A silver personalized charm bracelet sat inside the box. I removed it from the box to examine the charms, and a fresh set of tears cascaded down my cheeks. On the average day, I was a cry baby; there was no shame in my game. I don’t know how I would make it through this pregnancy with my hormones intensifying my tears.
There were five charms in total: a singlet, an eagle to represent our fierce mascot, a heart with the words “#1 Coach” etched in the center, a rhinestone covered heart with the words “I Wrestle Like A Girl” across the center, and my favorite—a charm molded to depict two women wrestling. Each charm was well thought out, and I was overcome with joy as I slipped the bracelet onto my wrist.
“I love it, ladies. Thank you so much,” I sobbed.
They huddled around me, enveloping me in a group hug. A few seconds lapsed before the cacophony of fragrances assaulted me from the ladies’ various perfumes. I instantly started to gag,and they all jumped back, putting distance between us. Rushing to the trash can beside my desk, I leaned over and vomited everything Rashawn fed me for breakfast that morning. My classroom door came open, and I knew it was Rashawn, but I was focused on the second round of nausea that hit me. His steps darted in my direction, and I felt him pulling my braids back before his hands gently rubbed up and down my back. It took me a moment to stand up straight, and Rashawn already had Kleenex in hand, ready to help clean my face.
“You good?” He queried, gently dabbing at my face to clean it. Once Rashawn was satisfied with my appearance, he tossed the Kleenex in the trash.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I assured him.
“AHEM.”
Cara cleared her throat, reminding me that we weren’t alone. It was scarily easy to get lost in Rashawn when we were together. “Do you have something you want to share with the team? We haven’t even worked out yet, so we don’t stink. What was that about?”
“Yep, I do have something I want to tell you,” I bubbled, unzipping my purse to search for a piece of gum to help quell my stomach. “Ladies, this is my fiancé, Rashawn. Rashawn, these are the wonderful ladies on my wrestling team.”
Rashawn waved as I went down the line calling out each girl’s name. They exchanged pleasantries, and Melody’s nosey self immediately started questioning me. “So when is the wedding? We didn’t even know you had a nice piece of man at home.”
“We are actually getting married tomorrow while our family is on vacation.”
“Congratulations!” They celebrated, lurching forward to surround me again, but I threw my hands up to stop them. I couldn’t handle another bout with the Burberry Goddess, Jimmy Choo, and whatever else they sprayed on that morning.
“You’re pregnant. Aren’t you?” Taylor interrogated. “My mom acted like I was suffocating her every time I came near her wearing perfume, then two months later, she told me she was pregnant. I know ball.”
“Taylor, please,” I chuckled. “I’m only going to confirm so I can ask you guys to ease up on the perfumes and scented lotions before walking up on me, please.”
“Pleaseeeeeedon’t have this baby and abandon us,” Taylor pleaded, dramatically dropping to her knees and sliding across the floor towards me. She was our 110-pounder, and sliding across the mat was her specialty, so it was no surprise how swiftly Taylor maneuvered over to me. Rashawn watched on amused by our dynamics. These were my girls for life after how they entrusted me, a first time wrestling coach, to guide them through the season.
“I’m not going anywhere, Taylor,” I chuckled. “Pregnancy won’t stop me from fulfilling my duties, and when maternity leave comes, I will have a suitable replacement holding you guys down until I return.”
“We are holding you to that, Coach Hunter. We can’t afford to take another L with our coaches,” Cara added.
“I promise. Now let’s air high five for today. I have to get out of here. I’m on a bit of a time crunch,” I announced.
We all raised our hands, and they offered another round of congratulations and birthday wishes before exiting the classroom. Cara was the last one out of the door, and she looked back at Rashawn. “In everything you do, remember she has a bunch of wrestlers that don’t play about her,” she quipped.
“Ion play about her either, so we on the same team,” Rashawn laughed.
“Bet,” Cara replied before stepping out of the door.
“I love them so much,” I informed Rashawn.
“And clearly the feeling is mutual,” he confirmed, leaning down to peck my lips. “What are you taking home today?”
“Just my laptop,” I passed it to him to hold with the assortment of balloons.
Now that I looked at my desk for the first time since Rashawn entered my classroom, I noticed the chocolate covered strawberries with the cutest chocolate molded sunflowers in the centers. I lifted the hand sanitizer that was attached to the belt loop on my pants and squirted a generous amount into my hand before opening the strawberries. They looked delectable, and I had to have just one.
“Are you sure you’re good to eat that right after throwing up?”
“Yes. I’m actually hungry now,” I explained.
“Man, the pregnancy book I was reading said you should wait ten minutes and drink water first,” he detailed, swiping the box before I could retrieve a strawberry.
I poked my bottom lip out and snatched my purse and water from my desk. Rashawn carried all of my baggage on the way out, and I introduced him to two of my co-workers before we finally exited the school. When I locked my seat belt and Rashawn drove out of the parking lot, I was ecstatic for the next forty-eight hours.
Five minutes into the drive, I reached into the backseat and retrieved the strawberries. I devoured one, then reached in for a second, and Rashawn took the box from me before I could grab a third. Twenty minutes later, we were pulling into Dr. Lawrence’s office. Since the morning Dr. Lawrence stood up to my parents during my initial visit, I hadn’t seen another gynecologist. I’ve switched primary care doctors multiple times, but I was locked in with Dr. Lawrence. I used to drive back to Brooksville just to see her, but a few years back, she relocated to Wesley Chapel because her husband’s job required him to take over the Tampaoffice. That cut my travel time in half, so I was ecstatic when she announced the new office location.
