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“Well, I hope you aren’t disappointed.”
Elizabeth hugged her friend hard. “I love you and am so glad we’re friends.”
“I love you and the little guy, too.” The two girls went outside to sit in the late afternoon sun while they waited for the roast to cook.
“Ihate this!” In frustration Elizabeth tore off her favorite jean shorts and threw them across her bedroom where they encountered bottles of lotions and nail polishes on her dresser. The bottles made an awful noise when they clattered on the counter and some on the floor.
“Oh my God, what happened? What’s wrong?” Jessica raced out of Elizabeth’s bathroom to see what happened to her friend.
“Nothing! I just couldn’t get my favorite cutoffs on. They’re too small, and so I threw them.” Elizabeth, realizing she was being ridiculous, tried to look irritated, but the silly look on Jessica’s face made it difficult.
“Stop looking at me like that, or I will throw you too. You aren’t much heavier than my shorts.” Elizabeth sat down on her bed pouting like a child.
Starting to dig through her friend’s drawers, Jessica found a cute pair of black sweatpant shorts for her to wear with the pink tank top she had on. “Here, you will look amazing in this. Put it on, and I guess we need to go get you some maternity clothes.”
Jessica said this while jumping up and down clapping. “It will be so fun! We’re going shopping.”
Elizabeth took the shorts and put them on, shaking her head while doing so. She looked in the mirror and did a side view. Even though she was starting to get a baby bump, she couldn’t help but notice she still looked good, and the bump just added to her cuteness.
Jessica came up next to her and stared into the mirror with her arm around her. “You make one cute pregnant momma, who needs new clothes. Let’s go shopping!” Jessica grabbed her friend’s hand, dragged her out of the house and into the car.
The mall wasn’t very crowded when they got there. It was such a nice day outside, most people were probably either working, or enjoying the sun. Jessica took Elizabeth in and out of the maternity sections of a lot of different stores. Being uncomfortable at first, Elizabeth soon relaxed, and found some cute clothes that would take her through the next few months at least while still looking stylish. It was close to lunch time when they decided to take a break and went into the food court to grab a bite to eat.
The girls entered the food court linked arm in arm. “So, Momma, what are you and the baby hungry for?” Jessica adoringly asked Elizabeth.
“I love the burgers and fries here, and I’m famished and exhausted.”
The girls got in line at the burger stand to wait their turn as patiently as possible.
“Hey, look who it is.” Elizabeth nudged Jessica to look in the direction she was facing. Chad and Stacey were walking their way.
“Well, hello, ladies. I thought we might see you here.” Chad walked up to them with a big smile plastered on his face, with Stacey following closely behind. He wrapped Jessica in a hug throwing her in a circle and planted a light kiss on her lips. She smiled in response. He then turned to Elizabeth and gave her a gentle hug, “Not gonna throw you around. So, did you two have a good time shopping?”
“Momma here found some adorable clothes she can fit into. Baby boy is growing a bit.” Jessica placed her hand on Elizabeth’s belly and gave it a gentle tap.
“Baby boy?” Stacey, finally catching up to the small group, jumped into the conversation.
Elizabeth hugged Stacey and quickly cleared things up. “We don’t know yet, but Jessica is betting a week’s paycheck on the fact I’m having a boy.” She shot Jessica a look, rolling her eyes at her friend, making Jessica break into a laugh.
“Well, I can’t help it. I just have a feeling. I see you with an adorable little man in your arms.” Jessica put Elizabeth in a side hug, and the girls smiled at each other. Elizabeth didn’t realize how stressed she felt until that hug and that look from her friend; it really calmed her.
“It’s great seeing you two, but Chad, I think we need to get going. You can talk to Jessica later.” Stacey grabbed Chad’s arm to get his attention. He gave her a quizzical look, but before he could ask her anything, the reasoning for her request made itself known.
“Well, look who y’all found hanging in the mall. What a surprise.” The voice that tore through the air grated into their brains.
Elizabeth squeezed Jessica’s hand, closed her eyes, and mentally prepared herself for the mental stress that always starts when Kristen is around. Elizabeth felt Jessica give her hand a tight squeeze and looked up at her friend. The sight in front of Elizabeth shook her to her core.
She’d been trying her best to avoid Jacob, and over the past couple weeks she had been doing a good job of it, having just glanced at him and waved a couple times. The grocery store awkwardness was the closest they had been since she turned her back on him and left him in his backyard. But now, all that avoidance came crashing to a halt as she found herself looking at him across the food court.
It wasn’t just the sight of him which drew her attention, though he looked amazing like always; it was the fact that his and Kristen’s fingers were interlocked together that threw her for a loop. She pulled her eyes away from the scene before her, and slowly looked up at his face. What she saw there did not make her feel any better. He looked happy and relaxed. If this meeting made him as uncomfortable as it made her, she couldn’t see any signs of it.
He suddenly made his feelings clear when his hand released Kristen’s, and instead went up to her waist, pulling her closer to his side. He leaned in to kiss her cheek. Kristen ate this movement up and snuggled right into his side. Into the side that Elizabeth used to enjoy snuggling up to.
Not wanting to let them see how much this bothered her, Elizabeth looked at Jacob, tilted her head and gave her friend next to her an okay squeeze of her hand to reassure Jessica she was fine.
“Hi, Jacob. Hi, Kristen. Looks like you’re both doing well.” Elizabeth gave him her sexiest, I-don’t-give-a-shit smile.
“Hi, Elizabeth.” He gave her a quick once over with his eyes and tightened his grip on Kristen’s waist. “You look good.”
