One Little Bit

by Tey Holden

  “I want to go home, take off everything and sleep until this is over!”

  ***

  One evening, the realtor called. “Addy, I can’t find any rentals near the hospital, but there is one fantastic flat for sale. It’s a foreclosure. It has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It’s beautiful, spacious and it’s only two blocks from the hospital. When you don’t need it anymore you can rent it, or sell it. It will go fast. It’s not even listed yet. It will be listed in three days as soon as the paperwork is finalized. It’s a great location and the building is really nice. It’s a good price too, all things considered. It’s a great investment. At least take a look at it, you’ll like it.”

  Addy went to see it and liked it. “How much?”

  “300,000 Euros.”

  Addy replied immediately. “Okay. Make the offer.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want to think about it a bit longer?”

  “No, it’s fine.”

  “I don’t think you will regret it.” Addy made the decision without hesitation. She knew what she wanted, she liked the place, and she had the money. It was already December, and the weather was already looking grim. There was no reason to risk Karen or the baby. This was a no-brainer. Once the day came and all went back to normal, there would be time to decide what to do with the flat. Over dinner that night, she informed Karen of the purchase of the flat. Karen nearly choked on a piece of meat when she heard the news.

  “But I thought we talked about renting.”

  “We did, but there are no rentals, and there’s no way I’m going to take any chances with you and the baby. I needed to resolve this matter. Look how bad the weather is turning already. I can’t sleep at night worried about what would happen if the baby decided to come and there was bad weather. I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about it before I gave the go ahead. You know it’s not how I operate, but this is too important and I’m not leaving it to chance. I think you are worth every penny we have. This could not be postponed any longer.”

  Addy then informed her of all the details. “Addy, isn’t that too much money for a place we are only going to use for a few months?”

  “Well, I was planning on staying there even after the baby is born also. It’s good to be close to the hospital when you have a newborn. We can move back to the cottage when the weather gets better and the baby is a couple of months old.”

  “Are you really losing sleep over this?”

  “Yes, Ker, I’m worried. I don’t want to take any chances. I want everything to be right. Don’t forget that night going to the hospital to take Sarah’s kid. There’s no need for us to take any risks. We can afford it and we are doing it. Your task here is to have the baby, mine is to facilitate and stand behind you 100%. So, in order to do my job well, I need to do this, so I’m calling the shots on this one. Good or bad, I’ll take the wrap.”

  “Have it your way.” Having said that, Karen went into the living room and sat on the sofa with her tablet. Addy smiled from the kitchen. Wow! Either I make sense or those hormones are working for me! She came from the kitchen carrying a bag of mixed nuts and sat next to Karen. Karen twisted her mouth and looked at her sideways. “Squanderer.”

  Addy grinned. “Anything for you, sweetie pie.” Karen smiled still looking at her tablet. She thought she should feel bad that Addy was spending all that money for her but instead, she felt good. She felt special and loved.

  “Anyway, confess Larsen, you feel good feeling so priceless.”

  Karen continued to smile but remained quiet. Addy touched her on the elbow. “If it makes you feel any better, the realtor said it would also make a great rental property because it’s so close to the hospital. Once we rent it, it will pay for itself.”

  “Ha! The realtor would say anything to make a sale.”

  “Well, it made sense to me.”

  Karen chuckled. “Is the building a pretty color?” Addy grimaced, knowing exactly the double meaning of that question. The matter touched again on Karen’s belief that Addy based her business decisions on ridiculous, silly things unrelated to any business reason. However, Addy refuted the claim stating that she always researched any decision extensively.

  “Ha, ha, very funny, Ms. Larsen. And, as a matter of fact, it is a pretty building.”

  Because it was a cash sale, the purchase was immediate. Karen liked the flat when she saw it, and had to admit that Addy had made a good choice. There was no time to shop for furniture so everything was ordered by catalog by Sandy and Cindy, the former designers of the inn, who by now had a booming business. They took on the project, including decorating the baby’s room as their gift for the little one and the loving moms.

  Sandy and Cindy were forever grateful to Addy and Karen because they had given them the opportunity of a lifetime when they were hired to decorate the inn and later the Inns of Europe. Those opportunities had shot them to immediate stardom. When Addy asked for their help to decorate the flat, everything was done within a week. They had worked day and night because Addy wanted to be settled there after Christmas.

  “Wow, Sandy and Cindy did a great job. I can’t believe they took care of everything. The baby’s room is beautiful. I think I’m going to talk to them about making some changes in the cottage.”

  “What? More changes? Adriana. Please, one thing at a time.”

  “Okay.” Addy didn’t want to push it. So she decided that, for now, it was better to focus on their imminent situation.

  One evening, sitting in the living room of their new flat, Addy picked up the hospital newsletter they had received in the mail. “I think we should register for Lamaze classes. They have several sessions to choose from at the hospital.” Addy suggested as she finished browsing the newsletter.

  Karen looked at her in amazement. “You are kidding, right? Is there any more humiliation that I would have to endure? I thought we were doing a C-section, why must we go through Lamaze?”

  Addy laughed. “We need to be prepared for all possible outcomes, Ker, why do you think it’s humiliating?”

  “Addy, because I don’t want to be pregnant anymore! Look at me! I look like an elephant, like a hot air balloon. Look at my tits! I feel like a cow waiting to be milked!” She was upset and after she vented she tried to get up to leave, but couldn’t because her belly was too big. Frustrated she reclined back on the sofa and began to cry. “I just can’t wait for all of this to be over, Addy!”

  Addy knelt in front of her and held her hands. “It’s okay, baby. It won’t be long and when you have that little one in your arms you will forget about all that you went through. I think the Lamaze class will be good. It will help you relax, and you’ll feel better because you will see other people going through what you are going through.”

  “And why would seeing other fat-looking women will make me feel better? Besides, I’ve heard that the breathing stuff is just a bunch of crap and that when push comes to shove, everyone asks for drugs and forgets about all that shit. Did you do it? Did it help you any?” Karen didn’t normally use foul language, except the occasional ‘fuck’ because she knew that Addy liked it, but in her temporary frustration, she was out of sorts sometimes.

  Addy chuckled. “Yes, I did it. I don’t know if it helped. Maybe it did. I think it was worth it, though.” In truth, Addy thought that Karen was right and that Lamaze was in a way phony business, but she was trying to find ways to entertain Karen and going to Lamaze was comparative to going to a support group for pregnant women, which Addy thought might be helpful.

  “And what if people look at us funny because we are two women?”

  “I don’t think that will happen. I think seeing two women at Lamaze is normal. Sometimes men don’t want to be present or can’t, and women have their mothers, sisters or best friends with them. If it would make you feel better, no one has to know that we are a couple.”

  “If I have to go back in the closet in order to do this thing, that would be like adding injury to insult and the last st
raw for me. I will not do such a thing. I will refrain from kissing you while we are there, but that is a far as I will go.” Karen sounded like a spoiled child.

  “Okay, but it’s going to be very difficult for me to see you lying on a mat and not be all over you.” Addy smiled naughtily and continued with her teasing. “In fact, I might just go crazy and create a scandal and kiss you. I can just see the headlines in the hospital newsletter. ‘Lamaze classes canceled due to wild lesbian sex.’”

  Karen chuckled. “I know that you are making fun of me now, but I will say that if they were to publish such a thing, they wouldn’t have enough teachers for the sessions they’d have to open to accommodate all the people that would register from the four corners of the country!”

  They laughed, but Karen agreed to register just to please Addy. Addy seemed concerned that if they didn’t go through the classes they would be missing out on a crucial experience and that they would be at a disadvantage as compared to other couples who had taken the classes and made the experience a positive one.

  After their first class, on the way home, Addy smiled in the car as she heard Karen’s comments. If nothing else, the classes were taking Karen’s mind off herself to criticize others and make comments on the class. “Oh my God, I can’t believe some of those women! Did you hear the one that said she was going to do it the natural way? Let me just say this for the record, that I want drugs, as much as they can legally dispense. I want no pain whatsoever. Is that clear Ms. Addy? I don’t want you there preaching natural birth to me. If it’s true what they say about women turning aggressive at that certain stage, you better look out if you dare to mention going ‘the natural’ way to me.”

  Addy laughed. “No problem. I totally understand. I’m not against any of that.”

  “Good, glad to know we are on the same page. And did you hear all that crap about breastfeeding? What is it? Like there’s a shortage of milk in this country? Haven’t they been to the countryside and seen all those cows? For God’s sake, those women need to get a life! Do you think anybody is going to remember all that breathing and that shit when their baby is ready to pop out? No way! It’s all a bunch of crap.”

  Addy laughed and drove as she listened to Karen blast everyone and make fun of the whole thing all the way home. The moment she walked into the living room of the flat, Karen began to take off her clothes as she walked to their bedroom. “Aaah, flesh freedom! I hate clothing. We should all walk about naked!” Addy just smiled as she heard Karen’s pronouncement.

  As soon as Karen put her head on the pillow, she was asleep. This was a repetitive happening every time they went to Lamaze. At this point in the pregnancy, she was very tired and sleeping a lot. Addy knew that sleeping was also Karen’s way of coping with a situation that was beyond her control.

  The due date was fast approaching and Addy was losing sleep over it. Of course, she would never let Karen know how anxious she was. Sometimes she would wake up in the middle of the night just to check on Karen. She would regain her peace of mind just basking in the beauty of the gorgeous woman laying next to her, and wondering whether the baby would be so lucky as to have her mother’s looks. It was a silly thing to do but looking at Karen always gave her peace. A couple of times, Karen woke up, maybe sensing that she was being watched, and caught Addy looking at her. Karen would smile and silly comments would be exchanged. “You love me.”

  “Blindly.”

  “Umm. I think you want me.” Karen snuggled to her as best she could with her huge belly.

  “All the time. You are yummy.”

  “I don’t feel yummy. I can’t even reach to kiss you.”

  “You can’t, but I can.” Addy maneuvered herself into a position where she was able to be face to face with Karen and kissed her. Umm, yummy. ”

  Karen smiled. “Tell me.”

  “Tell you what?”

  “How yummy I am.”

  Addy chuckled. “Is this going to turn into a dirty talk?”

  “Yes.”

  Addy grinned and kissed her again. “Okay, but I think I will whisper in your ear. I don’t want the baby to hear certain things of very private nature.”

  Karen chuckled. “Okay.”

  “Let’s see I like it when I —.” As Addy whispered in her ear Karen’s smile grew larger. After only a few minutes, Karen put her fingers on her Addy’s lips.

  “Stop.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Your talk is having serious effects on me, and I don’t know if this would be good for the baby at this point.”

  “Want me to check if the baby is showing up already?”

  Karen chuckled. “Nice way of putting it Ms. Marcos, but I think a baby is the last thing you’d be looking for down there.”

  “In that case, would you like to feel what this little chat is doing to me?”

  Karen laughed. “I can check, but in my gigantic state of being, I doubt very much that I can reach that point that you want me to reach.”

  “Umm, aren’t you the one who is always suggesting that we get creative?”

  “Just what do you have in mind?”

  Addy whispered in her ear her proposal. “I like it. Let me sit up and then you—.” The maneuver was thoroughly explained and carried out to the last detail. “You might just have invented a new position.” Karen said as she enjoyed her task to the fullest.

  “I don’t think this one is in any book, but it’s working very well. I’m almost there.” Addy held on to the pillow and moaned as she came. Then she collapsed.

  “Happy now?” Karen pulled her close to her.

  “Yeah, but I need to sleep now.”

  Karen smiled, and kissed her on the head, knowing that she had satisfied and exhausted her partner. “Good night, baby. I’m happy too.”

  ***

  Through most of the pregnancy, Karen had remained busy working with Phillip as a way to keep her mind occupied with the financial legal worked that she liked and away from any pregnancy issues. However, at the end of the eighth month, she had to come to terms that the baby’s birth was imminent. Although Tiffany had talked about a C-section, nothing had been concluded and there was some concern about how the baby would be delivered.

  “Addy, this kid is not going to fit. Tiffany said the baby is going to be over seven pounds. I’m very familiar with the area, and I’m pretty sure that anything that big cannot fit through there.” She pointed to her pelvic area. “I think we should talk to Tiffany and set a date for a C-section. Also, I would like to know what happens to me if we did have a natural birth, will it all go back to the way it was? I’m really worried about that and you should be too because what happens in that vicinity may have an impact on your future happiness, you know?”

  Addy laughed at Karen’s absurd comments. However, she knew that Karen was frightened to death and that it was her duty as her partner, and as a woman who had a daughter to ease her fears. “Ker, C-sections may seem easier to you because there’s less effort on your part, but it is a major surgery and harder to recover from. If we need one, Tiffany will be the one making the decision. We have gone over the entire process a million times and you know the drill. Giving birth is a miracle. And everything will go back to how it was before, all will be fine, and I will be very happy.”

  The truth was that Addy was also worried about what Tiffany had said regarding Karen’s birth canal being narrow and that the baby might be too big. If a C-section was necessary, it would take longer for Karen to recuperate and to go back to the normality they both wanted. However, Karen seemed to be more concerned with the natural birth than the C-section.

  “All I know is that I want it out. I want this over!”

  Addy chuckled. You and me! As the end of the term approached, Karen became unbearable. She was tired, swollen, anxious and not feeling well overall. In addition, there was the frustration of feeling that she could no longer sexually satisfy her partner. She was much aware that the activities in the bedroom had slowl
y diminished to none. Addy constantly reassured her that all was fine, that this was a temporary matter and that all would go back to normal once the baby was born. However, Addy’s words were of little comfort.

  Knowing how Karen felt, Addy had to walk the fine line of staying away from initiating anything and taking any opportunity to make Karen feel good about herself and her body. Sometimes, Karen cried at night, and Addy would hold her and comfort her tenderly telling her how beautiful she was, and that it would all be over soon. Addy couldn’t tell her that she was also desperate to regain some normality in their lives. She couldn’t believe how much she craved Karen. Even pregnant, she thought the woman was beautiful and she told her so every night.

  “Flatterer! You are just saying that to make me feel good.”

  “Why do you say that? I’m serious! I think you are as gorgeous now as ever!” Addy’s compliments always helped with Karen’s precarious self-esteem. “By the way, I think the enlarged northern hemisphere is awesome.” Addy chuckled.

  Karen knew she was teasing her. “They are off limits. They hurt even when you breathe on them! For now, just settle checking the southern hemisphere, and make sure to take a good look at it, just in case the terrain changes after the avalanche.”

  Addy chuckled and kissed her. “I told you the terrain will go back to its regular topography, but I will definitely conduct an immediate exploration to determine whether the conditions are appropriate.” Addy kissed her way, inch by inch, over Karen’s belly as Karen watched, smiling, until Addy disappeared behind her belly.

  “Appropriate for what? What do you intend to do down there?” Karen chuckled wondering what was going through Addy’s mind. At that very moment, Addy’s made herself visible from the other side of Karen’s tummy. She smiled, winked, wiggled her eyebrows and tongue and when she saw Karen smile she went down again hiding behind Karen’s belly. “Addy, you are not going to do, what I think you are going to do, are you?”

  Addy grinned. “Well, I was going to explore in detail the readiness of the area, but if you want something in particular, I take requests.”