CHAPTER 18
"Is this crap going to be moved off my dining room table any time soon? I'm tired of pushing around stacks of folders and papers to make room to eat, Matt."
"I'm sorry, Maddy. I had no place else to put them. Once we close on my old place next week, I'll get all of this stuff organized and put away. I promise."
Ever since Matt sold his old house, he had commandeered the dining room table and the floor of the nursery for all his personal and construction business files. If I didn't know better, I would swear they were multiplying while we slept. I plunked down my plate and glass of chocolate milk on one of the few bare spots on the table and sat down to eat.
"What's with the salad? Don't you want me to make you a grilled ham and cheese instead? You love those."
"Yeah, I love 'em a little too much. I put on six pounds in the last two weeks. Dr. McAdams yelled at me yesterday," I said, just before taking a big mouthful of mixed greens, grilled chicken and low cal raspberry vinaigrette.
"Did she tell you to give up the chocolate milk?" He had a wry smile on his face, the smart ass.
"I'd rather cut off my right arm than give that up," I said. He started laughing under his breath, sounding a lot like a dog with asthma.
"Are Morrison and Severide still coming over today?"
"Yeah, Em's gonna help me finish setting up the nursery. What are you and Kelly gonna do?"
"Move the file cabinet drawers out of the nursery so you and Morrison can finish setting it up." Another sly little grin broke across his face.
"Funny, Casey...real funny," I said. He reached around and put both of his hands on my stomach. Just as he did, the baby kicked.
"My son thinks I'm funny. Feel that!"
"Believe me, I feel it...and it might be your daughter in there who thinks you're funny."
"With a kick like that? Nah...that's a boy. I can sense it." He kissed the top of my head, then continued to try to rearrange the stuff on the table. As I watched him, I realized that my gut instinct was also telling me that this baby was a boy. As much as I would love a baby girl, giving Matt the son he's always wanted since we were kids would be one of the greatest joys of my life. Just six years ago, I would have never dreamed that Matt and I would find each other again. Now here we were, married and a expecting our first child, just like we'd planned when we were sixteen. I had been a long road with its share of bumps, but we made it. I got up and wedged myself between Matt and the oak table., wrapping my arms around his neck.
"Hello," he said, looking puzzled. I said nothing as I pulled his head close to mine and gave him a deep, soft, wet kiss that lasted several minutes.
"Not that I'm complaining or anything, but what was that for?"
"Just because I love you. That's all."
"That's all? That's enough. Come here…" He lifted me up and sat me on the table, enveloping me in another deep kiss. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he pushed his tongue between my lips. I began to moan softly as he continued to master my mouth, when the doorbell rang, yanking us out of our passion.
"That's probably Em and Kelly," I said, attempting to get up to answer the door.
"Oh no you don't. You activated the launch sequence now. You're not going anywhere!"
"But, Matt...our friends are at the door! What are you going to do….take me on the dining room table in front of them?!"
"I just might!" he said. He lifted me up, carrying me through the living room and to the front door with me squealing the entire time. He hung on to me while he struggled to open the door. When he finally did, Kelly and Em were standing on the front porch looking at us like we were aliens.
"You two are so fucking weird," said Em as she breezed past us and into the house.
"Hey bro. Need a beer?" said Kelly, patting Matt on the shoulder and grinning like an idiot.
"Matthew! Put me down!" I shouted, still giggling. He finally put me down and as I was straightening my clothes, he whispered "I'll be coming back to finish what you started, little mama."
"Did you just call her 'little mama'? You don't value your nuts too much, do you?" Em had such a lyrical way of getting straight to the point.
"She likes it, so shut it Morrison," said Matt.
"Umm, I tolerate it. Big difference, babe" I replied. Matt smiled and kissed my forehead. Em stuck her tongue out at him as usual, then tugged at my arm to get me to go upstairs.
"Easy, Em! I'm not as light on my feet as I was a few months ago!" I followed her up the stairs and into the nursery. "We finally finished painting. Doesn't the yellow look great in here?" I said. "Yeah, if you like bananas. Look, I gotta talk to you," said Em. If I didn't know better, I would swear that the expression on her face was one of grief.
"What is it? Are you and Kelly okay?" I asked.
"Severide and I are fine. It's just that...I feel like...I….oh shit, I don't know how to say this…" she stammered.
"What, for God's sake?"
"I feel like I'm losing you. There, I said it." She seemed both relieved and nervous at the sound of her own words.
"Losing me how? We see each other at work every day. You and Kelly have been here almost every weekend that he and Matt have been off shift. What is it?"
"What we had as friends. Our togetherness. I don't know how to say it, I guess."
"What? Because I'm pregnant?"
"And married and I'm not either of those."
"Soooo...you want to be married and pregnant? Should I throw the word 'barefoot' in there, too?" She wasn't making any sense.
"Oh hell, no...I only meant that I feel like we're growing apart. Like you don't belong to me anymore."
"Uh newsflash, Em...I never actually belonged to you. I'm not your pet puppy," I could feel my anger rising and this was not how this day was supposed to go.
"That's not...oh, fuck. Forget I said anything."
"Em, look...I know we've both gone through a lot of changes in the last few years, but none of it has to change anything between you and me. You're my best friend and I need you more than ever."
"Why?"
"Why? Because I want you to be the baby's Godmother, that's why." Dead silence, which worried me a little.
"Say something, Em…"
"The fact that you and Casey trust me to be your child's Godmother...I'm blown away, Mads."
"Who else would we have chosen? Right now, Matt's probably asking Kelly to be the baby's Godfather, too."
"Oh, Mads…" She grabbed hold of me and hugged me until I thought she was going to suffocate me.
"We're never gonna grow apart, Em. I love you and your Godchild is gonna love you, too." I could hear the faint sound of her crying. Emily almost never cries unless it's for a good reason.
"Love you too," she mumbled through her tears. Just then, Matt and Kelly walked into the nursery.
"Women are so emotional about these things," said Kelly. "Men just crack open a beer and clink 'em together."
"Better emotional than a simpleton," I cracked.
"You don't mean that, Mads," said Kelly, giving me a hug. "Bruiser and I are honored that you guys chose us to be Godparents. It means a lot to both of us."
"Okay, enough of this mushy shit. Let's get to work," said Em, wiping her eyes and nose on her sleeve. Matt and Kelly started to pick up the file drawers that were spread all over the nursery floor, while Em and I began to set up the crib and changing table. When we were finally finished, we sat down in the middle of the room and admired our hard work.
"This baby is going to be so spoiled," said Em.
"I know she is," I said.
"She? Do you know something I don't?"
"No, it's just that Matt is so sure that it's a boy that I've been referring to it as 'she' out of sheer feminist defense. The truth is that I think it's a boy too...I just don't want to give Matt the male chauvinist satisfaction."
"Chow's ready, guys!" Kelly's voice drifted upstairs along with the aroma of grilled steak. Em helped me up off of the floor and then we both headed down the stairs.
"Oh my God! I can actually see the top of my dining room table!" I said as I rounded the corner from the stairs into the living room.
"We done good, baby?" asked Matt. He put his arm around my expanding waist and kissed me on the forehead. "You done real good, Lieutenant."
The four of us sat down at the table and had devoured every bit of the steaks, baked potatoes and salad that the boys had made in less than an hour.
"I am never eating again," said Em, letting out a belch.
"You not eat? That'll be the day, Bruiser," said Kelly. True to form and her nickname, Em punched Kelly in the arm. "We'll help you guys clean up and then we should get going. I have to take this one home and teach her a lesson," said Kelly. Em merely smirked at him as she helped the clear the table. When all of the dished were loaded in the dishwasher and the dining room table was clean, Em and Kelly said their goodbyes, leaving me and Matt alone for the first time since early afternoon. It was now after 8:00 PM.