The House of Eve (55)
A few hours later, the doorbell woke her. Bedraggled in her bathrobe, Eleanor swung the door open and found Nadine standing on the front steps in a dress suit with a ruffled collar.
Her manicured hands rested on her hips. “Ohio, I hope you aren’t wearing that to breakfast.”
“Nadine.” Eleanor ushered her out of the morning sun and into the vestibule. “It’s so good to see you.”
They embraced. With Eleanor married and living off campus, they hadn’t seen much of each other over the past six months. Two weeks ago, they had run into each other in the library, and over giggles and hugs Nadine had pinned Eleanor down to breakfast.
“Why do you look like you just got out of bed? Did you forget about our date?”
“I overslept,” Eleanor said apologetically. “Blame it on the pregnancy.”
“Well, it’s hot as the dickens out there. Let’s skip going out to eat and I’ll make you something here instead.” She kicked off her pumps and pushed them in the corner.
“There’s plenty of food. I just went grocery shopping,” Eleanor said as she followed Nadine through to the kitchen.
“Perfect. Breakfast is the one meal I know how to cook.”
“Aprons are hanging in the broom closet,” Eleanor offered. “Do you know how to work the percolator?”
“I’ll figure it out.”
“Don’t burn yourself, girl. I’ll be back down soon.”
“Love what you’ve done to the place, so much progress since you first moved in,” Nadine called from the kitchen.
At the top of the stairs, Eleanor peeked over at the spare bedroom, but knew with Nadine visiting she had no time for her morning ritual. Instead, she said her prayers on her way into the shower, hoping that it would do.
The scent of bacon and fried eggs lured Eleanor to the table just as Nadine dropped slices of white bread into the toaster.
“Ohio, you look like a million bucks,” Nadine exclaimed.
Eleanor wore her wrap dress with pearl buttons down the bodice and had pinned her hair in a neat updo twist.
“I have a doctor’s appointment. Can’t have my husband’s colleagues whispering about his wife being shabby,” she said to Nadine, but thought to herself, especially with Rose Pride making it clear that she was not of their tribe.
“My father loaned me his car so I can drop you off on my way.”
“Perfect.” Eleanor poured herself a cup of coffee while Nadine turned off the burners on the stovetop.
“Hope you don’t mind me dirtying up your beautiful kitchen.”
“Honey, please. It’s nice to have someone cook for me for a change. Now, what’s on your agenda for the day?”
“Right after I drop you off, I have to get back to my father’s office. He’s been riding my ass all summer. Remind me to never take a job working for my old man again.” She slid a heaping plate toward Eleanor.
“I thought you two got along.”
“As father and daughter yes, as employer to employee, not at all.” She sat down with her plate and sipped her coffee.
Over their meal, Nadine caught her up on the happenings around town. Who was getting married and who had been dumped.
“I heard Greta took a job working at Dunbar High School. Maybe she’ll manage to hook a biology teacher as a husband.”
Eleanor dabbed bacon grease from the corner of her mouth. “I would definitely appreciate getting her out of my hair, but I doubt Greta’s family would let her marry a common teacher.”
“Well, she ain’t getting any younger. Rose Pride still worshiping the ground she walks on?”
Eleanor told Nadine about the conversation she had overheard. Nadine was as furious as Eleanor knew she’d be.
“I’m hoping this baby will get her off my back.” Eleanor took a bite of her toast. Nadine had slathered it in butter just the way she liked it. “Speaking of the baby, I was wondering if you would do me the honors and be the godmother.”
“Really?” Nadine shrieked.
Eleanor nodded.
“William is okay with that?”
“Of course.”
“It’ll be my pleasure,” she said, grinning. “I’m going to spoil that little one rotten.”
“Not too rotten.” Eleanor chided her.
Nadine looked down at her watch. “Shoot. We’d better get this show on the road. I don’t want you to be late, and I can’t bear sitting through another lecture from my father.”
Nadine pulled up into the roundabout at Howard University Hospital. It was the same one where William worked but Eleanor never saw him when she came for her appointments. He was too busy with his residency rounds.
“Toodle-loo and don’t be a stranger,” Nadine called from the car window.
Eleanor waved and then made her way into the hospital. Immediately, she was overwhelmed by the odor of alcohol and disinfectant. She held her breath until she got into the elevator and rode it alone to the second floor.
The small reception area was freezing, and Eleanor regretted not throwing a scarf into her tote. Once she signed in with the receptionist, she sat and flipped through the latest issue of Life magazine, with little girls holding hands at the beach on the cover.
There were two other expecting mothers in the lobby. The one sitting diagonal to her wore a pants playsuit and her belly was so big that she threatened to burst out of it. Despite the chill, the lady fanned herself with her hand, while her little boy scrambled blocks at her swollen feet. The second woman wore a wrap dress similar to Eleanor’s, and looked to be just a few weeks ahead of her on the pregnancy calendar. She caught Eleanor’s eye and smiled politely. The big-belly woman was called back first.