Folly Beach - Dorothea Benton Frank [74]
Actually, I was glad she had told her mother first. It was the right thing to do. If Sara had called her mother-in-law before me I would’ve cut her throat. Of course, her throat had not been jeopardized thus far.
“Oh, Alice! Dear child! Is your momma thrilled? Oh! What a stupid question! Of course she is!”
Alice smiled and turned her head to the side. “She’s very happy.”
Her mother, Maureen, lived in St. Paul and I knew she’d be coming to visit as much as she could. I’d have to help them fix up a guest room. And a nursery! A nursery.
“Old Maureen almost burst she was so excited,” Russ said. “Yeah, I’m gonna have me a boy to shoot hoops!”
“What if he turns out to be a she?” I said, still smiling like . . . I can’t even tell you how I was smiling. From my toes up to my face? Inside and out?
“Can’t happen! I’m having a boy first. Then Alice can have all the girls she wants.”
“Guess we’ll have to fence the yard this summer,” Alice said.
“Oh, honey, don’t worry yourself about a fence. There’s time for that yet. And how do you feel? Are you feeling all right?” I reached out and put my hand on her arm. She did not recoil. This was a good sign.
“I feel great, actually.” She smiled and I realized her complexion had a new opalescent glow. Too bad I couldn’t bottle it. “I really feel fine. A little more tired than normal, but that’s all.”
“Well, isn’t this just wonderful? This is just wonderful.”
“I was worried you wouldn’t be so happy,” Alice said, perfectly straight-faced.
“Oh, Alice.” I looked at her and thought, okay, this is it, you confrontational little so-and-so. Assuming she carries this child to term and delivers? She’s in my life forever. Sometimes a baby seals a marriage. It happens with royalty all the time. I cleared my throat. “Alice? I am very happy. I could not be happier! Wouldn’t you say this family needs a piece of good news? And this is the best news! It really is, darlin’!” I almost choked on darlin’, but I decided immediately on hearing their news that from that moment forward, I was going to be the model in-law, which I thought basically required saying only positive things and saying very little at that.
“Let’s call Sara,” Russ said.
Russ dialed Sara’s number and put her on speakerphone.
“Hey, sis! I’m here with Mom and Alice and we’ve got some news!”
“Yeah, what?” Sara said, without an ounce of enthusiasm.
“We’re having a baby!”
Silence from California.
And then, after an uncomfortable pause, “That’s so not funny, Russ.”
Russ picked up his cell phone and clicked a button, making it a private conversation in case Sara said something ugly about Alice. “Come on, Sara, you’re going to be an aunt!” He listened to her, nodding his head and saying, I know, I know, unbelievable, right? September. Yep. Then he covered the phone with his hand and gave it to Alice. “She’s psyched. She wants to congratulate you.”
I watched Alice’s expressions as she spoke to Sara. She seemed deeply satisfied with herself. That was reassuring to me. It was good for a woman to have confidence when she is preparing to bring a child into the world.
The rest of the evening, which included a room-temperature peach pie from the store and vanilla ice cream, passed as though I was in a dream. What other dramatic changes were in store for me? My children? I was still fighting to regain my bearings from losing Addison and everything else and it didn’t matter at all to the world. Not one bit. The world continued to turn and life continued to go on. My son was going to be a father. Addison would’ve been so happy to know it. Look what he was missing. The idiot.
I had hoped so hard against their denial of readiness that they would have children and soon. I wanted Russ and Alice to know the kind of deep joy and happiness that only comes with a family. And while I looked at the world very differently than my daughter-in-law, she made Russ happy. That was what mattered.
“You’d better call Aunt Daisy,” I said. “Wait till she hears this!”
Chapter Seventeen
Setting: The Porgy House in the music room.
Director’s