Live, Laugh, Loathe

Chapter 13: Damon

Several days later, I'm still fucking furious over that doctor's appointment.

Drew and I have received many calls from the clinic's management team, apologizing, stating he would be appropriately reprimanded, yadda, yadda, yadda. They're just blowing smoke up our asses, so we'll let it go.

And much to my dismay, Drew has. I think it's mostly because we have so many other things to think about right now; she just doesn't care about further punishing this guy. Which I can understand. Especially since she comes in several times a day to vomit into my ensuite toilet. She said, and I quote, "Well, bud, you impregnated me in one go, so if I'm going to puke, it'll be in your toilet."

Can't argue with that logic. I just wish she wasn't so loud.

I had a client ask me if we were having plumbing issues because she kept hearing toilet flushing sounds. Drew had been having a particularly bad morning and ran to the bathroom five times within the same meeting. This stage has been torture; I can't do anything for her aside from make her tea when she can stomach it and try not to eat anything stinky. I hate how powerless I feel.

My door bursts open, pulling me back to the present. It's my monthly poker night with my guys, and I am desperate to tell them about everything. Drew and I agreed that we could tell close friends, but she's still refusing to talk to HR. It makes me itchy, but I'm letting her drive this conversation; she has the most to lose.

"Damon! Are you ready to lose all your money?" Collin is in the hallway, wearing khaki shorts, tube socks with slides, and the pièce de resistance, a Hawai'ian shirt with Rachel's face printed all over. He looks like an idiot.

"What the fuck are you wearing?" I ask as we do the hug-back-slap greeting.

"Do you like it? Rachel gave it to me on our honeymoon! It's my favorite shirt. Maybe she can order one with a certain assistant's face for ya?" He wiggles his eyebrows at me like the dork he is. I laugh and shove him away, taking the beer from his hands and stuffing them in my fridge.

A moment later, Danny and Richard show with the chips and guac. They all know I have news to share, but I don't think any of them have guessed. Well, I take that back; they've probably all guessed it's about Drew, but I doubt they'll think she's pregnant.

I wait till we're settled and the cards are dealt.

"Drew's pregnant, isn't she?" Complete silence follows Richard's question. Danny and Collin look at me expectantly while I stare at Rich like he's a fucking oracle.

"How the hell did you fucking guess?" I mean, seriously, how?

Richard laughs as Danny and Collin begin screaming that there will be another dad in the group and that they'll be uncles.

"While I'd love to say I can read minds, I saw that." He points to my coffee table, where my copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting sits next to my notebook. Hunh, I guess that would be a huge clue. Didn't even think to hide it.

"Plus, you told us you had one wild sex-capade with her without a condom. Seeing the book, paired with your ominous 'I have news' text, made it easy to put it all together." Rich shrugs as if it was no big deal.

"Rachel? Baby, I owe you twenty bucks, and you now have two baby name vetoes." Collin is out of his seat, talking to his wife on the phone.

"What the fuck Collin?" Is now really the time?

"What? She totally guessed what this was about! Made me a bet." He pauses as Rachel talks to him and then hands me the phone. "She wants to talk to you, buddy." I take it and wait for the gloating to start.