Title: This Thing About Birthdays
Rating: Uh, yeah … still R … probably more R than before because you know how 'girl talk' can get.
Author's Note: A long author's note for a long chapter. First, a big thanks to everyone who is reading this, and especially for everyone who has taken the time to review. As I mentioned, this is a long chapter … hopefully, it's not too wordy. Enjoy it while you can, for chapter 5 is still not done. But I *am* working on it. So this chapter is for Jules who asked that I throw some Lusan into the mix. And for Catherine again, because I know how she loves this chapter. Quoteth Catherine: "I mean...you've got Suby shopping at Bloomies...going through each other's purses...answering each other's phones to scare the shit out of Carter...It's just wonderful." Consider that your chapter summary. Now just read.
Disclaimer: What do you mean, "they're missing" … well, uh, I don't have them. Nope, it wasn't me.
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This Thing About Birthdays
Part I
Chapter 4: Girl Talk
My ass is ringing. I'm sprawled on a chair in yet another dressing room, thinking about taking a short little nap. All this shopping is going to kill me. Honestly, I don't know how she does it. She's midway through a pregnancy and should be exhausted, but instead she's running circles around me. Maybe it's because Carter is always trying to make her lie down, and so she's full of pent up energy. Maybe it's because I worked the midnight to noon shift and I haven't slept in something like 36 hours. Whatever the reason, I am tired. Too tired to realize that it's probably NOT my ass that is ringing.
"Hey Susan? That's Carter's ring. Can you get it? My phone's in my bag." Abby calls this out as she is in the dressing room trying on MORE jeans. She's had an inspiration and is sure this attempt to find acceptable jeans will work. So here we are back in the dressing room. Again. And I'm watching her stuff. Of which there seems to be quite a lot. And now I have to find her phone. In her bag. Okay, her bag. Oh yes, I'm sitting on it. No wonder I thought my ass was ringing. Geez, this thing is huge. What the hell does she have in here? I start rummaging around .
"Abby, you really need to clean out your bag more often." I say as I'm trying to find the damn phone.
"You never know when you might need that stuff." She counters.
"You need a handful of fuzzy Lifesavers, a broken pen, and a tube of lip gloss with no gloss in it?"
"Well …"
"And condoms? Abby … why the hell are you carrying around condoms? You can't possibly need them. I mean, isn't that sort of like locking up the chicken coop after all the hens have escaped?"
"Okay," She giggles, "maybe I do need to clean out my purse once in while."
"Yeah, ya think? What was your first clue? That your how-many-months pregnant now and still carrying around half a dozen tampons?"
"Yeah, you can have those, if you want. The condoms, too." Like I'm gonna need those … well, you never know. Okay, I'm more likely to need them than Abby, and it never hurts to be prepared. "Susan? The phone?" Oh yeah, the phone. Here it is. Finally … under a tin of mints, a hairbrush, a package of peanut butter crackers, a box of raisins, some beef jerky, a bag of M&Ms and a pack of batteries. Yeah, wouldn't want to be without beef jerky in an emergency.
"Do I want to know what the batteries are for, Abby?"
"Answer the PHONE, would you?" Oh right, it's still ringing. Okay.
"Hey, Carter."
"Susan?"
"Got it right the first time."
"Where's Abby? Is she okay? Did something happen?" He sounds frantic, panicked. I know it's evil, but I can't resist teasing him. Serves him right for driving Abby nuts with the overprotective routine.
"She's fine … I'm just watching her stuff while she climbs the rock wall here at the sporting goods store. I just hope she doesn't fall again."
"WHAT?!? Oh my God, where are you? Just stay right there. I'll be there in no time."
"Carter …"
"Oh my God, I can't believe …"
"CARTER!"
"What?"
"I was just kidding. She's in the dressing room trying on her five hundredth pair of jeans. Just calm down, Daddy."
"You know, Susan, that's not funny. You practically gave me a heart attack. … Wait, what did you just call me?"
"You heard me."
"Abby told you?"
"Well, she didn't exactly have much choice. Maternity clothes, remember?" I remind him as I burst into laughter.
"Right, good point."
"So congratulations! I can't believe you didn't tell me." I can't believe I didn't figure it out either.
"Well, you know …" He sounds kinda sheepish.
"Yeah, I know. But hey, I think it's great."
"Thanks, so do we."
"Yeah, I kinda got that from Abby. So do you want to talk to her?"
"Actually, it's probably better that I talk to you." I recognize the sound of his voice and realize he must have something up his sleeve.
"Okay … what's the plan?"
We've sorted it all out by the time Abby comes back out of the dressing room.
"What did he want?"
"To check on you, of course." Close enough to the truth. She rolls her eyes and shakes her head, trying her best to look like she can't stand the fuss he makes over her. "And he said not to rush, I guess they are getting slammed, so he might be awhile."
"Oh." The disappointment on her face is obvious.
"But he said he'll make it up to you. And I really don't want to know that means. I mean, I KNOW what it means, but no details, please." She starts to giggle. Okay, that's better. I was afraid she might burst into tears again.
"He's been 'going to make it up to me' all day. I think that's the third time I've heard that. So whatever this surprise is that he's got planned, it had better be damn good."
"I'm sure it will be." I hope she doesn't start quizzing me to see what I know. Best to change the subject. "So how are those jeans working out for you?" Please, God, let her be happy with them.
"I like them." Thank you , Lord. "They look good, don't you think?"
"Yeah, and they aren't baggy like the others that you bought. But I thought you said no elastic panels … so what gives? How can they fit so well in the legs and still fit around your waist?"
"Ultra low rise." She says with a smirk. "Nowhere near my waist. If I actually had a waist anymore. See? Look." She hikes up her sweater, exposing her round little belly, the pair of very low riding jeans resting just below the bulge. "And they I have to say, my ass doesn't look half bad in these" she says as she turns around her admire her butt in the three way mirror.
"Oh my God, aren't you afraid those are going to fall off?"
"With the hips I've got these days? I don't think I have to worry about that."
"Okay, but how do you plan to wear your pregnant-lady-granny-panties under those things?"
"I don't. You can keep your granny-panties, thanks."
"Well what are you planning on wearing instead of enormous underwear?"
"The same thing I'm wearing now."
"If you're gonna tell me that 'nothing' is what you are wearing now, I don't want to know." This one gets me a famous Abby eye roll.
"I'll tell you though, I'd rather wear nothing than that maternity underwear. Did you see that stuff? I family of four could camp in there. No way, forget it. It's bad enough I had to buy actual maternity clothing."
I look over at her hand absent-mindedly roaming over her still exposed belly. "It's small price to pay though. I mean, it's not for nothing. You've got a baby in there."
"Yeah."
"You're so lucky." I hope that sounds sincere. I mean it. She IS lucky. And I'm happy for her. For them. Two of my closest friends. Still, I can't help but feel a little … what? Jealous? Sad? It's funny, there was a time when motherhood would have been absolutely the last goal that I would have had. But then my Little Susie came along and changed all that. I remember the times when it was just she and I, and I know that no matter what else happens in my life, that will always be one of my happiest times. I miss her. I miss the little storybook life we had for a time there. Yeah, I guess I am a little jealous as I look over at Abby gazing with a goofy grin at her rounded belly. She looks over and sees me still staring, lost in my own thoughts.
"It's weird. Sometimes it doesn't feel real. I used to almost forget, you know? I mean, as the day went on and I got busy, it would just sort of slip my mind. And then I'd remember all of a sudden, and be almost blown away by how lucky I really am. Of course, now it's a little harder to forget. All I have to do is look down. And to think, last week this little bump wasn't even here. I might have been losing touch with my waist even then, but I didn't have this little round pooch. And then I just woke up one morning a few days ago, and I'd 'popped'. And suddenly it seemed very real. And suddenly I couldn't fit into even my baggiest pants. Oh well, I think I prefer this. Now I look pregnant, not just fat."
"You didn't look fat. You just looked … cold."
"Cold?"
"The big, baggy sweaters all the time?"
"Oh … right. Well, Chicago winters you know." She calls over her shoulder as she heads back to the dressing room.
"And an expanding waistline, don't forget."
"Yeah, that too."
By the time I've gathered all Abby's bags together, she's returned from the dressing room. She's back in that stunning outfit made up of Carter's closet rejects, and we head off to pay for her latest find.
"Oh my God, is this all my stuff?" She asks, surveying the assortment of brown bags.
"No, it's not all your stuff."
"Oh, good."
"This one is mine." I hold up the Small Brown Bag that contains my one purchase, a Christmas ornament off the clearance table. A little blonde haired angel that reminded me of my niece. I'll have to save for Susie until next Christmas.
"I can't believe I bought all this stuff."
"Think Carter'll be mad?"
"Hey, you heard him. He told me to 'break the bank.' I'm just trying my best to do that."
"Well, I think you've been pretty successful. I had no idea you like to shop so much."
"Yeah, it's just not normally one of those things that I can indulge. But during the quarantine, when *some of us* were in Barbados while *others of us* were stuck in an abandoned hospital for two weeks, Chen asked me what I would do if we were the last people on earth. I said a shopping spree. Although I guess a looting spree would be a better description. I mean, if we were the last people on earth, who would I pay for the stuff? And why bother anyway?"
"Hey, being in Barbados wasn't all that great. All I got out of it was a tan. And just look where being stuck in quarantine with Carter for two weeks got you." I say pointedly. She just laughs. "So this shopping spree is like a dream come true for you, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess. Only then I wasn't thinking about buying drawstring pants and tent-like shirts along with pink and blue sleepers in newborn sizes. Not that I'm knocking it. Especially the baby clothes part. It's all so cute. And so tiny."
"Yeah, it's hard to believe anything can start off that small. But believe me, they get big so fast, it's unbelievable. So what were you thinking about buying?"
"Huh? Oh, on that fantasy shopping spree? I dunno. Shoes, probably. Nothing I love more than a brand new pair of boots." Since Abby's paid for her gravity defying jeans, we start walking back toward the center of the store.
"Hey, now you're talking. Let's go find the shoes. After all you're gonna need some new ones. Those sneakers you are wearing just aren't gonna cut it with your new clothes."
"Susan. I have other shoes at home."
"Yes, but I'm not about to let you leave this store in those clothes. You're putting on some of your new stuff. It's bad enough that I've had to be seen in public with you in that … whatever you call that, all this time. So come on, let's go change."
It turns out that getting Abby into her newly purchased clothes and touring the shoe department is done in record time. She fell in love with a pair of boots -- what else -- right away, and decided that she felt guilty enough about buying those, it was time to retire from our shopping spree. Which would have been fine with me, but I'd promised Carter that I would keep her occupied in the store until 6:00. That meant about two more hours to spend in this store. Somehow. Think. Think. Aha, I got it.
"Hey, are you hungry? I'm starving. Let's go get a snack."
"Am I hungry? Eating for two remember? I'm always hungry."
We find the restaurant and sit down. Abby's packages are spread out all around. Under our feet, on the extra seats, even a couple on the top of the table.
Abby's giggling as she surveys our surrounding. "You know Carter kept encouraging me to buy a new wardrobe, and he assured me that I didn't have to worry about the money, but I'm not sure this is what he had in mind. And I really feel kinda bad about this."
"Yeah. You look like you feel really bad."
"Well, I would. But you know, the bill will go to the one of the family corporations. And after that lovely Christmas dinner, I think buying me a new wardrobe to accommodate me while I'm gestating their heir is the least they could do."
"That bad?"
"It was pretty bad."
Before she can get into the dirty little details, our waitress appears. Since this is a snack that will probably turn into the most well-rounded meal of my day, I decide on a bowl of soup and dessert. Abby apparently thinks this is a good idea, too. Only in between the soup and dessert, she's planning on eating a club sandwich. With French fries. And a side of pasta salad. And she just asked for extra whipped cream on her hot chocolate. My eyes grow wide at the thought of her order. "That's your idea of a snack?"
"I told you, eating for two."
"Yes, but two what? Two armies? Are you sure there's just one in there? Maybe there's more. Because I don't see how one baby can need all that food. Unless of course, you are trying to grow a ten-pounder."
"Ouch."
"Exactly. So come on, tell me about the Carters."
"Ugh. Well, obviously I seduced John in an attempt to become pregnant with his child, so that I could bleed them dry of all their millions upon millions."
"Wow. They said that?"
"Well, not in so many words. Although Gamma did accuse me of being some cheap piece of ass that he picked up at work with the intentions of getting nothing more than a quick thrill."
"Nice."
"Well, I think what she actually said was, that I was the kind of girl for John 'to sew his wild oats with' before settling down with a nice respectable senator's daughter or some kind of crap like that. And then she insinuated something about me possibly faking the whole thing. Wanted to know if he was 'quite sure.' And I think they were probably skeptical about it actually being John's baby. I'm surprised they didn't ask for a paternity test. They were what you would call 'upset' by the whole thing. I don't think they had a problem with him screwing me, just with the fact that he was so stupid as to knock me up. And even worse, be happy about some nurse bearing his child. They could tolerate me as the girlfriend, I guess. Tell themselves that it was some phase he was going through. Slumming it with that trashy nurse. But as the mother of his bastard child? That's a whole other story. I mean how will the senator's daughter feel about her future husband's firstborn and rightful heir belonging to some skank that he met during his little stint as a doctor?"
"Oh, Abby. I'm sure it's not that bad."
"Well Eleanor said, and I quote, 'For God's sake John, you're a doctor. I would have thought you would have known how to avoid this sort of thing.' She said that last bit about this thing, read disaster, while staring pointedly at me and my belly. I found myself automatically folding my hands over my stomach, like I needed to protect the baby from her words. It was a good thought, though, because the next thing she said was, 'So I suppose you are sure about keeping it.' I mean, there we are telling them that we are *having a baby*, and Eleanor's suggesting that maybe we've not thought long and hard enough about how much it would simplify her life if we would just get rid of it and pretend this terrible mistake never happened. I think she was all ready to pour me some gin and escort me into a nice hot bath. Honest to God. I mean, these people can be so unbelievable. I mean, I thought his mother was warming up. I thought John and his father were on better terms. And he says they are. That this is just a shock for them, that they'll be fine. Except of course that they hate me. My child's family can't stand me. But he says, it's not me, it's the situation. He's sure they'll come around and I hope so. For his sake more than anything. You should have seen Carter. He was so excited to tell them. So proud. He was so sure they'd be thrilled. He can be so incredibly naïve sometimes. Just because we were happy he thought they would be. And the look on his face when he figured out how they really felt, it broke my heart."
"Oh, God. I'm sorry."
"Yeah, it was not the most pleasant family get together ever. At least I know now that his family has as many problems mine. Still, this wasn't the best way to be presented to the family. I don't think I made the best impression. I guess I can't blame them entirely. I mean, they were taken by surprise. I think they barely knew of my existence and then suddenly, I'm changing their family forever."
"Still, that reaction seems uncalled for." I mean, Gamma didn't like me. Okay, she hated me. And John and I were never serious. But it still hurt and made me uneasy. I couldn't imagine being in love with a man, carrying his child, and having his family look at me like they wished I would take a long walk off a short pier. But Abby seems to be taking it more or less in stride. "You're dealing with it a lot better than I would."
"Ha. Maybe now. Not then. I was a disaster. I just sat there and cried. I mean, I tried not to, I didn't need to be labeled as a self-pitying whiner along with gold-digging tramp … but I couldn't really help it. And John was really wonderful. I was afraid he was gonna blow a gasket or burst into tears himself, but then he saw me crying. And that seemed to make up his mind. He took my hand and kissed it. And he stood up and he told his family, in no uncertain terms, that he loves me, he loves this baby, and that we are going to be a family. And he said they don't have to like it, but they have to accept it. And that he expects that we will all be treated with respect and kindness. And that if anyone so much as implied anything that could be degrading or insulting toward me, the baby, or our relationship, they would all be missing out on watching their grandchild grow up. He said he didn't want to have to choose, but they if they made him, they wouldn't like the result."
"Good for him. I kinda wished I would have seen that."
"Yeah, I should have made a video. A great one for the family collection. Although I feel like part of it is my fault. Or our fault. "
"Your fault? How? For falling in love with each other?"
"No, I was thinking more along the lines of for having a quickie in the downstairs hall bathroom, and running into Eleanor as we were leaving the powder room. Together. All flushed and slightly sweaty. Call me crazy, but I don't think that made the best impression."
"Yeah, I can see where that might have made for a bit of tension."
"Well, obviously I corrupt their sweet little angel. I didn't tell them who started it under the table."
"Under the table? What?"
"I thought you didn't want details."
"Well, I didn't, but now you've got me intrigued." Okay, normally, I really wouldn't be especially interested in someone else's sex life, but hey I don't have a whole lot of interesting stories in that department these days, and I really do want to know what the hell was going on under the table.
"Well, it started off innocent enough. I mean, I was nervous right? So when we sat down to dinner, he could see how tense I was. So he reached over and patted my knee. You know, as reassurance. And it did make me feel better. So he kept his hand on my knee. Only …"
"What?"
"Well, it didn't exactly stay there. He started rubbing my leg. And then he was rubbing … erm, not my leg. Of course, I would let him talk me into wearing a dress on this particular occasion. So this was not a good set of circumstances. I mean, I was enjoying it … but you know … it was hardly appropriate. And I knew that. But …"
"What?"
"I seem go temporarily insane when he touches me. Especially like that. I mean, I should have just taken his hand out of my … uh … lap. Instead …"
"What? For God's sake Abby, spill it. I'm starting to sound like broken record here."
"Okay, okay. I put my hand on his knee. And I certainly wasn't trying to calm him down. And my hand didn't stay on his knee very long."
"And this is going on right there at the dining table."
"Well, under the table, but yeah."
"For how long?"
"The whole meal."
"Wow."
"Yeah. I'm just chalking it up to pregnancy insanity or pregnancy hormones making me completely unable to control myself."
"What's his excuse?"
"Same one as always. He just says he can't get enough of me. And I swear it's worse now. I mean, there was actually a time when I worried that the pregnancy would, you know, make him less interested. But apparently not. He says I'm sexier than ever and seems hell bent on proving it. But it works out well considering how incredibly horny pregnancy seems to make me."
"So that's why you guys got … um … friendly under the table?"
"We seem to get friendly a lot these days."
"And that would be different than before how?"
"Well, we seemed to control it better then. I mean, we never resorted to quickies in the bathroom."
"So let me get this straight … after the meal was over you two just ran into the bathroom? Why the bathroom? That place is huge … you couldn't find any other room?"
"Well, it was handy, it had a lock on a door, and most people don't think a locked bathroom door is suspicious. Besides, it was the first thing that came to mind. After dinner I simply said that I couldn't remember where the powder room was, so I needed John to show me. Boy, did he show me. No sooner did we get into that bathroom than we start ripping each other's clothes off and then he just shoved me up against the wall and --"
"Abby!"
"I thought you wanted the details now."
"I don't think our waitress does." I gesture the woman approaching the table. By the time the waitress sets our food down we're a mass of giggles, and she can only shake her head as she heads away from the two crazy chicks laughing hysterically in the corner. "So then you come out of the bathroom and there's Eleanor?"
"Pretty much. So of course Carter tells her that I wasn't feeling well, which would make a convenient excuse after the announcement. But he was beet red when he said it, and I don't think she believed it for a moment. She just gave us a little fake smile and continued on the down the hall. I'm sure she knows exactly what was going on."
"Probably she was listening at the door."
"Not that you would know anything about that."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh … nothing. Just a little story Carter told me one time."
"Oh. I'll kill him."
"Don't you dare. Then I'd have to fend off his family on my own."
"Oh yeah. Okay, so after this encounter with Eleanor, you made the big announcement?"
"Yeah, we were all sitting in the library or the parlor or the drawing room or whatever they call it, and Carter got this big goofy grin on his face. Well, a bigger, goofier grin. Because he had no idea what was about to happen. He expected them to be as happy about it as we are. But I took a deep breath and tried to prepare myself because I had a pretty good feeling that the shit was about to hit the fan. And sure enough, this was the portion of the evening where they all stared at me like I was a $20 hooker that their darling had picked up on Rush Street and brought home for Christmas dinner."
"Wow. I feel the love. So what happened after Carter made his little speech?"
"Well, I think it finally hit them. I think they kinda figured out that I wasn't just some little girl from work that Johnny 'got in trouble'. It wasn't something they could ignore or sweep under the rug because he wasn't going to let them. And I think Jack was the first to understand it. He was the best of the bunch. I mean he wasn't exactly jumping up and down at the idea, but he, at least, didn't suggest getting rid of the evidence of his son's 'mistake'. And after Carter said his piece, Jack came to his defense. Our defense. And then he was the first to congratulate us, and at least pretend that this wasn't the end of the world. In fact, he found me later, before we left and apologized. I'm sure he was shocked at the announcement, and I can't really blame him, it certainly must have been totally unexpected to them. Hell, it was unexpected to us. But if Jack was disappointed that John's with me instead of some socialite and that some girl from the wrong side of the tracks is gonna produce his first grandchild, he either got over it or hides it well."
"That's good. One down. A couple of ice queens to go." Abby manages not to choke on the enormous bite of club sandwich that she's working on while laughing at my description of the two Mrs. Carters. I look down to see Abby's nearly empty plate. In the time it's taken me to eat my soup, she's devoured her entire meal. In between telling that happy story of family togetherness. When our desserts appear, I can't imagine that Abby will be able to finish hers. But not only does she eat her entire brownie sundae, but before I know it, she's dipping into my cheesecake. Okay, no more eating with pregnant Abby. Then again, this could be a good diet. All you can eat … before Abby gets to it. Should be a great weight loss plan. I must be giving her a look.
"Sorry. I forgot you're not Carter. He's used to it by now."
"No problem. Besides, it's your birthday, right?"
"Yeah … but I did have birthday cake for brunch. And for lunch. I should probably stop eating cake now."
"Sounds like a good way to spend your birthday. And you might as well take advantage of the built in excuse you have this year."
"That's kinda my philosophy."
I look at my watch and realize I've got to keep her here for another hour. I still don't understand why Carter wants to meet her here, but I promised to do him a favor and keep Abby occupied. But I think we've bought everything in the store … we've eaten … we've checked out every ladies' room on every floor. Okay, there's gotta be something … something …
"Makeovers!" I announce triumphantly.
"What?" She looks confused.
"They're doing free makeovers at the cosmetics counter."
"Oh, whoopee!"
"Yeah, I know how you get all excited over make-up, Ab … but come on, it could be fun."
"I don't know … I want to get home … be there whenever Carter gets off work. We're on different days this weekend, so it'll be our only chance to spend any time together. I'd hate to miss even a minute."
"But don't you think he'd call if he were off work?"
"Probably … but …"
"Hey, I've been lugging at least half your bags all over this entire store, I think the least you can do it go with me to get a make-over. How long can it take?" At least an hour, I hope.
"You know you have to buy something. To get the free makeover. I mean, nothing is really free."
"Are you telling me that a sampler of cosmetics is going to 'break the bank'?
"Okay."
" 'Okay' what?"
"Okay, let's go be girly-girls and get makeovers. Might be kinda nice to surprise Carter while he's surprising me."
I get lucky and the makeovers take almost exactly the right amount of time. I'm studying myself in the mirror, and I'm not sure. I look a lot like myself but with more make-up. Abby on the other hand … well, shit. Abby needs to be shot or something. She's got a little make-up on her face, her new clothes accentuating her curves, she's pulled her hair out of the ponytail she was wearing all day … and now she's got 'movie star' written all over her. She makes me want to smack her sometimes.
"What?" she demands, catching my look. "It looks terrible, doesn't it? I look ridiculous. I should take it off."
"Don't you dare. Do you have any idea how great you look? Carter's gonna fall over."
"Thanks a lot. Are you saying I usually look scary?"
"Not usually. Just today."
"You know Susan, that's kinda rude."
"Abby … you know what I mean. And you have to admit that get up you were wearing was pretty bad."
"Yeah."
"So the last time Carter saw you, you were slopping around in his pants that looked about five sizes too big for him, a big bulky sweater, , you hair pulled into a ponytail … and look at you now."
"I hope I'm dressed okay. He wouldn't tell me how I should dress. Maybe I should have worn something dressier."
"I'm sure it's fine. You're outfit is very … Abby. He'll love it. And knowing you two, it won't be on long enough for it to matter anyway." I heave a big sigh.
"Trying to tell me you're kinda hard up?" I check my watch. Time to go. "Abby … 'kinda' is not the word for it."
"Well, you look great with your new makeover. Maybe you'll get lucky tonight."
"That seems unlikely, since I plan to go home and crash."
"No hot date? It's Friday night. And what a waste of a makeover, I though that was the whole point of getting these makeovers."
"Nope, sorry to disappoint. Are you ready to get out of here?"
"I thought you'd never ask. Let's go."
We push our way out of the store into the Chicago evening. It's suddenly become quite balmy. Well, balmy for Chicago in January. But certainly we don't need all our winter gear. Abby's wrestling off her heavy coat and trying to shove it into one of her bags when I catch sight of Carter waiting for us. He's leaning against his Jeep chatting with some guy. Some nicely built, tall, dark and hopefully handsome guy. Some friend of Carter's that I've never met? Hmm … some single friend who happened to show up in his cool black sports car? A car very much like … Luka's. Shit. Luka. And here I am admiring him from afar. Okay, that's just wrong. What's he doing here anyway, Carter didn't mention roping Luka into this plan. And since when are those two so damn friendly anyway? I seem to be unreasonably upset about this turn of events. Carter catches site of me, glaring at him and just grins. I really am going to have to make him pay. But not now. He's ambling over toward us … and Abby is completely unaware.
"Hey, Ab?" I tug on her sleeve to get her attention.
"What? I --" She catches site of Carter walking toward us, and it's as if she hadn't seen him in weeks, instead of hours. Her face lights up and her voice is soft and sweet, "John."
"Hi, baby." He says with a grin as he slips his arms around her waist. He's obviously taken in the sight of her in the new clothes with the make-up and her hair loose and wavy, "Abby … you look gorgeous. I mean, you always look beautiful. But now you look especially beautiful. The clothes are great and the make-up … wow."
Abby's giggling and blushing as she wraps her arms around his neck and stands up on tip-toe to kiss him. God, if they weren't so cute, they'd be absolutely sickening. I catch Luka's eye, and give him a little shake of my head along with a little eye roll. He smiles in response, and I figure he probably feels the same way that I do. Okay, enough … I'm not gonna just stand here and watching these two make out on the street. Might as well get some of these bags over to Carter's Jeep. A pick up a bunch of them and start toward the car. And suddenly there's Luka, taking the bags out of my hands.
"Let me get those." He says. "You ladies sure did some damage."
"Oh, no. Not me. Just Abby."
"This is all Abby's?" He sounds a little incredulous.
"All this and all that." I gesture to the few remaining bags sitting a few feet away on the sidewalk where Abby dropped them.
"All that too?" He's laughing now. He's kinda cute when he's laughing like that. His whole face lights up and his eyes are twinkling. No, no, no I say to myself. Don't even start. Haven't you learned your lesson about co-workers? Don't even start thinking about him like that. Sure, he's cute. Sure, he's interesting. Sure, he's a nice guy. Sure, we're friendly colleagues. But that's where it ends. But why is he looking at me like that?
"Is there something on my face?" Uh, duh. About three pounds of make-up that normally isn't there. "Oh, the make-up. Yeah, uh … Abby and I got makeovers." Why am I suddenly embarrassed by this? "I was just trying to stall, you know."
"It looks nice… You look nice."
Oh God. Okay, no, he's not flirting. He's just being friendly. Nothing to it. Uh-huh. "Thanks." Yeah, that's a safe response. Now change the subject. Quick. "So … uh … Carter dragged you into this too, huh?"
"Yeah. Uh, we we're talking after our shifts and --"
"That is so weird."
"What?"
"You two talking. As opposed to say … dueling."
"Well, there's nothing left to fight over, I guess." The tone of his voice has changed. Not exactly regretful, maybe a little sad. He casts a glance at Abby and Carter, still locked in their embrace, talking quietly to each other. Way to go, Sus. Remind him of the one who got away. Oh wait, Carter's the one who got away from me. We're kinda on the same end of this one.
"That's enough to make you sick, isn't it? Not that I'm not happy for them, but really sometime the cutesy lovey-dovey crap is enough to make me puke. " He just laughs. "So what's your job in this whole *plan* of Carter's?"
"To take you home."
"Excuse me?" I raise one eye brow at him, even though I know perfectly well what he means.
"To give you a ride home. I think Carter was worried about you. Since you are leaving his car at the hotel, he asked me to take you home. I don't think he wanted you walking in the dark."
"Are you serious? That is so … Carter."
"Well, you'll probably need some help with all those packages anyway."
"Oh yeah, I promised to drop them in the room for him. Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking. I don't know why it can't just stay in the car. But no, he wants it in the room. I mean, look at all this stuff."
"So you'll need some help. And … um, I hear there's a really good restaurant there. Maybe we could get some dinner?"
"Uh … yeah, sure. That would be great." Oh my God, did he just ask me out? Did I just say yes? What do I say now?
"I'll just get those other bags." He says as he starts over toward Abby and Carter. When he comes back, they come over with him, and he and Carter start trying to fit all the bags in the back of the Jeep.
"Hey Ab, is there anything actually left in the store?" Carter calls. But he sounds amused.
Abby just throws him a smile and waves her hand at him as she comes over and takes my arm. "What's going on over here?" she asks me in a knowing voice.
"Um, nothing."
"Uh-huh. That's not gonna work, Susan. Come on, fess up."
"I think Luka just asked me out on a date."
"You think?"
"Well, he asked me to get some dinner with him."
"Oh."
"Oh? So do you think it's a date?"
"Hmm … let's see. Friday night. Dinner. Just the two of you. Sounds like a date to me."
"Yeah, I guess. Do you mind?"
"What?" She's really laughing. "Why would I mind?"
"Well … you know."
"Susan …"
"Okay. Right."
"Hey Susan, um … don't mention you-know-what."
"I won't tell him. But are you sure he doesn't know already?"
"You didn't ..."
"No. But last time he saw you, you weren't wearing that sweater."
"Maybe he hasn't noticed."
"Uh-huh."
"Well, just don't bring it up."
"Well, no offense, Ab … but I really hope we have something more to talk about than you and Carter."
As we are laughing, Carter and Luka come around from the back of the car. Carter hands me his keys and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and his thanks before he turns to Abby.
"C'mon, babe … let's go." She starts toward the Jeep, but he takes her arm and propels her in the other direction. He holds out a coat that's he brought for her, lighter than the one she had been wearing, and helps her into it.
"Wait a minute. Where are we going? Susan's taking the Jeep? What's going on?"
"It's time for your surprise." Abby's whole face lights up as they start out walking, heading down Michigan Avenue toward Water Tower.
"Ready to go?" Luka asks.
"I'm ready." I say as I climb in the Jeep and he heads for his Viper. Yeah, I'm ready. Or at least as ready as I'll ever be.