“We need this backdrop finished for this weekend and all my help didn’t bother to show. Can you please come help? I’ll buy you dinner, lunch, whatever. Just come down here!” After she calmed down, I told her I was on my way.
I drove on down to the theatre, paint shirt in hands. However, when I pulled into the parking lot, I saw that there were about ten cars there. Did everyone end up showing up after all? I parked and went inside, figuring I was already there, might as well go help. Going through the doors I was met with total silence. That was odd.
“Hello?” I called but no one responded. I went through the theatre doors and jumped when I heard screams.
“Congratulations!” The women on stage yelled excitedly. A hand touched my shoulder and I spun around to see little- well big- Cleo. She was holding her belly and smiling wide.
“What is this?” I asked as she took my hand and pulled me down the aisle to the stage. I looked up and saw pink streamers, balloons, and a table with wrapped boxes and gift bags.
“A baby shower, silly,” she said, pushing me gently up the stairs to my friends. I looked around at the group sitting at the small circle tables. All of my theatre friends, Dita and Cleo, Tabatha, and Jimmy. I turned to hug her tightly. She giggled and reached up to wipe the tears off my cheeks.
“Don’t cry. This is a happy day,” she said soothingly.
I lost it. I hugged her again and just let myself cry. She was seriously amazing. I couldn’t have asked for a better person to carry my child. When I finally pulled away, I saw that my group of friends were also wiping away tears. I thanked them all for coming.
Stacie stood up and raised her glass of champagne. She took a fork to it, getting the room to quite down.
“Alright! Let’s eat and then we can play some games!”
We had chicken salad croissants and fruit and vegetable trays. Nothing too fancy, but perfect for a light lunch. I walked around the stage and stopped when I found the cake. Holy smokes. It was a beautiful pink, three-tiered cake with a cute baby on top. She had a bow on her head and was clutching two drumsticks. I had to take pictures to show Mark later.
“Did Mark know about this?” I asked suddenly. Cleo nodded, rolling her eyes.
“I told him about it a few weeks ago and he got me in touch with your friends. They did a lot of the heavy lifting, food, cake, venue. I figured they’d know how to do it right.”
After lunch Erin brought out four bowls of rice. One for each table.
“Okay, in the rice are safety pins. We are going to blindfold you and you’ll take turns trying to get as many safety pins out of the bowl. Whoever has the most wins!”
She set the timers and we went to town. It was way harder than I thought it’d be. I had eight, while Dita plucked out fifteen.
However, she wasn’t even close to the winner. Gabby from the play, somehow found thirty-two in two minutes time. She was awarded a small bag filled with candles and chocolates. Next, we played a more vulgar game that had Stacie’s name all over it. I gave her a look and she erupted in giggles. The game was called ‘Labor or Porn?’ We looked at pictures of women's faces and had to guess what they were doing. It was hilarious, but so awful, but perfect.
After the games they announced it was time for me to open presents. It felt awkward, but I still sat in front of everyone and opened their gifts. I was never any good at receiving things like this.
Everything I was given was amazing. Joyce, who played the mother in the play had made a quilt; and Gabby had gotten me a beautiful baby book to put all of her first moments in. Finally, I made it to the bottom of the very full table. There was a single white envelope left. Picking it up I turned it over and frowned. There was no name on it. I asked if anyone wanted to claim it, but no one knew where it came from.
Opening it I pulled out the card and read it silently first. Quickly the tears came and slid down my face before I could force myself to stay strong. It was from Mark.
“Baby,
You are the most amazing thing in my life. I was never really complete until I found you. You are my rock, and you are going to be the best mom our daughter could ever ask for. I am so excited to share this next chapter of my life with you. You are the only person I want to do this with. I can’t wait to see you hold her and take you both home with me for the rest of our lives.
Mark
P.S. Here is a three-person ticket to an all-inclusive spa. Take Dita and Cleo. Have one last relaxing day before all hell breaks loose when Tot comes. “
I covered my mouth when I started to laugh. Looking into the envelope I saw the tickets inside. My friends asked me who it was from and I told them my husband and nothing else.
Stacie and Erin helped me pack up my car while everyone else began cleaning up the stage. I hugged them both tightly and thanked them over and over.
“You’re welcome. We’re just happy that we got to see you happy. It was hard when you left the troupe, so it’s nice to see you again. We should never let that happen again,” Stacie warned me. I promised her I wouldn’t ever lose touch again.
Surprisingly, when I got home, Mark was home. I saw his car and quickly parked mine. Leaping out of the vehicle I ran inside and hurried to his work room. Sure enough, he was behind his drums. The doctor had finally cleared him to play, although he start slow. He looked up in surprise when I came in and he tried to hide a smile. He knew the shower had been today.
I went to him and he moved to let me sit on his lap. I kissed him, hard and with as much passion as I could muster. He pulled away and gave me that cocky grin.
“Whoa, did you have a good day?”
