A/N: Sorry about the wait! I really do intend to write a complete story. Just keep on encouraging me to update. This is for the five lovely reviews I got - thanks, readers!
Sadly, their summer plan of making Tibby's documentary together and waiting for babies to arrive was altered. Bridget and Billy, who had planned on living with Paul and Lena this summer, were the ones to receive the sudden change of plans.
The day after the girls met at Gilda's, Bridget got a call from Greta's nextdoor neighbor in Alabama. When the caller introduced herself to Bridget on the phone, Bridget panicked right away. Greta was the closest thing to a mother that she had in the world... and the neighbor sounded like she had bad news.
"Is something wrong?" Bridget was standing in the kitchen at Lena's as she answered the phone. Meanwhile, Billy sat at the table polishing off the last of Lena's apple pie. Lena wasn't home; she was out with Paul buying paint for the baby's room.
"Nothing serious," said Louise, the neighbor on the other end of the line. "Well, not serious like a stroke or a heart attack-" (Bee let out a sigh of relief.) "- but she slipped and fell this morning. It was a good thing we'd planned on lunch together, otherwise who knows how long she would have been there? I knew her ankle was broken as soon as I saw her."
"Oh, no," Bridget murmured. Billy began to rise from his seat, but she gestured for him to sit back down. He lowered himself and she mouthed, "It's okay."
"She's scheduled to have surgery tomorrow. Then in a few days, she should be able to come home. They'll send the physical therapist to the house, you know, that kind of thing. Now, normally, I'd be happy to be around and care for Greta, but we're going to Maine to see my grand-daughter's graduation and then we have a trip planned right after..."
"We're coming home," said Bridet immediately. Billy's eyes bulged. After a few more exchanges with Louise, Bee hung up. Billy stared at her in anticipation. Bee sighed and began to explain everything.
"Exhibit A," Carmen said. "This one appeared a week ago. It started out small and harmless at first. Then it sort of crept down, day by day, until it reached my belly button. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, TIBBY, DON'T ZOOM IN!"
Tibby put the camera down as Carmen hastily yanked her blouse down over her belly. She shot darts at Tibby with her eyes and Tibby giggled nervously. "Ah, the drama of pregnancy. This is really nice of you, Carma. Have I said so?"
The two friends were seated outside together on the front porch of Tibby's apartment. Brian lived in the same apartment complex in another unit. While Tibby would have been happy living with Brian until they got married, he was old-fashioned about that kind of thing. Though Tibby said it seemed as if they already lived together, given the fact that they were constantly together, either at her place or his. It would have saved them a bundle to live together, but Tibby supposed she'd let him win on this one.
"Yes, now where are the strawberries and cream cheese that you promised?"
Tibby's bargaining chips for getting Carmen to put her pregnancy woes on display for the documentary were usually food. Sometimes she threw in a foot rub if she really needed to sell her on an idea.
When Tibby returned with the promised snack, she had the phone in the other hand.
"Uh-huh... uh-huh... oh... oh, no, is she okay? Oh..."
Carmen sat up at attention, straining to hear what was on the other end of the line. All she could tell was that it was Bridget's voice. From the sound of things on Tibby's end, something serious was taking place. Carmen hoped to goodness that there wasn't something wrong with Bee's baby.
"Is the baby okay?" Carmen asked immediately after Tibby hung up.
"It's not about the baby," Tibby assured her. "It's... Greta. Bee's grandma, you know? She fell and broke her ankle and now our summer plans are pretty much ruined. Bee and Billy have to go back to take care of her. They aren't sure how long it'll be."
Carmen sighed. "It was too good to be true," she whined. "This happened the last time we thought we'd have the whole summer together, too. When she went to see Greta the first time."
"Ahem, what's this?" Tibby set the snack tray aside to put her hands on her hips. "We weren't all going to be together that time either. I went to my film camp, remember? Or are you forgetting me? Typical, Carma! Just like you all forgot to tell me you'd all be getting pregnant this summer!"
Carmen sat, silenced by Tibby's outburst for a moment. "... oh my god, are you mad Tibby?"
No answer. Tibby had turned away from her.
"Tibs?" Carmen whimpered.
Muffled giggles were soon heard. And then Tibby was rolling on the ground, laughing at Carmen for actually thinking she was serious. Carmen tried to look mad, but started laughing anyway. She would have been rolling on the ground... if she could roll, but the enormous belly prevented it. Speaking of which, as she laughed, the baby gave a hard kick, possibly annoyed from being bounced around so much.
"Heehee, ow!" Carmen exclaimed. "Hehehe - hey, watch it!"
Tibby had quieted down, but the sight of Carmen scolding her unborn child made her giggle again. "The twins acting up?"
"Tibby!" Carmen reached for the nearest thing - a sliced apple wedge - and hurled it at Tibby. It bounced off Tibby's forehead, much to Carmen's satisfaction.
"I hope you're huge when you're pregnant, too," Carmen spat. "Then I'll constantly make snide comments about you looking like you're having twins. How will you like that, huh?"
More laughter ensued.
"How can we laugh at a time like this?" Tibby suddenly stopped laughing to pose this question. "Bee's leaving us. And Greta's hurt."
Carmen stopped, too. She gave a small sigh and shrugged. "Because there's nothing we can do about it," she said, simply. "I'm not sure when we'll actually get the summer of togetherness we've always dreamed of."
"Maybe when we're ninety..."
"... and in the same nursing home..."
"... sharing the same prune juice."
"Hahaha - ow! I have to stop laughing. She kicks me so hard when I laugh!"
"... she? You're having a girl!"
"... no, I never said that..."
"CARMA'S HAVING A LITTLE GIRL!"
