Sophie smiled. ‘All because of your best friend and how good she is.’
‘Yeah, we have a lot to thank Sophie for, you know.’ Birdie acknowledged.
Sophie laughed and smiled. ‘Don’t worry. I’ve noted it all in a ledger. She has to pay me back big time in the future.’
‘I owe you.’
Sophie giggled. ‘When I get my divorce and I need someone to counsel me, you’re going to have to do it for free. Get ready for it. It won’t be pretty.’
Nina side-eyed. ‘Divorce? Since when are you getting divorced?’
Sophie backtracked and chuckled. ‘You know, just a figure of speech. Joking, of course.’
‘You’re thinking about divorce, are you? Doesn’t sound good.’
‘No, of course not,’ Sophie backpedalled like crazy and quickly changed the subject, pointing up to the garland of flowers going over them. ‘Don’t they look pretty? What a lovely idea. I’ll have to do it for one of the girls’ birthdays at some point.’
Nina decided not to pursue it, but she was surprised. Never a truer word said in jest. ‘Yes. They do look lovely.’
For the next hour or so, Nina had a fabulous time. There had been a couple of speeches and a beautiful chowder served in sourdough bowls. Her sister had consumed more than her fair share of champagne and was now quite tipsy. They’d alsoenjoyed a couple of funny baby shower games, after which she’d been presented with a beautiful cake where the inside was pale pink. After a few people had left she sat chatting to Birdie.
‘Thanks for doing this for me. I really appreciate it.’
‘Don’t be silly! Not a problem at all. We love you, our Neens.’
‘Thank you.’
‘So, with this done, you’re ready now. We just have to wait for the baby to arrive. That’s it, isn’t it?’
‘Yes.’
‘How are you feeling about it?’
‘Actually, I’m a mix of excited, terrified and very nervous. I mean, it's all becoming so real now.’
Birdie smiled. ‘It’s going to be wonderful. You’re going to be an amazing mum.’
‘I hope so. It's just so daunting, isn’t it? The thought of being entirely responsible for a tiny human.’
Birdie nodded. ‘It is, but you know, it comes more naturally than you might think.’
‘That’s true. It’s just such a huge life change for me.’
‘It is, but it’s also the most beautiful one. You’ll be fine. You just learn as you go. Remember, it’s okay to ask for help. No one expects you to do it all on your own.’
‘I'm just used to being independent, you know?’
‘Hmm. Having a baby is a big deal. It’s okay to lean on others. Plus, we all want to be part of this with you. I wish I had listened…’
‘I can see I’m going to have to get used to not being so self-reliant.’
‘Let people spoil you and the baby.’
‘Speaking of spoiling,’ Nina said, glancing around at the decorations and the gifts, ‘I think you’ve all outdone yourselves tonight and I thought what you did at the lighthouse was good.’
‘Ahh, it’s nothing. You’re worth it.’
‘I couldn’t have asked for a better evening.’
