Chapter Forty-Five
Melonie
O n Sunday morning, Gigi texts me to meet for breakfast. We skipped Bostonia to try a new spot. I still can’t tolerate the smell of sweet potato donuts.
We order our food, and Gigi leans forward on the table. “So, how are things with the roomie?”
“Good. Really good.” I place my napkin on my lap and start arranging the silverware.
When I look up, her eyes are narrow, and she’s wearing a smirk. She knows my tells. “What base have you made it to?”
“G! This isn’t high school.”
“You’re avoiding the question.”
“It’s a little embarrassing.”
“Oh, this is going to be good. Out with it.”
“He caught me masturbating.” I cover my face with my hands.
“ What ? Okay, I need this story right now.”
I huff out a breath. “I thought he was gone to meet the guys to watch the game Wednesday evening, so I thought I would take advantage of the alone time. Only, he came back and walked in on me. He said he thought he heard me in pain.” I scrunch up my nose. “And of course, he heard me say his name. He came in thinking I was hurt, and there I was, naked as a jaybird.”
“Oh my god. So, what happened when he saw you?”
I meet her eyes and say with apprehension, “He stayed and watched.”
“That’s so hot.”
“I hate to admit it, but it was. Best orgasm I’ve had in months. I felt bad that he didn’t get off, though.”
“Wait, he just watched you and didn’t take part? Like at all?”
I lean forward, keeping my voice low. “He didn’t really touch me, but at one point, I asked him to choke me and he did. God, G, I thought I was going to spontaneously combust. But he made it all about me. He stayed fully clothed.”
“Melonie, you need to marry him.”
I bark out a laugh. “You’re crazy.”
“Why wouldn’t you, though?”
“We’re not like that, G. You know that.”
“I know that’s the line you’ve decided to draw, but think about the past two months. Have you ever been this comfortable living with a man?”
I play with my fork. “No. It’s really easy with him.”
“And has he been consistent and caring?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re besties with his mom.”
“Yeah.”
“And you’re carrying his child.”
“G.”
“All I’m saying is I think you need a new pros and cons list.”
I shake my head. “I don’t want to mess up our situation. It’s really good having his support, and if we make things messy, I could lose that.”
Gigi reaches across the table and places her hand on mine. “Melonie, he is showing you that you can count on him. He loves that baby too much to let anything come between the two of you.”
I sigh. “But how would I even start that conversation? And really, if we were in a relationship, what would change? We would just start sleeping in the same bed.”
Gigi wears an evil grin. “I bet there wouldn’t be much sleeping going on.”
I throw my straw wrapper at her. “You’re a pervert.”
“I know.” She throws the wrapper back at me. “Do you see that you’re basically in a relationship already, just without a label and the team orgasms? At least think about it?”
“I will.”
“I mean really think about it. I know your brain; you need to let Linc out of the box you’ve put him in.”
I nod. “I’ll try. How’s Lewis?”
The server delivers our food, and G won’t look up from her plate. “He’s good. Work has been rough for him lately, but we’re good.”
“I wish he hung out with us more often. He seems nice, and I’d like to get to know my best friend’s boyfriend.”
She finally gives a hint of a smile. “I know. I feel like whenever I try to get him to do things with us, he has plans with his friends. We’ve even had arguments about it.”
“I’m sorry.” I pause because I know I’m about to say something that could shut her down, but it needs to be said. “I know you’ve said you like him; you like his family and he’s loyal, but why are you with him?”
Her eyes dart to mine. “What do you mean?”
I need to tread lightly. “I just haven’t seen you date someone like him before. He sounds like he’s set in his ways, and don’t you think it’s weird that he doesn’t want to get to know the people you’re closest to?”
She sets her fork down and looks out the window by our table. “Maybe I figured, this time around, I should try someone who isn’t like my norm. The men before Lewis all let me down, so why not go after someone who’s different? Sure, we have our differences, but I feel like he won’t up and leave. He’s committed, and I don’t have to worry.”
It’s beginning to make sense. Gigi told us about her life in the foster system growing up, moving from home to home until she aged out. Of course, she would look for loyalty and stability.
“You know you can find someone who will stay without compromising your wants, right?”
She nods. “I know.”
She goes back to eating, and I can tell by the tone in her voice that she’s done with the subject, so I back off.
“Tell me about the New Age fair you went to. Did you get to take the reiki class?”
Her eyes light up, and she starts talking a mile a minute. This is the Gigi I love.
Linc and I walk into the doctor’s office for my five-month check-up. We’re going to find out the sex of the baby today, and I think this time I’m actually more excited than Linc.
We check in at reception and find a couple of seats to wait.
“I’m so excited for this appointment.”
He reaches over, squeezing my hand. “Same; we get to see the baby again. It should look like an actual human today.”
I laugh. “You aren’t excited to find out the sex?”
He shrugs. “I’ll be happy either way on that matter. I just want to see what they look like.”
“You haven’t said if you’ve thought of names.”
“I feel like I should leave that up to you.”
“Group project, Linc.”
“How about, if it’s a boy, I name him? If it’s a girl, you pick her name.”
“That’s a good compromise. Do you have names you like?”
“I’ve always liked Theo or Asher.”
“Those are good. I like Asher.”
“What about you?”
“If we have a girl, I want to name her Millie. It was my grandmother’s name.”
“Millie is cute. Makes me think of a little girl with pigtails and a big smile.”
“My grandma was always smiling. I think it’s where my dad got his easy-going demeanor.”
Linc rubs my arm. “Millie, it is, then.” A few moments later, the nurse calls my name to go back.
“Let’s start with the ultrasound. We’ll be in room three.” She stops at a door and motions for us to go inside.
“Go ahead and lie down on the table there. And if you could bring your top up a bit and lower the waist of your pants, then we can get started!”
I do as she instructed. My bump is a little bigger now, so it doesn’t disappear when I lie down.
Linc reaches out and rubs my belly. He has started touching it over the past couple weeks. He was cute, asking if it was okay the first time he did it, but I think it’s sweet, and it doesn’t feel invasive. If I’m honest, I like how affectionate he already is with the baby.
The nurse does measurements and tells us everything looks healthy. She points at the screen. “There are the fingers and over here, the toes.”
Linc sniffles beside me. “Oh my god, it has fingers and toes. Mel, it’s all there. It’s so real this time. You can see its nose. Oh my god, I think the baby has your nose.”
I laugh. “Maybe.”
The nurse turns to us, handing Linc a tissue. “Did you want to find out the sex today?”
I look at Linc and squeeze his hand. “Yes, please.”