'What the hell?' I jump up from my stool, only to be placed back on it before I can launch into my rant.
'Roseanne,' Her tone is clipped and stern, not that I'll take any notice, but then it very quickly occurs to me that Jisoo is oblivious to Jennie's straying ways, as is Lisa, so I aim my aggravation at my wife instead. 'Who else have you told?'
Her warning face soon drops. 'A few. '
My lips purse. 'You've told everyone, haven't you?' I can't believe this woman. My poor parents don't even know that they're going to be grandparents yet.
'I might have.'
'Lisa,' I moan, completely deflated.
Her adorable face takes the edge off my irritation slightly, and then she shrugs guiltily, completely diminishing the rest of my exasperation. 'Can we visit my in-laws this weekend?' she asks quietly.
'Well, yes. We'd better before news travels and makes it to Cornwall before we do. '
She grins at me and stoops down to seal our mouths, her hand landing on my stomach and caressing my non-bump, while her tongue caresses my mouth. 'You make me a very happy woman, Mrs Manoban. '
'That's because I'm letting you trample all over me at the moment. '
'No, it's because you're beautiful, spirited, and all mine. '
'Hey Lis!' Jisoo's happy greeting distracts us from our moment. She greets Lisa and stands me up, looking me up and down. 'I can already tell' she says, staring at my tummy before lifting her sparkling eyes. 'You've got that healthy glow about you.'
I actually laugh, and I'm dying to ask if any of these happy well-wishers know of the circumstances surrounding my pregnancy. 'That's funny because I mostly feel like shit.' I quip.
'Mouth, Roseanne!' Lisa snaps, but I snub her and move past Jisoo to take Jennie's hand. 'Let's sit over in the corner. ' I smile sweetly and lead her away from the bar. Her pale face is cautious, and it should be, but she doesn't resist, letting me direct her away from them to a little table in the quietest part of the busy bar.
I practically push her into a chair. 'Okay, Kim. Spill.' We've got way past the fun excuses, so she'd better not even try. Not now that my brother is involved, even if I don't particularly like him at the moment.
'So,' she begins, all chirpy and unfazed by my sharp order, 'It's official then?'
'What?' I sit down opposite her.
'The baby,' she nods at my stomach. 'You're not getting rid of it.'
'Jennie!' I blurt on a shocked whisper, making a quick check of the nearby tables. We're safe, but her hard-hearted words have hit a nerve and for the first time since all of this sank in, my hand rests on my tummy protectively. And I feel untold guilt.
She smiles. 'Roseanne, I knew you'd never see that through.'
I'm a little speechless. 'Why didn't you tell me sooner?'
'You needed to figure it out.' She looks across to Lisa and her friends, who are all chatting at the bar. 'I don't get her, but look at that face.' she says, smiling fondly at Lisa. 'I was a breath away from telling her, Roseanne.'
I knew she would be. I follow her eyes and see a very happy woman, but Lisa's always happy when we're together, or she's always happy when I'm conceding to her and her impossible ways. Whichever, I can't deny how happy it makes me to see her like this and to know it's me who does it—me and now her little peanut, too. Lisa catches my eye and flips me a wink, sending a comforting, warm shot of contentment deep into my heart, but then I remember that I have a friend with some explaining to do.
