Page 36 of Accidentally Falling
“Do you want the real answer or the other one?” she asks, pulling jars out of her oversized purse and stacking them on the island.
“There’s anotherone?”
“Obviously.”
“Okay, what’s that one?”
“My sole purpose was to bring you these!” She waves at the jars with a flourish.
“What’s the real answer?” I ask, leaning a hip against the corner of the marble countertop.
“Your father called Ellison and said he wanted to make sure someone came to check on you today, but Ellison is working and I wasavailableand love you anyway so I volunteered.” She pauses. “And also I wanted to bring you these.” She points at the lotions again.
“Tell me about the lotions. I don’t have the mental capacity to unload the other part.”
“They say it’s never too early to start lotioning your belly, so I made you a couple of different ones in case you don’t vibe with the scent.”
Tears sting the back of my eyes—seriously, this better not be a thing—and I have to look up at the ceiling to blink those fuckers back.
“Do not say a word,” I grumble and she laughs.
“Aww, you pregnant ladies are adorable.”
“Shut up,” I manage but not without a grin tugging at my lips. “It’s just a lot; everything is a lot. I’m only twelve weeks and I was weepy over a commercial I saw on TV.”
“Are you gonna find out if it’s a boy or a girl?”
“Yes. I don’t have that kind of restraint.”
“Oh, thank goodness. Ellison isn’t finding out and I’m tempted to pay the nurse off just to get the results.”
I snort out a laugh and shake my head. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Maybe, but it made you smile.”
“It did.”
“Do you want to talk about what happened?”
Dropping onto one of the stools, I pick up the pen I forgot to put away and twirl it between my fingers. “There’s a lot ofemotion swirling around and I don’t know how to manage it because I’m having trouble managing my own.”
“You’re allowed to feel what you feel,” she says gently.
“I don’t know how I feel. I feel all of it and nothing at the same time. I?—”
Buzz. Buzz.
My phone vibrates on the coffee table and I throw the pen onto the counter before sliding off the stool and retrieving it.
JUDE: Did you eat today?
ARDEN: Yes
JUDE: Okay…what did you eat?
ARDEN: We’re not doing this every day
JUDE: I need to know what I’m restocking in your fridge
