"Alright Karen, Grace is on her way." Will said, as he entered my room
and sat on the bed beside me.
"I didn't tell her what was going on, but she was pretty concerned when I told her I didn't think you should be left alone."
"Will, it's not like I'm actually alone, look around; this house is fully staffed."
"You know what I mean Karen. You need a friend here with you."
"Well thanks for looking out for me Wilma, I appreciate the concern."
"So Karen, when are you going to give birth to that thing?" Will asked while pointing at my stomach. "I mean you've been pregnant forever." Will said with a smirk.
"Ugh I don't know honey but this "thing" as you so kindly put it is making me more uncomfortable than I ever imagined. I don't think I'm going to last another month."
"Eh you'll do fine. You know something else? I think you're going to make a pretty good mom. What with your fashion sense, you're addiction to shopping and all those gold cards; yeah all the other girls are going to wish their mom was just like you."
"Ah if only it were that easy but I can't buy her affection. I mean sure it works with Jack, but this is different."
"Hmm Jack does love your credit cards, but like I said Karen, you'll do fine."
"Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden Wilma, what are you up to?"
"I'm not up to anything Karen, I promise. I just, well Grace mentioned I could be a little nicer to you and I think she's right. I've been a little insensitive in the past and I just want to make up for it."
"Uh huh, uh huh and why do you want to make up for it? There's something going on here and I want to know what it is."
"Karen, I think you're getting a little paranoid, there's nothing going on. I feel guilty about being so mean to you, especially now that I know what you've been going through over the last few months. I know I've never been especially kind to you in the past, but I don't dislike you."
"Oh yeah, you want something alright. I'll figure out what it is Wilma so you may as well just spill it."
"All I want Karen is for us to be friends. I know we've never really been "friends", but you're a friend of Grace's and you're a friend of Jack's so it would be nice if we could try to get along a little better."
"Ugh alright I give up. I'll take your word for it Wilma Truman, but only because I've already lost interest."
"Fair enough, that settles it; we're friends."
"Friends," Grace asked as she entered the bedroom, since when are you two friends?
"I don't know honey, and I've given up trying to figure it out. It's just easier to agree with him."
"I'm going back to the office. Grace, make sure she gets some rest and Karen call me if you have any questions about what we discussed in the library. I don't want you to sign anything until you've thought everything through so don't hesitate to call."
"Will do Wilma, can you come by tonight so we can go over it more thoroughly?"
"Sure, I'll come by around 7:00."
Will let himself out and Grace made her way over to my bed.
"What's going on Karen? Will sounded pretty concerned about you when he called me."
"Honey I'm sorry he made you leave the office, I really am ok."
"Alright, well you said you wanted to talk to me about something so what's up?"
"Grace, Stan and I are getting a divorce. Things have been pretty bad and I don't want to get into all the messy details right now, but it's for the best."
"Oh Karen, Grace said as she climbed into bed with me, why didn't you tell me things were bad?"
"I don't know Grace, I mean things have never been great with Stan and me but this pregnancy was too much for us to handle. I'm not saying it has anything to do with the baby; we both want the baby, but it's put a real strain on the marriage. I really think this is the best thing for the both of us, and I also think this is the best thing for the baby. I can't be a decent mother if I'm going to spend every day loathing my husband."
"Well Karen, it sounds like you've made the right decision. How does Stan feel about all this?"
"He agrees with me. He's made a more than generous settlement offer, and he's prepared to make sure the baby and I are well taken care of."
"Well I'm sorry things turned out the way they did, but I'm glad the two of you were able to come to a mutual agreement."
"Thanks honey, I really owe a lot to Jack he helped me see what I needed to do."
"Is he going to be staying with you for a while? I really don't think you should be staying here alone in your condition."
"Yeah, he said he'd stay as long as I needed him too, but this whole pregnancy is freaking him out if you know what I mean. Besides I think I'm putting a cramp in his love life."
"Yeah, I can imagine. If you'd like Karen I would be happy to stay with you."
"Aw Sweetie I'd really like that, and I think Jack will be relieved; that poor man is scared to death of me going into labor. Speaking of labor honey, do you think you could handle being my labor coach; I hate to ask, but I can't do this on my own?"
"Sure Kare, but I have no idea what that involves."
"Don't worry honey, I have notes from our Lamaze class; I fill you in on what you need to know."
"Karen this is so exciting, I can't believe I'm actually going to see you give birth! Hey, why don't I go downstairs and have cook bring up some lunch and we can go over all the Lamaze stuff?"
"Ok, I guess I am a little hungry."
"Great, I'm going to call Will while I'm downstairs; I want to ask him to pack some stuff for me and bring it with him when he comes over tonight, do you need anything while I'm on the phone with him?"
"No honey I'm all set."
That wasn't so hard I thought to myself after Grace headed downstairs. It certainly went a lot smother than I had anticipated. I hadn't known what kind of reaction to expect from Grace. She's been a good friend over the last few months; I should have known she'd be supportive.
After Grace and I finished lunch and went over my Lamaze notes I realized I was pretty exhausted; my energy was not what it used to be.
"Karen you look tired, I'm going to go watch some TV I want you to get some rest."
"Alright, I couldn't definitely use a nap. Honey I want you to make yourself at home so feel free to boss around the staff; if you need anything let them know."
"Will do Kare, get some rest." Grace said as she closed the bedroom door.
"I didn't tell her what was going on, but she was pretty concerned when I told her I didn't think you should be left alone."
"Will, it's not like I'm actually alone, look around; this house is fully staffed."
"You know what I mean Karen. You need a friend here with you."
"Well thanks for looking out for me Wilma, I appreciate the concern."
"So Karen, when are you going to give birth to that thing?" Will asked while pointing at my stomach. "I mean you've been pregnant forever." Will said with a smirk.
"Ugh I don't know honey but this "thing" as you so kindly put it is making me more uncomfortable than I ever imagined. I don't think I'm going to last another month."
"Eh you'll do fine. You know something else? I think you're going to make a pretty good mom. What with your fashion sense, you're addiction to shopping and all those gold cards; yeah all the other girls are going to wish their mom was just like you."
"Ah if only it were that easy but I can't buy her affection. I mean sure it works with Jack, but this is different."
"Hmm Jack does love your credit cards, but like I said Karen, you'll do fine."
"Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden Wilma, what are you up to?"
"I'm not up to anything Karen, I promise. I just, well Grace mentioned I could be a little nicer to you and I think she's right. I've been a little insensitive in the past and I just want to make up for it."
"Uh huh, uh huh and why do you want to make up for it? There's something going on here and I want to know what it is."
"Karen, I think you're getting a little paranoid, there's nothing going on. I feel guilty about being so mean to you, especially now that I know what you've been going through over the last few months. I know I've never been especially kind to you in the past, but I don't dislike you."
"Oh yeah, you want something alright. I'll figure out what it is Wilma so you may as well just spill it."
"All I want Karen is for us to be friends. I know we've never really been "friends", but you're a friend of Grace's and you're a friend of Jack's so it would be nice if we could try to get along a little better."
"Ugh alright I give up. I'll take your word for it Wilma Truman, but only because I've already lost interest."
"Fair enough, that settles it; we're friends."
"Friends," Grace asked as she entered the bedroom, since when are you two friends?
"I don't know honey, and I've given up trying to figure it out. It's just easier to agree with him."
"I'm going back to the office. Grace, make sure she gets some rest and Karen call me if you have any questions about what we discussed in the library. I don't want you to sign anything until you've thought everything through so don't hesitate to call."
"Will do Wilma, can you come by tonight so we can go over it more thoroughly?"
"Sure, I'll come by around 7:00."
Will let himself out and Grace made her way over to my bed.
"What's going on Karen? Will sounded pretty concerned about you when he called me."
"Honey I'm sorry he made you leave the office, I really am ok."
"Alright, well you said you wanted to talk to me about something so what's up?"
"Grace, Stan and I are getting a divorce. Things have been pretty bad and I don't want to get into all the messy details right now, but it's for the best."
"Oh Karen, Grace said as she climbed into bed with me, why didn't you tell me things were bad?"
"I don't know Grace, I mean things have never been great with Stan and me but this pregnancy was too much for us to handle. I'm not saying it has anything to do with the baby; we both want the baby, but it's put a real strain on the marriage. I really think this is the best thing for the both of us, and I also think this is the best thing for the baby. I can't be a decent mother if I'm going to spend every day loathing my husband."
"Well Karen, it sounds like you've made the right decision. How does Stan feel about all this?"
"He agrees with me. He's made a more than generous settlement offer, and he's prepared to make sure the baby and I are well taken care of."
"Well I'm sorry things turned out the way they did, but I'm glad the two of you were able to come to a mutual agreement."
"Thanks honey, I really owe a lot to Jack he helped me see what I needed to do."
"Is he going to be staying with you for a while? I really don't think you should be staying here alone in your condition."
"Yeah, he said he'd stay as long as I needed him too, but this whole pregnancy is freaking him out if you know what I mean. Besides I think I'm putting a cramp in his love life."
"Yeah, I can imagine. If you'd like Karen I would be happy to stay with you."
"Aw Sweetie I'd really like that, and I think Jack will be relieved; that poor man is scared to death of me going into labor. Speaking of labor honey, do you think you could handle being my labor coach; I hate to ask, but I can't do this on my own?"
"Sure Kare, but I have no idea what that involves."
"Don't worry honey, I have notes from our Lamaze class; I fill you in on what you need to know."
"Karen this is so exciting, I can't believe I'm actually going to see you give birth! Hey, why don't I go downstairs and have cook bring up some lunch and we can go over all the Lamaze stuff?"
"Ok, I guess I am a little hungry."
"Great, I'm going to call Will while I'm downstairs; I want to ask him to pack some stuff for me and bring it with him when he comes over tonight, do you need anything while I'm on the phone with him?"
"No honey I'm all set."
That wasn't so hard I thought to myself after Grace headed downstairs. It certainly went a lot smother than I had anticipated. I hadn't known what kind of reaction to expect from Grace. She's been a good friend over the last few months; I should have known she'd be supportive.
After Grace and I finished lunch and went over my Lamaze notes I realized I was pretty exhausted; my energy was not what it used to be.
"Karen you look tired, I'm going to go watch some TV I want you to get some rest."
"Alright, I couldn't definitely use a nap. Honey I want you to make yourself at home so feel free to boss around the staff; if you need anything let them know."
"Will do Kare, get some rest." Grace said as she closed the bedroom door.
