Chapter 15
Cat
I reach for my phone and see Nick’s face on the screen. “Hey, babe, what’s up?” I say, rubbing my eyes trying to keep them open.
“Sorry, I’m waking you up.”
“Don’t worry about it, what’s wrong?” I say sleepily, trying to wake up to talk.
“I wanted to hear your voice and to tell you I miss you.”
“You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep. I was thinking about you and the baby. Don’t worry about me, I’m fine.”
“Okay,” I say hesitantly, not sure if I believe he’s fine but going along with it.
“How’s the baby? Did he move?”
“No, she didn’t move yet, still just flutters.”
“Maybe we should go back to the doctor to make sure everything’s fine.”
“Stop worrying so much. The baby’s fine. I have another checkup in two weeks. Are you sure nothing’s wrong?”
“Yeah. I just wanted to hear your voice. Go back to sleep I’ll call you in the morning.”
“Nick?”
“Yeah?”
“The baby is fine. We’re fine. I can’t wait till you’re home. I miss you.”
“I love you, baby. Go back to sleep, sweet dreams, bye.”
“Bye.” What was that about?
The next day I go shopping with Ava and we end up at an upscale lingerie boutique.
“I don’t know, Ava, something’s off.”
“Maybe he really just misses you a lot. You haven’t been apart for a day in months.”
“I don’t know. He called me three times in one night, and the last time it was three in the morning. He didn’t sound like himself.”
“What did he sound like, if not himself? Did he sound like he was going through withdrawal?”
“What kind of withdrawal? He’s not an addict.”
“Pussy withdrawal; he’s addicted to that.”
“Shut up.” I smile and give her a playful shove. “I’m serious, Ava.”
“I’m serious too. The guy’s crazy about you. He’s never been in a relationship like this, and he has another baby on the way, after, you know—no need for me to say.”
“I think that’s part of the problem. He doesn’t say anything to me about that.”
“You think it has something to do with him and Kate losing their baby?”
I nod my head yes and look at a hot pink pleather cat suit. I promptly put it back on the rack when Ava shakes her head, laughs, and says no. “I wake up during the night with him wrapped so tight around me I can hardly breathe. It happened the first time about four weeks ago.”
“You need to talk to him, Cat.”
“He doesn’t want to talk with me about losing the baby. I brought it up once and he brushed it off. I’m hoping he will open up to me about it on his own. I don’t want to push him.”
“Then you don’t want to find out what’s going on with him. You need to push, girl. I would.”
“I feel like I’m crossing a line if I ask too much.”
“Don’t be silly, that’s your job as his girlfriend, to pry and meddle and get all up in his business until you get the answers you need. But subtly, with a smile and the right lingerie.”
“I don’t want to be that girlfriend. I don’t want to nag him to death. Ava, you know he doesn’t like that. I want him to trust me and be comfortable with me enough to be able to tell me if he’s having issues dealing with the loss of his baby or whatever it is that’s wrong.”
“Like with most men, that might not happen. I suggest you be honest and straightforward with him. Say, ‘what’s wrong with you, I don’t have time to play guessing games.
I have a shit load of family drama, I’m five months pregnant, and I have to work with a bunch of noisy rug rats all day, what the hell is wrong with you? ’”
“You know I would never say that to him. Nick would look at me like I’ve lost my mind.”
“Then you’re going to be the strong, silent, worrying type and wait for him to talk to you. Good luck with that. If he’s as worried about you as you think he is, he’s not going to tell you a thing.”
“Maybe I’m overthinking. You might be right, he really did miss me. I know I sure miss him. It’s hard sleeping in his bed all by myself; I’ve been sleeping with him next to me every night for three months.”
“I’m sure sleeping’s not the only thing you’ve been doing. I’m positive when he comes back you won’t be getting much sleep for days.”
I smile and look down at the lingerie on the table. She’s so right.
“Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. Your man’s coming home and you got to show him how much you missed him.” She moves around the other side of the table and holds up a black leather dominatrix outfit with what looks like a chain and whip attached at the hip.
“Are you serious, how am I going to pull that off, Ava? That’s for you. Think more Cat, less Ava.”
She holds the whip up over her head like a true cowgirl, rotating her shoulders back, and pushing her chest out. “Yeah, you’re right, I can see myself rocking this. Bow down bitch, whoosh, whoosh.”
I laugh at her dominatrix cowgirl act. I feel sorry for the man who lets her try that whip out on them. I move over to a rack and pick up a crotchless red feather slingshot-looking thing and hold it up to my body to show Ava.
“Feathers, no, put that back. That’s not you. When buying lingerie, you have to stay true to yourself. You can’t pull that off, I might be able to. In your condition, you’re going to look like a stuffed turkey trussed up with all the fixins.”
“You wanted to put me in that thing over there!”
“Leather is hot, this is not. You don’t want to look like a cheap street walker unless you’re role playing and going for that look.
” She looks around the store and comes back with a lavender see-through chiffon and Chantilly lace stretch chemise with diamonds on the thin straps and sprinkled around the sweetheart neckline. “What do you think?”
“I love it.” I take the hanger from her and hold it up in front of me in the mirrors.
“I knew you would. You won’t be able to wear it a second time when he rips it off you. It’s going to be well worth the money.”
I look at her through the mirror at the mention of how much it costs.
“How much is it?” I look down at the tag when she doesn’t answer and turn around, handing it back to her.
“I am not spending that much money on one piece of lingerie I won’t be able to wear after I have this baby.
I want to show him how much I missed him, not take advantage of him and spend all his money.
” She hands it back to me and I look at it.
It is pretty…I shake my head no. “This is too much to spend.” Ava puts her hands on her hips and brings on the accent.
“My cousin gave you his card, let that man see you appreciate his money and hard work. By spending an obscene amount, you are thanking him. You’re letting him know how much you want to please him and turn him on.”
I walk over to the rack and put the twelve-hundred-dollar chemise back.
Nick says his money is mine, but I wouldn’t spend this much of my own money on this.
I’m only using the card he gave me so he can see I used it.
If I don’t buy something he’s going to want to know why I’m not using it.
I turn around and Ava’s so close I almost bump into her.
I put my hand on my stomach and say, “What?” She puts her hand on my shoulder.
“You want to turn Nick on and keep him guessing from time to time? Spend some fucking money in this store.” She smiles and points at the chemise. “That will turn him the fuck on. Drop some money in this house of delights and fantasy, and when you’re done, he’ll be thanking you.”
“Ava, I don’t know about this.”
“You don’t want to spend his money, but I’m sure the other women he’s been with wouldn’t think twice spending the damn money.
He gave you his card because he wants you to spend his money, and he can afford it.
” She straightens up and looks around the store.
“Let’s do this, since you’re not used to spending his money, we’ll take it slow.
I’m going to help you get over this. I see a lot of lace over there.
You can’t go wrong with lace, but whatever you pick out can’t be less than a hundred.
You can’t get decent lingerie for less than a hundred in here.
If the tag says less than ninety-nine, we’re going to have a problem. You know how I can get, let’s go.”
“Yes, sir!” I mock salute her.
She tosses her hair over her shoulder and walks me over to the other side of the store. “Attitude now, you’re going to be thanking me later, darling.”
Twenty minutes later I find something we can both agree agree on. I hold it up in the air like a victory prize. Now we can get out of this damn shop.
“Yes, that’s you. Lace tank and matching string bikini panties, yeah that’ll work, sweet yet sexy.
You’re five months, you look like you’re three and a half months in—” She leans her head back to assess me then continues.
“Yeah, you can get it in this. Your body is still good, it’s holding up pretty good. ”
What is she trying to say? I hand the cashier the card and the tank set before I turn around to Ava with one hand on my hip.
“Excuse you, I will have you know this body is as hot as it was pre-pregnancy and your cousin, my man, is well satisfied. I do not need the lingerie to turn him on.” I point to myself with the hand I have resting on the counter. “This already has him turned on.”
Ava pops her lips and looks at the cashier, who’s smiling. “Well excuse me, I hear that. You’re putting it down, bump and all. I aspire to be like you one day when I’m old and knocked up.”
“You should be so lucky.”
“Yes, I should, especially if you can still bend over and touch your toes while he’s giving it to you like a battering ram smashing through your walls of love.”