The Baby Package

by Sarah J. Brooks

  When the night wrapped up Patrick loaded Julia and Kendra into a car and went with them back to their place. Apparently Devin was going in an entirely different direction home and Patrick was going to have the Uber drop the girls off first and then go to his house. He was a good guy.

  That was probably one of the reasons I worried so much about Julia being out with Patrick. Not because he was a terrible guy for her to go on a date with, but instead I worried because he wasn’t a terrible guy. I couldn’t help but think that Julia might actually like him and that just killed me to think of.

  Chapter 15

  Julia

  “I’m so tired of packing boxes,” I groaned as Kendra and I were putting together another box in the kitchen. “Are you sure you don’t want to just keep all this stuff?”

  “No, you can’t afford to buy all new kitchen stuff and I’m looking forward to restyling this place after you leave.”

  “What? You don’t like my style?”

  “I like it just fine, I just want to try something new. Plus, it will be nice to move over to your bedroom. I’ve always wanted the big bedroom here.”

  Kendra and I were the best roommates. Even the arguments we had weren’t actual arguments. I couldn’t have imagined sharing an apartment for as long as I had with anyone else.

  I was a home owner now. If something went wrong, it was my responsibility to pay for it. That was huge for me. All the changes in my life were good though. I sort of liked the idea that everything was happening at the same time. That meant that when everything was done, then I’d have this whole new life that was super cool.

  “Have you gone on that date with Mike yet?” Kendra asked as she lifted a box of cups and brought it to the pile by the door.

  “Not yet. We have both been so busy that it’s crazy. I’m actually going later tonight. Well, if no one goes into labor before five o’clock. After that Bruce is going to take call for the rest of the evening.”

  “Oh, you call your doctor Bruce now?”

  “Just because that’s what Mike always calls him. When I go to the office I still call him Doctor Simon. I’m actually going in for an ultrasound soon. Should get to know the sex of the baby, if I want to. But I haven’t really decided yet. Do you think I should find out?”

  Kendra was laughing as I talked, but not because of me, she was looking at a text message on her phone. She had been seeing Devin for a few weeks now and the two of them were really hitting it off. He was an ear, nose, and throat doctor. Not exactly the sort of doctor that I would think of as a sexy profession, but he made good money, had a stable career, and Devin was really into Kendra.

  “Sorry, what were you saying?” She said as she looked up and realized I was standing there waiting for her.

  “How is Devin?” I laughed.

  “He’s so good. I mean really, really good. I like him at dangerous levels.”

  “What are dangerous levels?”

  “I’m not even looking at dating anyone else. I haven’t responded to other people’s text messages flirting with me at all. I agreed to go out with him both Friday and Saturday nights. Something is wrong, it’s dangerous. I don’t think I’m ready for this level of relationship yet.”

  “Kendra, you have to go with the flow. Just see how things turn out. It’s okay to just date one guy at a time. You should have some fun and stop worrying about what things are supposed to look like. Just have fun.”

  I was talking to her like I had some expert experience in serious dating, which I absolutely did not. I could be the worst dater in the whole city, or pretty damn close. Now I was pregnant and trying to date; that was silly and I knew it.

  The only way I could mentally wrap my brain around going on the double date with Patrick and Devin was to come out and tell Patrick what I was doing. I did my best to push him away and make the whole thing a friendship date that we were going on just to support Kendra and Devin, but Patrick didn’t care at all that I was pregnant.

  In fact, a lot of guys had been flirting with me lately, more than usual. Not the normal type of guys like at a bar, I’d been getting hit on at the gym, the coffee shop and even by potential clients from the hotel. I chalked it up to the pregnancy glow and told most of them no, but Patrick ended up being a fun date. Well the first one was, the second one I saw Mike and how pitiful he looked when he saw me out with another guy.

  When Mike finally called to schedule a real date with me I was well beyond the stage of needing to keep him as a friend. I clearly had some feelings for him and he had some for me so going on a real date was a good idea. However things turned out from there was up to us. If dating wasn’t our thing we would just have to figure out how to go back to being friends. The truth was, I didn’t have the energy to worry about my relationship with Mike any longer. I had too many other things going on in my life to worry about now.

  “I like this new Julia. The super chill, laid back girl who is telling me to relax,” Kendra smiled back at me.

  “Yeah, I’m liking the new me too. I can’t believe I was so worried about everything all the time. Clearly I just needed to get knocked up and I’d be able to calm down.”

  “Ha, I’d be crazy if I was pregnant. I couldn’t handle that level of responsibility.”

  “Yeah, sometimes I’m worried about being a mom. But most of the time I think about how amazing it’s going to be. I’m lucky that I have a good job and good friends like you though. That makes it easier for me to think that I can make it through all of this in one piece.”

  “Girl, you are going to make it through this just fine. You are one of the most put together people I know.”

  “Thank you, Kendra,” I said as I hugged her and started crying.

  “Oh, no, this again?”

  “I know, I just can’t help it. I’m going along fine and then suddenly my emotions overwhelm me and I’m sobbing. I guess pregnancy hormones are to blame, right?”

  “Probably. So do you know what you’re going to wear on your date tonight? It doesn’t look like you are showing much, are you?”

  “Not really. I mean my tight jeans need to be unbuttoned, but other than that I could wear just about anything. I don’t like the tight dresses though, my boobs feel like they have doubled in size and are going to explode out of them.”

  “Your girls have gotten bigger. A nice side effect of pregnancy I guess.”

  My breasts were busting out of everything I owned. I found myself wearing a sports bra to work just to keep them in check and fit into my shirts that I own. It was one of the after effects of pregnancy that I hadn’t really considered. I didn’t own many shirts for work that fit, even if I wasn’t showing very much, purely because of the level of boobs I had going on.

  Kendra and I talked about going shopping for some more clothes but instead I made adjustments where I could for my work outfits. All my casual stuff fit just fine because it was t-shirts and other stretchy materials.

  “I don’t know how nice it is, but I suspect Mike won’t mind.”

  “How about that sun dress I got when we were in Cancun? I bet it would fit you now with those new jugs of yours.”

  “Sure, I’ll give it a try. But it is November; not sure a sun dress is the most appropriate thing to wear,” I said as I looked out at the blustering day.

  “We will pair it with some tights and a cardigan. It will be fantastic.”

  Kendra went right to work putting together a perfect date outfit for me. I couldn’t have been more grateful. Planning what to wear was so low on my priority list I honestly might have just gone out in the sweatpants and t-shirt that I’d been packing in all day.

  After an hour of sorting through both of our closets for the perfect pair of tights to go with the perfect cardigan, we had the outfit. The dress did fit me well, but there was no doubt my breasts were bigger. They could barely be contained by the dress. I sort of liked the new look though.

  Even when I was younger I’d imagined getting breast augmentation or hop
ed that my boobs would get bigger, and now they were. The flowery dress fit me nicely and wasn’t too tight around my belly. Even though I wasn’t really showing yet, I did have a fuller stomach than normal and was really self conscious of it. People would just think I was fat, instead of pregnant at this stage of the game.

  “He should be here soon,” I said as I looked at the text from Mike.

  “What? No!” Kendra hurried into my bathroom and then motioned for me to get in there too. “Your hair, your make up. Come on, girl. We need to finish you up.”

  “He’s seen me without my hair and makeup done plenty of times,” I laughed as she plugged the curling iron in and started working on my face.

  “This is your first official date, Julia. Don’t be lazy.” Kendra handed me my makeup pallet so I could do my face while she started working on my hair.

  I really had no choice in the matter and did as Kendra ordered. I kept my makeup light but did put on an extra coat of mascara to highlight my eyes. When all was said and done I didn’t look half bad for a woman who was three months pregnant.

  “He’s here,” I said and hurried out to the speaker to wait to buzz him in.

  “Okay, keep your cool tonight. This is just a date. It’s no big deal. Don’t worry about the happily ever after stuff. Just have fun and be yourself,” Kendra said acting more nervous than I was.

  “I’m fine, Kendra. But you look a little nervous.”

  “Awww, I want you two to work out so badly. You’re the cutest couple. But I know it might end up with you guys just being friends and I totally get that too. Okay, I’m going to stop talking now,” she pretended to zip her lip as the buzzer sounded and I let Mike into the building.

  “I’m just going on a date like any other date between the two of us. I’m relaxed. I don’t know why you’re so worried.”

  Kendra just shook her head back and forth and pretended to zip her lip again. She was funny and a great friend too. I knew what she was talking about. The idea of ending up with Mike was obviously crossing my mind too, but I wasn’t focusing on it at all. My expectation was that we were going to go on a date or two and then end up deciding to just be friends.

  Having a baby was a huge deal and dating someone who was having a baby was a big deal too. Plus, Mike had some emotions going on about being the donor to my baby and as much as I tried to separate my mind from the Mike in front of me and the Mike who was growing inside me, I couldn’t. I suspected that Mike had a hard time with it as well.

  I pulled the door open on the first knock. Expecting to see him standing there in a something casual, instead I was surprise to see he had on a button-up shirt with nice slacks and fancy shoes.

  “For you,” he said sweetly and handed me a bouquet of flowers. “I picked them myself… from the flower shop,” he joked. His smile lit up my apartment. It was contagious. The flowers were amazingly beautiful, a perfect combination of yellow, pinks and reds. Not just roses, but a mix of several different flowers that all worked together very nicely.

  “Thank you. I’ll put them in some water,” I said as I went toward the kitchen and realized we had packed up most of everything that was in there.

  “Give me those. I’ll figure it out. You two go have fun,” Kendra said as she smiled like the Cheshire cat at the two of us.

  “You are moving into your new place soon?” Mike asked looking at all the boxes.

  “Yep.”

  “I could get some of the guys to help you move if you need help.”

  “That’s so nice of you,” Kendra said as she stepped in between the two of us. “Isn’t that such a nice thing to offer? I mean moving in New York, wow, that’s a tough thing. You’re a really nice guy, Mike. Don’t you think he’s a nice guy, Julia?”

  “Thank you for the offer, but I’ve hired a company to do it for me. You’re more than welcome to help me unpack once I get there though. I am not looking forward to that. And I think we should get going,” I said as I looked wide eyed at Kendra and hoped she wasn’t going to keep pushing with her agenda.

  “Have a great night, guys. You look adorable together…” she said as I shut the door on her and hurried Mike down the hallway.

  “She likes you,” I said.

  Mike held the elevator door open for me and then came in and stood right next to me. His hand grazed against mine and the soft touch of his skin was welcomed so much by my body that I tingled all over.

  “I like Kendra. She’s a good friend to you. Seems like a very nice woman. You look amazing tonight. Did I tell you that yet? I was thinking it, but I might not have said it out loud.”

  “Thank you. It’s getting a little harder to find things that fit well,” I adjusted the top of my dress and pulled it up to cover my breasts a little more.

  “That dress fits you perfectly,” he mischievously smiled as he watched me adjust it.

  “I know. They are huge, aren’t they?” I said looking at my own breasts. “It’s like they have a mind of their own.”

  “Hello, ladies,” Mike said leaning down and talking to my breasts. “I’m excited to take you girls out tonight.”

  “Stop,” I laughed and pushed him playfully away as the elevator opened on the main floor. “They are getting so big and they hurt too.”

  “They are just doing their job. Part of the amazing job a woman’s body is capable of,” Mike said as if it was no big deal.

  Sometimes I forgot that Mike was so familiar with the pregnancy stuff. He obviously knew more about pregnancy than I did and I really should have been using him more for questions.

  It had been nearly a month since we saw each other at the sports club and a month before that since we had argued about the new condo. As Mike held the door open for me and we loaded into the hired car he had waiting, I realized that I definitely missed having him around as a friend.

  Once inside the fancy black SUV, Mike moved over so he was sitting next to me in the long bench seat. He gently grabbed my hand and pulled it up to his lips, taking an extra long time kissing the back of it before placing both of our hands in his lap.

  “I missed you,” he said softly. “I’m glad we finally got this date scheduled.”

  “Yeah, I missed talking to you for sure.”

  We sat in silence for a little bit, but it wasn’t that weird sort of silence that happened when people were arguing. Instead, I was wrapped up in how comfortable I felt there with Mike. Even after two months of barely seeing each other, I felt safe and calm sitting with him in that car. My leg was bouncing up and down with a little bit of nerves though and I was doing my best to control it.

  Going out with Mike was a big deal. It was a bigger deal than I had let myself understand until I was there in the back of that car with him. This was the real deal. This was our first true effort at seeing if what was between us was more than just friends.

  “How do you feel about steak?” Mike asked.

  “Oh, my God are we going for steak? I’ve been craving meat so bad lately that I made myself a steak at home the other night.”

  “I know,” he smiled back at me. “This is the stage where your body is lacking iron and other nutrients. Are you taking your vitamins?”

  “Yeah, of course.”

  “Make sure to eat lots of dark green vegetables too,” he added and then quickly flipped back into date mode. “This restaurant is supposed to be really good. I read some reviews online and everyone loves it.”

  “Did you have to murder anyone to get a table?”

  “Nope, actually Patrick got the table for us,” Mike said only showing a small crack of a smile.

  “You told Patrick that we were going on a date and he helped you get a reservation?” I asked, a little surprised that Patrick would put that sort of effort in after I told him I couldn’t see him anymore because my life was too complicated.

  “Yep, he likes me,” Mike joked.

  “You know I only went on a date with him because Kendra needed a double,” I added.

&nbs
p; “And because he’s an awesome dude.”

  “Well, there was that,” I laughed. “But I saw you and right away all I wanted to do was be with you that night. I’m glad we figured things out and are going out tonight.”

  “Me too,” Mike pulled my hand in even closer to him. “I’ve missed you,” he said again.

  There was a true sincerity in Mike’s words that hit me hard. I felt my eyes welling up and the tears forming faster than I could stop them. I looked up and tried to count in an effort to distract myself, but then I felt a soft piece of fabric being placed in my hand.

  “What’s this?”

  “For the tears,” he said softly as I put the handkerchief up to my eyes.

  “You carry a handkerchief around?” I had to laugh a little. “I’m just a little surprised by that.”

  “I carry it around when I’m going on a date with a highly hormonal woman who is at the end of her first trimester of pregnancy.”

  “Wow, I can see that your level of knowledge about my medical state could get really annoying,” I laughed.

  “I’m not trying to be annoying about it. Just sensitive to what you are going through.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I teased as I finished wiping my tears.

  “Thank you for agreeing to go on a date with me. I’m excited to show you a good time tonight,” Mike said thoughtfully.

  He held my door open for me and set his hand at the base of my back as he guided me into the restaurant. Mike held my seat out for me and made sure he was sitting next to me instead of across from me for our meal. When the steak came I could hardly hold myself back from eating it up so quickly that I could have choked on it. A little conversation in between bites was about all I could manage as I did my best to feed the growing beast inside of me.

  “Did you have an ultrasound with Bruce yet? I don’t think I saw you come in.”

  “Just a quick check of the heartbeat with a Doppler thing so far. I’m having the ultra sound in a couple of weeks. Would you like to come?”