Banter || Hemmings

Go Ju Yon

The ten weeks until my baby shower had flown by. Before I knew it I was five weeks away from delivering and I had to entertain a bunch of people. It felt like a million degrees outside then a million and one degrees inside. Luke and I had decided to invite Michael and Blake and Arielle invited Calum. It felt good having most of the gang back together. I did have lunch with Blake when I was about thirty weeks and it was like nothing had changed between us. Nearly everyone was outside since that's where we had seats and had set everything up. I was fanning myself with a piece of folded cardboard as I spoke to some of the guests. One of the guests was mum's friend from work.

"So are you going to do all natural?" she asked and another one of mum's friends was also intrigued.

"Probably gonna have an epidural and the green whistle," I shrugged with a laugh.

They both gave me this disapproving look, "I see," she sneered.

"You had your daughter at thirteen then tried to make her walk at three months, you can't judge me," I snapped then walked off.

It was as if everyone wanted to know my plans then would judge me when I told them. I was already being mummy shamed even know I hadn't even had my kid yet. I ended up sitting next to Liz who was talking to my mum and Luke.

"What's wrong love?" mum asked me.

"Your friends keep mummy shaming me," I told her with an eye roll.

"I've found it's just easier to walk away hon. People always did that to me," Liz smiled supportively.

As the party dragged on I became more and more exhausted. But I seemed to pick back up once I got to open presents. I sat on a bar stool next to the present table as Luke stood beside me. It took a while to read all the cards and open all the presents but by the end we had scored a lot. People started leaving not long after. Once we were down to the boys and Liz we started cleaning up outside and I changed into something more comfortable.

"Does she kick a lot?" Michael asked.

"So damn much," I sighed but smiled. "Wanna feel?"

His eyes lit up and he offered me his hand. Since I was just in a bralette and pajama shorts he was able to feel perfectly.

"She goes nuts when Luke talks to her," I laughed and saw him blush.

"Awe is little Lukey embarrassed?" Calum teased.

"Shut up," he groaned and hid his face.

"This is going to sound so gay of me but I really wanna see how you've done your room," Blake laughed.

I laughed with him then gestured for them to follow me. I was slow up the stairs but once I was up I was fine. I opened m bedroom door then walked in and stepped aside. They all seemed to be in awe as they looked around.

"And you did this yourself?" Michael asked.

"Yeah pretty much. Arielle helped fold the clothes and Luke painted the dresser next to the door," I explained.

"She's going to be so tiny," Blake awed as he looked at the crib.

"Dude you should see the clothes," Arielle laughed.

"Have you guys picked a name?" Calum asked.

"Yes but you can't tell," I told them.

They all swore they'd keep quiet but before I could speak Luke piped in, "Henley Jayde."

"That's so cute," Liz cooed.

"You never told her?" I asked Luke in chock.

"Always forgot," he laughed.

It took a while more for everyone to leave but once they did I just laid in bed. Arielle ended up lying with me. But since mum didn't want to cook we had to go out for dinner, which meant in return that I had to get dressed. Arielle and I both just wore a singlet and leggings, so we matched. We had a weird friendship but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Once we were in the booth at KFC we gave mum our orders and waiting for her to order and grab the food. My belly was so big I almost didn't fit, which the other two found extremely funny. After we got our food I had an idea. I took the lid off my gravy and rested the tub on my stomach. They all watched me intensely as I dipped my chip into the gravy and ate it.

"Jealous?" I smirked.

"I would be if you didn't have to struggle to pick things off the floor," Kian teased.

I frowned at him but kept eating since I was starving. Dinner took a while since we were all mucking around but it was fun. This was gonna be one of the last times we all went out without Henley here.