Love is Complicated

A Little Get-To-Gether

"He wanted to take me camping."
All eyes fall on Caleb and everyone bursts into laughter.
"You wanted to take Iz camping?" Justin barrels over, "You should've seen her turning that down before you even asked! Izzy hates camping."
"I know, I just thought she'd like to see the outdoors for a while."
Caleb invited everyone over, seeing as I'll be in the hospital tomorrow, giving birth to an unhealthy baby girl. I was in our room, sliding on my maternity, slim fitting, black dress; proud to show off my curves to my husband one more time. Dreading the look of hospital gowns, I thought I'd look good again before...
"Well?" I step out into the hallway, hearing everyone applaud at my appearance. I try to bow, but it doesn't go well with the package in my body. I walk out the rest of the way, stumbling on my bare feet.
"I thought you were supposed to dress up?" My mother barks, pointing out my effort of shoewear.
"Oh, being that pregnant, I don't blame her for not putting on shoes." Katie speaks while getting up to fill her glass of wine. She had been chugging since she got here.
Ella was in the kitchen, but she has been distant since this party bagan. I guess they're all taking this differently....
"My baby girl, you look beautiful." My daddy purrs.
"No, she looks Gorgeous." Caleb stands from sitting on the ground with Jackson and Justin. Once he stands he slides his fingers in his jean pockets and takes my whole look in. His eyes turn soft and my heart melts. Suddenly my eyes blur.
"Why are you always the trigger for tears?" I struggle out, trying to mask the sadness with laughter. He comes closer and envelopes me in his embrace; one hand stayed on my bumb, and the other on my back.
"It's the charm." He whispers in my ear.
"I didn't know you had any..." I tease as he kisses my temple, "nice to know I married a man with no 'Swag'."
"I actually am pretty 'hip'." He tries to impress me by sliding on a pair of sunglasses Justin hands him. Finishing this plane crash, he throws up a peace sign.
"First off: no." I pull his hand sign down, "Secondly, these do not belong to you." I slide the shades off. But instead of handing them over to my brother, I slide them on over my eyes. "But they're mine now." I blow an air kiss to my brother.
He sticks his tongue out before I walk off to the kitchen. "Ella?" I gently touch her shoulder, bringing her away from her phone. "You okay?"
"Um, yeah-" she clears her throat, "I'm fine. Nothing to not be fine about... Except that my best friend is going to give birth tomorrow and I still haven't told Justin about being pregnant, but ya know let's focus on you tonight. How that kicker?" She speaks so fast that she almost lost me; almost. She adds a nervous laugh, and I cross my arms.
"Ella." I give her my disappointed mother scowl, while I slide the shades onto the top of my head.
"I know, I know. I just have been side tracked and I want him to spend time with you, and not be pulled away from maybe seeing you for the last time...." She takes a deep breath and I look at her phone. I gasp,
"Oh my Gosh. Let me see-"
"No. No no no no no." She slides it into her back pocket.
"You think that will stop me? Think again." I swiftly snatch the phone right out of her jean pocket. I do a small victory dance, while Ella's face falls even more. "I may be Pregnant but that doesn't stop me from being skilled!" She crosses her arms and I turn my attention onto her phone. I unlock it instantly, yes because best friends know one another's passwords. (✌)
"I haven't told anyone." She hisses and I finally figure out what she's hiding.
"Number one: you didn't think I would find this? I'm your best friend! Your pregnant best friend. I can spot an ultrasound from anywhere. Number two: awe! A boy; you're gonna have a little boy!"
"Shhhh!" She brings down my excitement. "He'll hear you!" I look back and watch as Justin tries to balance a pencil on his nose.
"We're good." I shrug it off, but her eyes widen.
"I haven't told him for a reason!"
"Well, unless you got pregnant by another man, you need to tell him Ella." I push once more.
"Ugh. I would never do that! Everyone thinks that!"
"Then what's the reason?"
"Well.." She taps her foot and I gently lay mine over top of hers to stop the noise and distraction. "I'm scared, okay." Her shoulders fall.
"You don't think I wasn't?" I giggle, almost tempting to slap my knee. "I'm still terrified, even more so that I might leave Caleb here to do it all on his own and I don't have a say in it." She still looks petrified, and I pull her farther into the kitchen to make sure no one was in ear shot. "Here, let's make a deal."
"Okay...." Ella uneasy agrees.
"If you promise you'll tell Justin in front of me after this baby is born tomorrow, then I will make sure I'm still here afterwords."
"Deal." Ella forces me to shake hands with her, before she gives me a hug.

***

I finally get up, after staring up at the ceiling for almost two hours. I had tried and tried to sleep, but it just wasn't happening. Caleb had fallen asleep listening to our heartbeats, but he was now rolled off to the side, quieter than normal. I shuffle into the bathroom and I feel nauseous, but I guess that's normal when you know that you know you're gonna give birth tomorrow. My throat gets dry, so I tip toe out of our bedroom. As I made my way down the hallway, I had to try my best not to step on anyone, seeing as they all just wanted to crash here. Ella and Justin were cuddling on the floor, but we made a pile of blankets so they were on softer ground. My mom and daddy were on the blown up air mattress in the room that is set up for our daughter. Katie and Jackson were passed out on the couch; we all knew Katie was going to wake up with a killer hangover (Not a proud moment for her). When I finally reach the fridge, I grab the milk jug. I chug almost half of the container, but I only stop because I heard Caleb's voice.
"Now that's a turn on." I close the lid and put up the late night thirst quencher.
"Seeing your pregnant wife chug a milk jug while her wasted and depressed friends are spread throughout the living room is a turn on for you?" He nods, moving around Ella and Justin. When he reaches my side, he wraps his arms around my body. "You need to upgrade your turn on's."
"Nah. Seeing you in just my shirt is hot enough." He wipes away my milk mustache.
"I am wearing underwear, thank you." I narrow my eyes at him and start to walk away, but he lightly taps my butt as I try to not wake anyone up.
*
Back in bed we both just try to sleep. I knew Caleb was pretending, but I bet he knew I was too. It's normal to not be able to sleep in this type of crisis, right? I let out a deep breath, and I feel Calsbs hand rap around mine.
"Take my hand baby, and we'll get through this together."
He murmurs and I smile like an idiot, only after I hold on tighter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you for reading!!!

Yo yo yo! Just a little warning.... These next (last) few chapters are going to be sad... :/ but I promise the book will have a happy ending =) :*

- Emuna_Jasmine