David took a handful of chips and ate them. Were they right? The conversation with Bob on Monday came to mind. Would his father be blind to the immigrants’ fate after David showed him the facts? No, his father always listened to him. Plus, he had more information to sway him. David had spoken to all of Zita’s foster sisters the other night, and had added their stories to his file.
“Anyone else got work-related news they want to share?” Lee asked. “’Cause I’ve got news of a different nature.”
“What’s up?” Colin asked.
“We’re having a girl.” He grinned and pulled a photo out of his jacket pocket, dropping it on the table in front of them.
“You poor bastard,” Garth said. “She’s going to have you wrapped around her little finger.”
“I know.” Lee was beaming.
David put his concern aside and picked up the ultrasound picture. It didn’t look human to him, but he wasn’t going to say so.
“You going to paint the nursery pink?” Colin cringed.
“Hell no. She’s not having any of that gender defining stuff. She can choose to play with trucks and cars, or dolls, or both. Whatever she wants, she’s going to have.”
The baby was one lucky kid. “Congratulations.” David raised his wine glass and they toasted Lee’s unborn child.
“All right guys, let’s play some poker,” Lee said when they were done. “I need more money to buy my baby girl a monster truck.”
Amid laughter, David dealt the cards.
Sometime later, the pizza arrived. They halted the game while they grabbed slices and stood around the kitchen eating.
“Nice bowl,” Colin commented, picking up the fruit bowl David had bought in the flea market. “Where’d you get it?”
“Flea market at Discovery Green.”
The three of them stared at him.
“What were you doing at a flea market?” Garth asked.
He wasn’t sure why they were so surprised. “I was on a date.”
Lee laughed. “I can’t imagine one of your socialites at a flea market.”
“She’s not a socialite,” David said, refusing to get riled.
“Sounds intriguing.” Garth waggled his eyebrows. “Tell us more. Where did you meet?”
“She’s the sister of a friend.” He was kind of reluctant to tell them about Zita. He wanted to keep the relationship to himself until he’d figured out where it was going.
“What friend? We’re your friends.” Colin was indignant.
“Carolina Flanagan.”
Garth whistled. “Now that’s someone in your league.”
David laughed.
“Has your dad met her?” Colin asked at the same time as Lee said, “What’s her name?”
“Zita. She met Dad at a refugee symposium before we were dating.”
Colin winced. “How did it go?”
David grinned at the memory. “She called him a racist bigot and walked away.” He wished he had a camera to take a picture of their faces.
