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“Hell no, it isn’t cheating,” Caitie told her. “You just used your expertise.” Her eyes twinkled. “Now, go get me my champagne. I need to drink it for us both.”
“Maybe they can give you a bottle of fruit juice instead,” Brooke said, sympathetically.
“Harper got it on the dot!” Ally called out. “She’s the winner.”
“Congratulations, Harper.” Ember’s mom still hadn’t figured out that she didn’t need to shout into the microphone. The speakers screeched again, and everybody around the table winced. “Come on up and get your prize.”
Grimacing, Harper stood and walked over to where Ember was standing with her mom, the tape still wrapped around her waist. Their eyes met and Harper gave her a commiserating smile. She also made a mental note; if she had a baby shower there was no way there would be games; she’d rather pull all her fingernails out.
Ember grinned sheepishly. “Congratulations on guessing how fat I am.”
Harper couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s all baby in there,” she said, looking down at Ember’s bump. Funny to think her own stomach would be that big soon. “And anyway, you look amazing. I love your dress.”
“Thank you.” Ember glanced down at her grey-and-white flowered dress. “But I look like a whale. I keep thinking I can’t get any bigger and then I do. How are you feeling?”
Harper wrinkled her nose. “Good days and bad. I was hoping you were going to tell me it all gets better after twelve weeks.”
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Ember laughed. “Honestly, it does. You won’t feel so tired or so sick once you’re in the second trimester. And you’re a seamstress so clothes should be easy to find, right?”
“It’s one good thing. And you know, if you want me to make you something I’d be glad to help. Just let me know what you’re looking for.”
“That’s so kind of you.” Ember’s eyes softened. “I might take you up on that.”
“Congratulations,” her mom said. She still had the microphone on.
“Mom, you can turn that off now.” Ember nodded at the mic.
“Can I?” she shouted into the mouthpiece. The sound echoed off the walls.
Ember sighed and took it from her mom, sliding the switch. “There,” she said. “Isn’t that better?” She turned to Harper. “Sorry about the champagne. I guess it’s not much use to you right now. We could exchange it for something else?”
“It’s fine,” Harper told her. “Caitie says she’ll drink it for both of us.”
Ember burst out laughing. “That sounds like something she’d say.” Ember stepped forward to grab the bottle, but the tape around her stomach loosened and tangled around her feet. The next moment, she was in the air, and Harper watched with horror as she landed on the ground in front of the stage with a loud thud, her head and behind slapping hard against the floor.
For a moment the room was filled with horrified silence, but then everybody was getting up and running over, shouting at each other that Ember was hurt.
Harper was the first to get to her, scrambling from the stage to scoot down beside her. “Oh my god, are you okay?” she asked Ember, reaching out to touch her arm. Ember opened her eyes, looking dazed as she glanced around. “Don’t move. Just tell me if it hurts.”
“My head…” Ember let out a mouthful of air and tried to sit up. She reached up to touch the back of her crown, and when she pulled her fingers back there was blood. “I think I caught it on the stage.”
“And the baby? Do you have any pain?” Harper asked urgently.
Ember touched her bump. “I don’t think so.”
“We need to get you to the hospital,” Ember’s mom said, a sob in her voice. “Somebody should call an ambulance.”
Ember was now sitting up right. The dazed look gone from her eyes. “I don’t need an ambulance,” she said, though her voice was wobbly. “And Lucas is on duty. I don’t want him getting a call out to come here. I’ll be fine. Just let me get my breath back and I’ll stand up and we can get on with the shower.”
“You’ve hit you’re head. And you’re pregnant,” Brooke told her firmly. “You should go to the hospital just to be safe. They can take a look at your head and make sure the baby’s fine. Let us call an ambulance.”
“I’m not calling an ambulance for a bumped head,” Ember said through gritted teeth. “I’m married to a firefighter. I know better than that.”
“I’ll take you,” Harper blurted out, wanting to help her new friend. “My car’s right outside.”
“That’s a great idea,” Caitie said warmly, having joined them on the floor. “And I’ll call Lucas and get him to meet us there. I know he’ll panic, but he deserves to know.”
