Читать книгу Karma Kameleon - Stephanie Haefner - Страница 6

Chapter 2

“We only have a week until Preston’s birthday extravaganza,” Kevin stated after taking his seat at the dinner table.

“Can you believe it?” I shoveled a forkful of rice pilaf into my mouth.

“I can’t wait to start making all the food. And the decorating! I ordered the cutest centerpiece for the table–it’s in a little red wagon! I found the perfect napkins and plates to match and the cake is just adorable. I showed you the picture, right?” Kevin grabbed a folder off the counter and moved a platter of chicken aside.

“I know the party is already planned and all, but I was thinking…” He scattered a few brochures. “We should hire a clown.” He picked up a colorful brochure, his head so inflated with ideas it looked like it could explode any second if he didn’t let them out. “Or this other company sets up an entire kiddie carnival inside your house.”

Marcus and I locked eyes, then turned to Kevin. Poor guy. He was so damn excited.

“I love you for doing this.” Marcus put his hand on Kevin’s. “But I think it’s too much.”

“It’s only his first birthday,” I added. “We can save this cool stuff for when he’s older and actually has friends.”

“He has friends. Jeanette’s kids will be here.”

“I know, but don’t you think he’s a bit young for all this…commotion?” Marcus asked.

There’d be enough commotion as it was with a guest list exceeding fifty, only our closest friends and relatives. I still didn’t know where we’d put everyone. Yeah, we had a decent-sized apartment with a formal dining room, huge living room, and even a spacious kitchen, rare for New York, but we’d never tried to fit so many people before.

“Yeah, I guess.” The glimmer in Kevin’s eyes had faded. “They were just suggestions.”

“And we’re so appreciative.” Marcus smiled and I knew he’d make it up to him later.

* * * *

After kissing Rich goodbye for the day, I showered and readied for my first prenatal appointment with my OBGYN. It seemed odd to be going so soon. With Preston, I hadn’t known I was pregnant for months. It made the rest of the pregnancy go really fast. Hopefully this one wouldn’t drag by.

I grabbed one of my favorite pairs of skinny jeans and yanked them up over my ass, but zipping was near impossible. Forget about buttoning them. Looked like my body had already been taken over.

Pushing the jeans down, I smiled and rubbed my hand across my stomach. “That’s okay, baby.” With Preston, I’d not been too happy about my body being invaded, but this time was different. And I reveled in any excuse to go shopping, even for maternity clothes.

I pulled on a pair of black leggings and my knee-high suede boots. Never in my life had I been so thankful stretchy pants were in style.

* * * *

“How far along are we now?” Rich asked, snuggling up to me in bed. His arms curled around my naked body–one hand cupping a breast, the other my stomach.

“Around eight weeks.”

One of his hands traveled south. “And you’re sure it’s okay to fool around?”

“Did you forget the times we did it when I was pregnant with Preston? ’Cause I certainly haven’t forgotten.” I turned to him and pressed my mouth to his, my tongue dancing inside, twisting with his–a reminder of how hot our sex life was and would always be. I moved my lips to his chest and nibbled one of his pierced nipples, tugging at the metal ring with my teeth.

“Mmm…I could never forget. But I didn’t know you were pregnant then. I didn’t know I was supposed to be careful.”

I climbed on top of his steel-plated god’s body and pushed him inside of me–his dick like a surge of electricity. The shock radiated from my G-spot to the tips of my chocolaty curls and the hot pink polish on my toenails.

I began rocking my pelvis against his. “My doctor told me it’s fine. And besides, I read that babies in utero love the feeling of orgasm almost as much as the mom.”

“Well, in that case…” Rich’s seductive smile gazed up at me. He pressed his thumb to my clit while I gyrated. “We better make sure you have more than one. For the baby’s sake.”

“Oh yes….for the baby’s sake.”

With the conclusion of fabulous orgasm number one, I yanked on Rich’s shoulders and brought him to a sitting position, my legs now encircling his body. I needed the force of his muscled arms to pull my body to his, push his cock deeper into me, hit where I needed it to. After only a few thrusts, orgasm number two shook my body and I clenched every facial muscle in order to hold my euphoric screams inside. We’d made a deal with Marcus and Kevin–we’d keep our orgasmic outbursts to ourselves if they did the same.

I got on all fours, one of Rich’s favorite positions, and wiggled my ass. He accepted my invitation and took barely two seconds to connect with me once again, my river of a vagina making the ride a smooth one. I glanced over my shoulder just in time to see his face as he got off, throwing his head back with the last few pumps.

He hunched his sweat-covered body onto my back and together we melted into the sheets. Didn’t matter that our heads were on the wrong end of the bed.

* * * *

Knock. Knock. “Lex…Rich? You guys awake?”

I opened my eyes to a room blazing with late spring sun. The air conditioning hadn’t been turned on in the apartment yet and it felt like July was upon us. I flung the blanket off, exposing our sweaty naked bodies.

Rich groaned and pulled the pillow over his head. “I can’t wait to get our own place.”

I laughed. “Yeah, that’ll happen.”

Knock. Knock. “Can I come in?” Marcus asked.

“Only if you want to see our bare asses.”

“Tempting, but no time today. Have you looked at the clock?”

I cast my gaze to the left–eleven twenty-one. “Fuck.”

“Okay, I’ll take that as a ‘yes’. I assume you’ll be out soon to help set up the party?”

It was my little man’s big day. No time for lounging. I left Rich in bed and headed toward the bathroom. The last year of my life breezed through my brain as the massaging jets rained down from the shower head. This time one year ago, I’d been huge and pregnant, wondering how the hell I would squish my fat ass into my maid of honor dress for Abby and Daniel’s wedding.

Note to self: do not get so fat this time around.

I’d dreaded that day, until it actually happened, anyway. Everything had fallen into place–the bonds with my mother and sister, my reconnection with Rich. It had been the most perfect day ever for Preston to make his debut.

And now here we were, a year later, celebrating my baby boy and the miles we’d traveled since he came into our lives. More than a celebration of his birth, it was a celebration of our family.

An hour later I stood on a ladder in four-inch Pradas hanging a birthday banner on the wall. Marcus and Kevin were in the kitchen putting candles on the cake, while Rich organized the party music playlist. Preston, thank God, had conked out for an early nap.

One o’clock on the dot, the buzzer rang. Grandma and Grandpa Marshall were the first guests to arrive, with Uncle Andy, Aunt Abby, and Uncle Daniel right behind. More guests trickled in: Amanda, Rachel and Brenda, some of Rich’s friends, even Sheila. And what party would be complete without at least a few flamboyant homosexuals? Marcus greeted guests while Rich poured drinks. Kevin mingled and served canapes from a silver serving tray.

“Lexi, hon,” Kevin yelled to me. “Buzzer’s gonna go off any second. Can you take the scallops out of the oven? Thanks, love.”

“Um, sure.” I turned toward the oven and before I could get there, my mother snagged my arm.

“Dear, where is Pastor John? Didn’t you invite him?”

“No, Mom. Hold on, I gotta do something.”

“You should have invited him. I bet one of your single girlfriends would be perfect for him. What about the one with the pink sweater and blond hair?”

“I can’t think about that right now.”

I reached for a potholder off the top of the fridge. Nothing. Searching around, I found one on the island under a bowl of bruschetta. In the meantime, Mom had disappeared and when I cast my gaze to the living room, she was chatting with Rachel. I slipped my hand inside the potholder, ready to open the oven.

“Lexi! So glad I finally got you alone.”

I turned and Abby stood behind me.

“I wanted to tell you something before the party got too busy.”

“Yeah? What?”

“Well…” Her eyes held a sparkle. “For the first time in my life I can honestly say I’m just like my big sister.”

Huh? The kitchen timer started its beep beep beep. I didn’t have time for one of Abby’s guessing games. I fidgeted with the timer, trying to figure out how to stop its incessant noise. After pressing every button on it twice, I finally stopped it. “What are you talking about?”

“Lexi,” she said and rubbed her hand over her stomach. “I’m just like you.”

“Oh my God!” I threw the timer to the counter and hugged my sister. “Congratulations.”

“Isn’t this great? We’re pregnant together.”

“You told her?” Mom said, reappearing in the kitchen.

“Yes!” I said, tears in my eyes. I couldn’t believe how happy I felt for Abby. Someone close to me was going to experience the joy of motherhood that I had come to cherish.

As if on cue, Preston began to wail.

“Let’s go get the birthday boy,” Mom said, and we followed her to the nursery.

When we walked in, Preston’s cries stopped and his toothy smile beamed. Standing at the crib rail, he looked so damn big. What had happened to my baby?

Mom put him on the changing table and began tickling his feet. Abby grabbed a diaper and wipes while I got his birthday outfit from the closet. After stripping him down and changing his diaper, we dressed him in his brand new clothes–couldn’t have him wearing something old on his big day.

As we headed toward the living room, the unmistakable screech of the smoke detector assaulted our ears.

Shit! The scallops.

I handed a screaming Preston to my mother and trotted to the kitchen, where Kevin held a baking pan covered with charred lumps. Marcus opened a window and fanned some of the smoke outside.

“Kevin, I’m so sorry.”

“I know. It’s okay.”

The party guests had congregated near the kitchen to see what the drama was and I felt like a monumental ass. Half an hour into the party and I had already ruined my little man’s perfect day. Never in my life had I wanted to be anything like my mother, until that moment. Her parties were always perfect. She never burned a single thing.

I turned toward the bathroom, needing to escape the questioning eyes before my tear ducts erupted. Two months in and the pregnancy hormones were already working overtime. I blew my nose and re-powdered my face. Might as well pee too, since I was already in there. As I pulled on the toilet paper, I noticed a very bright dot on the center of my very plain underwear.

So much for not bursting into tears.

A knock came on the door. “Lex, you okay?”

“Get in here,” I yelled to Rich through my sobs, not caring if I sounded hysterical.

“It’s okay,” he said after closing the door behind him. “No one cares about the food.”

“Look!” I showed him my underwear and the pea-sized spot.

His eyes widened like flying saucers. “That’s bad, isn’t it?”

“Yes…no. I don’t know.”

He knelt in front of me and pulled me to him. “What can I do?”

Managing to calm myself down and think somewhat rationally, I asked, “Can you get my pregnancy book from the night stand?” I thought I’d read about spotting in the first trimester.

Rich brought the book to me and I flipped to one of the early chapters. “Pink spotting is common during the first trimester, and is usually caused by the egg implanting in the lining of the uterus.”

“But this is bright red.” Rich stated the obvious.

I scanned further down the page. “The most frightening type of spotting or bleeding during the first trimester is fresh blood, or bright red. While this can be serious, it is not always confirmation that a miscarriage is occurring.”

Rich’s face turned a vampire shade of pale, without the sparkliness.

“Many things can cause bright red spotting or bleeding. If you are experiencing cramping or clotting, this could signify something serious. Seek medical care immediately.”

“Are you cramping?”

“No. I feel fine…normal.”

“Then, what should we do?”

“I don’t know. We have a house full of people. And my doctor’s office is closed.”

“We can go to the hospital.”

I thought for a minute. “No. It’s okay. It’s probably nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

“This is Preston’s big day. I’m not gonna ruin it.” I wiped and looked at the toilet paper. Nothing. I held it up. “See. It’s done. No more blood.”