The Tales of a Future Hockey Wife

Chapter 53: Living Situation

"I see my mother spread the news," Eleanor whispers in my ear after what we both hope to be the last guest came to see us to offer their babysitting services. In total, six of her aunts offered themselves to babysit, the same amount of uncles told me they were willing to pay for a plane ticket if I ever decided to bail, only three of them laughed after confirming that they were joking, four of her cousins who already have children said they would give her their old baby clothes, and two of her grand-parents whished us luck. We only got here an hour ago, and I am already exhausted. I knew we would have to do a lot of baby talk tonight, but I didn't think it would tire me so much. Maybe it's because every time someone mentions the subject, my heart rate speeds up, and my brain gets on fire as it tries to remember every advice and everything everyone says you have to know about babies like how to swaddle whatever that means.

"For once, no one seems to pay attention to William and his doctor stuff. If I had known, I would have gotten pregnant earlier," she adds with a wink as we sit at the dinner table. I know she's kidding about the early pregnancy part, but I also know that she is glad that her family pays more attention to her than to her brother for once. When I remember last Christmas, all I see is people congratulating William on getting his residency at the Victoria General Hospital like he had planned. Only a few people asked about how El was doing in Windsor or what she wanted to do after she finished university. Now, everyone is around her asking about her plans and aspirations while Will is sitting on the couch next to Josephine drinking his glass of wine and eating olives as he waits for someone to invite him to the table instead of putting his pride aside and admit that he isn't the center of his family's universe anymore.

We sit side by side on her father's left. As tradition obliges, the master of the house sits at the end of the table. Eleanor's mother sits on his right with William next to her. Next to me, sits Stephanie's sister Mary who also is Eleanor's godmother. Dinner starts smoothly as we pass along the various trays of food. Everyone is mostly quiet as they fill their plates with the traditional holiday food each guest brought. Bottles of wine are passed between the guests in a stream of luxurious exuberance. Red, white and rosé liquid flow from the bottle to the different glasses and everyone over the age of eighteen is forced to take a glass even if they don't plan to drink it. Eleanor acquired this concept from a very young age, so when the bottle of Chardonnay ends up in front of her, she pours herself a small glass that I know I'll end up drinking. She passes me the bottle and I do the same before giving it to her father. The photographer who had made himself discreet now gets out of his hiding place to photograph what appears to be a perfect family. Thomas gets up, raises his glass, gives his wife a fond look as he thanks everyone who joined them on this fabulous day where we celebrate his son's residency coming to an end, his wife's new promotion, the end of the semester, and his daughter's pregnancy. Many pictures are taken as we all raise our glass of wine in his direction. It's my fourth Christmas with the Martins and I don't think I'll ever get used to this part. I never thought I would enjoy sharing such a personal part of my life with a magazine photographer, but now, I wouldn't imagine a Christmas where my face won't find itself in the many pages of Stephanie's Christmas special. When he's done, he thanks everyone for their contributions and leaves. The second he put his camera in his bag, many people emptied their glass of wine in someone else's. That's how Eleanor's Chardonnay ended up in my glass and as her mother asked her next question, most of the expensive liquid finished its course in my mouth.

"So, when are you two moving back in here?" She sounded overjoyed, her face beaming with excitement as she waits for our answer. I let Eleanor take this one, her mother her problem. I know I might have contributed to their impression that we might move in with them when I spent our first evening here looking at houses on Thomas' computer, but I never thought the idea would stick. I hoped that they would figure out on their own that we wouldn't want that.

"Never," Eleanor answers dryly. "Why would we move back here?" I look at her my eyes wide and my mouth filled with turkey and mashed potatoes.

"Why wouldn't you? You can't honestly think about having your baby in that apartment, Eleanor." People start focusing on our conversation instead of theirs. Heads turn towards us even from the other end of the table. I place my hand on Eleanor's to keep her from answering.

"What Eleanor means is that we still don't know what we'll do after she graduates, and the season is over. We don't know if we'll stay in Windsor, move back to Victoria or go somewhere else completely." I keep her hand in mine under the table to caress her palm with my thumb in what I hope to be a calming gesture.

"No, what Eleanor means is that even if we move back to SV, we wouldn't move back here. No way." Well that didn't work. I'll have to rethink my calming gestures since they don't seem to be working anymore.

"Eleanor, dear, you can't raise a baby across the country from your family. What will you do if you need help?" Her mother softened her tone to the point where it's almost a whisper. She adds a smile that I know will only anger her daughter even more.

"Like you'd have time to help me." El's hand is no longer in mine. I can't recall when she pulled it out, but I can feel her pushing it away when I try to grab it again. I look around the table. Everyone is now looking at the two women. Thomas puts a hand on his wife and daughter's arm, but both ignore him completely.

"Not just me Eleanor, your brother, your father, Josephine. Don't you want two doctors near your baby?"

"There are doctors in Windsor mom. You'd know if you had actually bothered to come see us more than once." I put my face in my hands. No matter where this conversation goes, it won't end well.

"We would be closer if you hadn't decided to move across the country for university. It broke my heart when you moved away." El rolls her eyes before answering.

"Well it healed mine."