Chasing Mr. Carlton ( The story of a Shrew's Son)

Part 65

Bobby stood in a room full of women with a big frown on her face.

She was annoyed. Annoyed because for the last 6 months she'd had more people touching her than she had in her entire life. Everyone wanted to pat the belly- EVERYONE. People in the god damned grocery stores even thought it was okay to just go up to her and try to rub it. (FYI, it is NOT okay to rub a stranger's pregnant belly).

And if they weren't rubbing her belly and getting dangerously close to parts of her that were definitely off limits, they were pinching her cheeks or patting her head. Had she randomly turned into a cocker spaniel? But how could they help themselves? She looked so damn cute. That was what everyone kept repeating. She was too cute. Matt told her at least 10 times a day how adorable she looked.  She wondered how adorable it would seem when she starting using that pot on people.

She sighed, allowing yet another woman to grossly over estimate her belly size with a bit of yarn. She held her arms up, trying to keep a fake smile as one after the other tried. As Vada wrapped her piece of yarn around her, Bobby finally spoke.

"Oh come on, that's way too much!" Bobby said as Vada laughed.

"Sorry, you're just so big." Vada said, patting the belly gently before giving someone else a turn.

It was true, Bobby was quite large. Or maybe she wasn't really that big but in comparison to her small frame, it just looked HUGE. In fact, it was almost comical. Watching her waddling around, swaying side to side... especially at the office.  Matt, Nora and even Brian had tried to tell her to stay home, after all, she was pretty close to her due date but Bobby wouldn't allow it.  She was determined to work up until the very moment the little girl inside her came out... and then jump back in right away.

That had been the tipping point for Matt. Bobby was literally talking about working from home as soon as she got back from the hospital. He'd put his foot down and practically threatened to fire her if she did. Eventually, Nora had explained to Bobby about what child birth would be like and how physically exerting it was... and Bobby gave in reluctantly.

As it was she was having a tough time keeping up. She'd even dozed off in her office the other day, which Matt insisted was adorable but to her was absolutely embarrassing. Bobby had to admit that while she was excited about the baby, she thought of being pregnant had terrified her to the point where she questioned every day if she was doing the right thing. She'd already told Matt she was NEVER doing this again.

And if it wasn't enough that was huge and constantly being pet like a baby goat, the maternity clothes were just ridiculous. Didn't they make anything for expecting mothers that didn't make them look like a cupcake?

"Okay, why don't we open some presents?" Vada said, making everyone start to settle back down. Bobby turned to her. Vada and Nora had taken it upon themselves to get this entire party planned. A baby shower. She'd tried to tell them she would rather not have one, Bobby didn't like that much attention and it wasn't like they needed presents. Brian and Nora wouldn't stop buying things for this baby... but how could she say no to either of them when they insisted?

Bobby moved back over to the arm chair she'd been sitting in before. It was practically the only spot in the house she was semi comfortable in. She couldn't stand it anymore. This baby needed to get out of her. As it was she'd already felt for the last 3 days like any minute now the baby would fall right out of her as she walked down the street.

In the other room, as  the same time that Bobby sat through the embarrassing spectacle of being cossetted, Matt was sitting around with  a similar combination of men. The only people who had not been able to come were Georgina and Damien, but that had been expected.