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“Not a thing,” Katrina said, hugging Annie, too.
After greeting everyone, she ran back to her room to change clothes, adding a little lipstick and eyebrow pencil. Her mother had invited high school friends of Katrina’s, including regrettable boyfriends that Maggie would remind her of years later.
The party was one of many joyful things to happen at the Blanchards’ home in Pensacola for the next few years. And then it came to a halt when Jessie Blanchard perished in a car crash, and her husband died, ostensibly of a broken heart, two months later.
After that sadness, it took about a year or a little more for a series of events to occur that would help to change Katrina’s life.
First, Maggie moved away. Her husband had brought his mistress along on the honeymoon and that ended the marriage after a week. Aunt Elizabeth offered Maggie Bayou Cottage and she fled Pensacola to the refuge of the bayou.
Then Annie visited her a few weeks later and met Steve, got pregnant right away, and the rest was history. With both of Katrina’s closest friends in Cypress Cove, and her parents dead, there was nothing holding her down.
Leaving Pensacola, Katrina moved to Cypress Cove soon after settling her parents’ estate, selling their imposing house and its contents. Nothing would be left behind. She might have been hasty in ridding herself of some of their belongings and wondered how some of it would have complimented the Creole Cottage.
Lying in bed, waiting for Dave to come home to her from work, that graduation party, her father jumping out from behind a potted palm tree, her childhood friends surrounding her filled her mind with joy. It was an amazing party; how her mother kept preparations for it a secret baffled her. She must have been totally self-absorbed.
Then the next phase of her life, landing the coveted job right away and the accolades that came with it, even a small article on the third page of thePensacola News Journaland how Maggie got the tear sheet from the paper and had it framed.
The memento hung above her dresser among other framed treasures, a photo of her in her high school cap and gown standing with Annie and Maggie in theirs, her parents’ wedding picture, Annie’s college graduation photo, Maggie and Justin crowned King and Queen at the Mardi Gras parade. There wasn’t anything yet of Dave and her on the wall. She’d have Maggie take a picture of them together the next weekend.
Other important items graced the room: a crucifix that had belonged to Jessie and a framed tribute to her father from NASA. Her mother’s medical school graduation certificate. Her own certificate from Stanford. She would ask Dave for anything he wanted to hang on the wall.
While she studied the contents of her room, the collection of things she loved in one small space, a feeling swept over her, like a magical encounter. The presence was so commanding, Katrina looked around the room in wonder.
Somehow, her mother, the pediatric cardiologist, knew Katrina was going to have a baby and for the first time since Jessie’s death, Katrina felt her spirit, a powerful sense of well-being and safety. Maybe Jessie was Katrina’s baby’s guardian angel.
As if on cue, baby David somersaulted, stirring up a little sciatica in the small of Katrina’s back. Unable to get comfortable again, she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, ending the pleasant reverie.
“Oh, baby baby, I got it. Time to get up.”
While she freshened up in the bathroom, she heard the garage door opener buzzing. It wasn’t five yet, early for Dave to be home, especially after they’d had that extended lunch with his father and Rose.
They met on the landing after Dave swiftly shut the door.
“It’s so hot,” he said, kissing her. “Bayou heat.”
“You’re home early. I’m surprised.”
“I had a feeling,” he said, watching her. “I had it all afternoon and the minute I pulled into the garage, it went away. This place is magic.”
They stood on the landing, holding each other, rocking side to side.
“I agree. What was the feeling?”
“Just that I needed to be home.”
She remembered the earlier encounter but didn’t mention it yet, still processing it.
“The heat is coming off your body. Come in and I’ll make you a lemonade.”
“Sounds good. I’ll be right back. I have to get a fast shower.” He looked at her sidelong. “You want to join me? It’s been a while.”
“Will we both fit in the stall?” she asked, laughing.
“Yes. Come.”
She took his hand and let him lead the way. A cool shower felt so good. He washed her back and then lathered up while she rinsed off. Her face was up to the spray when the contraction hit her. It wasn’t a gentle tightening of her uterus like she was used to. No, this was like a slug to her back so that she grunted, grabbing her belly and bending over when it slowly moved around to the front.
“Whoa, what was that?” Dave asked, his hands on her shoulders as she recovered from the onslaught.
