When I turn to leave I see that all the staff left in the office heard every word I just said. They all stare at me with wide, shocked expressions.
Then, Lavinia raises her hands and starts to clap.
I can’t believe it, but the database techie joins her, then the interns, then the web designer. I let out a disbelieving laugh. I grab my coat and my purse from my desk, wave to everyone in the room and hurry toward the elevators.
They’re still clapping.
I turn and look behind me while I wait for the doors to open. Lavinia nods at me and when I smile at her, she purses her lips more tightly, because, wouldn’t you know it, she’s trying not to grin.
As the elevator dings, Lavinia rushes over. She has a wilted potted fern in her arms. “Take this. The light here is terrible. It couldn’t thrive. Anyway, I won’t be here to take care of it, I’ve got a job offer at a law firm.”
I look at her in surprise, then down at the plant. “Um, thanks Lavinia. I appreciate it. And…everything else.”
If she hadn’t turned on the mics the world may never have realized what a toad Ian is.
She purses her mouth. “Don’t forget to water it.”
I smile. “I won’t.”
Then I step into the elevator and watch as the doors close forever on Live Your Best Life Starting Now Enterprises.
29
I step into the basement of Clive’s Comics with an armful of decaf coffees and a bakery box. I’m late for the meeting. Hannah, Carly and Brook are already seated and Brook is in the middle of a story.
“—couldn’t believe the freaking ice worked. He iced his testicles for two weeks and his sperm count doubled. Hannah, I think you’re crazy, but even crazy is right once in a—” Brook trails off when she sees me standing in the entry.
“Hey everybody,” I say.
I shift uncomfortably. I didn’t exactly leave them with the best impression of me, and I don’t think they expected to see me again.
Brook raises her eyebrows. Carly bites her lip but doesn’t say anything and Hannah looks down at her lap.
“So…” I begin, “I heard there was a fertility meetup down here every Thursday, and that it…that it had some nice people at it.” I swallow nervously.
Hannah wrinkles her forehead in confusion, and Brook crosses her arms across her chest and frowns. Carly shakes her head.
Yeah. I messed up.
“So anyway. My name’s Gemma. I used to judge books by their cover, in fact, I was a real jerk about it. I said some stupid things to people I consider my friends. Also, I have terrible fashion sense and I’m routinely late.”
Brook straightens in her chair and focuses on me. I think she’s realized that I’m reciting her introduction of me from all those weeks ago, with a few modifications.
Hannah starts to smile.
“I want to have a baby, clearly.” I blink quickly and say, “And I’m delighted to make your acquaintance.”
No one says anything, all three of them just stare at me like I’ve lost my mind, so I hold up the coffees and the box and I say, “I also brought coffee and some humble pie.”
Then Brook snorts and shakes her head.
Hannah gives a full smile and Carly says, “Darling, I absolutely love humble pie.”
I give a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness, because it would’ve been really awkward eating the whole thing on my own.”
Everyone starts talking at once, but over the noise, Brook says, “I told you she’d be back.”
We sit down and I cut into the caramel apple pie with crumble topping. I hand out forks, plates and jumbo pieces to everyone.
“This is so good,” Hannah says. “It isn’t on my raw diet, but it’s good.”
“Darling, humble pie is on every diet,” Carly says.
Brook grunts and says around her mouthful, “So to sum up my iced testicles story, our embryos came back with the PGT results and we had a winner and now I’m pregnant.”
“What?! Congratulations!”
“That’s amazing!”
I get up and give Brook a quick hug. She grimaces at me, but I can tell she’s pleased.
“I’m happy for you,” I say.
She shrugs. “It’s all thanks to Hannah.”
Hannah blushes and tries to deny it, but Brook says, “Please, accept my thanks. Did I ever tell you about that case where the woman never accepted thanks and it turns out it’s because she was collecting—”
“You told us,” Hannah interrupts. “And I had nightmares for weeks. So there’s no need for a repeat.”