Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 133138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
We’ve just turned into the Jules Valles market area, which specializes in stands filled with antiques ranging from classic records to antique weapons, when my phone rings. It’s Nora.
“Nora? How’s it going?” I ask. “Sorry for the noise. We’re out shopping.”
“No, that’s okay,” Nora says. “I just wanted to check in. How’re things going with S—”
I pull my phone to my ear before the other girls can hear, cutting Nora off. “Yeah, sorry. Things went great with those designs I was telling you about.”
I glance at the other girls, hoping I haven’t been busted. Thankfully, Nora seems to catch on, and I quickly switch from speaker to normal phone. “Autumn, is everything okay?” Nora asks. “You can use code if you want. I’m alone here at the office.”
“Yeah, yeah. No, those little worries I had about . . . skirt length, I think they worked out. We had our first show and I feel good about it.”
Nora makes an unconvinced sound. “Okay, I just worry because I want you to succeed. You’re so talented. Please don’t end up messing up a good thing.”
“I hear you.”
“Okay, then on to me . . .” She pauses, and I swear I can hear her feet tippy-tapping through the line, but maybe it’s static. “I also called because I’ve got great news. You know all the gas and upset stomachs?”
“Uh, yeah. Are you okay?”
“Well . . . the doctors figured out what it is. I’ve got a parasite.”
“A parasite?” I yell, panicked. “Oh, my God! What can I do to help?”
“Oh, no, it’s great news!” Nora says, somehow not freaking out about this. “Lots of people get parasites like mine. And after they’re removed, we give them names, dress them up, all sorts of stuff.”
“Names? Dress up? What?” I’m so confused, my brain struggling to put it all together. And then I get it, and I laugh at the same time tears of joy form in my eyes. “You did it!”
I can hear Nora crying now too. “Yeah. Five years, all the treatments . . . but we did it. I’ve got a little parasite all my own. I’m pregnant!”
The scream that comes from my mouth is one of pure joy, but it’s so loud that all movement in the market stops and all eyes turn toward me. I don’t care, full on happy crying now. “Nora, I'm so happy for you!” The girls look over, and I explain, “Nora’s pregnant!”
Words can’t explain my joy. Nora and I are close, and I’ve wept with her when she told me about the fertility treatments and the miscarriage just weeks after she and her husband, David, thought they had succeeded. I sat in awe of her bravery and how she’d hid her heartbreak behind the mask of professionalism, still smiling and there for us when her world was falling apart.
Now, after five long years of trying . . . she’s pregnant.
The girls cheer, and Beatrice calls out to the rest of the market, where I’m moved again as dozens of people start to cheer and applaud. I pull my phone away to switch on the video and show Nora, who’s crying too. Finally, I pull the phone back and give her a smile.
“You are going to be the best parent ever,” I tell her, but then I point an accusing finger her way. “But if you ever call the baby a parasite again, you’ll have to deal with me, and I’m one of those ride or die aunties.”
She smiles through the happy tears. “I thought you’d get a kick out of that. It’s from an old House episode.”
I’m not surprised. Nora jokes that she and David are the oldest young people in existence. An exciting Saturday night consists of TV reruns and Sudoku for them. But I guess there’s a little something else happening on their ‘boring’ Saturday nights too.
“And tell Clay that I’m planning the baby shower.”
She holds up her hands in defeat, shaking her head. “That’s between the two of you. He’s already petitioning for Clay as a name.”
“Well, that’s okay as long as you use Autumn if it’s a girl,” I say, mostly joking.
Nora leans in to the camera, her eyes cutting left and right as though making sure she’s still alone. “No, he wants me to name the baby Clay, regardless of whether it’s a boy or girl.”
“Tell him I said over my cold, dead body,” I tease. “And then when he says that can be arranged, tell him that I’ll haunt him until he agrees that you can’t name the baby after pottery materials.”
Nora laughs, but for some reason starts crying at the same time. “I miss you so much.”
“I miss you too.” Molly waves at me, telling me to come over and look at something. “Nora, I’m sorry, but I have to go.”