The Friends We Keep

He followed her to Latte-Da where they got their drinks, then settled at a table outside on the sidewalk. There was still a hint of morning coolness in the air and not many people walking around. It was as if they had Mischief Bay to themselves.

Gabby studied her husband. She loved him. Even when he made her crazy. Which meant she needed to establish communication between them.

“I’m sorry.”

Words she’d been planning to say, only he’d been the one to say them first.

She stared at him. “Excuse me?”

“I’m sorry, Gabby. I never meant to hurt you. I was so focused on Makayla and how we were going to handle the baby that I couldn’t see that by insisting, no, assuming, you would take care of him or her, that I was making you feel less important. I didn’t see that I wasn’t respecting you as a person. As a partner and the woman I love.” His mouth twisted. “We have to agree on where we’re going together. As a couple and a family. It’s not a solution if one of us feels betrayed.”

She wondered if she looked as shocked as she felt. Part of her wanted to reach out and touch Andrew’s forehead. Did he have a fever? How on earth...

“My mother,” she said slowly.

“Marie cornered me at Pam’s barbecue yesterday. She lulled me into thinking she was on my side, then pounced.” His smile was rueful. “Except what she said got me to thinking.” He reached across the table and took her hand in his. “Gabby, I don’t want you unhappy or mad at me. I don’t want you to sacrifice everything for Makayla’s baby. There has to be a way to make it work where the compromise isn’t all about you.”

Tears burned. “I’d like that,” she whispered. “I don’t want to be mad, either. And I don’t want Makayla punished. I just need to not be the push point.”

“I agree. Somehow we’ll figure this out.”

“As long as we keep talking,” she said. “And we don’t assume anything.” She hesitated. “I’m worried about Makayla.”

“In what way?”

She told him about their shopping expedition. “She hasn’t mentioned the pregnancy to her friends. They’re going to figure it out at some point and I don’t think it’s going to go well.”

“Do you think she’ll be bullied?”

“I don’t know. I worry that she’s withdrawn too much. She’s a social kid. But since she found out she was pregnant, she hasn’t had anyone over. With Boyd gone, she’s on her own. That’s not good. She needs her friends.” She picked up her coffee. “None of this is easy.”

“I couldn’t get through it without you. Candace is less than no help. I swear she deliberately makes things more difficult.”

“Maybe you should talk to her. Makayla needs support right now. More than she ever has. I’m not saying we need to coddle her, but this isn’t the time for her mother to go off on one of her rants.”

“I’ll get with her.” Andrew grimaced. “I can only imagine how that’s going to go.”

Gabby risked a subject she’d been thinking about for a while. “There are teen parenting classes. I think Makayla should take one. I don’t want to have to teach her everything. I think it would go better if she were in a structured environment. Plus she would learn how to balance school and a baby.”

She finished and held her breath. Would Andrew agree or would accepting the idea of the class be too much like saying Makayla had to do it all?

“That’s a great idea,” he told her. “You’re right. She has a lot to learn. I remember how scared I was when she was born and I was a lot more prepared than her. Let’s get her signed up.”

Wow—that was unexpectedly easy. “I’ve found a couple of places that are local. We can talk about it tonight.”

“Good.” He smiled. “Okay—now for a more cheerful topic. Are you excited about starting work tomorrow?”

“I am. I’m nervous, too.”

“You’ll do great.”

“I hope so.” Makayla’s pregnancy had sort of consumed much of Gabby’s mental time so she hadn’t obsessed as much as she had thought she would. Probably a good thing.

“I’m proud of you, Gabby, and lucky to have you in my life.”

“Thank you. I feel the same way.”

This was what she wanted, she thought. A good relationship with her husband. Her mother had been right about taking the moral high ground and about Gabby talking to Andrew.

“What does your morning look like?” she asked. “Do you have to get to the office right away?”

One eyebrow rose. “What did you have in mind?”

She grinned. “A little makeup sex. It’s been a while.”

“It has.” He rose and tossed away his to-go cup, then reached for her hand. “I’m all in.”

She smiled. “Good. Me, too.”

*