S – Stretch Marks

Kelly was now nearly eight months pregnant and carrying large, especially in the front. In fact, she was getting so big that she couldn't fit behind the steering wheel anymore, which meant when Brandon wasn't taking her somewhere, her mother-in-law or one of her friends was. Today, Donna had driving duties because Kelly needed to pick up some items for the nursery while Brandon was trying to finish a deadline at the paper.

Donna opened the passenger door for Kelly and she shifted, trying to slide in without bumping her belly against the dashboard. "Ugh, this sucks," Kelly moaned as she finally squeezed in. "Really. Thanks for your help though, Donna."

Donna nodded as she walked around to the driver's side and climbed inside. She started the engine and Kelly watched her curiously. Donna was usually Mrs. Chatty Cathy but she had said very thus far. In fact, all Kelly remembered her saying when she came to the door was "Hi, ready to go?"

"Don, are you okay?" Kelly asked as Donna carefully pulled out into the street.

"Sure. Are you?"

"Other than being super tired and having ankles swollen to the size of tree trunks, yes." Kelly tried to chuckle but noticed her best friend gritting her teeth. "Okay something definitely is wrong. What is bothering you?"

"Never mind."

"Donna –"

"Fine, you are!" Donna snapped out and immediately looked regretful. "Kelly, I'm –"

Kelly felt like she had just been slapped across the face. "Okay. What did I do?"

Donna's bottom lip trembled. "You just don't know how lucky you are. All I've heard about for the last seven months is how tired you are, how fat you are, how the defining you cream you've been using isn't making your stretch marks go away... But you don't realize just what you're getting out of the deal, Kelly. Four – count them; four - beautiful babies."

Kelly protectively cupped her stomach. "Of course I realize that. I already love my kids. Pregnancy is just more exhausting than I had realized it would be. I am sorry if I am bothering you. Maybe you should just take me back to the house."

"No, Kelly, no. You need diapers and creams and booties and stuff and that's what we're getting," Donna said, lip continuing to tremble. She swiped at a tear that ran down her cheek. "You're so damn lucky, Kel," she reiterated. "You're having four babies when some people can't even have one."

"Wait. Do you mean..? I didn't even know that you and David were trying…"

"Well we have been for a few months now and have had no luck." Donna sniffled. "Anyway, a few days ago I made an appointment with a doctor - you know just to see if everything was in working order…"

"And?"

Donna swiped at another tear. "And, apparently I have like, a severely cock-eyed uterus and getting pregnant would be damned near impossible. When I told David, I saw how sad he was. He tried to cover of course to make me feel better, but I know he was as devastated as I am."

"I'm sorry," Kelly said. "I'm so sorry."

"I feel like I have a lot of love to give a child, Kelly, and now I probably never will be able to have a baby."

"There are other options. There have to be, Donna. Maybe it's not exactly the same but how you love the baby, that's what matters, not where they came from."

"I know," Donna said. She looked at Kelly with her hands resting on her belly. "It's just – I wanted to remind you how fortunate you are. Stretch marks and all."

Kelly looked down at her protruding stomach as she lightly rubbed the rounded mound of flesh. She nodded. "I know." And she did realize just how lucky she was to be a mom. She may complain a lot about aching feet, water retention and being practically the size of a house, but she did realize how fortunate she and Brandon were. She vowed though in that moment that she would never take a single moment with her children for granted.

She looked at Donna. "I don't know if it's a good time to mention it, but Brandon and I talked about things, and we really want you and David to be godparents of the first baby born…"

"Really?"

"Yes. Are you okay with that?"

Donna nodded. "Definitely."

"Good, because we won't be able to do this alone, Donna…Please expect a lot of frantic calls, begging for free babysitting."

Donna smiled this time. "I can't wait."