IF LINDY COULD have killed Beth without the repercussions of a lengthy prison sentence, she would have done so immediately. Forget that Beth was her very best friend in the whole world — that aside, she was nothing more than an excruciating pain in the ass to Lindy as she dragged her up the sidewalk towards Jack's front door.
"Let . . . me . . . go," Lindy struggled, trying and failing to wrest her arm out of Beth's iron grip. She'd had no idea how much strength Beth actually had. Or maybe, her pregnancy had weakened her muscles more than she'd thought.
"Nope. We're celebrating you today, Lindy. Whether you like it or not. So put on a smile and let's go."
That right there, Beth's command that Lindy cooperate with her, was what made Lindy so borderline murderous.
She had explicitly told Beth that she did not want a baby shower.
There was no need for one. In the chaos of Kurt's rehab stint, his return home, and the breakup of Nirvana and the media circus that followed, Lindy had not even considered the idea of a baby shower to ring in her pregnancy. In fact, the idea was relatively foreign to her. She couldn't even think of anyone who would attend, let alone throw her one.
Beth though, had gone behind her back anyways and organized a party boisterous enough to make Lindy blush red. She had lured Lindy out of the house with the promise of a lunch in downtown Seattle. This had prompted Lindy into wearing one of her maternity dresses, dainty enough to not make her look homely but accommodating for her stomach. She didn't think it could have stretched any bigger at that point.
She'd slipped on flats to soothe her aching feet, even pinning her hair half up in the way that had earned her many compliments in the past. But Beth did not drive her into downtown. She hadn't even tried to hide it after Lindy had joined her in her car. They'd gone straight to Jack's house, where several cars were parked out front and cream white balloons were tied to the mailbox.
Lindy was humiliated.
She didn't know what was worse — the fact that a party had been thrown in the first place, or that it was being held at her ex-boyfriend's house.
"I hate you," Lindy hissed. "How could you do this? And at Jack's, of all places? What is wrong with you?"
"Hush, before you make me regret being such a nice friend," Beth grumbled. "And it wasn't my idea to have it here. I was talking to Jack about the party and he said Dawn would love to host it for you, since my place is too small."
"Even better!" Lindy exploded. "My ex's new girlfriend is the hostess! Perfect! And let me guess, my ex-boyfriend Michael from college is going to jump out of the cake?"
Beth chuckled, ringing the door bell and keeping a firm grip on Lindy's arm. Her blonde hair was piled into a soft crown on her head, tendrils falling into her face and making her appear angelic.
"No, but I should have thought of that beforehand."
The door opened and there stood Dawn, dressed in a pale yellow pantsuit that only she could have pulled off with her head of auburn hair. Her eyes widened with excitement. Lindy resisted moaning, wishing that above anything, she could have melted into a puddle. She'd only met Dawn a handful of times, some of which had been in public settings surrounded by strangers, but yet the woman was throwing her a baby shower as if they were old friends.
"There she is!" Dawn sang, taking Lindy's hand and pulling her inside. Lindy had never been violent before, but she suddenly had the urge to snap Dawn's wrist. She would have done anything if it meant escaping.
"Look who finally showed up!" Dawn called, leading Lindy and Beth into the spacious living room where other guests sat. Lindy surveyed the faces staring happily at her, taking each one in with building surprise.
