Chapter 10
Once the couple made their first public appearance it seemed that everyone in the community felt the need to stop and talk to them. With some it was a quick 'hello' or 'good morning', but others felt the need to linger longer. Catherine wasn't quite sure if this was normal or not, but Vincent seemed to take it in stride so she followed his lead.
Vincent had taken three days off from his normal duties after the wedding. But he confessed to Catherine that he didn't feel right taking more than that. She smiled and told him it was fine. She was spending more time with him during the day than any of her Above friends did with their husbands. They ate all their meals together and often passed each other in the halls on their way to or from somewhere.
Even though she was new in the DA's office Catherine had managed to get a week off following the wedding. Things did change after she returned to work however, their weekday lunches were a thing of the past, but her nightly homecoming was all the sweeter for her having been gone all day.
Well into her fourth month now Catherine could no longer hide the fact that her figure was changing. Below it was no problem, looser clothes were easy to come by because of the communal laundry system. However, in the world Above that was not the case. Her suits that she wore to work no longer fit and she needed to go shopping.
Even though she hated to give up one of her precious weekend days, Catherine decided to go on Saturday. Since she had only had the chance to talk to her father on the phone since the wedding, and then only when she had a break at work since there were no phones Below, Catherine gave him a call to see if he wanted to meet her for lunch. They would have a chance to catch up and it would be a good break in her shopping day because she got worn out more easily at this stage in her pregnancy.
Catherine wasn't quite sure how it happened but since Jenny was still dating Devin and Joe, who both knew about her planned shopping day, she could only guess that one of them had let it slip. Jenny showed up for dinner Below on Friday night and calmly informed Catherine that she was going along with her on the shopping trip.
Seeing her friend's determination Catherine just smiled and told Jenny that she wanted to get an early start.
"Early in Cathy world, or early in real world?!" Jenny asked only half joking.
"I will have you know that I have changed my ways!" Catherine insisted. "The stores open at nine and I will meet you outside Macy's on the dot of nine!"
Jenny giggled and said, "I will have to see it to believe it, but I will be there!"
"Okay, we will also have lunch with my dad," Catherine informed her.
"Great!" Jenny replied.
Charles had told Catherine that he would meet them at her favorite restaurant at noon. She had tried to protest that she only needed a short break from shopping not that much longer that a fancy place would take, but Charles had insisted. Catherine had only been trying to be frugal and had planned to select a less expensive place, but her father still felt she needed to see the things she was missing.
After their food arrived Charles commented, "It's good to see you shopping again Cathy."
"Dad, I'm not shopping just to be doing so! My work clothes are all getting too tight!" she protested.
"I had always heard mass produced food was more fattening, all those carbohydrates," her father fretted.
"I am not getting fat!" she squeaked and even as Charles opened his mouth to dispute that comment, she added, "I'm pregnant dad! Or had you forgotten you were going to be a grandfather in less than five months?"
To be continued…..