Baggage Check Read Online Free PDF Page B

Marci this way, and why Marci’s feathers weren’t more ruffled by the rude line of questioning. Maybe it was Rebecca’s inability to understand this strange, adversarial interaction that had kept her from having close girlfriends.
    Marci glared at Suzanne momentarily and then burst into laughter. “I think you are wasting your talents as an event planner. We need you interrogating terrorists or something.”
    â€œAre you serious?” Suzanne said, ignoring Marci’s attempt to deflect. “Really? Already?”
    Marci nodded. From across the room, Beth stood up. “Wait, are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
    Rebecca was completely lost. Only when she heard Marci say something about “ten weeks, so we’re not really telling anyone” did she realize. Marci was pregnant, again. Jesus . Little Bonnie was not even a year old yet. Soon they were all crowded around Marci in the living room, everyone asking questions and laughing, and calculating how old Bonnie would be when her new baby brother or sister arrived.
    This didn’t technically impact her, but Rebecca felt overwhelmed nonetheless. Life was moving too fast. People seemed in such a hurry to get married, settle down, and have babies. What was the rush? They were still in their midthirties. There was plenty of time for all this, wasn’t there? Of course she knew that her feelings for Jake played a role: Marci being pregnant reminded her that Marci and Jake were having sex. Duh, Bec, of course they’re having sex. They are married, after all . But somehow this indisputable evidence brought the idea to the forefront of her mind, and it was opening the same old wound from her quiet battle for Jake’s heart four years ago.
    Rebecca shook her head to banish the images from her mind. She tuned in to the conversation to find that Marci was talking about Jake’s reaction to the pregnancy.
    â€œHe’s thrilled, of course,” she said. “I mean, we both wanted a big family.”
    â€œBut?” Suzanne said.
    â€œWell, I guess he thinks it’s a little soon after Bonnie. And he’s … well, he’s sort of ticked with me for letting it happen.”
    â€œLetting it happen?” Beth said. “Like he had no part in it?”
    â€œWell,” Marci said, her voice rising to a squeak. “I might have told a teensy white lie about birth control.…”
    â€œMarcella Beatrice!” Suzanne said. “You didn’t!”
    Beth shook her head, tut-tutting. Kate giggled.
    â€œLook,” Marci said, “it’s not the end of the world. It happened, and I know Jake will be thrilled when he gets used to the idea. He thought we should put more space between the kids, but I’m thirty-five.…”
    There was a collective groan from the other women. Except for Kate, who was nearly ten years younger, they were all the same age. Rebecca wondered if Marci had any idea of her impact on Suzanne and Rebecca, who did not yet have children, when she judged herself essentially too old to reproduce.
    â€œWell, you know what I mean!” Marci protested. “I know it’s fine to have babies for a few more years now, but why wait? Once you’re married and ready for kids, I mean.” This last seemed to be directed at Rebecca herself. She could have slapped Marci in that moment. She reminded herself that assaulting a pregnant woman was a felony.
    â€œOne reason to wait would be that your husband isn’t ready for another baby,” Rebecca said, gritting her teeth in a painful attempt at a smile. “For example.”
    Marci glared at her, and Rebecca felt exhilaration: half-scared to have challenged Marci so openly, half-proud of herself for standing up for Jake.
    â€œOkay, okay,” Suzanne said gently, “ease up, everyone. The most important thing is that you and the baby stay healthy. And of course we’re all thrilled for