I felt sick to my stomach. I was disgusted with myself. That's not what I wanted. My bones ached as I reached my front door. No one was home, like always.
Plumping down on the couch, I drifted to sleep.
"Renée, hey." My body shook as I squinted to see who it was. Brooke.
"Whaaaaat?" I groaned. I sort of just felt like sleeping for eternity. Not that it seemed to matter to her.
"Thought we were gonna hang out today?" She asked, still shaking my lifeless body.
"Okay, okay. I'm up." She protested against me as my eyes started fluttering closed. To keep her satisfied, I sat up. I guess I forgot to change once I got home. I was still in Jake's shirt. Brooke's eyes widened.
"What happened?" She questioned in awe. As I explained every ounce of detail, she shook her head in disgust. Apparently she saw him with his ex this morning at the Donut Shop. My heart dropped, but come on, did I think anything was going to be different?
"I was talking to Megan earlier, and she was telling me how they've been back together for a few weeks now." My jaw bones couldn't hold my mouth together any longer. What. Was. I. Thinking.
"How come I didn't know this?"
"It's not your fault. He shouldn't be so sleezy." I clung the blankets around me, trying to feel something warm. Tears fell.
One Month Later.
The chilly December air swarmed around me. Chelsea is now about 20 weeks, a slight bulge has began invading her belly. A baby girl! Absolutely exciting to know that I will be an aunt. Throwing my purse in my passenger side, I gave Brooke a call.
"Hey you, just wanted to let you know that I'll be there shortly." Christmas shopping is exciting especially when you add a baby into the mix of the "norm".
After listening to her rush frantically to brush her hair and throw clothes on, I decided to hang up.
We were going to surprise Chelsea with something spectacular for the baby, her mom has been cleaning out the basement for weeks now, and just finished earlier this week.
It's very spacious, and with a few adjustments, it will be the perfect nursery. Money is tight, so we are all pitching in a bit. But by Christmas morning, our little project should be completed. Chelsea never goes down to the basement, her mom says that she probably doesn't even know there is one. Anytime she goes to her doctor appointments or to work, Brooke and I sneak in there with tons of ideas to burst on the basement.
Brooke was prolonging getting in my car by smooching on her many dogs goodbye. By the time she got in, she smelt like one.
"Good Lord, you smell." she squinted her eyes at me as I drove off. We had a few short stops to make, and then we were headed to Chelsea's basement. Our plan was to get some rugs to put on the newly wooded flooring, and then decorate the room with furniture. We had most of the furniture, we were just missing those damned rugs.
"Have you talked to him lately?"
"Who?"
"You know who Renee, don't play dumb." I just didn't want to talk to him or about him, and I was hoping she wouldn't bring him up.
Especially not now.
"He tried talking to me a few weeks ago, since then no. I heard he was back with Tiffany. So be it." Times like this, I feel like I missed out, and probably should have responded to him, but I know he is just wanting some.
Makes me feel worse about myself.
I'm more than just sex, right?
By the time we got to the baby's nursery, we had what we needed. And maybe a few more things. Chelsea's parents were pitching in more than any of us, but it all adds up - little by little. Going down the flight of stairs, and seeing the room, I felt accomplished. The walls were coated with a gorgeous brown with pink borders. Blue polka-dots were also contributed. In the far right corner was a rocking chair brought from upstairs, they told Chelsea they sold it. The look on her face could make anyone's heart sink; she looked devastated. That was the rocker her late grandmother used for her children. It's odd how she could believe they would have gotten rid of it so easily. A few feet away from the rocker is the baby's crib. We just bought a mobile today, so we will have to put that up soon. There's a couple recliners and other furniture around, we haven't got everything to a "T" yet, but I have great confidence that we will.
Every night we work on the basement, around the same time we got a knock from "Mom", telling us she's in the driveway. We run to her room and wait for her to get in .as if we were waiting for her for hours.
The look on her face when she walked into her room was unbearable to look at. "What happened?"
"I think there's something you need to know." she looked at me while she said this, and I after thinking of any possibilities, I came up short. "I need to tell you both who the father of this baby is-"
