Rich and Pretty(47)

Lauren arrives after only a few minutes; true to her word, she must have left as soon as she received the call. She is there, as Sarah has asked her to be.

“Hey!” A jocular tone, concealing an edge of worry. Confusion.

“Hey yourself,” Sarah says.

Lauren slides into the banquette opposite, pushing off her coat and scarf and bag in one graceless motion, shoving the bulk onto the bench beside her. “What’s going on?” She pauses. “You fell on the ice.”

“Our distress call.” Sarah nods at the menu. “Drink?”

“Drink, why not.” Lauren smiles. “It took me a second there, the ice thing. But I remembered.”

“Of course you remembered, Lolo.”

“So you want to tell me what’s going on? Why we’re drinking?”

“You’re drinking.” Sarah hesitates. She’s grateful. “I’m pregnant.”

“Oh. Oh!” Lauren stares at her. “Congratulations?” She looks down at the closed menu on the table in front of her. “Jesus. Who’s the father?”

“You know, I tried to guess what joke you were going to make.” Sarah smiles, crazily. She feels like laughing. “I had Who’s the father? on my list. I also had Again?”

“That’s pretty good, actually.” Lauren laughs. “So I guess wearing white is out?”

“That was on my list, too.”

They order drinks.

“I’ll take two sips,” Sarah explains, defensively, as the waiter disappears in search of their drinks.

Lauren holds her hands up in protest. “I didn’t say anything.”

“I’m f*cking pregnant.” She stares at Lauren. She wants something from this exchange but has no idea what. She’s looking to Lauren to tell her how to react.

“That’s amazing.” This time, no joking. Lauren smiles.

“The miracle of life.” Sarah frowns. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“I take it this is a surprise?”

She’s only been off the pill a few months, the doctor’s advice. If they were going to start trying, the doctor suggested, it was time. They’d been sure it would take a while. “This is a surprise,” Sarah says. “I mean, it’s good, generally speaking, though the timing is a little . . .”

“Did you know?” Lauren sits up, leans forward a little. “Wait, do you know?”

“Went to the doctor. The usual visit, but like—I’ve been tired. I thought it was just the wedding stuff.” She shrugs.

“Shit.” Lauren is still smiling. This is the right response, Sarah knows: shock, but also joy. “How far along are you?”

“I’m four weeks, she thinks, maybe six. Can’t confirm as yet.”

“Which means that two months from now, you’ll be three or possibly four months pregnant.”

“I’ll be f*cking showing.” Sarah feels her shoulders seize up. Her biceps are sore, as they have been for weeks. All those dutiful curls.

“You won’t be.” Lauren takes her hand. “Three months, you’ll be fine.”

“I’ve been f*cking starving myself for months, doing those f*cking arm exercises.” Sarah can feel she’s about to cry: that terrible heat on her face, that damp in her eyes.

“You’ve been doing arm exercises?” Lauren’s tone is mocking.

“Hired a goddamn trainer. Jake. He’s expensive.” Sarah starts laughing.

The waiter brings their drinks. She picks three ice cubes from her water, drops them into the wineglass, cooling it but also diluting it. She tastes it, and it is wonderful. The very taste of relief. “I was working really hard at this. It’s stupid. I am excited about being a mother. For Christ’s sake, I realize that’s more important than being skinny at my wedding. But I just wanted to be skinny at my wedding. To drink champagne, and do tequila shots with the caterers when everyone had gone home.”

“Tequila shots?” Lauren sips her gin. “Isn’t that kind of racist?”

“I’m sorry I took you away from work.” She’s not crying. She’s not laughing. She just is.

“Please. Work is stupid. This is much more exciting.”

They are quiet for a moment.

“Are you going to find out the sex?” Lauren asks.

“I don’t know.” She hasn’t considered this: it being not an it, but being a he or a she. “I guess I should talk to Dan.”

“Wait, what did Dan say? Is he excited?”

Work Dan isn’t the greatest at having conversations but he knows Sarah well enough to interpret that there was something behind the terseness of her “Hello.” Dan had excused himself from the office, she could hear him, stepped out into the hallway then, finding people there as well, gone into the stairwell, his voice echoing in the emptiness. You’re sure?, Dan had wanted to know. I love you. This is wonderful. I’m so happy. I hope you are, too. This is the greatest. All the right things to say, but Sarah had wanted more, which is why she’d called Lauren. “Well, he’s thrilled of course. I mean, he sees how this isn’t the best timing, but yes, he’s excited.”

“It’s great news, Sarah. It’s magic.” Lauren dips a finger in the trail of condensation her drink has left on the table. “You’re in shock. You’ll feel totally different in about one day.”