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“Breathe,” she whispered softly.
Her voice soothed me and when my tears finally slowed, Jurnee released me. Pulling back out of her arms, I looked around at each of the girls' faces and took in the scene once more. When I saw a small separate table with gifts on it, it took everything in me to not let the waterworks start flowing again.
“Between the pregnancy hormones and all of you doing such a nice thing for me, I didn’t have a chance at not creating that waterfall I just put on display.”
Nervous energy had me fidgeting with the strap of my small purse that dangled sideways over my neck.
“I’m famished, let’s order food,” Alley chimed in from behind me as she moved farther into the room and toward the table.
Saved by the change in subject, I followed and we all sat down. I took in a couple of small breaths to get my bearings, trying not to let the air swoosh out of me, and make another scene. What had I done to deserve a group of ladies who I barely knew to do something so sweet for me? My leg bounced up and down with nerves knowing I needed to say something, but not finding the words.
“Can I get you all something to drink?” the waitress asked.
Saved once again, her approach allowed me a few more minutes to let it all sink in and figure out how to just be in the moment. Lost in my head, I didn’t answer when it was my turn to tell her what I wanted. Alley, who was seated on one side of me, nudged my shoulder gently.
“Hey, what would you like to drink?” she asked.
“Oh, poop—” I started to say and the ladies giggled. My face heated with embarrassment, but when I looked around at everyone and saw them smiling, I let out a small laugh and tried again.
“Guess I’m already watching my mouth for when the baby comes,” I commented, then looked up at the waitress. “Can I just get ice water, please?”
As soon as she was gone to get our drink orders, Summer began to tell me all about how it was a good thing my mouth was under control because Embry had a swear jar and raked in a nice flow of money off the guys by catching them with what she calls their potty mouths. Laughter escaped me as all of the women went on to tell different stories about some of the times she had caught the guys in the act.
“That’s not to say us ladies don’t pay up now and then, but the guys are ten times worse,” Gemma added at the end. “Well except for maybe Alley. She might give the guys a run for their money from time to time.”
Alley's stink eye toward Gemma had the group laughing even more than the comment did. And so it went. They talked freely and like I had been part of their group forever as we ate the most sinfully delicious pasta I had ever had.
The baby must have thought it was pretty amazing too as the little one was rolling all over on my belly and then gave me a swift kick that had me grabbing my stomach.
“Whoa, this one is strong!”
All the ladies rushed over, crouching around me, and before I knew what was happening I had four sets of hands on my belly. I jumped at the contact and my breath hitched. When they looked up and saw my startled gaze, everyone pulled away quickly. I felt horrible. I knew they didn’t mean any harm, but with all of them at once, I freaked out for a minute.
“I’m so s-sorry.” My voice broke with emotion. Not just because of being caught off guard, but because I was embarrassed I’d done it and could tell they all were feeling bad about it.
“Honey, don’t be sorry. We shouldn’t have rushed you that way,” Alley assured me.
The baby started kicking again, a ball of energy just swimming around in my belly. I wanted to share that with them.
“Here we go again. I’m okay. Please, come feel?”
I gave them a soft smile and they all returned it, as they slowly moved their hands back and laid them gently on my stomach. The baby must have been eating up the attention because my angel kept right on going, giving them all quite the show. Finally, the show came to an end and they all returned to their chairs.
“What do you say, we have a cupcake and you open your gifts?” Jurnee said.
My leg started to bounce just as it had when we first sat down. Being the center of attention was not something I was comfortable with and I got more nervous by the second.
“You shouldn’t have,” I whispered as I ducked my head, having a hard time looking at everyone.
“But we wanted to.” Hearing Gemma talk so quietly when she normally was so energetically loud most of the time, had me raising my head to look at her.
The sincerity in her eyes and all the other ladies too as I looked at each of them made my heart burst with happiness. Before I could get any more emotional, Gemma was pushing a gift toward me and I stared at it in wonder.
“This one is from me,” she said.
It was the cutest cream-colored wrapping paper with little brown bears sleeping on soft yellow half-moons. Then a big burlap bow was tied perfectly around the box. It was so pretty I hesitated not wanting to open it and ruin a thing. But since the girls were waiting, I slowly and carefully began to unwrap the present.
“Girl, you are killing me. You’re going to have that baby before you get the first gift unwrapped,” Alley teased.
