“You are a menace,” I groan and my sister laughs again.
Pen fills me in on the details of her life and I don’t miss that she carefully avoids the topic of my relationship status. I’m glad not to talk about Colin for the billionth time, and even more glad not to talk about how I spent the whole weekend with a stranger and didn’t realize what a creep he was.
It's only a few minutes before a large orange cat decides that my lap is the most comfortable place to settle down for a nap.
Petting a purring fuzzball does make me feel better. I don’t have any pets, I always loved animals. Colin was allergic to cats, but the new apartment does allow them. Maybe I could take advantage of that. Find a fuzzy friend who would keep me company.
I scratch the big guy behind the ears. He purrs loudly.
It’d be nice to have this kind of unconditional approval.
“We found out the sex today.” Penny’s tone is almost conspiratorial.
“What? Really?” I ask excitedly.
“Yeah—” she pauses.
“You want to tell me what it is?”
“Well, I wondered if I could use—you know—the name.” Her face is slowly turning beet red.
“The name? Oh? Oh, right!” I laugh a little. “Of course you can!”
“It’s silly to still think about it,” she says.
“No it’s not!”
“I just always assumed you would be the one who used it—” Her words fumble to a stop.
“We always agreed whoever got there first.” I laugh but put an encouraging hand into hers, since she can’t see the sincerity in my features. “Of course you can name the baby ‘Presley’.”
She grins.
“Are you sure?” Penny asks. When we were kids Penny, Paget and I found a baby naming book. We spent an entire summer vacation picking out the ‘best baby name’. There was a pros and cons table, a double elimination bracket, we even took a full family vote. Of course once we picked the ‘perfect name’ the three of us immediately started to fight over who’d get to use it. We rehashed that fight all throughout adolescence. Sometimes jokingly, other times more seriously. We settled on ‘whoever gets there first’. As the oldest I always kind of assumed I’d be the one using it.
“Yes, of course I’m sure! I’m so very happy for you.” It’s not a lie, my sister deserves every ounce of happiness she’s ever received, and so much more. “At this point, who knows if I willever get a chance to pick out a baby name!” I bark out a laugh and it sounds so much more strained than I intend for it to.
Penny’s been married for over a year. Her husband Michael is fantastic. Of course I’m excited they are starting a family, still a little twinge of jealousy forms in my stomach. Penny has a husband, and a kid on the way. I just had a one-night stand with a dude I met in a bar who turned out to be my stalker. I just thought I was a lot closer to the status of 'wife and mother' myself.
Penny smiles. We've always been close. For a long time, she felt like the one person in my life who really understood me. Our parents are great and have always been supportive, but four kids is a lot, and we never had tons of money. So when Penny started needing more help at school and care around the house a lot of it fell on me. The oldest daughter.
“Are you sure it’s alright?” she asks, unable to ignore the strain in my laugh. Across the room, our niece, Rachel, squeals.
“Yes! Yes, absolutely. I just had a rough weekend.” I admit.
“What kind of rough?” She waggles her eyebrows.
I wish I could laugh.
“Seriously, are you alright?” She presses her shoulder to mine.
I make eye contact with my mother across the room. I just can’t tell the story right now, not with my whole family here.
“Can I tell you later?” I ask my sister. “How is your nursery coming along?”
Penny smirks at my change of topic. “It’s alright so far.”
The door of the cafe opens, and a man walks in. I know it isn’t anyone we are related to because he is tall and lean. He’s at least six inches taller than anyone in my family, with floppy golden hair and the thick toned thighs of someone who bikes, or even—spins.
