Roomie Wars Box Set

On the drive over, we both sit in silence as the tunes of some regular pop song come on the radio. It doesn’t take long before my bladder decides we need a restroom stop. It’s only supposed to be a forty-five-minute drive, but two pit stops later we pushed it to an hour.

My parents’ cottage appears just in front of us as Drew pulls into the street. This isn’t my childhood home. Mom and Dad sold our bigger two-story home when us kids moved out, and they moved into something smaller. I loved it. It had this charm to it and was surrounded by so much greenery. Mom has a green thumb and spends hours making her garden perfect. Tulips are her favorite, and over the years I’ve grown an appreciation for the beauty of flowers.

We continue to sit in the car, neither one of us saying a word until I break the silence. “So, I guess I’m on the market. No ring and all.”

Drew shakes his head, disagreeing. “Studies show wedding rings attract the opposite sex and are more likely to cause flirtatious scenarios because of the whole ‘unattainable’ status.”

Letting out an annoyed huff and rolling

my eyes at Drew’s geeky-educated mind, I’m quick to squash that stupid study.

“Well, then, you’ll be getting laid by all the hoes, and I guess I’ll wind up a lonely old widow trying to feed my family by collecting money on the street corner.”

Drew laughs. “Widow means your husband has died.”

“Yes, you would be dead after screwing around with all the hoes,” I state matter-of-factly.

Drew intertwines his fingers with mine, resting our hands on my lap. He knows my anxiety always heightens around my family. I’m not sure why I love them. It’s just that Mom is overbearing and has an opinion on everything in my life, and Dad is just well, Dad. My brothers are no better, a bunch of hoons in my eyes, but thank God they have all moved away, so none of them will be here today.

Drew removes his hands from mine, turning the engine off before hopping out of the car and opening the door for me. A summer’s breeze blows past me, a refreshing change from the stifling heat that graced us the past few days causing my swelling to match the stature of a hippopotamus.

Getting out of the car becomes a mission these days. With Drew’s assistance I grab his arm and pull myself up, almost out of breath, and slowly waddle toward the front door.

I rest my hands on my stomach as Drew leans over and presses the doorbell, the sounds echoing through the house.

Mom finally answers. “Zoey!” She hugs me a bit too tight and shuffles me in, linking her arm in mine until we walk down the hall, and then all I hear is “Surprise!”

Mia is standing in front of a small crowd, faces I recognize but all a blur as I try to take it all in.

The room is decorated in yellow and white balloons, some floating and resting against the ceiling. There’s a big sign in the middle that says Zoey’s Baby Shower backed by a green wall. I absolutely love green walls. They are the latest trend, and many of my clients insist on hanging them in their newly built homes.

Toward the left of the room is a table topped with so many presents decorated in fancy wrapping paper and exquisite bows. I spot a double carriage with a huge bow on top. Still in absolute shock, my eyes wander to the food table. In the middle sits the most lavish cake—three tiers with two babies on top.

“Happy baby shower!” Mia shouts, hugging me at the same time. “Do you like it?”

“Like it? I love it!” I choke on my words, holding back my emotions. “You did all this for me?”

Mia smiles while shaking her head left to right. “I had plenty of help.”

I let out a huge grin before turning to Drew. “Did you know about this?”

“Of course, he did.” Mia laughs loudly. “The poor guy was getting sick of me nagging him about all the tiny details.”

“And all this time I thought you were having an affair.”

Drew wraps his arms around me placing his lips against my ear. “You’re cute when you’re jealous but also the biggest pain in my ass.”

“All right, love fest is over. Time for you to leave. Ladies only,” Mia demands.

Drew kisses me goodbye before finding Dad and closing the front door behind them. Poor Drew. Thank God he and Dad get along so well, probably better than my brothers. He’s the son he never had—listens to all his crap and repetitive stories.

“Let’s get something to eat before we start the games,” Mia suggests.

Mia and Mom have gone all out. Mini pizzas, mini tacos, a chocolate fountain, finger sandwiches, and other mini everything. I fill up my plate, starving and desperate to try as much as I can.

On my fourth serving, my Aunt Hilda corners me. “Now, Zoey, have you put together a birthing plan? Your cousin, Martha, had hers written down. She opted for no drugs and wanted to bring the baby into the world peacefully.”

“Um... I’m kinda gonna wing it,” I answer with a mouthful of food.