"Here you go ma'm," the doctor handed me my clothes.
"Uh thanks," looking at my blood stained, torn jeans and tee.
"Come on, honey," my mom called down the hall, "we're gonna be late for the party."
"Do I have to go ?" I grumbled but walked down the hall towards my mom. My older brother's wife was having a baby shower and I had to go. I'm really happy for them but I really needed to find more about Zach and my other friends. Where did they go after I was taken away ? I know I didn't see them at the hospital. Right ?
"You know how important this is to your brother," My mom scolded,"now we're going home so you can change." She grabbed my wrist and dragged me downstairs and out to the parking lot as if I were a child.
*******
"Alex !!!!!" Rachel screeched. She ran over to hug me.
"I think I'm deaf now," I muttered into her shoulder as she squeezed the life out of me, "... can't .... breathe." She let go of me and slapped my arm playfully.
"Oh, you. Silly thing."
I gasped for air and half-smiled, "yeaaa ... me." Rachel was my brother's wife. She was really nice and very enthusiastic. Sometimes I wondered if there was a 10 year old inside of her 27 year old body. She was beautiful too, it had been really funny watching her skinny figure blow up like a balloon because of the weight she'd gained being pregnant and all. The doctors said the baby was due in a couple of weeks but Rachel never had the time to schedule the baby shower and Nate, my brother, was always too busy at work to have any free time. Nate was the Executive Manager of a small family-owned shipping company while Rachel was a fashion designer for some big, fancy, corporation in New York. She worked from home but she would go up there a lot for meetings and fashion shows. Their schedule was very hectic and I was surprised to hear when Rachel was pregnant. I don't know how they would be able to manage a child with the jobs they had.
"So how've you been ? School going good ? Any guys ?" She asked poking my sides.
"Rach ..." I groaned then smiled,"Duh there's a guy."
She laughed and was about to say something when Nate tapped his glass with a fork asking for everyone's attention. Rachel touched my arm dismissing herself but not before she whispered,"We'll talk later." I nodded and walked to my seat.
"I'd like to make a toast to my beautiful wife and our soon-to-be daughter." Everyone cheered. Rachel's smiled widened and I could see that she had been hoping for a daughter. She got up and hugged Nate. They were going to keep the gender a surprise and wait to see when the baby was born but a choke days a go Nate had come up to me and told me that he was going to announce it at the party. I wasn't to tell anyone for he and I were the only ones that knew. I was happy for Rachel because every since she found out she was pregnant she had been ranting on about how much she wanted a daughter.
"Think of this," she told me,"what if I started a baby fashion line." She suddenly squealed flailing her arms in front of my face. "Oh my gosh !! Baby skirts and dresses ! Ooh and little accessories !!! And the shoes !!! Oh the shoes !!!" Her high pitch voice made my ears throb.
Nick continued ignoring the busy chatter. "To this moment now and for all the good times I know are to come. To Vanessa." Everyone clapped and all the women burst into tears and the men bro-hugged Nate teasing him about diapers.
When everyone was done with the sappy toasts I made my way to the buffet. So much food. There were cascading trays of cheese cubes, fresh fruits, wheat crackers, thinly-cut slices of meat that were all arranged neatly beside one another. I thought of how beautiful it was then how beautiful it would be inside of my stomach. I couldn't resist the urge to grab it all and shove it in my face hole but seeing as there were adults around I slid around to the other side of the table, grabbed a plate, and started placing food on my plate. As I was eating, I felt a tug on the hem of my dress. I looked down to see my toothless cousin Kelsi.
"I wike your dwess," she complimented. I couldn't help but smile at her adorable little face.
"Thank you, I see you lost another tooth."
"Yeah yeah," she jumped up and down excitedly," mommy says the tooth faiwy is weeeeaaally happy. Look ... and dis one ... ooh ooh and dis one ..." She pointed out where her teeth were. I couldn't help but chuckle.
She got up on her tippy-toes towards my ear and cupped a hand over her mouth. She whispered, "The tooth faiwy gives me money evewy time I lose a tooth !!!"
I stifled a laugh and whispered back," I heard there's lollipops in Aunt Claire's purse." She gasped and skipped away towards Aunt Claire.
*******
I was looking through my phone when I came across a picture of me and Chris goofing off after practice. Fridays me and Chris do Insanity. Thursday's are hip hop with Isabella and Wednesday's, Tuesday's, and Monday's, are sparring, boxing, and kickboxing with Chris. Aside from that we all have our personal clients.
That was it. Tomorrow, I'm looking for Zach and Isabella. Then, I'm looking for the man that killed Chris.
*******
\\ Vote and Comment //
