The Next Best Thing: Part II

Forty-Four

November came and left with Min becoming very pregnant and very much crankier than before. She was happy one minute, screaming at you the next, demanding peanut butter covered everything and a fresh brew of chamomile tea every morning when she woke up.

Lily was in and out of the apartment a lot too, coming in at all hours of the night, worrying Min's heightened motherly instincts. She'd come back smelling like him, a cute, permanent blush on her white cheeks.

Min must have noticed this strange pattern of behaviour, prompting her to confront her little sister one morning over breakfast.

"Why don't you just stay over with him, Lil? Obviously you're in love with him," she continued. So far we'd learnt that she was out with Aidan all the time, showing him around New York and a good time before he left for home.

"Min, can you stop!" she cried, becoming increasingly irritated. She was always on edge and readily defensive, especially when Aidan was the topic of conversation. "We're just friends. I don't even know if he likes me. He kisses me, then pretends like everything's okay, like that's normal."

"Are you in any form of relationship? Is he your boyfriend now, or are you his girlfriend?" I was as confused as she was at that point because that wasn't like Aidan, to be manipulative and a user.

"I don't know," she whispered in a small voice, her arms wrapped firm around her chest. She looked so vulnerable and I couldn't help her in any way. Lily's eyes were tearing up, and I then realised what was actually happening.

"Lily, you are in love with him, aren't you?" I asked, taking her hand into mine.

"Yes. Yes, okay. I love him, I'm in love with him and it hurts. He doesn't care about me. He's gotten what he wanted, gotten to touch me and kiss me and-"

"Did you sleep with him?" Min's eyes were widened in worry and she looked like she was about to strangle my poor Aidan.

"God Min! Of course not! I'm not like you," she yelled, tears trickling down her face.

That touched Min, hitting a nerve and causing a jolt of pain in her sensitive heart. "No, you're not," she muttered as she stood up deliberately slowly. Her eyes had glossed over, her hands were trembling and her bottom lip was quivering: all tale tell signs that she had had enough.

I could tell Lily felt bad - she immediately retracted, taking back her mean words. "Min, I'm sorry. I...I shouldn't have said that."

"I understand. I just need some air, okay? I'm just going to take a walk," she replied, grabbing a coat from the cloak closet in the hallway.

"Min, it's too cold outside. Please don't do this," I pleaded, running after her.

"I just need some air, Zoe."

"Min, no," I persisted.

"Just leave me alone, okay? I have managed perfectly fine alone."

But I couldn't do that - I followed after her. She took her car and drove into central Manhattan, entering a toy store near the park. She was inside for a very long time, over an hour, exiting with a lone paper bag I assumed was stacked with baby toys.

Next was a baby clothes store, one we'd visited in the early months of her pregnancy. Many moms, especially ones carrying their now fully developed bundles of joy, were inside, doing a little early Christmas shopping for their children, born and unborn.

I followed her inside but lost her in the maze of dark haired pregnant ladies.

"Can I help you?" a petite shop assistant asked politely, coming over to me.

"Yes, please." I gave Min's appearance and unusually tall stature. "She's apparently pregnant and I seem to have lost her. Have you seen her by any chance?"

"You mean her right there?" she pointed. Min was exiting the store with a pretty looking veteran shop assistant carrying her bags to her car. I saw Min thank her with a hug and speeding off to her next destination.

I was too late; I lost her.

I called Lily just in case she'd gone back home, and Lyle just in case she'd met up with him. I called Penelope to find out if Min had gone to their place and the last person I called was Carla in the faintest hopes that she'd gone home, highly likely.

"I have no idea. I'm out grocery shopping and on an errand run, fun," she sassed. She really needed a new job, and fast. "Sorry I can't help, nana. She's probably at a drive-thru right now giving into her cravings. I'm sure she'll be fine."

About that, I wasn't so sure anymore.

...

Min

She asked me if I'd been knocked up, screwed then dumped, by one of my many suitors.

"Did you open your legs again and finally get what you deserved?" she sneered. "Because I see you're alone here and you look very lonely. Besides, I heard he's found someone new and perfectly gorgeous, but of course you know that because you just have to be in control of his life."

I wasn't going to do that, not then, not with her. Kira was milling about the store, accompanying one of her very pregnant sisters. She was out of earshot - she wouldn't condone such behavior from her little sister. Her family's reputation was impeccable, old money high society Astaires. Kira was just the spoilt disgrace.

I ignored her, although I knew that it was all true. This, what I was going through, was because I opened my legs to everyone, everyone but Lyle. I let them hang off of me, I let him hang off of me.

But I'd never actually slept with anyone besides Andy and Lyle, especially during our relationship.

I never did that. I would never do that.

Many people didn't know this though.

I had gotten so tired of being Meek Min, tall Japanese Min who always needed a tan and to fix her geeky brace face. I was tortured in high school, always picked on because I was the misfit straight A student whose best friend was the mixed race hippy.

No-one understood me or even bothered to care about me. I stood out like a sore thumb.

I was always compared to my Nordic mom with bright green eyes and long blonde hair and my sister with my mom's Caucasian features. I was the exact opposite: hazel eyes and thick raven hair. I couldn't dye my hair to fit in with the other girls at school. I couldn't wear coloured contact lenses because my dad always told me I was beautiful just the way I was.

After Andy, I vowed to shed my vulnerable, dorky image for the rich bitch party animal everyone expected me to be. It was all a façade: the clothes, the behaviour, the attitude.

Then I met my amazing friends who understood old me and didn't see why I had to pretend. I didn't have to pretend with Lyle, either. He was always understanding and I never once gave him credit for loving me entirely for the person he always knew I was on the inside. Now I was alone.

"I happen to have your mom on speed dial, believe it or not. She's a lovely woman," she hissed. "I'm sure she would love to hear this." And I'd make sure of it. I wasn't going to let her have the satisfaction. This was a long time coming. I was ready now...