When Lanie entered the apartment, she knew something was going to happen.
"Kate ? What is all of this ?" she asked as she put her things in the entrance closet.
"Oh, nothing special." Kate answered from the kitchen.
"Really? Nothing special? Is that why you dressed the table as if you were waiting for a celebrity and you cooked your lasagna and garlic bread and ... is that cake I smell?"
"Yeah. I made an apple pie."
"So let me repeat my question, what's all that?"
"It's just dinner Lanie."
"That is not 'just dinner' girl, and you know it. What's going on?"
"Come on, sit down and have some wine. The lasagna will be served shortly. I have something to tell you, and I figured, why not make a night out of it?"
"You're moving in with Rick, aren't you?"
"What? How ... how do you know? Who told you?" Kate asked, completely stunned.
"Nobody told me Sweetie." Lanie laughed. "To tell you the truth, I've been waiting for this announcement for some time now. I'm actually surprised you didn't take the decision sooner. Did he ask you on your birthday? That's how I imagined he would do it." she continued, serving the lasagna that Kate had put on the table.
"Well ... something happened on my birthday that might have hurried the decision. But it's not the reason why we took the decision. It's just ... it's been harder and harder to be away from Rick and Alexis and ..."
"Did he propose?"
"No, he didn't." Kate laughed.
"But something happened right? It's not ... you didn't just decide to move in with them."
"No. Well, we decided it would be best for me to move in with them while we were up in the Hamptons with Rick. He asked me and I hesitated at first because I ... well I didn't want to disappoint you." Kate confessed.
"Disappoint me? Oh Sweetie you could not disappoint me for this. If you had decided to leave to go and live with a colleague, yes, I would have been disappointed, but not because you want to live with your man." Lanie said, hugging Kate briefly before taking her seat back. "But I know there issomething else. I can see it. Come on, tell me." she almost begged.
"OK, I'll tell you. But you have to promise to keep it an absolute secret for some time."
"I promise. Now tell me."
"We ... we're having a baby." Kate said, a huge smile lighting up her face.
She knew that Lanie would be happy, but she did not expect the very high pitch squeel that her best friend let out at therevelation.
"Oh my God! That's amazing! Are you sure? Have you been to the doctor to confirm it? How long have you known? How longhave you suspected?"
"Slow down Lanie." Kate laughed. "So, to answer your different questions: I have suspected it for about three weeks but I only took a test on the morning of my birthday. And I went to the doctor this morning and he comfirmed it. And everything looks perfect so far." Kate said excitedly.
"That's so great! I'm so happy for you" Lanie said, draying a tear which was running down her cheek as she went to hug Kate once more.
"Only my mom knows, so if you could keep it to yourself until we announce it to everybody, that would be great."
"Of course! How did your mother react when you told her?" Lanie asked.
"Well, we didn't tell her actually. I don't know how she did but she figured it out."
"I heard that mothers have like a sixth sense for this type of things".
"Well, let's get to eat." Kate said as the oven bipped.
"I am sure going to miss your lasagna." Lanie laughed when she sat down t the table.
"You can still eat them you know. You'll just have to come to the loft." Kate said, smiling at the idea of calling the loft her home.
"Yes, but the thing is that Rick would be there too. And you know as well as I do that if you put Rick and your lasagna in the same room, you are less likely to have a normal piece. Are you sure it is not the reason why he asked you to move in?" Lanie laughed.
"Well, it may have played some role ..." Kate answered, serving Lanie a big piece. "Nowenjoy it, you will never get a piece this big at the loft."
The two girls were on the couch, not watching what was on TV.
"So, you never told me. When do you plan on moving out exactly?" Lanie asked, puttingthe final touches to Kate's toe nails.
"We discussed around Christmas. Well, after Christmas. I think it would be good to do it between Christmas and New Year's. That way we could start the new year on a new basis."
"That sounds good. I'll have time to ask around for a new roomate."
"You're sure you're not mad?" Kate asked, sad to be leaving Lanie, even if it was to go and live with the love of her life.
"Yes I'm sure. I didn't mean for it to sound as if I were mad at you, I'm sorry. I was just thinking out loud. But it is true that I will need to find someone. I can't afford this place on my own."
"Well, maybe you could move out too and go and live with Javier downstairs." Kate teased.
"Girl, you need to understand that not everyone is like you. I really like him but I'm sure he's not ready for us to live together yet. Hell, I'm not ready. He's not as quick and deeply committed as Rick is to you."
"Do you think we're going to fast?" Kate asked, concern clear on her face.
"That's not what I meant, Sweetie. You found your perfect man and 5 months later you are moving with him and you are pregnant with his baby. It is the right thing for you. There is absolutely no point in waiting around when people are really in love like the two of you are. You were meant for each other. But it's not the case for everyone. Most people actually need more than five months to make a life-long committment to each other." Lanie laughed.
"Yeah. Sorry. I didn't mean to sound insecure or anything. It's ust that I tend to forget that not everyone is like us."
"Ok, stop now. You're just bragging now and it's not nice for the rest of us, simple mortals with feeling issues." Lanie laughed.
"And when you think it all strarted by chance..." Kate sighed, s huge smile on her face. "I'm the luckiest girl in the world!"
THE END