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“You’re just pissed that New Orleans didn’t make it so you could drool over Maddox Taylor on the screen the entire time,” Ethan counters.
Nick puts a finger in the air. “As a heterosexual man who is in a very loving relationship, I have no problem admitting that Maddox Taylor is a fine male specimen. But didn’t you hear? Maddox’s contract is up this year, and rumor is that New Orleans is gonna let him go.”
“What?” Damien, Charlotte’s fiancé, Ethan, and Jeffrey, Damien’s colleague and good friend, all turn their heads in Nick’s direction.
“Yeah. Don’t you guys keep up with this shit?” Nick asks, his mouth and eyes wide.
They give Nick a collective blank stare.
“No, man. Sorry I’m not reading the gossip magazines. I’ve been kinda busy,” Ethan mutters as Nick shakes his head.
“And you call yourself a football fan.”
Snickering, I chime in on the shit talking. “I even know that, Ethan, and I only watch the game for the men in tight pants.”
This is what I let them believe, anyway. The truth is, I know the game better than most of them since I grew up around it. Besides, being the star quarterback’s girlfriend in high school almost required me to understand the game just as well as he did.
Commotion explodes from the television, pulling everyone’s attention back to the game.
“Touchdown!” Oliver shouts before breaking into his victory dance, and everyone laughs as the boys take turns showing off their best touchdown celebrations.
And then a twinge in my chest takes life again as I remember the boy who used to celebrate each one of the touchdowns he helped make happen, too.
God, it seems like a lifetime ago and yet like it was just yesterday in the same breath.
* * *
“It’s good to be back at Frankie’s, ladies,” I declare as we clink our glasses of champagne together and settle into our seats. We just placed our orders for breakfast, and now it’s time to catch up with my girls. I made sure to give my main man, Frankie, the attention he deserves: a little harmless flirting that he enjoys just as much as I do.
Noelle starts brunch off with a bang. “So this week, I get the results back on my fertility testing.” No topic is off-limits when the four of us talk, and honestly, that’s how it should be with your girlfriends. Our brunches are the time when we catch up on each other’s lives, process what we’re feeling, and bitch about everything in between.
It’s also when I enjoy endless mimosas and giving my friends shit while simultaneously having their backs—it’s a delicate balance.
“Are you nervous?” Charlotte asks, leaning forward slightly in her seat.
Noelle nods. “Definitely. I know that I obviouslyfeelfine and healthy, but I’m afraid these tests might show something that will make this process more difficult or stressful. Ideally, if everything looks good, I move forward with the required counseling, choose a donor, and then hopefully do my first intrauterine insemination next month.” She takes a deep breath. “I just hope it works. I have to keep reminding myself that just because I’m subtracting the man from this equation doesn’t mean that pregnancy is guaranteed. All of the stars still have to align to make this happen, and even then, there’s no telling if this will all work out the way I want it to.”
“Counseling? They’re making you do counseling beforehand?” I ask, my brows pushing together.
Amelia, our resident therapist, chimes in. “Oh, absolutely. I’m glad the clinic you chose is requiring it, too.” She reaches across the table and places her hand on Noelle’s. “Obviously, I support your decision, as do we all, but there are plenty of emotions to process related to having a child, especially in this manner. The acceptance that you’ll be a single mother, the judgment you’ll receive from family and friends who may not support your decision, and the consideration of how and when you’ll tell your child how they were conceived. It’s a lot to think about and not a decision that should be rushed.”
Charlotte interjects before Noelle can speak. “Areyou having second thoughts, Noelle?”
Noelle clears her throat. “No, but the longer it takes, the more it seems like there are hoops to jump through at every turn, and I’m afraid all the waiting might be for nothing. Ultimately, though, I’ve made my peace with this decision. I know that I don’t need a man or to be in love to become a mother, and this avenue gives me some control over the choice. Even though I know there are many aspects of this process where I have no control over what might happen.”
“Did you bring the catalog of sperm donors? You know I’m going to be pissed if you didn’t include me in that part,” I say, trying to lighten up the conversation. Judging by the eye rolls and chuckles, it did the trick. Not that I didn’t want to continue talking about the realities of the situation, but comedic relief is my specialty. It’s helped me cope with many issues in my life, and I’d like to think it’s what my girls have come to expect and appreciate about me, too.
Noelle’s eyes light up as she reaches down to grab a few papers from her purse. “Oh, yeah. Now, these are the ones I’ve narrowed it down to. Naturally, I wanted input from my girls, but I thought it best to go through the list first before I enlisted your help so we all weren’t being pulled in different directions and I wouldn’t feel even more confused.”
Shaking my head, I grab the papers from her and begin fingering through them. “I still think it’s a shame you don’t get to see their dicks before making your final decision.”
Charlotte huffs out a laugh. “Eliminating the whole dick thing is mostly the point of doing things this way, Pen. Why should it matter?”
“I know, but what if she has a boy?” I toss my thumb toward Noelle, who’s sitting right next to me. “Wouldn’t you want to know if your child’s dad was on the teeny-weenie committee? Or if he’s packing a bazooka in his pants?”
Amelia shakes her head while laughing. “What if she has a girl?”
I hum in thought. “Well, then I guess that argument is invalid. And Noelle has a nice rack, so hopefully her daughter inherits that, too.”
