I woke up to a loud pounding on the door. I rolled over and groaned. Who would be here at this hour? I reached for the clock to look at the time.
10:30 am.
Shit! I was beyond late for work.
Joe had tried to fight me on this again, the whole going to work while being pregnant didn't settle to well for him. But I was adamant. I told him I was going. Even though deep down I really don't want to. It had been nice to stay at home all day. But no, I was to stubborn to admit that in front of Joe. I think secretly he knew it too, but he didn't say anything.
I got up and went downstairs. Bob was laying in front of the door, his head on his paws, looking up at me. Probably trying to tell me to make the crazy person go away or else he would eat them, and I had no doubt that he probably could. I laughed to myself as I bent over to pet him. He was a good dog, just not when he's eating my bra's, or underwear.
That damn knocking just won't stop.
"Stephanie, I know you're in there." It was Lula. " Open this fucking door, or I'm going to fucking break it down, and I don't care if this is Officer Hottie's house. You shouldn't be asleep at this hour anyway. I bet it's because you were up late last night, isn't it? Oh man girl, I'm getting hot flashes. Open the door!"
I just rolled my eyes and laughed. Lula definitely had a way with words. She came bounding in as I opened the door for her.
"Well it's about fucking time. What you been doing girl? Hiding? You know what, just cause you have a hottie for a baby daddy don't mean you have to hide all the time. Why ain't you at work," she asked as she started fanning herself. " Man the hot flashes are worse in here. Man I bet Morelli's been naked in this very spot. Ooo girl, I'm so jealous. So answer my question, why ain't you at work?!"
I looked at her to see if she was finished. She just stared at me back, then she started rummaging through her bag and found a half eaten bag of chips and started muching on them. She looked at me again, and I laughed.
"I don't know, I kind of overslept, and Morelli didn't wake me up when he left the house this morning."
She looked at me and nodded. Then her eyes traveled to my stomach. "Man you look famished. What is Officer Hottie feeding you anyways?"
I laughed and looked down at my stomach, the place where my baby was sleeping. " I'm on a diet." Her eyes bugged out at me when she heard me say the words.
"Yea I know, laugh all you want, but this is important to me. I've screwed a lot of things up in my life and I don't want this to be one of them. Now I know I don't know a lot about kids,"
" Girl," she laughed, "you don't know anything about kids. Remember that time we were babysitting Lisa and you put her diaper on wrong?"
" It was an honest mistake," I said as I shrugged my shoulders and tried to defend myself.
" What about the time you were watching Lelani and she started throwing a fit and you tried to put a binky in her mouth?"
" So every kid needs a binky."
" She was two, she didn't use one any more, and it was another kids that you stole."
" So what are you trying to say," I asked.
" I'm saying nothing. Except maybe you might consider taking one of those parenting classes that they have, down at the rec center. I heard they are really cool. They have live kids you can practice on."
I laughed at her. She had no idea how bad she just made that sound, like the kids were practice dummies or something. But I just let it slide. She was right, I didn't know the first thing about being a parent. And the binky incident was an honest mistake too. How was I to know she didn't use one anymore. I mean sure I knew it wasn't hers but still. All binkys are the same aren't they?"
" So are you ever coming back to work," Lula was asking.
" I don't know," I replied, " I really don't want to. I just want to sit back and enjoy my first time being pregnant, you know, like my sister did." Then I paused. What was wrong with me. I was usually always ready for a challenge, no matter what the circumstance. If somebody wanted to kill me, chains couldn't keep me in a safe place. I was always out in the action. But now all the sudden I'm pregnant and I don't want to be. Hold that thought. Time to go meet my new best friend.
I covered my mouth as I ran upstairs.
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Around noon, I was feeling better, and Joe had called and asked if Lula and I wanted lunch. I said yes and so now here we we're. Sitting in a booth at Pino's, waiting for their pizza and my salad to arrive.
When we started to eat Lula just stared at me as I ate my salad and shook her head. " I wouldn't of believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes," she mumbled, " wait till Connie hears about this one."
I just laughed. So did Joe. The conversation was at a low when my dickhead of an ex- husband walked in. He saw us, laughed, and then went to place his order. I'm guessing while he waited he thought it would be a good idea to come talk to us.
"Stephanie," he started
Dumb ass, I really wanted to say, but I didn't. " Richard."
" I heard you were expecting, Congratulations. Or should I say good luck to the baby, it'll need it with you as a mother."
" Well let's hope you never have any kids, Dickie. They'll be watching homemade porn all the time. Compliments of d-a-d-d-y."
" You know what-" he started.
" I think," Morelli interrupted him, " that it would be in your best interest to leave," he said in his no nonsense cop voice.
He stood there for a few seconds, turned around on one heel, and left.
" Why did you marry him again," Lula asked.
I laughed and shook my head. I really don't remember. All I remember was holding my breath from the day we became engaged to the night the wedding night was over. It meant I never had to have sex with him again. But he took care of his needs in other ways.
But that's ok. I was over him. Hell I wasn't even into him at all, I thought to myself as my mind began to wonder. I thought about the speech that I gave Joe the other day. Every single bit I said was true. Maybe the only reason I did marry Dickie was because I pictured it was Joe who I was marrying, cause I know I sure as hell wouldn't marry him in my right mind. Who would?
I turned to Joe and smiled at him. " You're amazing."
He looked at me, and there I saw it. His heart shining through his eye. " So are you, Steph, so are you," he said as he flashed me that sexy-slow grin of his, full of smooth moves, and tons of charm, only Joe could pull off.
" Holy fuck," Lula said, " I think I just wet myself," she exclaimed, referring to Joe's smile, as she started fanning herself.
I smiled and laughed at her, so do I, Lula, so do I.