The Work Boyfriend by Rebecca Mardon

Author:Rebecca Mardon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: re:books
Published: 2023-10-26T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

The room was warm, and dinner was delicious. My family. All talking over one another, mouths full, and prone to outbursts, more shouting than listening. Thankfully, there were no more questions or conversations about anything wedding or marriage related for the moment. Instead, Carl was teasing Daniel about finally flunking out of school and showing us all how it was done (Daniel was a straight-A student), my mother was asking Jay and Meghan if they were going to stay in their apartment once the baby arrived, and Rob was asking Annie about her upcoming trip. I sat there, quietly watching everyone, not feeling the need to join in, content to be on the fringe. And we ate, and ate, and ate. My mother pulled out a tray of Christmas cookies for dessert, and the entire evening slowed down. Rob sat at the other end of the table and for a moment I saw his father in him, their shared ability to make themselves at home with anyone, anywhere.

Once dinner was finished, my mother released us from our seating arrangement. I sat down beside Meghan and slipped into a comfortable sibling silence. She reached across and pulled my hand toward her belly. I didn’t fight it. I had to get over feeling brutalized by what was good news.

“Feel how hard my stomach is—none of my pants fit,” she said.

“You did eat a massive Christmas dinner.”

“It’s not that, it’s like there’s a shell around the baby, like I’m a turtle.”

“Raphael or Donatello?”

“Oh, no, Michelangelo, for sure.”

“If the baby comes out glowing green with mad ninja skills, we’ll know why,” I said. “But your stomach is freakishly hard.”

“The wonders of birth.”

Meghan tucked her head on my shoulder, like we used to do as kids. “It’ll all be okay. You’ll figure it out. You always do.”

“Remember Tanta,” I said. “Wasn’t she awful?”

“The worst,” Meghan replied. “I’m certainly not naming my firstborn after her or Toly.”

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