Not up to Me, Not up to You

“You know I would be ready in half the time if I didn’t have to pee every five minutes.” Kelly moaned as she made her way to the bathroom for the fourth time since having a shower. Brian chuckled as he fixed his hair in the bathroom mirror.

“Will you be able to make it to the restaurant?” Brian asked. Kelly shrugged.

“I hope so.” Kelly replied simply finishing off her make-up.

“It’s only a five minute drive. “ She added shrugging her shoulders.

“We better leave now then.” Brian said grabbing the car keys. Kelly grabbed Jimmy’s card and present and followed him down to the car.

“Happy birthday Jimmy!” Kelly yelled across the restaurant, waving as she made a diversion to the rest rooms.

“The baby is sitting on her bladder today, she can’t stop peeing.” Brian explained as he approached the table, handing Jimmy his card and gift.

“Cheers dude.” Jimmy replied as Brian sat down.

“How’s she doing?” Leana asked.

“Other than peeing all the time she’s good. I think she’s finally over being horny all the time as well.” Brian replied with a smile.

“You’re happy about that?” Zack asked amused. Brian nodded.

“Believe me, I wouldn’t normally complain, but I’ve been exhausted these past couple of weeks, she’d spend the entire day in the bedroom if she could get away with it.” Brian explained as Kelly joined them.

“Hey, Happy Birthday Honey.” She said as Jimmy stood up to hug her, placing a kiss on her cheek.

“Thank-you baby, how’s my little dude doing today?” Jimmy asked rubbing her stomach.

“He’s doing ok. I wish he’d move off my bladder though.” She said sitting down and rubbing her bump.

“Sorry we’re late.” Matt said as he joined everyone at the table, holding Aly’s hand.

“Hi, you must be Aly.” Lacey said with a warm smile as Matt led her to the two vacant chairs opposite.

“Hey” she whispered quietly with a slight blush.

“Aly, this is Lacey and her boyfriend Johnny.” Matt began to introduce everyone.

“And this is Kelly and her boyfriend Brian.” He said his tone changing and the smile disappearing from his face.

“She’s carrying my son.” He added pointing at Kelly’s stomach with a smirk. Kelly smiled at Aly before glancing at Matt who smirked at her.

“Good Evening, can I take your drinks order?” the waitress asked cheerfully.

They all give their drinks orders, followed quickly by their food orders. The meal passed by with a wave of conversation, jokes and laughter and another three trips to the bathroom for Kelly.

She wasn’t sure if she was being paranoid or if Matt was really giving her displeasing looks every time she caught his eye.

“Right, let’s go to Johnny’s Bar and get hammered!” Jimmy yelled once Kelly had emerged from yet another bathroom visit before leaving the restaurant.

Kelly sighed. “This is the first of your birthdays in almost 10 years that I won’t be hammered.”

“Ahh, don’t worry babe, I’ll drink your share of absinthe as well.” Johnny said placing an arm around her shoulder.

“No way! It’s my birthday! I get her absinthe, you can get her beer!” Jimmy yelled back pushing Johnny out of the way and placing his arm around her shoulder as they walked down the sidewalk to Johnny’s bar.

Kelly watched from the booth as Jimmy stood at the bar with another tray of shots, knocking each one back one after another while Johnny and Zacky cheered him on, singing Happy Birthday.

“Are you ok Baby?” Brian asked placing a kiss on her temple as he sat back down beside her. Kelly nodded with a smile and turned to kiss him.

“Guys, everyone gather around, I’ve got something important to announce!” Zack yelled getting everyone’s attention and ushering them over to the booth.

“I don’t want to take anything away from Jimmy’s night, but I’ve been dying to tell you all night.” Zack began once everyone was gathered around the booth. Everyone looked up at him in anticipation as he smiled broadly back at them all, his hand gripping hold of Gena’s tightly.

“I’ve asked Gena to marry me!” he added earning a squeal form Leana, Gena, Lacey and Kelly.

“Oh my God! Congratulations!” Leana yelled, jumping up from the table and hugging Gena.

“Yeah, Congratulations Man!” Johnny said pulling Zack into a man hug.

“When did you ask her?” Kelly asked once everyone had finished congratulating the two of them and they were all sat around the table.

“Last night.” Zack said simply with a large grin plastered over his face.

“He made me dinner.” Gena added playing with the ring she’d been hiding on her necklace.

“Oh, Zacky you’re so sweet.” Kelly cooed just as the baby gave her a sharp kick in the ribs.

“Ahh” Kelly exclaimed clutching the top of her bump under her ribs.

“Babe are you ok?” Brian asked. She sighed deeply and nodded.

“I think he’s moved off my bladder and has headed for my ribs” she gasped as she felt movement.

“Have you felt him kick yet?” Leana asked Brian as Kelly caught Matt’s eye. For a brief moment he was smirking until Brian answered.

“Yeah, I felt him yesterday, it was amazing.” Brian beamed and Matt’s face fell. Kelly was confused. She’d thought Matt and Brian had been getting on? Was this about what happened yesterday after the appointment? Did Matt still have feelings for her? She was brought out of her thoughts with another sharp kick from her son.

“Can I feel?” Jimmy asked quietly. Kelly looked up at him and smiled. Taking his hand in hers she placed them on her bump, moving them around to find where the baby was kicking.

“Oh My God.” Jimmy gasped jerking his hands away in surprise.

“That must feel so weird for you.” he said staring at her stomach that she was clutching as her son kicked her ribs continuously.

“So is it going to be a long engagement?” Lacey asked looking between Zack and Gena.
Zack looked at Gena and smiled.

“No, I want us to be married before the end of summer.” He replied kissing her temple.

“Good call mate, learn from my mistake, get it done quickly before she’s got time to change her mind.” Matt said with a laugh and a sly glance at Kelly that no one else seemed to notice.

“Dude, no need.” Jimmy warned for the comment and Matt shrugged.

“Anyway, we’re hoping to book it for the last weekend in August and Matt I was hoping you’ll be my best man.” Zack said.

“Yeah Dude, I’d be honoured.” Matt said with a smile.

“Great, I wanted to return the favour.” Zack said quietly. Again Matt smirked and glanced over at Kelly.

“Yeah, hopefully I’ll get the chance to use my best man speech though.” Matt said snidely. Kelly felt Brian’s hand on her knee tighten so she shot him a look telling him to calm down, even though she felt tears prick the edges of her eyes.

“Dude, seriously, no need.” Jimmy warned again glaring at Matt who again just shrugged and took a sip of his drink.

Gena cleared her throat. “Um, I wanted you girls to be my bridesmaids.” She said and was met by squeals from Leana and Lacey. Kelly would have as well but the baby was still kicking her.

“Gena, I’d love to. You know, I’m glad he’s giving my bladder a rest but does he really have to start on my spleen?” Kelly asked standing up.

“I’m going to walk around for a bit, see if I can get him to move, or stop kicking.” Kelly said.

“Are you ok? Do you want me to come with?” Brian asked, standing up besides her. Kelly shock her head.

“No babe, I’ll be fine, I just want to get some fresh air and walk around a bit, try and get him to settle.” She replied leaning to kiss him. He nodded and sat back down as she walked carefully through the crowd of people and out through the front door.

Kelly had walked up and down the sidewalk outside Johnny’s bar for over ten minutes before she finally felt her son’s kicks and punches slow. She’s been talking to Jason who worked on the door of Johnny’s bar and looked up at the sound of the door opening again.
This time when she looked up she saw Matt walking towards her.

“Hey.” She said simply, unsure of what else to say considering the looks he’d been giving her all night as well as the snide comments.

“Hey, how’s my boy doing?” he replied stepping closer to her and sliding his hand over her stomach.

Kelly tried to pull away from him slightly; he was too close, she could feel and smell his breath on her face.

“How many shots of absinthe have you had?” Kelly asked with a nervous laugh.

“Four or five.” He said blankly. “I needed them. I hate watching you and him together.” He sneered.

“But, I thought you were happy with Aly?” Kelly asked quietly, still trying to edge away from him.

“I am, she’s great, but she’s still not you. I’ve loved you for so many fucking years; I can’t just switch it off. Especially with us still being in each other’s lives. Especially after yesterday.” He said bringing his lips closer to her face.

“Matt, yesterday was a mistake, you caught me off guard. It should never have happened” Kelly said.

“But you still kissed me back!” Matt said in a raised voice.

“You did what?”