When You Make It Home (33 page)

Bella charged in next, her white blond hair bouncing in her trademark pigtails. “Wait, Brooke, we’re supposed to walk in side by side. Don’t you go stealing my thunder, girlfriend.” She wore a pink skirt made with less fabric than my maternity panties. Her see-through blouse and plum bra that coordinated with her platform heels were nothing short of adorable and slutty, and the reason men were lined up for the signing.

On the show, Bella raced to catch up with Brooke. When Brooke had flunked out of college, Bella quit. When Brooke was forced into rehab, Bella showed up vowing sobriety, too. Finally when Brooke got knocked up at a posh halfway house, Bella scored a positive pregnancy test on the final episode six weeks later. Rumors spread that their babies shared the same daddy. Brooke was the only one who didn’t seem to be aware of Bella’s copycat syndrome. The ever-noble Brooke looked out for her best friend in all the ways she didn’t look out for herself. The fangirls of the show looked up to Brooke, but the entire male species between the age of eight and ninety-eight fell in lust with Bella.

Bella staggered across the room and grabbed Brooke’s hand. Looking me over, she squealed, “Oh, that thing’s about to fall out!” She covered her mouth and erupted into giggles. “I’m so glad I’m not pregnant anymore.” She hopped up and down, and I laughed with her, even though I wanted to tell her to sit down and hush.

My belly tightened, reminding me that I’d been pushing myself too hard. I made a mental note to stop and have a drink of water.

Steve walked in, arms held out in welcome. Gag me. “Wonderful! The girls are here.” He introduced himself to each of them and to their crew, who had filled the room. I watched as the cameramen weaseled around, working different angles and distributing their microphones. Sweat trickled down my back, and I sighed, wondering how long the afternoon would stretch.

While Steve herded Brooke and Bella up the elevator to deliver them to the waiting crowd, I wandered around the store, checking up on the people in line. As word spread that the girls had arrived, the noise escalated. We had to be closing in on our maximum occupancy. I knew I was reaching my own limits. My head was throbbing with the noise volume, and the pain seemed to run down my back. When everyone was gone, I was going to have to rest on the floor of my office just to get enough energy to get home. I cursed myself for flying to Atlanta.

Nina and Chelsea kept me going. Chelsea worked the front of the line. Nina moved through the store, avoiding my father but showing up the moment I needed something as if she were in tune with my every thought. I waited forever for the elevator to come back down but finally gave up and wiggled my way up the stairs. At the top, a hand closed around my arm. I turned to look into the smooth, chocolate eyes of Cortez. “Hiya, doll,” he said.

I should have responded, but I looked past him to Theo. “Why are you here? What makes you think it’s your job to keep tabs on me?”

“We need to talk,” he said. “They wouldn’t let us in unless we bought the book.” He held up a copy of
Bella and Brooke, Plus Babies
. It looked absurd in his hands.

Cortez had his copy pressed to his chest with his hook. “I’m here for the girls. I’m going to ask them out.” He pursed his lips as though he had a delicious taste in his mouth.

Theo smacked him on the back of the head. “What’s your plan, dumbass? To ask them both out in front of each other?”

Cortez jerked away from him. “Man, get off my back. Them girls do everything together. I can show them both a good time.” He grinned at me and ra
ised his eyebrows as if I knew what he was talking about. Okay, I knew what he was talking about but forced it from my brain.

Another guy in line turned around. “I heard they’re looking for baby daddies.”

“Aw, shucks, man. If that’s what it takes! If that’s what it takes!” He laughed, and the man gave him a high five, and then they bumped chests.

“You go,” the stranger said. “You know it.”

Theo was shaking his head. “Ignore these idiots. Are you okay? You look tired.”

“I’m working. And I don’t have anything to say to you, even if I had the time.” I walked away.

When I passed the elevator I realized why it had never come back down. The shut-off button had been activated by one of the B&B security guys. The beefy man stood with legs spread, arms crossed, and sunglasses on. I didn’t get the part about the sunglasses. Did he wear them to make himself more intimidating? The tattoo of a tiger biting his neck accomplished that. The man was scary. Scary enough I wasn’t about to tell him to get out of my elevator. With the line on the stairs and the swarm throughout the store, I was having trouble catching my breath. My world was closing in on me.

Moving throughout the second floor of the store, I expected the crowd to be calm up there. Soon they’d be rewarded with the presence of the reality stars. No such luck. As we neared one o’clock, the girls had yet to make an appearance.

I located Steve at the front of the line. “What’s the deal?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Girls. You know how they are.” He nodded down the hall where Brooke and Bella had been holed up since their arrival. “You check it out. See if you can coax them out before this mob takes over.”

“Okay, okay. Let’s get this show started.” I dashed toward the hall.

Just then, two girls who barely looked old enough to drive stormed the stairs. They could pass as Bella and Brooke back when their show first went on air, before the booze, pills and pregnancies. One girl was dressed as Brooke, in painted-on jeans and a minuscule white top. “Where are they? We’ve been here all night! Where are they?”

Beefcake with the tiger tat blocked them off at the top of the stairs. “No passage,” he barked.

The Bella wannabe’s lip quivered. She tugged on her bleach-fried pigtail. “But we have to meet them. We
have
to. Brooke!” she yelled around the wall of man. “Bella!”

Beefcake mumbled into his Bluetooth. “Ladies, we’re getting you an escort.”

“What’s an escort?” She swung her head around so fast her pigtail, and the scent of mousse, smacked me in the face.

“He’s getting us in to meet them.” The girls clapped and jumped in unison.

A guy who could have been Beefcake’s twin, only with ice-blue eyes, came up the stairs behind them. “Come on girls, let’s go.”

“Wait,” the one with the pigtails said, putting her hands up. “I know they came up here. They’re not down there.”

“I’m removing you two from the property, for disorderly conduct.”

“What?” Her friend’s mouth dropped open, and tears sprang to her eyes. “You can’t do that.”

“I can, and I will. Walk, or I’ll carry you out of here.” He placed his hand on her back to usher her along.

“That’s not necessary,” Theo said. “Let the girls have their day. Give them a break.” He took one exaggerated step out of line, with his arm out as though he was holding the space. “They can take our spots.”

“Shut up, man,” Cortez smacked Theo’s shoulder. “They gotta go through the line, same as everyone else.” He looked at the girls and sighed, shaking his head.

“We’ll move to the back,” Theo said.

The two girls slipped into Theo’s spot. “Thank you, thank you,” they squealed. Cortez rolled his eyes at Theo, but grinned at the girls. The guys trudged down the stairs, but I caught Theo turning to watch me.

“Thanks,” I mouthed. His smile was so faint that, if I didn’t know him, I might mistake it as hostile, but I knew what the look he gave me meant. As if to verify my thoughts, he winked. Right then, the wall of my grudge crumbled. But duty called. I marched down the hall to see what on earth those girls waited for. I could hear the giggling as I neared the room.

I tapped on the door, but no one answered. I turned the knob, pushing in a tad. “Hello? Brooke? Bella? We have a crowd waiting for you.”

The door swung open and Bella, wineglass in hand, waved me in. “Would you care for some Pinot? Come in. Come in. We’re settling our nerves before we head out.”

She danced over to the bottle on the table, picked up a drinking glass sitting next to a pitcher of water with lemon slices floating in it—courtesy of Nina—and filled the glass with wine. “Drink up. Your nerves could use a drink too.” She grinned and licked her lips.

“No thanks. I’d better not.” I patted my tummy.

She pushed the glass in my hand. “Oh, no, it’s good for the baby… in moderation.” She winked at Brooke, who sat on the sofa, holding a wine glass and nursing a chubby, pajama-clad baby.

“I thought you girls didn’t drink anymore.”

Brooke took a sip. “We don’t. Wine doesn’t count.”

Bella giggled. “Neither does prescription pills.” She hauled up a purse so big it wouldn’t pass as carry-on luggage. She rummaged through it and pulled out an orange bottle. “As long as you follow the directions on the label.” She held the bottle up to the light. “Take one as needed for anxiety.” She looked up to the sky and twisted her lips in thought. “Yep, it’s needed. Hold this a sec.” She pushed her drink into my hand, popped the lid off, and shook one, then another pill into her hand. “Oops!” She made a big O with her mouth, smacked her hand to her mouth and took the wine to chase it with. “Take that, anxiety!” She wiggled her shoulders with excitement.

“Come, sit over here,” Brooke called to me. I followed her orders, pleased to get off my feet for a moment. I put Bella’s wine on the table and settled in next to Brooke. “Are you planning on nursing?”

“Yes, yes I am,” I answered. Her baby made eager gulping sounds, his fingers held tight in a fist as he sucked away. His eyes, wide open, watched Brooke, enthralled with his momma.

“It’s the best,” Brooke said. “I want to give him the best.” She stroked his velvety head as she talked.

“Oh no, here she goes again.” Bella rolled her eyes. “Olivia only gets the best, too, and the nicest part about formula is anyone can give it to her.” She retrieved her phone from her purse and plopped onto the other white loveseat, humming to herself while she texted.

The girls needed to get out there to the waiting crowd. “How much longer do you expect it will be until you all are ready for the signing?” I asked.

Brooke looked at me over the rim of her wineglass and took a sip. “You should relax a little. Have a drink with us, and then we’ll all go out together. It’s fine at the end of pregnancy. Everyone in Europe does it, so you know it’s a good thing.” She winked, and that sealed the deal.

Why not? In all the books and magazines I’d perused over the last months, many said an occasional drink was fine.

I sipped the Pinot and moaned in delight.

“A toast,” Bella said. “To new friends and good wine!” She came over to us and clinked glasses. The wine was fabulous. It’d been close to a year since I enjoyed a drink. My body relaxed into the seat, and I listened to their happy chattering debate on the best way to mother a child. They clearly knew more about the subject than I did. As it turned out, wine was exactly what I needed to take the edge off, and surprisingly, for once I didn’t feel guilty indulging. After all, the Europeans do it, right?

Chapter Thirty

A
fter being as uptight as I was, relaxation was a strange shift. Even when Hazel barged in, griping about getting the circus started, my body stayed languid, and I laughed along with my new buddies.

But Hazel was right.

“You heard the lady,” I said, pulling myself up. “It’s showtime!” No sooner did the words leave my lips, I heard a little pop, and I thought:
No!
But sure enough, as the nanny came from next door to get Brooke’s baby, I felt wetness seeping between my legs.

The tight sensation surged again. “You guys head on out—I’ll catch up with you.” There was no need for me to panic; nobody could tell what was going on, and we had to get through the signing. But then the contraction peaked, and I braced the table for support, letting out a deep groan. I couldn’t stop myself.

“Meg?” Hazel’s hands flailed, as if seeking something to hold onto.

Both girls stared at me, and while Bella’s face pulled back in disgust, Brooke, looking excited, pointed at the floor. “Hey look, your water broke!”

“Oh…
oh
.” Hazel stood with her mouth wide open.

“Hazel,” I said and waited until her gaze wandered from the floor to my face. “Can you find Nina for me?” Nina could handle anything—that, I was sure of—as long as she didn’t get grossed out.

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” Bella had her hands over her mouth, eye fluttering like a moth on a porch light.

My mouth fell open. “I’m sorry.” I wanted to say more, but the pain surged, and I propped my arm on the table, curling inward as a tightening burned through me. The feeling was different from before. It was hard and fast, and I wanted to run from it. I lost myself in the contraction. It didn’t matter that I was at work. All I knew was tearing pain seared through me, and I wanted it to stop.

Stop! Stop! Stop!

Then the hurt began to ease, and Brooke was by my side. She put her hands on my shoulders. “Don’t be afraid. You’re doing great. I can’t believe you’re going to have your baby today.” She was grinning, all happy and excited, and all I could think was:
No!
Then another contraction came at me.

“I’m not ready,” I moaned, trying to fight it. I rocked against the table.

Brooke rubbed my back. “You can do this. Your body was made ready to do this.” When the pain eased, she led me to the sofa.

Bella paced. “We should get out there. Isn’t someone going to come help you? Our fans are waiting.” Her voice rose in pitch, and when the door swung open she cried out the same words I was thinking, “Thank God!”

Theo.

“How fast are the contractions coming?” he asked, but I was already losing it again, gripping the arm of the sofa as I perched, swaying, on the edge of the seat.

Brooke was next to me, holding my other hand. “They’re coming really fast,” she said. “She needs to get out of here. We can take her in our car. It’s parked at the back door.”

“Brooke!”
Bella protested.

“Nah, that’s not possible,” Theo said. “All the cars in the lot are blocked in. It’s too crowded out there. I called an ambulance. They’re on their way.” He cupped my cheeks in his palms, looking me in the eyes. “How you doing, sweetheart?” When I looked in his eyes, I knew then that I didn’t want to make any more mistakes with my life. I loved Theo.

“I’m afraid,” I confessed.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of. I’m here with you.”

“We’re all here with you,” Bella muttered from the corner.

“Shush!” Brooke hissed at her, moving to stand by the door.