tenderly placing his palm on my belly—a move so full of affection—and so unlike him—it catches me off guard. “I can’t wait to meet you, Gracie Faraday,” Jonas whispers.

I exchange a swooning look with Sarah.

Josh follows suit, putting his hand on my belly when Jonas pulls his hand away.

“I can already tell you’re gonna own me, Gracie Louise,” Josh says. He bends down and kisses my belly, making me swoon. “I already love you, Little G,” he whispers.

Oh my God, I can barely stand, I’m so overcome by this beautiful moment. “Josh,” I say, barely above a whisper.

Josh stands. “Good God, I’m gonna be surrounded by a shit-ton of estrogen in my own house,” he blurts, completely shattering the fairytale-nature of the moment. “I’m officially fucked.”

We all laugh.

“Yep. You’re definitely gonna hone yourlisteningskills,” Jonas says.

“Oh, you know you’ll love it,” I say. I look at Jonas and Sarah. “Okay, guys, I love you truly, madly, deeply, but the kumquat’s hangry—so if you’re not coming with us to eat, then you best get out of my freakin’ way so I don’t start barfing all over you.”

“You’restillbarfing?” Sarah asks.

“Not nearly as much, but, yeah, on occasion, especially when I get really hungry.”

Sarah grimaces. “You poor thing.”

I pat my belly. “It’s okay. Seeing Gracie today made it all worth it.”

Joshand I wave to Jonas and Sarah as they drive off in their car, and then, since we’d hitched a ride with Jonas and Sarah to get here in the first place, we grab a taxi.

“Hotel 1000,” Josh instructs the driver as we settle into the backseat of the cab. “Okay with you, babe? There’s a new restaurant in the hotel I wanna try.”

“Great,” I say. “What kind of food do they—Oh.” I abruptly stop talking, my hand on my belly.

“What?” Josh asks, his eyes wide.

I hold up a finger, holding my breath—and there it is again: a teeny-tiny jabbing sensation in my lower abdomen, poking me from theinside.“Oh my gosh,” I say. “I think I just felt the babymove.”

“Really?” Josh asks, his eyes lighting up.

I place Josh’s hand on my bump, right where I just felt movement, and it happens again. “Did you feel that?” I ask.

Josh shakes his head, his eyes on fire. “What did it feel like?”

---