All Of Me

50

Luke's chest rose and fell softly, and his long lashes fluttered against his round, rosy cheeks. Chubby arms spread out over his head, clad in a blue stripped sleeper. He looks so much like my father... I looked past him, and saw Tripp beside us, sleeping just as peacefully. The shadow of stubble sprawled across his sculpted jaw, and he sighed in his sleep. Somewhere in the distance, I heard Paige, yelling my name, getting closer. "We've got a baby shower to get to!"

And suddenly, I was opening my eyes and squinting against the sun pouring through the window Paige had just opened. I rolled my eyes and pulled the covers over my head, closing my eyes and willing myself to go back to that peaceful place with Tripp and Luke. What a beautiful sight that was.

Paige entered the room again and snatched the covers from my body in one fluid motion, "Get your lazy butt up!" So endearing. I rolled from the bed and went to my closet. I pulled out a pair of khakis, a blue sweater, and a cream colored scarf out and got dressed quickly. I had slept so late. Relishing in the fact that I didn't have to start classes until tomorrow. I had taken to many days off. My professors were all going to hate me.

I finished getting dressed and throwing my hair into a ponytail and walked out into the kitchen. Socks met me in the living room, and hopped around under my feet the entire short walk to the kitchen. I poured some puppy chow into a little bowl I'd written 'Socks' on the side of in sharpie and he inhaled it.

Paige actually looked half-decent in jeans and a snug white T-shirt, an oversized sweater over it all. "You look nice today." I smiled at her as she the emptied the contents of the coffee pot into two coffee mugs and shoved one at me. "As do you, sis. As do you." She winked and walked past me, grabbing her coat off the rack beside the door, and I followed suit.

"Have you talked to that doctor yet?" I winked and she cleared her throat, shaking her head. "I don't want a relationship right now." She gave me a weak smile and my stomach turned. Something was wrong with her. Bad wrong. I watched her face as it twitched in certain places the way it does when you're about to cry.

It was all I could do not to pry on the way to the cafe. She was clearly excited about that doctor. She was basically drooling. Then all the sudden she 'doesn't want a boyfriend', and is about to cry? I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in my stomach. I'd always assumed she was just getting in fights, or that she was stumbling around drunk and got black eyes, but if someone was hurting her, I didn't know what I would do. She was my little sister.

I reached over and placed my hand over hers. She didn't take her eyes off the road, and I just squeezed her hand in mine. You could basically feel the tension radiating from her. Why can't dad just be here?

We finally arrived at the cafe and they were fairly busy. The day time guys were there, and so was Carol's big grey F-150. Paige blew the horn and a few moments later, a frazzled Carol emerged from the cafe. She smiled a bright smile that stretched across her round, cheerful face.

She loaded into her truck, and was on her way, us on her heels.

A few minutes of silence later, we pulled up outside a classic white-with-blue-shutters, one story, middle-class house. A tiny porch decorated with potted plants. Exactly what I expected from Carol, I smiled.

The driveway was lined with cars, and one that assumed was Brittany's, given the empty car seat, gift bags, and a freshly applied 'baby on board' caution sign in the back window. I collected my little gift for Brittany and my purse, and we walked inside.

Imagine your favorite aunt's house: The lightly colored couches, hutch filled with family pictures and heirlooms, and the cozy fireplace. Area rugs, and a porcelain doll sitting in a tiny rocking chair beside the couch. That's what Carol's house was. It felt so homely. Young women stood around every where, and a couple of kids.

All about my age, some a little older, and then I spotted who had to be Brittany. She looked exactly like Carol, only she had long dark hair that contrasted Carol's bright red. Brittany had the same rosy round cheeks, cleft chin, and bright smile. She was beautiful, and her eyes glowed. She wore a pink dress halfway down her thigh, and white tights. She was beautiful. Her baby bump was so perfect. Finally, she walked over and threw an arm around my neck. Just as enthusiastic as her mother, too!

"You must be Brooke! Oh, how I've wanted to meet you!" She hugged me with one arm and rested the other on her belly. I nodded, "It's so nice to finally meet you." I smiled and took it all in. "Oh! I got you this!" She reached over to the side table beside the couch and handed me a blue award ribbon that pins onto your shirt that read, 'It's a boy!'

My heart swelled. "May I?" She smiled. I nodded quickly and she pinned it onto my shirt. I noticed hers pinned right below her shoulder, 'It's a girl!'

She leaned in and gave me a quick peck on the cheek before turning to her room full of sorority girl friends, and clapping her hands together in excitement. "Okay, girls! This is Brooke. She's expecting a little boy in February." She practically radiated happiness as she introduced me to each of her friends. Most of them work in her office with her, some of them attend her college. And they were all sweet as pie. Congratulating me, and asking questions about Luke.

Finally, Carol escorted me away from the girls and into the kitchen to show me the cake for the baby shower. Half of it was decorated with blue frosting and rattles, and written in blue frosting was 'Baby Luke' and the other side was opposite, announcing a baby Olivia. I smiled. This girl that had never even met me before was halfing her baby shower with me. I felt my eyes moisten at the act. "I don't think I've ever met anyone as sweet as your daughter." I told Carol as I helped her fill pink and blue party cups with punch.

She smiled, "You two are a lot alike. Maybe not in your personalities, because Brittany is...exuberant," We both laughed, "But you're both selfless, beautiful women." Carol stopped was she was doing and gave me a tight, warm hug. "You people are just trying to make me cry." I dabbed my eyes with a napkin from the counter and she giggled and finished up the cups.

I was amazed at the people who brought gifts for Luke. Pretty much every girl there. Even Paige. I smiled as I opened up a small bag with an 'My aunt is better than yours' onesie inside. Paige gave me a double thumbs-up and I laughed. Only Paige.

I knew it would come, the questions about Luke's father started. I took a deep breath, all eyes on me, and told the story in no so many words. "Luke's father was my best friend throughout high-school. We made a mistake at a party one night, both got drunk, didn't know that we slept together until I turned up pregnant." The girls were speechless, but not a one of them had a judgmental look. Just intrigued. I relaxed a little on the inside.

"That's amazing. At least he's your age." A thin blonde joked and winked at Brittany. I was a little thrown by the joke but Brittany just rolled her eyes and smiled. "He's a great guy. Age is just a number." Brittany admonished the giggling girls with a wave of her hand. The girls engaged in a different conversation and Brittany turned to me. "You were out of the loop just then. Olivia's father is a bit older than me." She blushed a little. I nodded, not really in the position to judge. "My friends don't really care for him because he's a very private man. I only have one picture of us."

She grabbed her phone from the crowd of phones on the coffee table, and swiped through the screen code. Finally, she turned the phone to me and I almost gasped audibly at the face before me. Brittany with her arms around the waist of...Brian.