Storm over the Caribbean

03. Laying the Foundations

Over the last few days, I had considered many a tactic to unveil my newly bulging status to my friends with (hopefully) minimal casualties. Then I had remembered that Patsy was among my friends, and realised minimal casualties was an unachievable dream.

Come on, Lilly! They say to never give up hope, right?

Yes, they did. And, I realized as Patsy Cusack's eyes bored into my skull, "they" were monumentally stupid.

"Lilly?" Patsy began. "Lilly, dear...?"

With the desperation of a condemned woman who knew her doom was nigh, I leapt behind Flora and Eve. They might be able to hold up against Patsy for two seconds or so. Three, if I was lucky.

"Ooooh!" Instantly, Flora drew me into a hug. "Lilly, why didn't you tell us! You look so cute like this!"

"But not nearly as cute as her little one is gonna look, I bet!" Beaming, Eve gently prodded my belly, and was rewarded with a kick to the finger. "Aww! He already knows his aunty! Isn't that sweet!"

"He? How do you know it's not a she?"

"Because I want a cute nephew to cuddle!"

"I want a niece!"

"Nephew!"

"Niece!"

"Nephew!"

"Err..." I cleared my throat. "You two realize that neither of you is actually related to me, right?"

"Niece!"

"Nephew!"

"Niece!

"Nephew!"

It was so nice to have friends who always listened to you.

On the upside, I seemed to have underestimated the power of baby cuteness. For the last five minutes, Patsy had been trying her best to shove her way towards me. But every time she tried, she found herself rebuffed by Aunty Eve and Aunty Flora, who were busy oohing and awing over my little bulge.

I couldn't help but smile.

Even before being born, my baby was already this awesome? Like mother, like daughter.

"What do you think it'll be?" demanded Eve, who finally seemed to remember that I was here. "What is your female intuition telling you?"

I looked past her to where Patsy was trying her squeeze her way between the two other women, murder in her eyes. Unsuccessfully, so far, but she was increasing her efforts.

"My female intuition is telling me to skedaddle."

"What? No! You can't go yet! You've only just gotten here!"

And I'm regretting it already.

"Well, that's the life of a working married woman for you," I told her, smiling widely while I surreptitiously tried to start my retreat. "Always too busy, flitting from job to job. I'm just lucky my hubby is such a sweet, patient man, or else I'd be exhausted all the time."

From behind me, I could feel a pair of icy eyes drilling into me. I was sure I would have to pay later for besmirching my dear husband's reputation. But right now, I had more urgent matters to take care of.

"Like right now, for instance," I continued to blabber, words coming faster and faster as Patsy managed to finally squeeze past my other friends. "I suddenly remembered that I haven't instructed the housekeeper back home yet." Mostly because I doubt race track casinos have housekeepers. "I have to go! I have to attend to my domestic duties!"