The next day, I drove Aimee to the appointment.
While in the waiting room, Aimee filled out the forms, and turned them in. A few minutes later, we were called into a room.
“Well, it’s good to see you two again,” said Dr. Cantor, whom we had both known since high school. He was uber smart and married to another friend of ours, Mary Rose.
“It’s good to see you, too, Rob,” I said while he hugged both Aimee and I.
“So, you’re here to find out the gender of your baby?”
“Yep,” Aimee said, popping the p.
“Excited or nervous?”
“Both.”
“Well, let’s get to it, then.” I couldn’t help but smile. Rob was energetic and funny. You couldn’t help but smile at his sunny disposition. He then flipped on the ultrasound, squirted the gel on Aimee’s bump of a belly, and began. A few minutes later, he was able to tell us the gender. “Well, congratulations, Aimee, you’re going to have a girl.”
“Thank you so much, Rob.”
“No problem. Do you want some pictures?”
“Of course.”
“I’ll go get them for you.” He left the room and I hugged Aimee excitedly, but gently.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so happy for you. A baby girl!”
“You mean you aren’t disappointed?”
“Why would I be?”
“Well, because you’re Catholic and you don’t believe in sex before marriage.”
“But that’s just me. You’re not Catholic. I’m not forcing it upon you to be one. I don’t care what you did, you’re like a sister to me.”
“Thanks,” she said while hugging me. I hugged her back as Rob came back in.
“Here are your pictures and I wish you the best of luck with the baby.”
“Thank you so much,” Aimee and I answered in unison. We giggled.
“You know, if you guys didn’t have different last names, I would’ve thought you guys were fraternal twins.”
“Too bad we aren’t. But again, thank you and we’ll see you soon,” Aimee said.
“See you,” he said as we all hugged. We exited the room, saying bye to Mary Rose along the way.
“I can’t wait to tell the family tonight,” I said as we entered my navy blue convertible Beatle.
“I hope they’re as fine with it as you are,” Aimee said while getting comfortable.
“Don’t worry. You’re like a sister to Billy, Joy, and me and a daughter to my parents. I’m sure they’ll be fine and help.”
“Okay,” she said, then she turned, looking ahead.
**************************************************************************************************
“How did you know I was pregnant?” Joy asked after Aimee said there was news.
“Wait, what?” I stuttered, “That’s not what I was talking about.”
“Congratulations, Joy,” my mom and dad said in unison. I could see Aimee getting angry. She hated it when her news got put off.
“Annabelle wasn’t talking about you, Joy. I’m sorry,” Aimee said while standing up, her baby showing, “I’m pregnant.” My family gasped, even Joe.
“Are you going to keep it?” My mom asked.
“Yes.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with being a single mom?” My dad asked.
“Yes.”
“Then we’ll help you in anyway we can,” my dad said, smiling warmly at her.
“Thank you.” She hugged everyone.
“Do you know what you’re having?” Billy asked.
“A girl.”
“Ohh fun. I hope I have a girl, too. That way they can hang out. It would be really cool,” Joy said excitedly.
“Yeah, it would be cool.” I was glad that they were accepting the child even before it was born. I knew they would.
**************************************************************************
4 months later
“Aimee come on, we’re gonna be late,” I shouted up the stairs. I had been staying with Aimee for the last few months because I didn’t want to leave her alone in such a big house. I knew how much she needed me at that time. Joe would call me everyday and say he missed me, begging me to come back. Yet, he never made the trek to come visit me if he missed me so much. It just didn’t make sense.
“I can’t decide on what to wear.”
“You’ve had two hours. Come on.”
“Does this look okay?” She asked while leaving her room. She wore a navy blue, knee length dress, a white shrug, and silver ballet flats.
“You look gorgeous, Mia.”
“You haven’t used my nickname since high school.”
“I know. I decided to use it again because I missed calling you it. Now let’s go,” I said while straightening my skirt. I wore an ivory pencil skirt, a navy blue oxford shirt, and leather boots.
“Okay. I don’t know why you’re in such a hurry. It’s just dinner the Ma and Dad.” Ever since her dad died a few years earlier and she spent so much time with me, my parents became her parents, too.
“No arguing, just go.” We hopped in my car and drove. I had been lying to her for the past month about the baby shower my parents had planned for her.
I sped all the way to my parents’ house, luckily, without getting a ticket.
Of course, she was surprised, despite my awful lying skills. The baby shower décor was in a color scheme of navy blue, silver, and white, her favorite colors. She absolutely loved it. There were many games, and we even did karaoke and charades.
“Thank you so much,” Aimee said at the end of the night, “it was so much fun.”
“No problem, Mia.” We got in my car and drove home.
“I’m tired.”
“You can sleep once we get back.”
“I would like that.” I pulled her into a side hug and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a smile spread across her lips.
****************************************************************************
A month later, Aimee told me that her mother died while giving birth to her. Every once in a while, she would get these premonition dreams. She had three in her life that she told me of and they all came true. She had another where she saw herself dying from giving birth to her baby.
I told her not to worry, but she made me come with her to see her lawyer anyway. Just to be safe, she said. She organized her will, leaving everything to me, even the baby, if I wanted it. That night, I cried. Cried from fear of something that might not even happen.
