The Friends We Keep

Nicole couldn’t begin to imagine the stress all the fertility treatments had put on their marriage. “Rob’s a good guy and he adores you.”


“I know. I’m lucky.” She smiled. “Maybe you’ll get lucky, too. And when that happens, I want details. New man sex is so foreign to me. I’m going to have live vicariously.”

Nicole laughed. “Get me drunk and I’ll tell you everything.”

“It’s a deal.”

*

“Hey, Mom,” Gabby called out as she walked into her parents’ kitchen. She was going to see the whole family in an hour, at her friend Pam’s for a Labor Day party. But what she was here to discuss wasn’t exactly party conversation.

She’d put it off as long as she could. Makayla could still conceal her pregnancy with flowy shirts, but eventually the truth was going to come out and the longer she waited to tell her mother, the worse it was going to be.

Gabby supposed she’d resisted for so long thinking that if she didn’t tell her mother, it couldn’t be real. Ridiculous, she thought. Wishful thinking. But there it was. She was an ostrich—burying her head in the sand and exposing her butt to the world.

On the bright side, despite everything that had been happening, she’d managed to stick with the classes at Nicole’s studio and sort of stay on her diet. She was down ten pounds. A win she was going to hang on to with both hands. That would make it harder to reach for cookies.

“Gabby!”

Marie walked into the kitchen and smiled. She was dressed in white crop pants and a lacy shirt over a tank top. Gold earrings glittered, as did an armful of bracelets. When it came to jewelry, Marie was a big believer in go big or go home.

Her mother hugged her, then motioned to the bar stools by the island. Because Gabby had told her she needed to talk, and all important conversations happened in the kitchen.

“You’ve had me worried,” her mother admitted, watching her carefully. “You said no one was sick and all is well with you and Andrew, so what is it?” Her expression brightened. “You’ve decided to have another baby.”

“Not exactly.”

Gabby thought about everything going on. Her ongoing fight with Andrew, the way Makayla was so sad and confused, the twins starting kindergarten. Unexpected tears filled her eyes.

“Oh, Mom, it’s a mess. All of it. My life is a disaster and I don’t know how to fix it.”

Marie took one hand in hers and squeezed her fingers. “Tell me what’s going on. Then we’ll come up with a plan together. We can fix whatever it is. You’ll see.”

Gabby’s relationship with her mother might be uneasy. Marie could be opinionated and bossy, but in the end she was warm and loving. If Gabby was willing to admit she was in over her head, all the preaching would stop and the love would start. She just had to be willing to show her belly.

She sucked in a breath. “Makayla’s pregnant.”

Marie’s mouth dropped open. “No. She’s just a child.”

“Fifteen. Believe me, we were just as shocked. We didn’t even know she liked Boyd that way.”

“The father’s name is Boyd? Who names their child that?”

“Mom, that’s not really the point.”

Gabby explained how they’d found out and that Boyd and Makayla had wanted to stay together. She recounted the conversation with Boyd’s parents and how he was gone now and Makayla was worried about what would happen at school.

“She won’t even talk about adoption,” Gabby continued. “It makes me crazy. Andrew is totally on board with her having the baby.”

“Of course he is.” Her mother smiled sadly. “Sweetie, he’s a man. This is his first grandchild. Not only does he get to see his dynasty continuing, but he has no idea what it means to stay home and take care of an infant. He expects you to do it, I assume?”

Now it was Gabby’s turn to be stunned. “How did you know?”

“He’s traditional. You both made such a big deal about you staying home with the twins. You made the right decision, of course, but it’s such a generational thing. In my day, a woman stayed home to raise the family. Now everyone wants a career and what happens to the children?”

She pressed her lips together. “Which doesn’t help you. I take it you’re not happy about what he wants.”

“No. I want to work. I know it’s different from what you did, Mom, but I’m so ready to get out of the house.”

“Of course you are.” Marie released her hand. “Do you think I don’t long for something other than being everyone’s mother? That I didn’t dream about a job where I was respected for who I was instead of always being Gabby’s mother or your father’s wife?”

No, Gabby thought in confusion. She hadn’t known that. “But you were always so happy.”

“My family is a blessing. I’m grateful every day for the life I have, but sometimes, I’ve wondered how it would have been different. So Andrew wants you to give up your job to stay home with Makayla’s baby.”

Gabby nodded. “He’s promised that he and Makayla will help.” She made air quotes as she said the word.