LITTLE KISSES

CHAPTER SIX // CANCEL THAT

The coffee shop was quieter than I would have liked for a Saturday morning but I accepted it. I waited at a table, bundled up as I could not seem to keep myself warm and hugging a hot chocolate between my hands.

The door of the shop opened and I glanced over to see Elizabeth walk in.

“Beth.” I called her.

She saw me and then came to the table, pulling out a chair, “How are you?”

“Sick.” I replied, “I think I've been hit with every possible pregnancy symptom known to man.”

She smiled, “You should eat something.”

“In theory...” I replied, “But no. There's no point in eating when my fate is my head in the toilet. It's gotten old fast, the puking in public washrooms.”

She was still smiling, “I'll go get a coffee and be back.”

“Sure.” I sipped the hot chocolate and looked out the window to the people walking by. Beth had asked me last night to meet her and I had agreed, I needed someone. A friend. Someone who wouldn't judge me or overwhelm me, I was pretty sure Elizabeth was capable and I wanted to make up with her on top of it.

She was back over in a few minutes and sat.

I was a silent for only a second and then I spewed, “I'm really sorry, Beth. I'm just really overwhelmed. It's not the same stress as work...”

“It's okay. I know you are. I mean, you definitely weren't expecting this. I guess for me, like looking in, I just got frustrated. Which is why I wanted to say sorry to you. It should have taken this long but still...”

I sighed, “Well, I was probably more at fault.”

“No, not really.” She shook her head, “You were just upset and I got upset because...”

I waited as she seemed to suck back some obvious emotion.

“I just got too worked up over you being pregnant.”

“Why?” I breathed, “I mean... I know I was being stupid and sorta freaking but...”

“No,” Beth shook her head, “I've been trying to get pregnant for almost a year and half now. I guess... I guess I got jealous, Amy.”

I stared at her. Wait, my drinking, fun loving friend wanted to be pregnant!

“Uh...” I tried to find the right words.

“It's okay.” She assured me, “It's just getting frustrating for me.”

“Why didn't you ever say anything?” I breathed, trying to figure out how I'd went a year and half as her friend through it and not heard once about it.

Beth shrugged, “We... we just kept it to ourselves.”

I was really crappy in these type of situations. Sort of like funerals, wasn't good at those either. I was unsure that was actually comparable though to this.

“Jeez.” I said under my breath.

She shrugged, “It is what it is. We're trying to decide now what we'd like to do. Like maybe adopting or... I just don't want to do any more injections or... it's so messed up and lengthy.”

I nodded, I had no idea what she was talking about but it seemed a lot less enjoyable then getting saved by a bush-man and getting knocked up by him.

“Anyway,” Beth continued, “I talked to Steven about it and he sort of put it in perspective better for me. I'm just frustrated with my own problems and it wasn't fair to get mad at you for them.”