28. Nice To Have Something Different
NICE TO HAVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT
WILL
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OLD
“Babe, you home? I got the morning sickness meds that the chemist recommended,” I call out as I walk in the front door.
“I’m in here,” Annie replies, her voice drifting down from her office.
I kick off my work boots and head up the stairs with the paper chemist bag in my hand.
The sound of her madly typing makes me smile when I reach the landing, and relief floods through me.
Every time I’ve come home from work for the past few weeks, she’s been on the couch, staring off into space.
Ever since the doctor confirmed what we already knew. That the test wasn’t a false positive.
I haven’t been able to get her to open up about how she’s feeling about the news, and I was beginning to think I needed to get her to see a therapist. She’s always dealt with problems by living in denial, refusing to deal with them .
Not that her pregnancy is a problem.
At least, not for me. I love her and always figured we’d have a family together one day.
I just hadn’t thought it would be this soon.
I figured we had all the time in the world for things like getting a house, marriage and kids.
Annie certainly doesn’t seem to be in a big rush for it either.
When Chris had proposed to Morgan a few years ago, I’d expected Annie to start putting the pressure on, as I’d seen it happen with other couples, but she just seemed genuinely content with how things were for us.
The engagement ring I bought a year ago has been sitting in my junk drawer collecting dust while I waited for what felt like the right time. If I propose now, she’ll think it’s just because she’s pregnant, and she deserves more than that.
“Hey. You’re writing again,” I say, walking up behind her while she stares at the screen of her computer.
“I am,” she replies, turning to look up at me with a smile.
Grinning, I lean down to give her a quick kiss before depositing the bag on the desk next to her. “The chemist said they have a lot of women with nausea in the first trimester use these and it helps.”
She glances at the bag and then back up to me. “Thanks babe. I was actually feeling a little better today. Actually ate some eggs instead of Vegemite on toast. Was nice to have something different.”
I put my hands on her shoulders, squeezing while she turns back to look at the screen. “Are you still up for heading to Jake’s place in a bit, or do you need to keep writing?”
She nods. “I’ll be good to come. I managed to write a few chapters while you were at work. I want to see Jake. And also see what Bri’s done with the place since she moved in. Morgan mentioned that she’s made it seem much less like a show home.”
It’s a relief to see her acting more like her usual self, and my shoulders lower a little. I’ve been worrying about her constantly, but it seems like maybe she’s starting to get over the shock .
“Don’t forget to bring your swimsuit, in case we go into the spa,” I say, heading out of the room to have a shower.
“Oh, I’m not meant to go in spa’s while I’m pregnant, apparently. I’ll just dangle my legs in while everyone else is in there.”
There seem to be so many limitations for pregnant women. I really need to crack open one of the books I bought her, but work has been so busy. And I haven’t wanted to seem too eager about the pregnancy while she was still wrapping her head around it all.
“No worries. We can just say you forgot them.”
We’d agreed we wouldn’t tell anyone until she reaches the twelve-week mark.
Apparently, that’s when the risk of miscarriage goes down.
Although I don’t really understand why it needs to remain a secret.
Surely it would be better for the mental health of the woman to share her feelings with others?
But then again, Annie never talks about things that are bothering her, so I guess it’s the perfect excuse for her to not have to deal with it.
An hour later, we arrive at Jake’s apartment building, pulling up behind Morgan’s car at the same time that she and Chris are getting out.
“Hey! That was great timing,” Morgan says, giving Annie a hug once we’re all standing on the footpath together.
We head for the front door of the building, and Morgan presses the intercom button for the penthouse. Jake’s voice comes through a moment later, and the door makes a buzzing sound, letting us know he’s letting us up.
In the elevator, Morgan chats away animatedly with Annie, who nods along while Morgan tells her about the not so enjoyable wedding dress excursion she took with her mother last weekend.
Chris and I remain silent, as has been the requirement for most of the wedding planning for the past few months.
It’s just safest to do as we’re told when it comes to Morgan’s vision.
The women lead the way into the apartment, and Bri’s little dog, Maddie starts jumping all over us as soon as we get in the door.
Something smells amazing, and my mouth waters in anticipation of whatever amazing meal Jake has put together for us.
He’s offered to teach me how to cook so many times, but I’ve just had to accept that cooking is not a skill I possess.
I can definitely eat the fruits of his labour, though.
Once Kylie and Tara join us, we settle down to have dinner outside, taking advantage of the large outdoor space that overlooks the city.
The conversation ebbs and flows, and once we’ve finished, the girls head up to the spa while Jake turns on the cricket for us to see the end of the game.
I’ve never been much of a fan of the sport, but it’s nice to have a moment away from the constant talk of weddings.
Morgan has definitely developed wedding fever.
Although, thinking about the wedding reminds me that Jake and I really need to get our butts into gear and start organising Chris’s bucks party.
We spend an hour or so hanging out on the couch with a few beers before joining the girls, and I slide into the spa, resting my arm over Annie’s legs as she dangles them in the water.
It’s a bit of a tight fit with us all in there, but it’s worth it to be able to take in the view while we just chill out.
I notice that Jake and Bri seem to be acting really weird, though.
They are sitting extremely close, and Jake has jumped a couple of times, flashing her little looks when he thinks no one is looking.
I know Morgan was concerned about Bri moving in here, thinking that maybe something might be going on between the pair of them.
Initially, I thought she was overreacting, but maybe there was something to it.
Not that it’s anyone else’s business, though. Just as long as whatever is going on doesn’t screw with the group dynamic. We’ve got a pretty good, drama-free group of friends and it would be great to keep it that way .
The following weekend, I take the Saturday off so that I can go with Chris and Jake to get our wedding suits sorted while the girls go bridesmaid dress shopping.
Annie has already texted to complain about Morgan’s inability to make a decision on the dresses for her and Bri, and I’m grateful that our little excursion seems to be far less painful.
“How’s work going?” I ask Jake while we try on the suits Morgan had organised for us.
“Yeah, fine. Can’t wait for it to cool down, though. Every summer, I realise just how much I hate how hot it gets out there.”
I grin. “And then, in winter, you freeze your ass off. Stanthorpe definitely isn’t the best place for you, given you’re such a goldilocks.”
He grumbles under his breath, but can’t deny that I’m right.
But he’s not wrong, either. Crawling around in ceiling cavities blows in summer.
I was grateful for the drop in the temperature this week cause we’re rewiring a house for a renovation at the moment, and I drew the short straw when my boss sent me up the manhole.
Jake’s phone vibrates on the bench in his dressing room, and he moves towards it with surprising speed. He’s not usually one to spend a lot of time on his phone, so it’s a bit weird, but I shrug it off.
“Hey, is everything okay with Lis, by the way?” Chris asks, coming out of his dressing room in a black suit.
Morgan had picked a few different ones for us all to try, but they honestly all look the same to me.
I hesitate for a moment. “Yeah… Why?”
He straightens the sleeves of the suit jacket as he looks at his reflection in the floor to ceiling mirror. “Morgan just mentioned she’s been having a hard time trying to catch up with her lately.”
Letting out a breath, I shrug, attempting to seem unbothered. “She’s on a deadline at the moment. You know how she gets when she’s working on a draft. Half the time I have to wave food under her nose to remind her to eat.”
“Right. That’s what I told Morgan. I think she’s just stressed about the wedding. I’ll be glad when this is all over, man. If I never have to look at another flower arrangement or seating chart once it’s done, I will die a happy man.”
The conversation moves on and I’m just relieved that I don’t have to lie much longer. We’re only four weeks away from the twelve-week mark, and the novelty of keeping this a secret is wearing off.
After Chris settles on the suits for all of us, we head back to Jake’s apartment for a few hours.
Annie had sent me a message to say that she and Morgan were heading back to our place to watch movies, so I figure that should make Morgan happy.
Maybe Annie might open up to her if they have some one-on-one time.
Several hours later, though, my phone vibrates in my pocket while the three of us are playing Mario Kart, alerting me to several messages coming through at once.
Annie
Hey. I’m not feeling so great. Morgan has just left. Do you think you could come home?
Actually, I think I might need to go to the hospital.
Something doesn’t feel right, Will.
I toss the controller aside and jump to my feet.
“Hey, I gotta head off,” I say, trying not to panic.
Chris and Jake put their controllers down slowly, exchanging a concerned look.
“You okay?” Jake asks .
“Yeah. Annie just messaged to ask me to do something on the way home. I’ll catch you both later.”
I grab my car keys and wallet off the bench, hearing Chris say he should probably head off as well. As soon as I get to my ute, I dial Annie’s number.
She answers on the first ring. “Hey,” she says in a shaky voice.
“What’s wrong?” I ask immediately.
She’s quiet for a moment, and I can hear her ragged breathing, like she’s crying. “I’ve been spotting all day, but now it’s pretty heavy and I’m cramping.”
“I’ll be home in ten minutes. It’ll be okay, baby. I’ll get you to the hospital.”
I drive home as fast as I can without breaking any speed limits, and once I get her in the car, we head to the hospital in silence. My mind is racing through all the scenarios while I grip her hand, and all I can think is that she has to be okay.