Chapter 31 Elizabeth
ELIZABETH
“Ugh … nothing fits me,” I call out to Dani as I rummage through my closet. I haven’t gained a lot, but enough that none of my jeans want to close properly. It’ll be nothing but dresses, pajama pants, and leggings until this child is born.
Dani enters my bedroom groggily, having just woken up from a night out with Chase, and hands me a pair of her black leggings. “Here, wear these with a sweatshirt.”
“Thanks.” I step into them and grab one of my old band sweatshirts from school, pulling it over my head. I have an hour before Jon is coming to pick me up for my first ultrasound appointment. I’m nervous and excited.
I can’t wait to see my little peanut on the screen or how happy Jon will be, but after the appointment, we have dinner with my parents. While I made up with my father and brother, I have yet to speak to my mother.
Besides, tonight, I’ll be revealing the wonderful news that I’m pregnant. I can only hope that it goes over well.
“So, how did that meeting go yesterday? Sorry, I got home late and you were already asleep.” Dani grabs a coffee cup from the cabinet and fills it to the brim.
I take a seat on the couch once my shoes are on my feet and I’m ready to leave.
“It was better than expected,” I begin. “Get this, my brother and Dad barged into the meeting, and they were doing everything to stop it. But it turns out, Jon had told the man before the meeting he wasn’t going to buy. ”
“Wow, so what did they end up doing with it then?” Dani asks as she brings her cup out into the living room and joins me on the couch.
“Ethan, the guy selling the company, actually is going to sign it over to Karl …”
Dani’s eyes widen as if I gave her the gossip of the century. And it was just that. No one expected this outcome.
“Yeah!” I continue. “Now Karl is the owner of it and they both forgave me for lying. But now I have to face them all tonight and tell them my big surprise. I’m worried they won’t be happy for me.”
“Oh, stop. You know your mother. She’s been wanting to be a grandmother since you and Karl hit your twenties. She will be so happy regardless of what has happened.”
Her reassurance helps calm my nerves a bit. “Are you mad that I let it slip to Chase about your pregnancy? I really didn’t intend to hurt you.”
Shaking my head, I grab her hand. “Of course not. I’m glad you did, actually. It helped because I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to break the news to Jon.”
And that’s the truth. It would’ve been months before I was able to muster up the courage for news like that, so it all worked out for the best.
“So, how are you and Chase? You seem to be head over heels for the guy,” I ask, changing the subject to something lighter.
She smiles and blushes slightly. “He’s amazing. He spoils me and makes sure that I’m taken care of. I’ve never met a man like him before. And … something crazy happened last night.”
I scoot closer to her, curious to hear her news.
Is she pregnant like me?
While strange timing, that would be a dream come true as we have always fantasized about becoming mothers together.
“Chase asked me to move in with him. Isn’t that insane?” It’s as if she’s gauging my reaction to see if I would approve. Of course I would approve of her being happy. She deserves the world, and I’m ecstatic that she finally found someone to give her that.
“That’s not insane,” I reply. “That’s incredible!” Dani smiles again and rocks happily. “Actually, what’s insane about this is that Jon asked me the same thing yesterday when we were leaving work.”
“Are you serious? What are the odds?”
Laughing right along with Dani, I couldn’t agree more. “I know. And this is perfect timing because the lease is up in two months and now we don’t have to renew.”
As we continue talking about plans for the future with our men, the light tapping on the door tells me that Jon has arrived to take me to our appointment.
Hugging Dani tightly, knowing that this is going to be a big change for all of us, but we will be happy.
It’s sad to think that she won’t always be just a few steps away from me, but knowing that we have both found our fairytale ending is enough to bring a tear to my eye.
Greeting Jon at the door, he escorts me outside to his car. He pulls out into the busy street and heads toward the doctors. “So, are you ready to see a picture of your baby?” I ask excitedly.
“You have no idea. How about you? Are you ready?”
Sighing, I put a hand on my stomach. “Yeah, I am too. I still can’t believe we are going to be parents. I guess it won’t truly set in until I’m holding the baby in the hospital. Honestly, I’m most nervous about tonight.”
He waves his hand. “Eh, that’ll be easy. I mean, I didn’t really have a mother growing up, but isn’t it most moms’ dreams to become a grandmother?”
Nodding, I smile and watch as we pull into the parking lot of the ob-gyn’s office. While true, with things not yet mended between my mother and me, I’m not sure how the news will go.
Once we enter the building, the nurse takes us right back to the room, and I lie on the bed, waiting for the doctor to enter.
The nerves set in when Dr. Wentzel walks in, all smiles, and takes her place on the wheeled stool. “Alright, momma, you ready to hear your baby?” she asks, grabbing the gel and having me lift my shirt to reveal my stomach. “Now, the gel may be a little cold.”
She places the goo on my skin and places the wand on my stomach. It doesn’t take long to find the heartbeat, and as I look at Jon, there is pure joy in his eyes as he looks at the screen. “Is that the baby?” he asks.
On the screen, there is a darkened circle with something the size of a green bean in the center. “Sure is. And everything sounds and looks great. I’ll get these printed and I’ll be right back.”
She leaves the room, and I use the paper towels to clean the gunk off my stomach and sit up. I can’t believe that it’s real. A baby is growing inside of me, and in seven short months, Jon and I will be parents.
Dr. Wentzel returns with the pictures of the ultrasound and sets up my next appointment in a month. With pictures in hand, Jon walks me back to the car as if I’m precious cargo. “Alright, ready to get this over with?” he asks as he starts the engine.
He is referring to dinner at my parents, and I don’t have a clear answer for him.
I am excited to share the news with them, but the last thing I need is their judgment.
Not to mention, I haven’t spoken to my mother in a little over a week.
I even tried to call her last night after getting home, hoping that Dad and Karl making up with me would soften the blow, but she never answered. Was she honestly that mad at me? Could she ever forgive me for lying to them all?
Everyone else has …
Luckily, my father set this entire dinner up when I called him after Mom ignored my call. He invited me, but I’m not sure he told my mom about it.
Jon pulls up to the curb out front, and I stare at the house that once brought me so much joy. Now I just feel dread.
He climbs out and grabs my door, offering a hand to help me stand, and I take it. “Are you ready?” Jon whispers as we stand at the closed front door.
“No, but let’s do this.” Instead of walking inside like normal, I knock, hoping that Dad answers.
“Oh, good,” My father cheers as he opens the door. “Just in time. Dinner is on the table. And we have a special guest tonight.”
Wearing a curious look, I follow him into the house, with Jon following close behind me. My eyes light up as we enter the dining room, and I see my grandmother sitting at the table. I haven’t seen her in a few months since we moved her into her new home.
I run over and hug her tightly. “Grandma! I missed you so much.”
“Hello, dear,” she replies as Jon and I find our seats. To my surprise, my mother sits across from me, smiling. I wasn’t sure what I was going to walk into tonight. If she isn’t upset with me, then why didn’t she answer me last night?
“Mom, this is Jon, Lizzy’s boyfriend,” my mother hollers down the table at Grandma. She nods and waves shakily at Jon before going back to her plate of food.
She has always been a quiet, simple woman.
But with age, it’s only intensified. Some of my favorite memories are at her house growing up.
Karl would go fishing in their pond with Grandpa before he passed, and I would be inside with her, helping her bake or gather fresh produce from her very large garden she maintained in the side yard.
As I begin to fill my own plate, my mother speaks, catching me off guard. “Lizzy, thanks for coming tonight. I’m glad you were able to see your grandma before we took her back.”
“No problem.” My reply is short as I try to read the situation.
“I’m also sorry for ignoring your call last night,” she continues. “I guess I just didn’t want to apologize over the phone. It didn’t feel right after the way we all acted toward you this past week. It wasn’t fair to write you off like that.”
To hear her apologize instantly melts all the turmoil I’ve been feeling toward my family. Smiling, I reach across the table, and she holds my hand. “Thanks, Mom. I appreciate that.”
With everything now settled, we can all enjoy the meal and conversation as Karl runs through a few ideas he has for his new construction company. His passion for the job is seeping out of him with every word.
After a while, Jon clears his throat, reminding me that we came to dinner with big news for them all. Having my grandmother here is the icing on the cake as I grab my bag that sits on the floor beside my chair.
“So …” I say, gathering the attention of everyone at the table. “I—We have some news to share with you all.”
My hand dips into the bag, and I grab the ultrasound pictures. “Jon and I are pregnant.” I pull the pictures out and show them to them.
Mom immediately snatches them from me and squeals. “Finally!” she hollers. “Luke … we are finally grandparents!” My grandmother claps lightly, smiling from ear to ear as the pictures make it to her.
“That’s fantastic,” Karl says as he stands and walks around the table to me and Jon. He hugs me from behind, and Jon stands to shake his hand, but Karl surprises us all by pulling him in for a hug as well.
Just a week ago, he was ready to tear the limbs off of Jon, and now they are hugging.
Once everyone settles back down, I put the pictures back into my bag and tell them all the details of the pregnancy. “So, what happens now?” my mom asks.
“Well, Jon asked me to move in with him. From there, we will just take it day by day and prepare for parenthood.”
I don’t know what I was so worried about with telling them our news. I always make things seem worse than they truly are, but it’s my way of preparing for the worst so I can be pleasantly surprised when things turn out okay.
My life is finally making sense. I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.