Chapter 35

"There you are," Nadine said brightly several days later when Briana had come back from errands. "Where were you all day?"

"Had to go to the bank, pay some bills, stop at the beauty supply house, and then pick up some things at the drug store," Briana replied holding up the bags she held.

"Drug store? I knew about the other stuff, but why the drug store?"

Briana shook a bottle of Tums she took out of a bag. "Evidently Brian didn't read that the bag of Cheetos he'd dived into were actually Paul's flaming hot Cheetos with lime, and well, you know Bri and spicy things don't always mix."

"Guess that will teach him to read the bag next time," Nadine chuckled before she spied something else. "Uh, Bree, is what I think it is also in that bag?"

Briana nodded. "Yeah, but don't you dare say a word to anyone. I got a more expensive one this time; it's supposed to be more accurate. Where's the guys?"

"Down at the pool," Nadine replied. "They'll be awhile; don't worry."

"Good. Maybe you can help me with this then." Briana gestured toward the bathroom.

"Didn't you just have a period, though?" Nadine called out through the door.

"Yes, but it was lighter than normal and I only went two days instead of my usual five. Could you give me those directions again?"

Nadine handed them to her, standing right outside for several minutes.

"Everything okay?" she finally asked after a long silence had passed.

"Yeah, hold on; I have to wait a few more minutes."

After another five minutes, Briana came to the bathroom door, her face revealing nothing.

Nadine looked at her expectantly. "Well? What's the verdict?"

Wordlessly, Briana showed her the test stick.

"Oh, honey," Nadine said breathlessly. "Oh my God!"

"Yeah," Briana said, trying to hold back tears. "It worked, Nadine! The fertility treatments worked!"

Nadine hugged her tightly. "I am so happy for you!"

"Me too," Briana replied. "After all these years of trying, hoping, and two marriages, I'm finally going to have a baby."

"As many times as you and Brian go at it a day, it was only a matter of time," Nadine teased her.

Briana gave her a playful punch in the arm. "Oh, stop it! By the way, you really should try outdoor sex sometime," she added slyly. "The back of his Jetta was pretty fun too."

"Oh for the love of cookies, Briana!" Nadine gasped. "I'm beginning to wonder like Paul if there's anywhere you two haven't done it."

"The kitchen, but don't worry; I've made it clear that room is off limits."

"Thank God. So how do you plan to break the good news to Papa?"

"First of all, it's the issue of surgically removing him from Paul's hip first," Briana joked.

"I think I can be some help there," Nadine said with a grin. "I can make some Mexican and bribe Paul to my place with it."

Briana then put the test strip in a sandwich bag. "And I'm going to keep the evidence for the time being to show Papa. I have a feeling this is going to be a very joyful evening once he gets back up here from the pool, provided he didn't get sunburned again."

About an hour later:

Paul sniffed the air deeply. "Dude, you smell that?"

"I'm lucky I have a stomach left, much less a sense of smell after your fucking Cheetos," Brian said. "Thank God Bree got some Tums." He chewed a few more.

"Not my fault you didn't read the bag before you made a pig of yourself and you have a white boy stomach," Paul replied. "But damn! I smell homemade quesadillas and I think it's coming from Nadine's!"

"You sure you aren't smelling your own BO? No offense, man, but you better put on some serious deodorant when we get back upstairs."

Paul sniffed an armpit. "Nope, definitely quesadillas. I think I'm going to have to 'drop in' at Nadine's tonight."

"Nice to know you're still a mooch, Paul."

"Like you aren't sometimes. Hey, it's getting close to dinner; we better head up before Bree sends out the search party for you. Maybe you lovebirds can have some alone time while I talk Nadine out of some of those fine quesadillas of hers."

Brian laughed, picking up his things. "Good luck with that. Just stop at your place, take a shower, and put on some deodorant first. Chicks don't exactly dig body odor, especially yours. If I can smell you clear over here, I don't think Nadine's going to answer her door when she gets a whiff of that."

Paul gave a mock bow. "Oh yes, Great Short Love Guru. I shall keep that in mind."

"Smart ass," Brian muttered, chuckling and making his way upstairs.

Several minutes later:

Brian came in, spying the good dishes on the table, but smelled nothing cooking. He furrowed a brow quizzically, wondering what the hell was going on. It wasn't anyone's birthday or any other special occasion–at least none that had come to his mind.

"Hey Bree?" he finally called out. "Where's dinner?"

"It should be here in about twenty minutes," she called out before emerging from the bathroom in jeans and a white peasant blouse. There was also a glow about her.

Oh something's got to be up, he thought.

"What's going on?" Brian finally asked. "You got a look on your face like we won the lottery and there's our good china on the table, yet you ordered out. Is there something special I forgot about?"

She had her back to him, yet wore a knowing smile. "Just something that suddenly came up."

"Jesus, come on, Bree, don't drive me nuts here."

"Well," Briana turned to him, the smile never leaving. "I guess since we have some time until dinner, I may as well have a talk with you."

He was taken aback. "About what? What did I do?"

"You have such a guilty conscience," she laughed. "You did nothing wrong, trust me. Go sit on the couch; I have something to show you, first of all."

"O….kay." Brian was still a little skeptical Did she find his dirty magazine stash? Oh well, he could always say he borrowed them from Paul…..

Briana then appeared beside him on the couch, and much to his relief, had something in a small bag instead. "Aren't you at least curious?" she asked.

"What exactly do you have there?"

Briana pulled the test strip from the bag, showing him. "Read what it says."

"What the fuck is this?"

"Just read what it says, Brian."

He stared at it for a few minutes, a strange look on his face, before it finally hit him. "Oh Jesus, Bree, is this saying…..?"

She nodded. "We're pregnant."

Dinner arrived a short time later, but they never got around to it.