RAISING SUMMER

WAIT? RIGHT NOW?

I stood in the aisle as a manager's voice interrupted my shopping. I stared hopelessly at my protruding tummy, man I shouldn't have eaten that much at that restaurant. I glanced at the variety of diapers, comfort stretch, ultra absorbent, Swaddlers, sensitive skin?

Who knew there could be this many.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" A quiet sales associate approached me.

"Actually, as a matter of fact, you can. Which pack of these are the right ones?" I asked quizzically.

"It really depends on the baby, how old is yours?" She walked closer.

"Pardon me?" I asked.

"Your baby, how old is your baby?" She rephrased.

"Oh me? No, I don't have a baby." I answered.

"Oh well then Swaddlers are the way to go, how far along are you? If you don't mind me asking." She looked at my bloated belly.

"How far along? Oh, wait, no, I'm not pregnant!" Not unless it's a food baby I thought to myself before sheepishly grabbing the box of diapers to cover myself.

"Oh, I am so sorry!" She covered her mouth in horror. "I just assumed, most women that come in here are a mother or expecting mothers." She backed away.

"It's okay, it's fine, it happens all the time." Lying, I shrugged and smiled.

"Well, I guess let me know if you need anything." She walked away clearly embarrassed, her cheeks rosy.

"There you are!" My head whipped around to Rachel with the cart. I tossed the box of diapers in the cart and folded my arms.

"What now?" She rolled her eyes.

"You are my best friend Rach and obviously I love you but I'm sooo done!" I could say I'm asking for it as I was nowhere near my painfully obvious pregnant best friend.

"What are you talking about?" She yelled.

"This is the 4th time I have been asked if I was expecting or already had a baby!" I frustratingly turned away. She laughed hysterically.

"Go ahead, laugh it up!" I rolled my eyes.

"That would be perfect if you were." She grinned.

"Define perfect!" I followed her as she pushed the cart.

"Well, if you were pregnant..." She began.

"Which I am not!" I interrupted but announced it loud enough for the sales associate in the aisle we were turning into could hear me.

"Then our kids would be best friends just like you and I." She beamed eagerly trying to get me to give in.

"That would be pretty awesome but unfortunately for this little rugrat she's going to have to wait a few years." I stared down at Rachel's baby bump.

"You think it's a girl?" She stopped dead in her tracks.

"Yeah don't you?" I replied.

"No, it's definitely a boy." She beamed.

"Do you know something that I don't know?" I asked. "I thought you were Switzerland on this?"

"No, when I picture the baby I imagine he looks like his father, hence I see a little boy." She smiled as she eyed a little boy's footie set. Rachel's due date was only a week away but this whole situation was surreal enough. Once upon a time we would lay in the grass with our baby dolls and imagine when we had kids. What their names would be, how many kids we had. Planned our weddings imagined what our future husbands were like. She's finally done it, a baby and determined to do it all on her own. She pouted and raised it excitedly, it had cute little Dino's all over it and the foot portion resembled that of a dinosaur. She was going to be the best mom in the world and I couldn't wait to see it. And here I am the best Auntie (maybe by default) but still the best.

"I bet you a hundred it's a girl!" I offered.

"Deal but I'm telling you right now it's a boy I can sense it." I rolled my eyes as she put the footie down. I picked out a little girl outfit that had the world's best niece on it just in case. I'm not trusting Rachel's judgment; she eats pickles and ice cream for god's sake.

"Speaking of boys, have you told Willsboroughs resident trouble maker yet?" She paused and glared at me. Her brother Luke was touring with his band but doesn't check in often and I can't even remember the last time they talked really.

"I tried calling him but you know him always on the go or in bed with some groupie." Ouch she was pissed and I didn't blame her she only had Luke and I after their mother passed away from breast cancer they never knew their father.

"I'm sure it will work itself out, Rach. He always shows up at the most inconvenient time so I'm going to say he might make it to the hospital." I chuckled and so did Rachel. Rachel  was visibly relaxing as we meandered the aisles. I stayed in the clothes aisle. I picked up the outfit she set down and there was a girl one nearly identical but it was lambs instead. I held both in front of me and deliberated on which one I should buy. I should probably get a receipt with this. I sighed picking up both.

I walked down the toy aisle and found a cute little-stuffed monkey with big eyes. I placed the stuffed monkey and the outfits in the basket.

"Rachel?" I called out looking for her.

"I'm over here." She squeaked. I followed her voice down the next aisle where she was holding on to her full cart.

"Rach are you okay?" She glanced at me eyes wide.

"Yeah, yeah." She nodded off.

"Are you sure?" I examined her white knuckles squeezing the cart.

"Yeah, Either I just pissed my pants or my water broke." She casually shrugged.

"Ha." I laughed. "That's funny, I'm not falling for this again." She stood there and looked at me confused. "Oh, Wait? Right Now? Seriously?" I asked and she nodded.

"Are you sure you didn't pee yourself?" I glanced to the puddle of pinkish clear liquid below her. "You seem to pee yourself easily nowadays."

"I'M NOT SURE USUALLY I CAN TELL WHEN I AM PEEING MYSELF, THIS DEFINITELY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE PEEING MYSELF!"

"Well, what did it feel like then?" I shouted.

"It felt like I peed myself!" She shouted.

"You are NOT BEING VERY HELPFUL RIGHT NOW!" I answered.

"Well if it's pee it's yellow right?" She reasoned.

"I guess so?" We glared at the puddle as Rach gripped her stomach in agony.

"Okay, this is definitely not pee!" She shouted.

"NOPE NOT PEE!"