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“Don't you dare tell Zane then. He can't keep anything to himself.” Fee appears, looking beautiful in her party attire, pink hair flowing around her shoulders.
Zane clutches his chest. “Why do you wound me so?”
The doorbell rings to save us. Lianne Rocks, Zane's mom, has arrived. Zane grabs an armful of baby gifts and hauls them to the living room. I can admit, I’m fascinated by Lianne. She’s ethereally beautiful, like a strawberry-blonde fairy. She glides in and immediately asks about Mia. I can’t help but study her. My mind’s always thinking about casting these days.
Then I remember. I’m persona non grata.
Seconds later, Zoey’s mom, Olivia arrives with Alex’s mom, Andrea. Piles of packages. A couple of pies. We’re all here but Alex and Zoey. We assemble in the kitchen and ooh and ahh over the feast Fiona’s prepared while we wait for them to get here.
Fee motions for Zane to come over. “You and Connor should get moving. Alex should be over at Ty and Zoey’s by now, and all of you guys are supposed to be in Poulsbo, not in West Seattle.”
“You’re right. Connor? Let’s blow this popsicle stand,” Zane hollers. Connor manages to sneak in a goodbye kiss and they’re off.
“Okay, now that it’s just us ladies.” Fiona brings five champagne flutes to the island we’re standing around. “Sparkling rosé anyone? Miraval? A little nod to Brad Pitt. He may be old, but he makes a fine wine.”
We all clink glasses. I look around at the women, and even though I still feel a little out of place, my comfort level rises every time we all get together. I’m grateful no one else but Fee has even mentioned the lawsuit. It’s bad enough that the monster who abused so many of us on set is suing me for defamation. It would be worse if I had to talk about it with my girlfriends.
“Ronni. Tell me the truth. How tough is it having twins?” Fee nibbles on a piece of cheese. “Zane is so jealous, he can’t stand it. I’m stressing about having one baby, but two would put me over the edge.”
“You know, the first couple of months were great. We were in Ireland in our little cocoon. Connor’s auntie was our personal lifesaver. When we moved back to LA, it felt like a nightmare. Connor was up here for two entire weeks when his dad moved into the rehab facility. I was in LA with no husband, no nanny, two hungry boys and a work deadline.” I shudder for dramatic effect.
“It’s not easy being on your own with a baby.” Lianne nods. “Carter was so involved when Zaney was an infant. By the time Zane turned two, Limelight was on the road leaving me to fend for the both of us. I was just lucky Fiona’s mom, Faye, helped out so I could still dance. Otherwise, my career would have been shot.”
Fee grabs another square of cheese. Her eyes glaze over a bit. “Yeah. I couldn’t have made it through Mia’s first years without my mom.”
“Wait, is Faye your mom, Fiona?” Andrea asks innocently.
“Sometimes.” Fiona raises a brow. “Depends on the day. Ooh. Saved by the buzz.” She holds up her phone to show us Alex and Zoey are coming up the driveway.
Zoey’s clearly blown away by the fact we’re all here to celebrate her and Ty’s baby. I’m a little envious when the group feasts on the platters of food Fee prepared. I’m still trying to take off four pounds of baby weight. If I have any hope to play a character in the movie I’m directing, I have to take it off. Today, I’ll have to choose judiciously. Spiced lamb and chutney. Roasted eggplant and feta. It's delicious, of course.
The group of us sit at the modern dining room table and eat and drink for a couple of hours. I’m feeling a bit lubricated when I stand and tap my champagne flute. “Zoey, on behalf of all of us here, we welcome you to the mother club. It's an experience like no other.”
“Absolutely. And to your third trimester. Heartburn, constipation, giant tits, and the inability to ever get comfortable,” Fiona joins me.
Everyone else stands up and toasts a clearly uncomfortable Zoey. She sits down suddenly, almost out of breath. It’s time to lay off the libations and get to the gifts.
“Let's get you into the living room. Once that belly pops, the discomfort starts. Get used to it.” Olivia takes her daughter’s arm and helps her to a cushy couch.
“I’m getting so fat.” Zoey wrinkles her nose. “Ty doesn’t seem to mind, though.”
Zoey’s belly isn’t huge by any stretch of the imagination, but she definitely looks pregnant. “You should have seen my belly when I hit five months. I never thought I'd look like myself again. Well, I don't, but man, I was twice your size. The twins, God love them, have fucked-up my body big time." I squish my middle a little to show her.
Alex sits next to me and scoffs, “You're gorgeous, Ronni. But, to your point, I can't say I'm envious. I didn't have to go through any of that shit and I have a beautiful daughter.”
Well,then.
Fee follows us in with a tray of faux-mosas, her concoction of orange and passion fruit juice with seltzer. “With those stupid migraines, I'm so glad you're taking such good care of yourself, Zoey. When I was pregnant with Mia, I developed preeclampsia. I don't want that for you. Not with all of the complications that go with it. It fucking sucks.”
While Zoey unwraps gifts, me, Fee, Lianne, Andrea, and Olivia share pregnancy woes. By the end of it all, we’re all laughing. Alex has a strange smile on her face, almost like she’s zoned out but doesn’t want to interrupt. Zoey’s clearly horrified but too polite to tell us to stop the share-a-thon.
“Ah, Z. You won’t remember any of it other than fondly the minute you hold your baby.” Olivia notices her daughter’s reaction and hugs her.
God,I miss mymom so much.
Then, I look around at all the women, who have become trusted friends. I think of my sons and how much they’ll miss if they don’t grow up with their band cousins. A while ago, before the series was shot, I’d considered talking to Connor about moving here permanently.
Given all that’s happened, we’re essentially hiding out in Connor’s town house. Seattle’s beginning to look like our best option for our family’s home base.
