Instead, I see Ruby.
Our eyes clash, and we stand in a stalemate as the door stays open for us.
“Um, hi,” I offer. I’m not supposed to know she’s pregnant. I don’t even know how the prospect knows, but I don’t ask.
She looks at me, then my friend with a belly that isn’t easily hidden, and gestures with a kind smile. To Ashley, not me.
“After you.”
I hesitate a second more and then push her through to the front desk. Ashley grumbles about being able to walk, but I bring her too close to stand, and the nurse behind the desk snickers at our antics as we check her in.
Once she’s set, I take her over to a waiting area that’s large enough to park the wheelchair by an empty waiting seat and not block any pathways.
“I hate you,” she mutters.
I toss her a magazine off the table beside me. “Read this. Think there’s an article in there about how to thank your favorite work bestie who puts up with your grumpiness.”
“Wouldn’t be so grumpy if you’d let me walk.”
“I told you, you fainted. This is just a precaution.”
“We both know I tripped. Which was your fault, by the way.”
I close the magazine I was skimming through to look at random pictures, definitely not the articles. Why would I care if there’s an article about how to cure morning sickness in here?
“How is it my fault?”
“If you hadn’t gotten sick, I wouldn’t have had to deal with the bimbo replacement who came in. The one who misread the stocking list, which Vicky noticed and had me redo this morning. If it hadn’t been for that, I wouldn’t have dropped the tissues. The ones Itrippedover. See, all your fault.”
I huff and go back to “pretending” to read. It’s actually a fascinating article, and one I’m secretly devouring for all the tips possible. I only threw up twice this morning, and so far none at the hospital. I’m calling it a win.
“Sounds more like an issue of dropping things than me calling in sick.”
“Whatever,” she grumbles and flips aggressively through her magazine. When she finishes it in thirty seconds flat, she huffs loudly, and I feel her eyes on me. Which I ignore as I continue reading, till she does it again.
“What?” I ask without looking up.
“Any news on silver fox?”
I panic and look up just in time to see Ruby sitting across from us. It’s a very small waiting room. One corridor filled with chairs that face one another, and at the other end is the check-in desk. And of course Ashley isn’t being quiet in the least.
“Nope,” I answer quickly and look back at my magazine as I feel my neck heat.
“Ugh. You’re no fun. I need some spice in my life.”
“It can’t be that bad,” I say, half listening and pretending that Ruby isn’t listening to it at all.
“Oh yes, it is. I haven’t had sex in weeks. Weeks! It’s gotten terrible. I’m doing anything to spice it up, though. I even went to an online store called A Little Spice and bought a see-through teddy. I put it on the bed, hoping Barry will see it before I get home.”
“Why on the bed?”
She shrugs. “Taking clothes on and off is hard work these days. It takes a lot of my energy, and I’m not even full-term yet. Figured if he sees it, he can at least imagine me in it before we get horizontal. Plus, I’ve never bought lingerie before. There are so many straps and things that I don’t think I know how to put it on.”
“You’ve never bought lingerie? Even for your honeymoon?”
Another shrug. “No point. You get naked and fuck. No one sees it but you when you put it on. Guys just want to have sex on honeymoons. They don’t care what you look like as long as you’re into just about anything.”
I blink, then blink again. Looking up, I catch eyes with Ruby, who’s doing the same thing. I don’t think either of ushas ever thought of it like that before. And Ashley’s probably not wrong.
