Chapter 8
Cat
Ava will be home tomorrow—her flight comes in Sunday afternoon. Nick and I are going to meet her at her apartment and hopefully break the good news to her.
I’m excited and nervous when I see Ava. We throw our arms around each other and jump up and down in the middle of the living room.
The first thing I notice about her is her hair; she dyed it back to its natural color—black.
She looks better than when she left, if that’s possible.
I probably look like a bedraggled cat from having my head stuffed in a toilet bowl all morning.
I’ve lost a little weight from all the throwing up and not being able to eat a full meal.
I put on a pair of blue jeans and a button down shirt today.
Nick told me I looked great, that I had the pregnant glow; the glow he saw was perspiration from all the energy it took out of me hurling up the little breakfast I ate.
He’s in my soon-to-be old room, but Ava doesn’t know he’s here with me—she doesn’t even know we’re back together.
I didn’t want to be grilled over the phone.
She’s like her cousin; one question would only lead to another, and she wouldn’t let anything go, it’s the Nancy Drew in her.
She’s speaking with a light Southern drawl nonstop, as if we didn’t talk two days ago.
“Honey, I’m happy to see you and the state of New York.
I mean, I love being back home in Nashville, but Mama was driving me nuts.
She wouldn’t stop complaining about my hair being strawberry blond.
I finally caved and went back to my natural color.
I don’t know what got into her, she wanted to bond.
I love shopping as much as the next gal, but how much time can I spend with my mama?
I practically had to gnaw my arm off to hang out with my friends.
She really needs to divorce my daddy and get herself a man. ”
When she stops talking long enough to breathe properly, she frowns, steps back, and looks at me. I bite the inside of my lower lip and brush the palm of my hand against my thigh. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
She pokes her lips out and scrutinizes me for another minute. “Did you lose weight?”
“A little.”
“Is this because of Nick?” Her frown deepens.
“Yes and no.” I’m getting nervous to the point of becoming nauseated. I know she’s going to bombard me with questions. My door opens and Nick comes out, just when I need him.
Ava’s eyebrows shoot up over her hairline, and she turns her head and mouths to me, “What is he doing here?”
I shrug my shoulders and give her a nervous smile. She saunters over to him in her wedge boots, skintight jeans, and cropped leather jacket to give him a hug. Tossing her thick jet-black hair over her shoulder, she gives him a beaming smile. “What are you doing here, Nick?”
“I came to welcome my favorite cousin home.”
She turns her head back and forth between Nick and me. “What the hell is going on? What did I miss?”
She watches Nick walk over to stand next to me. He interlocks our fingers together and points to a chair next to the couch. “Sit down and we’ll tell you.”
“You’re a ‘we?’ You’re a couple? I’m happy if you got back together.”
We sit on the couch and Nick puts his hand on the back while I lean against him with my hands in my lap. “Good, you’ll be happy,” he says.
I press my lips together and try to push away the butterflies fluttering around in my stomach. I take a deep breath and decide where to begin.
“Cat, if you’re together, say it already. I’ll be happy for you; I don’t know why y’all are being so dramatic.”
“We’re together for real this time.”
She lets out a howl. “Woo, thank God.” She smiles and looks at the ceiling. “Y’all acting like y’all had something bad to tell me.”
I look at Nick from the corner of my eye. He gives me a reassuring smile and nods toward Ava, signaling me to go ahead and tell her the rest. I turn my eyes back to Ava and blurt it out in one breath.
“There’s more. I’m moving out. I’m going to live with Nick.”
“What? Why? Because you’re together? I haven’t been gone that long…don’t you think you’re moving a little fast?”
“Yes and no.”
In frustration, she glares at me. “Why do you keep saying that?”
“I’m pregnant. We’re going to have a baby.” I sit still and wait for her reaction. Nothing, she doesn’t move, she’s in some kind of shock. “Ava? Are you okay? Did you hear what I said?”
She blinks twice, ignoring me entirely while turning to Nick. “I guess that’s one way to lock it down. It’s airtight.”
I look at Nick and he’s watching Ava with a wary expression on his face.
I turn back to Ava when she gets up, her hands folded across her chest. She paces across the floor and halfway across the room she turns around with an incredulous look—the one when someone slaps you and you can’t believe they did it.
Like my mother did to me, that’s the look.
“What the hell were you thinking? I mean, I know what, but couldn’t you wrap it up? Are you going to get every female in her family pregnant? After the last fiasco you should make sure those little suckers are sealed in tight.”
I’m a little shell- shocked, as I wasn’t expecting this reaction from her. I can feel Nick tensing up beside me, and when I turn to him he looks pissed; this isn’t good. He’s off the couch and in front of Ava in one stride.
“Pick a fucking side, Ava, and stay the fuck on it!” he barks out. “You’re giving me whiplash.”
“I’m giving you whiplash?” Her hands are in the air, her index fingers going around in circles in front of her face. “Your dick should have whiplash, the way you’re whipping it all around with those sharpshooters!”
I shoot up off the couch to prevent them from saying something they’ll both regret later. Unfortunately, I have to hold on to Nick’s arm to steady myself when my head starts spinning. He holds on tight to my waist and leads me back to the couch.
“Babe, what’s wrong?” Nick kneels in front of me and brushes some of my hair back.”
“I’m fine; I guess I got up too fast.”
He sets his jaw and looks over at Ava next to him, the familiar muscle in his jaw standing out when he gets angry. This is all going south.
“Cat, I’m sorry if I upset you. I’m not upset with you. I wasn’t expecting you to tell me you’re pregnant,” she says, sounding panicked as she sits next to me on the couch.
“It’s okay. I wasn’t expecting to hear it myself the first time.”
Nick looks at her, rolls his eyes, and sits on the edge of the chair she was sitting in before.
I run my fingers through the front of my hair and sit back with a big sigh.
“If this is how you’re taking it, my family is going to burn me on a stake in the shape of a cross.
” I’m trying not to cry, but I feel it coming.
Ava foresees the flood of tears on my face while I try my best to smile to stop them.
“Cat, you’re my best friend; if you’re happy, I’m happy. Are you?”
My gaze turns to her then Nick. He’s waiting to hear what I say. “I think I am.” It’s the truth, these past few weeks with Nick, I’ve been happy. Sick and happy, except for when I think about my family, then I’m just sick.
Ava takes my hands in hers and rubs the back of my hand.
“Then I’m happy for you. Don’t listen to what I said before…
I was… Well, you’re moving out and leaving me by myself again.
I’m not happy with that part; I love having you here.
Your life is changing at warp speed, plus a baby is a big life changer.
Next thing you know you’ll be getting married and leaving for the suburbs in Chappaqua. ”
I laugh at the picture she’s painting. “Slow down, no one’s getting married!”
“I just don’t want to lose my friend to domestic life.
Look at Isabelle, it’s all about Conner and Kevin.
I had big plans for us this summer—it was supposed to be college 2.
0. Now I feel bad ’cause I sound so selfish.
” She releases my hands and puts her arms around my neck and I hug her back, both of us holding back tears.
“Ava, if anything, this baby is going to make our friendship stronger. We are going to be even more connected as family. If it wasn’t for you, Nick and I wouldn’t be together, and this unexpected but happy pregnancy, which brought us back together, wouldn’t have happened.”
“I don’t know if I want to take credit for all of that.
But you’re having a baby with my bonehead cousin, and it’s going to take some time to get used to, which is totally my problem.
And insecurities.” The last part she whispers to me.
That’s something new, because Ava has few insecurities, unlike me.
She pulls back, smiling, and puts her hand on my stomach. “I can’t believe there’s a baby inside you. How pregnant are you? I haven’t been gone that long. Are you sure you’re pregnant?”
“She’s sure!” Nick snaps in a clipped tone.
Ava presses her lips together and makes a face. They are so much alike in looks and temperament.
“The doctor confirmed it when I was rushed to the hospital with a concussion and again when I went to both prenatal visits.” Ava’s eyes bulge and I rush to explain. I tell Ava the whole story, and she can’t believe all of this happened while she was gone.
“Whoa! I’m not going to leave New York again. Whenever I leave, you end up at the hospital.” We both laugh. “I’m serious! I can’t leave you alone for more than two days.”
“I know, right?” I say between giggles.
“I’m going to start packing some of your things,” Nick says, getting up and going to my room.
“Go talk to him, Ava.”
“For what?”
“You were kind of harsh.”
“I wasn’t the only one. Did you hear what he said to me?”
I tilt my head to the side, waiting for her to argue.
“Fine. I’m only doing it because you’re pregnant.”
Nick
“What the fuck is your problem, Ava?”
“You knock her up two months after her sister miscarried your baby, and you’re asking me what’s my fucking problem? Why the hell didn’t you use protection?”
“Does that matter now? It’s done. And how is that any of your business? As long as Cat and I are happy, then that’s all you need to be concerned about. When I ask for your opinion give it to me. Until then, don’t.”
“I’m sure you knew she wasn’t on any form of birth control.”
“It wasn’t the first thing on my mind at the time. I’m sure you’ve been in the same situation a time or two.”
“Since you asked, no, I have not been in that situation, and I know that wasn’t on your mind, your dick was doing all the thinking for you.”
“Watch it, Ava.”
“What is she going to do? How are you going to protect her from her family, her so-called friends, and the gossip and whispering? And I know you’ve heard, don’t act like you haven’t.
After that scene Kate made in the hospital, that was it, the word on the street was out.
More so among people we know personally. ”
“Has anyone come and said anything to her about it?”
“Not that I know. I don’t talk to her about that stuff.
I don’t want her to feel worse about it than she already does.
I know I was coming off like a real bitch out there, but this is an impossible situation for her.
Both of you are going to be in for it. I hope you’re ready; you’re going to have to dust off the rusty old tin armor and be ready to defend her and the choices you’ve both made. ”
“I’ll always defend and protect her with every fucking breath of life I have in me. Defending the choices I make isn’t something I worry about, that’s something to do for anyone who would dare hurt her or make her feel less than worthy of any and everything she deserves and more.”
“I know you’ll take care of her. I didn’t mean to jump all over you like that, your news took me by surprise.
When I left, I had a single roommate who wasn’t pregnant, who was finally learning how to cope with a devastating end to a relationship that barely was.
Imagine my utter astonishment coming back home to a pregnant ex-roommate and the heartbreak she’s trying to get over, telling me I’m going to be a cousin-slash-aunt again.
It’s a lot to deal with ten minutes after I step through the door. ”
“I’m sure it was, but that’s no excuse for the way you fucked up out there. She’s stressed enough about her family and what they’re going to do. What she needed from you was support and to be happy for her; even if you weren’t, you should have faked it until you got your shit together.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. You know I’m going to support you and Cat through all this, no matter what. But my honest reaction should be a dose of reality. At least now you have an inkling of what to expect from others who are not going to be supportive at the idea of you and her being a couple.”
“Trust me, I didn’t need you for that. I already know what to expect. I’m trying to keep a positive spin on it for Cat. You know how much I love her and that I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her. It’s not just her I have to protect now. I’m going to be a father…to our baby.”
“I know I asked Cat, but I’m asking you, you’re happy about this?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? She’s the love of my life.”
“Enough said. Now, do you have something to say to me? Like an apology.”
“For what?”
“You know what? Forget it, I forgive you anyway. I’ll chalk it up to the stress of impending fatherhood making you even more of an ass.”
“Yeah, you do that,” I say, but as she walks out the room, I grab her arm and give her a kiss on the cheek. She pushes me away, wiping her hand across her face but holding back a smile.