A Little Bit of Us (26 page)

Day Six in the Johnson/ Freeman household

     Jacob called! He’s furious about James dating whilst living with me. Even more furious that he won’t leave even though I’ve told him to numerous times. It’s like he’s purposely rubbing it in my face. Oh, and get this! Guess what James asked me!

     “Zara wants to meet you. I think she’s nervous about our relationship.”

     “Are you fucking kidding me? What the fuck is your problem?” Now I do not under any circumstances condone violence but this was one of them moments that I just had to throw something at him. More specifically I threw books at him and screamed at him to get out. He did… for all of half an hour.

     My heart feels like it wants to burst. Especially when he says, “You don’t even love me anymore Maya. So why the fuck are you acting so damn jealous?”

     To which more books went flying. Of course I still love him. He’s always in my fucking face! How can you possibly get over someone who’s always there?

Day Seven in the Johnson/ Freeman household

     “Maya? What’s wrong?” he asks after answering.

     “You’ve been gone four hours. I was wondering if you were coming back.”

     “Is my mom driving you crazy?”

     Actually nope. “No, not at all. I was just worried. You said you’d be an hour. That was four hours ago.”

     “Sorry!” I hear a sickly sweet female voice call out. “I roped him in to going to lunch.”

     I hang up. My heart is hammering against my ribcage. I’m so… fucking… ouch. Knowing about it is one thing but actually hearing it is another.

     I can’t help it, I sob. Thick salty tears stream down my face as I cry and cry and fucking cry. He’s moved on. That should be me going to lunch with him. Me riding in a car with him. It should be me! What’s worse is Sylvia sits there and tries to cheer me up by telling me what an idiot he is.

     He returns only half an hour later. Sylvia… shocking the hell out of us both shouts, “Get your shit and get the hell out! Now!” We both gape at her tiny form shaking with anger. “I raised you better than this. Now leave.”

     “You can’t tell me to leave!” he snaps back but I can see his nerves getting the better of him.

     “I can and I am. I’ve packed your things. I don’t ever… and I mean ever want to see her…” she points at me. “Cry like that again. Now leave.”

     “But…”

     “NOW!”

     He looks to me for help, “Maya…”

     “I’m with her. I want you out. You’re a dick James.”

     “Why? What did I do?”

     “Are you honestly that blind?” I’m seething. “You really don’t get it do you?”

     “If this is about Zara I’ll end it with her… I’ll stay here.”

     I laugh once, “No thanks. Not only do I not want her sloppy seconds but I also don’t want you.”

     “You know what… fine,” he throws his hands up in defeat and stomps to his room. “Call me when she goes into labor.”

     I’m seven days away from my due date. My cervix is one centimeter dilated and it’s safe to say I’m crapping my panties. I’m so damn scared.

     According to Marie, James and Zara broke up
the day after he left here. Not like I care. He didn’t come to my appointment last week and he hasn’t been in touch since his mom kicked him out.

    
If you remember Sylvia and I bonded before when I almost died. Yeah, well we’ve bonded again. I actually enjoy her being here. She doesn’t push me, doesn’t boss me around she basically just helps out and looks after me. I’m now officially allowed to move around as there is zero danger to me going into labor. DJ thinks it could be any day now as baby is in the right position and her head is right down. So, Sylvia has been researching ways to kick start labor because I’m annoyingly frustrated.

     Marie brought round seven pineapples. Yep, apparently seven pineapples will kick start labor. I immediately responded, “Well if I manage to eat that many pineapples my stomach would most likely stretch in size and push the baby out of my belly button.” I mean… is this even physically possible? Not the baby through the belly button but the eating of seven pineapples. It sounds impossible.

     “Come on,” she chuckles as Lucas walks in. “Eat.” I take the bowl full of chopped pineapple and start chomping down. “I’ll go juice the rest.”

     Summer is here also, she thinks jumping jacks and going for a long walk will help so she’s brought this exercise step with her so I don’t have to go out into the rain. Now I’m eating pineapple whilst stepping up and down on this fucking thing. Gah. My friends are crazy.

    
Back to Lucas.

     “What are you…? I don’t want to know. Don’t tell me.” He then takes a paper bag full of groceries into the kitchen, Amelia sits next to Marie on the couch and watches me with her inquiring eyes. “I’m making chili for dinner. Spicy food should get you started.” Another miracle labor starter. How wonderful.

More like a shit volcano starter.

They mean well.

     I’m loving the fact they’re here trying to get this baby out of me. What I’m not loving is the methods in which they are choosing to help with.

     “SEX!” Marie practically screams and holds her phone in the air. “Just found another one. Apparently the stimulation of the nipples and an orgasm via sex can bring on labor.” She looks around frantically and then frowns. “Where’s James?” her hands go to her hips and then she glances towards the clattering in the kitchen. “Lucas?” Summer and Sylvia both grab her before she says something I’ll probably sit on her for.

     
“James should be here for this,” Summer says solemnly as she braids Amelia’s hair. “Should we call him?” I shrug, I really don’t care.

Sex does sound tempting.

     No, it really doesn’t. How would it even work? I have a soccer ball glued to my front. It really sucks to be me. Up, down, up, down. I’m still doing my steps when the bowl of pineapple is taken from my hands and a warm cup of foul smelling water is thrust at me.

     “Drink this,” James says and winks at me. “It’s raspberry leaf.” Again? I tipped this in the plant by the couch the last time he gave it to me. “I put a little lemon juice in it.” Oh joy.

     I’m desperate enough that I pinch my nose and down the contents. I need to sit down now, I’ve been doing this step thing for the past thirty minutes. My stamina sucks.

     “When did you get here?”

     “Summer called me half an hour ago,” wow, has that much time really passed? “Is it ok that I’m here?”

     I narrow my eyes playfully
, trying to establish a no tension temporary bond between us, if that makes sense? “Are you going to make me eat seven pineapples, chilies and do a million step ups and downs?”

     He shakes his head and smiles back, that smile that I claimed so long ago, “No.” He takes the cup from my hands and puts it on the coffee table before wrapping his arms around me and hugging me tight. My belly kind of separates us. It’s a little funny, especially when she starts wriggling. “Sit.” I do as I’m told and park myself between Amelia and Sylvia.

     I then watch as he pulls out a birth ball still in a flat box and starts to blow it up. When it’s done I sit on it instantly, it’s so comfy, ahhh. That’s nice. James holds my shoulders as I bounce a little so I don’t fall. He also rubs my shoulders… heaven, pure fucking heaven. I hate our up and down relationship at the moment but I have to admit, I’m relieved he’s no longer seeing Zara. God knows why. I broke up with him right?

     “It’s good you’re here James,” Marie chirps in but before she can finish Summer slaps her hand over her mouth again making her cackle like a hyena.

     Unfortunately labor doesn’t begin and everyone leaves, apart from Sylvia who is currently helping me clean the kitchen. I’m going to miss this woman when she leaves. She’s actually a really nice person, just a little rough around the edges and set in her ways. James left twenty minutes ago after giving me a back rub. We didn’t talk, there’s nothing to be said. I think we’ve fucked it, part of me wants him to ask for me back. Part of me thinks I’ll say yes. The other part is telling me far too much time has gone by and far too many arguments have made the cracks in our feeble connection start to glow.

     James has never been a verbally angry person but recently I’ve pressed his buttons too much which has clearly caused him to say some extremely hurtful things. I am a verbally angry person so it’s to be expected of me. When you know someone says a lot of shit when they’re mad you learn to not listen to it, but when someone level headed doesn’t ever say a bad word no matter how angry and they suddenly start calling you all the names under the sun, part of you wonders whether or not it’s true.

      I need to pee again, all this thinking is effecting my bladder. That doesn’t look right! Oh my god. I’m bleeding! No. “Sylvia!”

     “What is it?” I hear her burst into the bedroom.

     “There’s blood in my underwear.”

     “Let me see,” Ok, well this is awkward. “That’s just your bloody show. It means your plug is loosening.” How does she know that? “I read the baby books.” So did I! “It’s mucus and brown rather than red. Definitely the show. Shall I load pictures on the internet to compare it too?”

     “No, no, that’s ok. I trust you,” phew. “Nothing came away when I wiped. I remember reading something about it too.”

     “Yeah, it usually occurs a week before labor happens but that’s not always the case. I’ll call James. He should be here just in case.”

     Great.

     Half an hour later James rushes in and starts fussing over me. He even has this weird baby heartbeat device and straps it to my stomach. I have to admit, falling asleep to that sound is one of the best things in the world.

     My due date comes and DJ performs a membrane sweep. That’s not pleasant and had me crying out in pain. It’s where they run a finger around the plug to release the sack or something. Hell if I no.

     Now I’m back at home with James and Sylvia, my swollen ankles are resting on his lap as Sylvia runs around, making sure everything is in the overnight bags and ready to go by the door just in case. I suggest they put it in the car which according to Sylvia is a brilliant idea. Which leads to me asking if James has installed the car seat yet. He’s shocked that I know something he doesn’t. Ha. So off they go with the bags and the car seat and such while I lay on the couch and make one of Amelia’s Barbie’s fall off the mountain that is my stomach and die a most painful death.

     “Still making noises?” James chuckles on his way in. I flip him off and continue to make Barbie gurgle and spit and cry for help until… oh no! The remote goes flying down and whack, ends her poor little life. I’m evil. I know. “You’re a strange being.”

     “And you have smelly feet.”

     “I do not.”

     “You can’t smell it because you’re so used to it. They smell like crackers and cheese.”

     He pinches my thigh, I yelp and giggle. My back is aching like a bitch.

     “I’m getting Braxton hick’s again,” I sigh and reveal my shiny pudgy. We watch as it tightens and my back aches. “DJ said this would be normal after the sweep right?”

     James nods and leans forward to press his lips to my stomach.
I smile and run my fingers through his hair. It’s so soft, like silk or feathers. “Want me to run you a bath?”

     I nod, a small smile teasing my lips, “That would be great.”

     He sits with me while I’m in the bath, we argue about names. He really loves the name Evelyn. I don’t dislike it, it just doesn’t feel right. Although the abbreviation Evie, that kind of works for me. We may be able to reach a happy medium.

     Twinge, spasm, ouch. My back really hurts. Stupid false labor.

     I tuck myself into bed, James sits beside me and rubs my back. I fall to sleep as his magic fingers continue to work their magic.

     “I am not taking you to get a spray tan and a wax! You’re a day overdue!” James snaps. Lucas and Marie start sniggering behind their hands. Why are they here again? “Not a chance. No way.”

     “Marie, can you take me to get a spray tan and a wax. I really don’t want the doctor looking down there and wondering where the hell my cunny has gone,” I stick out my lower lip. “Please?”

      “Certainly milady, shall we get out nails done too?”

      “Yes, a mani-pedi sounds perfect.” It really does. “My hair needs a trim too.”

      “Are you crazy?” James practically squeals. I glare at him, “Even if I do happen to suddenly go into labor the baby isn’t just going to fall out! If you come too you can keep an eye on me.” He relents and grabs his coat, Lucas shrugs and follows suit. Off to the day spa we go.

     Ok, so we go a little overboard, we get facial’s, mud baths, massages, we get our hair and nails done, makeovers and of course a wax.

     “No, no, no. AH!” Lucas squeals like a little girl.
We’ve forced him to get his chest waxed, I’m laughing so hard I can barely stand. “Stop it!” he practically shouts at the beautician or whatever you call them, she’s trying not to laugh but failing miserably. James is holding his brothers shoulders to stop him from bucking like an angry donkey. “No! No! OW!” She pulls another strip off without even giving him a moment to breath does another and another. The entire time he screams, curses and threatens us with serious bodily harm. All of which only makes us laugh even more. She puts a soothing lotion on his now shiny and bare chest, I watch his face relax and a sigh escapes his lungs.

     “I hate you all, I never want to see you again,” he pouts like a petulant child and slams the car door. Marie and I sit in the back behind the boys still sniggering. Oh yes, I filmed it, of course I did. He turns to look at me, “I didn’t hear any screaming when you got a wax.”

     I shrug, “I’m used to it. You big baby.”
We head home, my back ache returns. This sucks. The ache travels from my back to my front. Damn it. “I need to lay down.” I state as soon as we enter. Sylvia is watching a knitting show, her needles in her hands. So far she’s managed to make a mangled scarf. Practice makes perfect though right?

     “My belly hurts,” I rub my lower abdomen as James rubs my back. It really hurts. It’s still false labor though. Right? The pains are erratic and a little painful but nothing concerning yet. They feel like they’re getting stronger but that could just be because I’m tired and fed up. “I need to go to sleep.” I can barely keep my eyes open.

     “Do you think it’s time?” James asks as he helps me to the bed.
I shrug, he’s really asking me? I don’t even know when a turkey is cooked. Let alone a baby. “Try and get some sleep.” He helps me into my silk nightgown and goes to leave. I pull him down beside me and press my back against his chest, his warmth feels so good. So soothing.

     “No, don’t leave,” I feel him smile against my shoulder in between gentle kisses. “James?”

     “Yes babe?”

     “You know you said before that I don’t love you anymore?”

     I feel him tense, he asks cautiously, “Yeah?”

     I stretch and yawn. “It’s not true. I do love you.” His breath hitches and he buries his face in my hair. “My belly hurts.”

     “I know baby, I know.”