Chapter 14
686 Words
4 months in
"You're almost halfway there," Troy grins before taking a bite of his egg. I smile and nod.
"Almost. I feel great right now actually. The morning sickness is gone."
"You're getting fatter too," Jasmine cuts in.
Troy glares at her while I sit speechless.
"She's showing Jasmine. It's a good thing. It's a good look," he says smiling fondly at my baby
bump.
"I was thinking we could go shopping today ladies," he suggests.
"We need to decorate the empty room at the end of the hall."
I smile and nod in excitement. That'll be fun.
"I'm busy," Jasmine says taking a bite of her celery. "Monica and I are going to celebrate her
birthday with a spa weekend. I won't be back until Sunday night, but you have fun with your
chores," she says with distaste.
I sigh in disappointment.
I hope she's more active in the baby's life after it's born. This disinterest she has in the whole
situation is starting to worry me.
After breakfast, Troy and I get ready and hop in an empty suv. Carl follows behind in a second
one, as we figured we'd need the extra room in the back.
Buy buy baby is our first destination.
"Tess! Check this out!"
I turn around to see Troy holding up a baby bean bag chair.
Laughing a little, I nod and push the cart over.
"He'll look like a taco sitting in that."
Troy agrees before we walk down the isle and pick things out. We end up getting an adjustable
black crib that functions for newborns to four year olds.
"Are you sure you don't want the bassinet," I ask skeptically.
Troy thinks on it for a moment before grabbing one quickly and sticking it in the cart.
"Just in case," he explains before turning down the clothes isles.
We end up getting five blue onesies, four green onesies, two yellow onesies, a purple onesie, a
red onesie, a black onesie, and a white onsie. I had told Troy that shirts and pants would be too
complicated for a newborn, so we just got fifteen small outfits for now. I imagine the baby will
grow out of them quickly.
We pick up three burprags next, three pacifires, a baby swing, a bucket of toys, a six pack of tiny
socks, a stroller, five bottles, two blankets, three tiny hats, and baby soap.
"Diapers!"
I point down the aisle we just passed and Troy comes back with five packages of 100 count
diapers.
"Is this everything?"
I hum before thinking back to my old baby room.
"A rocking chair? Baby wipes?"
Troy slaps a hand on his forehead before running to get the items while I scour the isles.
I end up grabbing a baby monitor as well as a few stuffed animals.
There's an elephant, a rabbit, and a pig.
When Troy comes back, we head to the checkout counter where the cashier congratulates us.
Both of us smile and pretend we're a couple because it's easier than explaining the situation.
Exiting the store, we hand off our carts to Carl and one of the store helpers before walking to the
next store.
Twenty-six long minutes later, we're loading cans of paint, wall stickers, and pictures into the
trunk and making our way back to the house.
"When we get home, you go lay down and relax while Carl and I bring everything to the baby's
room. You can help decorate it after a nap. If you want I could bring the laptop in while we set
everything up and we could have a productive movie night?"
I smile in thanks and nod in agreement.
"Life of the party," I ask referring to the new movie.
Troy smiles and pats my knee in a promise.
"Life of the party," he agrees.
Then there's silence. He doesn't move his hand and I feel almost as if I'm betraying Jasmine.
Though we aren't close, the betrayal is not from her husband touching me like this, it's because I
like it and I don't want to push him away.
- Writer
