And that’s when I realized, this is what family does. It’s not about being chums or having long talks or common interests or even understanding each other.
Being part of a family is about showing up, no matter how hard it gets. It’s about knowing that somebody will always just plain be there.
Chapter 26. Corabelle
Jenny shook the spray can of colored glitter and aimed it at the table. “You know, Corabelle, we’ve all got a habit of getting knocked up before we’re married.”
I took the can from her before she got it everywhere and spread newspapers down. My best friend had the common sense of a grasshopper, but I loved her.
“Well, it seems to work out in the end,” I said. “Sometimes it takes some effort, but it works out.”
“You had it the worst,” she said. “I just had to search all over Tennessee. You had to wait four years. Imagine if Gavin hadn’t taken that astronomy class.”
“I think about it every day,” I said.
Phoenix babbled from her swing. I had come over to Jenny’s to finish the decorations for Tina’s wedding. We’d talked her out of going to the courthouse and were setting up an arch and some chairs on a cliff she said was important to her. Apparently some things between her and Darion went down at that spot. Duct tape was involved.
I hadn’t asked questions.
“I’m glad we’re getting more use out of these stars you made,” Jenny said. “Although I don’t see why they couldn’t have stayed pink.”
“Tina’s not big on pink.”
Jenny set one of the cardboard stars on the newspaper and aimed her spray glitter again. “Well, the rainbow has pink in it.”
I shook my head. Jenny was funny. We were doing our best to make the stars multicolored. Stella had said babies born after a loss were called rainbow babies, the beauty after the rain. And Tina had always worn rainbow-striped stockings when she was pregnant before, so it all fit.
The spray made a loud hissing sound, startling the baby, who began to cry. Jenny put down the can and headed over to her.
I guessed the stars were my job again.
I quickly added a section of green to each of the five stars, one large, two medium, and two small. They would hang from the arch over Tina and Darion. I was hoping to keep them from looking tacky or amateur. Darion could do any sort of wedding he wanted, but I guessed the personal homespun version appealed to them. Maybe it reminded him of his own mother. I was sad for both of them that she was no longer with them to see this day.
Gavin had not invited his parents to ours. One day we’d mend that breach. But if his father hadn’t changed, if he was still the angry, abusive person we’d known growing up, I could see why Gavin would keep him away. His sister would grow up eventually, and I’d make sure we had a relationship with her. Family was important.
I switched to blue and added another stripe to each star. They were turning out pretty nice, I thought, blending together in a smooth band of color.
Jenny approached, Phoenix on her shoulder. The baby was six months old now and almost sitting up. She beamed at me in that happy smile only older babies could do. The tiny bit of tooth gleamed from her gum. They grew so fast.
I pressed my hand against my belly self-consciously, and Jenny noticed.
“Taken a test yet?” she asked.
“Too soon,” I said.
“For you or for testing?”
I shrugged. “I’ll do it when I can handle it.”
“Worried there weren’t enough swimmers?”
I picked up the can of orange glitter paint. “His count was low, for sure,” I said. “We might not be able to conceive naturally. But we’ll just let what happens, happens. That’s why we’re not preventing, even though I’m still in school. Later on we will be able to afford in vitro or whatever we need to do.”
Jenny set Phoenix on a blanket on the floor, arranging her in the tripod position with her legs out and arms in the middle. The baby managed to sit for a few seconds before toppling over.
“You’ll get it, baby boo,” Jenny said. She put her on her tummy with a toy and surveyed my work. “You’re doing better than I would.”
I was on the last color. “I like it.” I shook the can and sprayed some purple on. “Might need a little more green.”
Jenny pointed to the largest star. “Yeah, on that one especially.”
I focused on the stars. Jenny moved away. I finished the purple and added a bit more green. That was it.
Jenny came back and stuck something close to my face. I moved back a step. “What is that?”
When I focused in, I saw it was a pregnancy test.
“Are you knocked up again already?” I asked.
“No, silly! It’s unused. One of my leftovers from Phoenix.” She waved it at me. “Come on. Let’s do it.”
“I couldn’t. Not without Gavin.”
She leaned against the table. “Now, think about it. I told you before I told Chance.”
“Because you didn’t know his last name!”
She held up her palm. “Details. And Tina’s friends in Houston knew before Darion.”