her large belly, “I’ve needed the cooperation. Let’s just pray this one follows suit!”
I follow her out onto the beautiful veranda at the back of the house. The weather is spectacular, a little cool but sunny. We sit and she puts her feet in my lap, pointing to indicate she’d enjoy a foot rub. I oblige, and we sit quietly and enjoy the peace.
“How’re you doing, Bec?” Her Georgia drawl comes out full force when I’m around. I spent years and an obscene amount of money for a voice coach to drum that darned accent out of me, and within ten minutes being around her it slips out.
“Ahm fahn,” shit! “Oh my God, did you hear that? Melanie, this can’t happen. I can’t start talking like Daisy Mae again!”
She laughs so hard, tea shoots out of her nose.
“And just what are you sayin’ there, Miss Priss. Too good for us Suthners?” She’s howling with laughter. This will surely put her into labor.
“You better stop laughin’ so hard, I’m not deliverin’ no babies!” I say with an exaggerated accent. Her face is red from laughter, and I feel a warm, loving sensation inside. This is where I’m meant to be, near my family. I haven’t really known it until right at this moment. I’m happy I made the decision to come out here. I may never leave.
Her laughter slows, finally, and her breathing returns to normal.
“Seriously, though. I’ve been worried about you. This has been one hell of a year for you.”
“Tell me something I don’t know. It’s been hard, Mel, I can’t lie. I felt so depressed when I left here last time. I was happy watching you and Brian together, and seeing you with the boys. I needed some good things to happen when I went home, and quite the opposite did. I lost my man, place to live and my best job in rapid succession. I have to keep my chin up and believe there must be silver lining in all of this.” I give her a half-hearted smile, and she clutches my hand. I haven’t cried much, if at all, through all of this. I feel it now. Her loving nature and kindness are too much for my cold New Yorker heart. I begin to cry, and it feels as if I’ll never stop. The boys come to the door, and I see her shoo them away. She rubs my back while I have a good old-fashioned pity party.
“All right, as Mom would say, ‘Stop your sobbing, girl, won’t help nothing.’ She has such a way with words, wouldn’t you say?” Melanie says to me with a quick tap on my back. She’s right, and I do feel cried out. I’ve never been a complainer, but when life piles it on all at once, even the strongest are tested.
“You’re right, and, unfortunately, so is Mom. Now, on to much happier things, when is this baby coming?” I grab her belly, and give a gentle wiggle.
“Ooof, don’t do that. I can’t even imagine going another week or more. If God truly loves me, labor will begin now.” She makes a funny face like she’s waiting for something. She looks up to the sky, and says, “OK, I get it. You don’t like me that much.”
She can always make me laugh, no matter what. We go into the house, and her cellphone rings.
“Hi, baby, I’m so glad you called. I’m fine. Yes, she got in OK. We were just catching up. I miss you, too, sweetheart. Be careful out there for me, OK? I love you, too.”
They are so cute.
“Brian sends his love, and he said he can’t wait to see you,” she says with some trepidation.
“What’s wrong? Is he OK?”
“Yes, he’s fine. I’m just worried about him, and I’m worried that he’ll be out of town when the baby comes.” She looks upset.
“Everything will be fine. Mom is coming soon, and I’m here. We’ll videotape the birth if he’s not here,” I say, meaning it as a joke, but she looks horrified.
“What? You most certainly will not! My cooter is not being taped!”
“That’s your biggest concern? Modesty? Don’t you want your husband to see the birth?” Now I’m just egging her on. I know it’s mean, but her reaction
I follow her out onto the beautiful veranda at the back of the house. The weather is spectacular, a little cool but sunny. We sit and she puts her feet in my lap, pointing to indicate she’d enjoy a foot rub. I oblige, and we sit quietly and enjoy the peace.
“How’re you doing, Bec?” Her Georgia drawl comes out full force when I’m around. I spent years and an obscene amount of money for a voice coach to drum that darned accent out of me, and within ten minutes being around her it slips out.
“Ahm fahn,” shit! “Oh my God, did you hear that? Melanie, this can’t happen. I can’t start talking like Daisy Mae again!”
She laughs so hard, tea shoots out of her nose.
“And just what are you sayin’ there, Miss Priss. Too good for us Suthners?” She’s howling with laughter. This will surely put her into labor.
“You better stop laughin’ so hard, I’m not deliverin’ no babies!” I say with an exaggerated accent. Her face is red from laughter, and I feel a warm, loving sensation inside. This is where I’m meant to be, near my family. I haven’t really known it until right at this moment. I’m happy I made the decision to come out here. I may never leave.
Her laughter slows, finally, and her breathing returns to normal.
“Seriously, though. I’ve been worried about you. This has been one hell of a year for you.”
“Tell me something I don’t know. It’s been hard, Mel, I can’t lie. I felt so depressed when I left here last time. I was happy watching you and Brian together, and seeing you with the boys. I needed some good things to happen when I went home, and quite the opposite did. I lost my man, place to live and my best job in rapid succession. I have to keep my chin up and believe there must be silver lining in all of this.” I give her a half-hearted smile, and she clutches my hand. I haven’t cried much, if at all, through all of this. I feel it now. Her loving nature and kindness are too much for my cold New Yorker heart. I begin to cry, and it feels as if I’ll never stop. The boys come to the door, and I see her shoo them away. She rubs my back while I have a good old-fashioned pity party.
“All right, as Mom would say, ‘Stop your sobbing, girl, won’t help nothing.’ She has such a way with words, wouldn’t you say?” Melanie says to me with a quick tap on my back. She’s right, and I do feel cried out. I’ve never been a complainer, but when life piles it on all at once, even the strongest are tested.
“You’re right, and, unfortunately, so is Mom. Now, on to much happier things, when is this baby coming?” I grab her belly, and give a gentle wiggle.
“Ooof, don’t do that. I can’t even imagine going another week or more. If God truly loves me, labor will begin now.” She makes a funny face like she’s waiting for something. She looks up to the sky, and says, “OK, I get it. You don’t like me that much.”
She can always make me laugh, no matter what. We go into the house, and her cellphone rings.
“Hi, baby, I’m so glad you called. I’m fine. Yes, she got in OK. We were just catching up. I miss you, too, sweetheart. Be careful out there for me, OK? I love you, too.”
They are so cute.
“Brian sends his love, and he said he can’t wait to see you,” she says with some trepidation.
“What’s wrong? Is he OK?”
“Yes, he’s fine. I’m just worried about him, and I’m worried that he’ll be out of town when the baby comes.” She looks upset.
“Everything will be fine. Mom is coming soon, and I’m here. We’ll videotape the birth if he’s not here,” I say, meaning it as a joke, but she looks horrified.
“What? You most certainly will not! My cooter is not being taped!”
“That’s your biggest concern? Modesty? Don’t you want your husband to see the birth?” Now I’m just egging her on. I know it’s mean, but her reaction
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