“Well, honey, I think it’s time you got your answers once and for all. Then you can move forward, or move on with a clear heart and a clear conscience .”
“You’re right. I know you are right .”
“Why don’t you call your friends and let them know you are coming .”
I nodded, picking up the phone .
“Hey Kaylie. You win. I’ll come tomorrow. I guess I can’t really hide here forever .”
She let out a whoop that rang in my ears .
“I am so excited! Don’t you move, we’ll be over in a few hours .”
“We ?”
“Your beauty squad of course !”
I tried to interrupt but she’d already hung up. I stared at my phone, wondering what on Earth the girls had in store for me. If they made me look silly, or like I was trying to get him back, I would lose it .
I’d just put my foot down and say I wanted to look casual. I mean, I didn’t even know if he would be there. And even if he was, that didn’t mean he’d be looking at me .
Oh God. What if …
What if he brought his own date ???
That would be totally normal, right? A perfectly normal thing to do. It had been a year since we were dating after all .
Did that mean I should bring a date? Who? No, that was a terrible idea. And the girls wouldn’t let me walk into that situation without forewarning anyway .
Would they ?
They might, especially if they didn’t know how I felt about him. Which I had gone out of my way to hide from everyone except Kaylie and Mae .
I started cleaning up while my mind raced. I did the dishes on autopilot. I dusted the cozy dining room and vacuumed the sofa in the living room, far enough away to keep the baby from waking .
I was still pondering the situation as I started a load of Eliza’s laundry. Then I went into my bedroom where I collapsed face down on the bed. I had plenty of things to do, but I felt incapable of doing any of them at the moment .
I was really, really screwed .
* * *
I was nursing Eliza a few hours later when the doorbell rang. A chorus of feminine voices rang out. Janet and Sally were with Kaylie, I suspected. I set the baby down and she gurgled at me dreamily .
Was I ready to introduce her to the girls ?
Would they judge me for having a baby out of wedlock ?
I shook my head. I didn’t think they would. Every one of us had had our trials. Janet had even been abducted by a rival gang to work in a massage parlor .
I squared my shoulders. I was proud of the tiny person I had made. And there was only one way to find out what anyone would say .
I had to take a chance, open myself up a little .
I just hoped I wouldn’t be disappointed .
I walked into the kitchen and stopped short. This was not a friendly visit. It was an invading army !
Sally had brought a rolling rack with at least ten garment bags. Kaylie had a rubber bucket filled with an ancient looking blowdrier. The kind that came with a cap and a tube. Janet was rolling in a gigantic makeup kit that rivaled a handyman’s toolbox in size .
“Um… Hi guys. What is all this ?”
They surrounded me, hugging me all at the same time .
“We missed you !”
“You look beautiful !”
Kaylie grinned at me cheekily .
“We are here to prep you for tomorrow .”
Janet held up a box of waxing strips .
“And remove anything you don’t need .”
“You mean… my body hair ?”
She nodded gleefully .
“You want to be flawless, don’t you ?”
“ What ? Why ?”
“Because I got you a new bikini silly! We’re going to the lake !”
I stared at the tiny aquamarine bikini Sally was holding up .
“ Um … but …”
“No buts! First, the charcoal mask and hot oil treatment .”
Kaylie’s eyes twinkled .
“Janet needs to heat up the wax .”
* * *
B y the end of the night I was buffed to a high shine. Janet had even trimmed my hair and given me something sparkly to spray on the next day .
I stared at myself in the mirror, then at the bottle of dry oil with flecks of gold .
Apparently, it created ‘faux highlights .’
I sighed. Eliza had slept right through the commotion surprisingly. And I’d been too overwhelmed to tell them. Besides, it was probably better I make that introduction to someone else first .
Kaylie and Mae were the only ones who even knew I had a baby, let alone who the daddy was .
I groaned, wondering how I would find the courage to face up to this mess. On the bright side, at least I knew I would look good doing it .