UNPLANNED

Part 7

By the end of the night at Jeff and Glenne's, Lexi was nowhere to be found. You didn't really mind–you didn't feel as out of place as you'd expected and Harry had been more than happy to bring you around to different friends or familiar faces to say hello.

A girl with dark brown hair who sang backup on his album listened excitedly as he brought her up to speed on the new plan for release. The album, originally due out in August or September was now being pushed to December. It was strategic really.

Late summer buzz when the baby announcement came out. Winter album release, promo before and after to tide his fans over until a spring time tour, giving him the perfect span of three or four stationary months in L.A. that aligned with your maternity leave.

Genius, really. It was all thanks to Jeff and his team.

So you smiled at the girl with the dark hair and pretended you didn't notice the fact that she kept stealing glances down at your belly, as small as it still was.

This was the risky stage, really, when people got it wrong and asked about someone's due date, only to be mortified when someone gave the dreaded response, I'm not pregnant. You'd seen it happen to someone else once, a woman in the checkout line at the grocery store. The cashier put her foot in her mouth and you vowed to never ask someone about their due date unless they mentioned it first.

So you cut Laura some slack.

"We'll tour it next spring and summer, so you'll have to come," he said to his friend, a smile on his face when he lifted up his sunglasses. The sun had already sunk beneath the horizon, his cheeks were tinged pink from the hot day.

"I'll bring your youngest audience member ever," you revealed, letting a hand rub over your belly as you offered a smile in her direction.

"Oh, that's so sweet! When are you due?"

"January, middle of the month. So–I might need some noise canceling headphones."

"Hey–I make good music," Harry pretended to take offense.

"I didn't say you don't–"

"Is it yours?" Laura asked, her eyes pulling up to Harry's face for a second, wide with shock.

Harry looked down at you, down at the bump. You could tell he was frozen, unsure of what he should say and how he should say it.

"No–God no," you said quickly. "It's our friend, Peter."

Harry's lips twitched into a smile. "Yeah–Peter, he's a good friend. He's a great guy, a dream, really. Gonna be a great father."

"He's okay," you made a face at Harry. "A lot to learn, probably never changed a diaper in his life."

"He has too," Harry defended quickly. "At least five or six."

"Well he'll be changing probably five or six a day."

"That's fine, he'll be fine with that. He's extremely committed to that baby."

"Yeah, well," you stifled a laugh. "We'll see."

Laura laughed, a skeptical look disappeared from her face when Glenne came up and offered dessert, effectively breaking up the conversation. Harry draped an arm over your shoulder for a split second when most people had started to make their way to the other side of the pool.

"Just so you know, I'm gonna make you call her and explain that lie once we come out with it."

"Deal," you said. "I'll tell her you had sex with your friend Peter's girlfriend and we didn't know who's it was until it was born.."