32
“HOW’S YOUR JOB SEARCH GOING?” Kayla asks. “Any luck?”
I beam. “Well, actually, there were two promising positions I applied for. I think I might have a shot.”
Gabbie smiles, excited for me. “Tell us about them.”
I reach for my mug. “Well, one is a Store Manager for a women’s clothing store, right here in Burlington.”
“That’s perfect,” says Kayla.
“And the other job is for a buyer for Macy’s,” I say, not quite able to rein in my excitement. “For their children’s department.”
“Wow,” Gabbie says.
“The only thing is… it’s in Chicago.”
“Chicago!” Corrie exclaims. “You’re not going to leave us, are you?”
“Well, I don’t want to, but…”
“Well, I think you should do whatever makes you happy, what fulfills you,” Gabbie chimes in.
Kayla reaches for a cookie. “I agree.”
“Life is too short to be unhappy,” Gabbie says.
Gabbie has changed so much this past year. Stuck in a loveless marriage, she was never truly content, and I don’t think she even realized that she was unhappy. Life is like that sometimes.
Am I happy? Was I happy with Peter? Was I happy with Blake? All we did was fight. Am I happy here?
“We all know you’re very happy with your prince charming, Gabs,” Corrie smirks. “And we’re all very jealous.”
Gabbie laughs. “Well…” she says. “You wouldn’t have been envious of me an hour ago when I was hugging my toilet, vomiting, and you certainly won’t be jealous of me when I get really fat.”
We all stare at her, speechless.
“What?” Kayla finally manages. “Are you pregnant?”
Gabbie beams, and I can tell that she’s over the moon. “Yes.”
“Oh wow, that’s such amazing news.” Kayla gives her a big hug. “I’m so happy for you.”
I’m too stunned to talk. I shoot a quick glance in Corrie’s direction, knowing that this might be hard for her, since she’s had such trouble conceiving. It was, in fact, one of the main reasons she and Jacob split. She’s speechless too, but she’s smiling – it looks forced, but not in that fake-ish way. It’s the smile of a woman who is truly happy for her friend, but also sad for herself. She springs from her seat and hugs Gabbie.
I go in for a hug too, still trying to process all this. Gabbie’s been through this already – she already has two perfect kids. And now, she’s doing it all over again. Crazy. “Congrats, Gabbie,” I say because I know this is good news.
“How far along?” Kayla asks.
“Just six weeks,” Gabbie says, all smiles. “I’ve just found out. A few days ago.”
“And you’ve been feeling okay?” Kayla asks.
“Yes, except for the morning sickness,” she says. “I’m feeling really good.”
“What does Eli think about all this?” Corrie asks.
Gabbie fiddles with her notebook. “Well, it was a complete shock. We weren’t even trying, but he’s thrilled. We haven’t told the kids yet or anyone else. We want to wait until the twelve week mark.”
