Baby Fever

Congratulations!

"I must say, Victoria. You've gained weight in all the right places," Alanna said as she inspected me in the mirror. 

She was right. I inspected myself in my teal-blue, floral dress. Yes, my stomach was round, but so were the other parts of me. The good parts.

We were well into May, so it was springtime. I was officially 36 weeks pregnant. The baby was due in a few weeks. 

"You have to be the sexiest pregnant woman I've ever seen," she said. 

"I agree," Jeremiah said. 

Through my mirror, I saw him walk in the room.

As I turned around to face him, he tucked a pink flower in my hair. Then he took my hand and planted a kiss on it. 

"And I think that's my cue to leave." Alanna looked away.

I rolled my eyes. "So dramatic, all the time. C'mon, if we don't leave now we'll be late."

"We could've been there by now if someone didn't request Tiramisu first thing in the morning."

I rubbed my stomach. "Baby wants what baby wants."

He took my hand and helped me downstairs. Alanna followed swiftly behind. 

"Party, party, here we come!" She exclaimed. 

...

When we got to Layla's graduation party, the backyard was full of people. There were cute pink and silver balloons streamed everywhere. So her parents did listen to my suggestion after all. Alanna jumped and down. 

"Lanna, seriously, this is like the 3rd grad party we've been to. Don't you ever get tired?" I asked. 

"Never." She fluffed her hair and strutted over to the food table. 

Jeremiah gently shoved my shoulder. "There are the guys." I spotted Keon and Chuck. "I'm going to go over there."

"Okay, I'm going to find Layla."

Finding Layla was easy, you know, with her pink hair and everything. Her mom had actually convinced her to wear a pink dress. 

"You look so adorable," I beamed.

She scowled. "I look ridiculous. C'mon, let's sit in those chairs over there."

She helped me into my seat and had one of the attendees bring me a glass of water. 

"So," I started. 

"So."

"Rhode Island."

She looked to me. "Not until August."

I chuckled to myself. "I just can't believe it's all coming to an end."

"Not an end. A beginning."

"You got that right." I nodded.

"What're the guys doing?"

I looked at my friends. Chuck had Keon in headlock while Jer poured juice all over his head. 

"Chuck is going to pursue professional football."

She nodded. "He'd probably do great at it."

"Keon's taking a gap year. He says he wants to travel the world a little bit. Try different things."

"Or girls," Layla laughed. 

"Yeah, that too."

"And you and Jer? You guys seemed very close today."