Defying Gravity

Nursery blues

"Liz, you have to have a nursery for your baby." Maggie said. It was spring break and Maggie decided to spend the day with me. I looked up from my laptop and said "Yeah, I know. I know. I'm trying to decide on a good theme. Never land or Futuristic." I showed her my sketches. "Futuristic in Peter Pan colors." She said. I nodded and said "That's a good idea. I can order it all online. Hey, Maggie? Why do you dress in ill fitting clothing?" Maggie froze and I tried to backtrack by saying "You don't have to tell me." She sighed and said "It's okay. Um, well, at school it's because it would just get destroyed. What with Leticia beaning me with Mexican food, slushie facials, and dumpster dives. Other than that, it's just because I don't have pretty things. Lily, Vivi, and Bella get pretty things. Roxie pays for her stuff. Robin is an actress and I can't get a job because I'm fifteen, myopic and my eye sight is slowly deteriorating so I have no way to pay for anything." I scoffed and said "That Knott's Berry farm hooded sweatshirt your wearing cost thirty five dollars. Your jeans, twenty five. Your pink t shirt cost ten dollars. Those black converse were fifty dollars." Maggie frustrated said "My grandma bought my sweatshirt and I saved up my Christmas and birthday money from various family members to buy my jeans, shirt and converse." I stood up and circled her. "Hm, four eleven. C cup. I think I have something better for you to wear." I went to my box of clothing from when I was thirteen and pulled out my scarlet coat, scarlet blouse, black skinny jeans, and black sky high high tops. I handed them to her and said "This should fit. Up til I was fourteen, I was very petite." Maggie walked behind the curtained off area of the lockers room. Five minutes later she walked out in the clothing and her chocolate brown and watermelon pink hair very ruffled. I laughed and said "Maggie, sit down?" She sat in front of me. I brushed out her hair and made it so that her aqua and watermelon streaks were seen clearly. Her hazel eyes twinkled merrily behind her lenses. "Now, I need to redo my room." I grabbed my lavender laptop and dragged Maggie over to my room to see how I could redecorate. I turned around my room slowly and said "I have an idea. A turquoise bed frame, king sized. A bunch of purple, teal, and hot pink pillows. A pink shag rug. Black bookcases for my books. A big magenta armoire with hot pink hearts." Maggie laughed and said "Sounds like you don't need my help planning but finding stuff. Don't worry, I always find great quality things. First stop is Home Depot for paint." Her phone buzzed. She checked it and said "On second thought, my house is our first stop, then Lima Bean." I grabbed my pink coat, purse, and scarf as I raced out to the front. I stopped to grab the keys to my car. I opened the door and Lola was standing there with Selena and Harley. "Liz, can you watch Selena and Harley for me? James is sick and doesn't want the girls nearby so that they don't get sick." I nodded and said "Maggie and I were just heading out to her house then to the lima bean." I hugged my six and four year old nieces. We all raced to my car. The whole ride to Maggie's house we sang along to the cd Al left in the car the last time he and grandma visited. When we got there, Maggie leaned out of my lavender car and yelled "Roxie! Robin! Eris! We're here!" Her younger sisters and Roxie's best friend raced out of the house clutching matching duffels. "Where are we going?" Eris asked. "We're going to meet Nick and Jeff at the Lima Bean. Jeff brought along his younger siblings Jocelyn, Johnny, Josh, and Jake and their friends Elliot and Mason." Maggie said. Roxanne wrinkled her nose and said "So in essence, your taking me with you on one of your dates and leaving me with the boys, Glitter, wacko, and pretty boy as well as cat girl and Mini Harley Quinn." Maggie said "No, we're going shopping for bedroom stuff for Liz and the boys are coming with us as our muscle since I have little upper body strength, Liz is eight months pregnant, Harley and Selena are kids, and you, Robin, and Eris are twelve, thirteen and fourteen year old dancers who can't lift anything heavier than Brittany's cat." Roxie said "Good point." Harley looked at Roxie and said "How old are you?" Roxie said "I'm twelve." Harley said "I'm four. Selena is Six. I like your hair. It's pretty. Like the girl who plays Mia." Selena said "Anne Hathaway. And yup. Your hair is seriously pretty. Can I braid it?" Roxie took her hair out of the ponytail and said "Go ahead." I pulled into the parking lot of the Lima Bean as Selena finished braiding Roxie's chestnut and gold hair. Jeff ran to the car and hauled Maggie out hugging her acting all mushy. Eris gagged and said "To much mushiness." I got out of my car and hugged Nick. He said "What's the plan for today?" I grinned and said "Maggie and I are shopping for some bedroom furniture. None of what I have is baby safe." He put his hand on my stomach and said "Hear that jelly bean? Your mama is changing her room for you." I felt him kick and Nick got this awed expression on his face. "I've never felt him kick." Nick said. "He does kick often, but your never around when he does." Nick shook his head and said "Did you get anymore weird packages?" I shook my head. "My grandparents Ginora, Ross, and Harry decided they want to baby me and sent me a bunch of baby toys and several new books and first editions of my favorite books. The first editions were from grandpa Harry." I turned and said "Roxie, Eris, go ahead and talk to Jason and Robin. Jeff and Maggie can watch my nieces." As soon as I said this, the unlikely pair swarmed Jeff talking about the princess and the frog movie they saw with Lola. "And we saw a really pretty boy dressed as Naveen but he had blonde hair like yours. He was with a girl dressed as Tiana and she was vampire pale!" Harley recounted. "Oh really?" Jeff asked. Harley nodded and said "She was as pale as the joker but she was really nice and so was the boy. My Maman said that they were cosplaying." I smiled and said "Would you accompany us to Ikea?" Nick said " "Sure."