These Days

Violet, now back at home, was waiting for Geno. Sid the cat was sitting on the kitchen counter licking her paws clean while her owner was pacing. After several minutes of this Violet heard the garage door and turned and stopped, facing the door. Evgeni stopped in the doorway when he saw her. Violet burst into tears.

“What? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Geno dropped his bags and held open his arms. Violet walked into them.

“I have news.”

“What?” Evgeni asked, stroking his girlfriend’s back. “Just tell me.”

“I’m pregnant.” Violet said after a beat, slipping into English. Evgeni choked and picked up Violet around the waist.

“I’m going to be a daddy? We’re going to be parents?” He kept spinning her. Violet was shocked.

“You’re okay with this?”

“Okay? I’m thrilled! Violet, I couldn’t be happier.”

“You’re not worried?” Violet asked when Geno put her down.

“Of course scared! But you scared too. We scared together. Babies scary,” Violet laughed and Evgeni hugged her even harder. “This great,”

“Really?”

“You silly, Violet,” Evgeni kissed the top of her head. “Shit. What we do now?” Violet looked up from Evgeni’s chest and they stared at each other.

“I don’t know.” Violet said wide-eyed to him. He leaned down and kissed her long and when he pulled away they looked at each other again, confused as what to do next. “I’m going to call Erin.” Violet said as she broke away from Evgeni and went to find her phone.

“Like she had baby, would know.” Geno called after her, shaking his head. Violet dialed and it beeped that it was busy. Erin clicked on after a moment. Evgeni joined her in the living room. Wrapping his arms around her from behind he rested his chin on her shoulder and his hands rested on her belly.

“Max is on the other line, I was about to call you!”

“I told Geno I’m pregnant and we don’t know what to do now!”

“I don’t know! Nor do I know what to do about Max! HELP ME.”

“Well, I guess I can do that. What’s he saying?” Violet said. Evgeni lifted one hand and took the phone from Violet, silently putting it on speaker.

“He’s trying to get me to go on a date with him but he’s too much of a pimp.” Geno snorted at the word pimp and Violet swatted him with her free hand.

“Erin, you’re dumb. Max isn’t a pimp. Go on a date with him, those were just unfortunate circumstances. He’s really sweet and nice,” Violet said. Geno nodded his approval and opened his mouth to speak but Erin started shouting.

“You’re no help. Go look for an OBGYN in Pittsburgh with your boyfriend.”

“Be nice to Max!” Erin hung up on Violet and clicked back to Max. Violet and Geno looked at each other.

“I guess we do that next.” Violet said. Geno took one look at her drawn face and started laughing. He also began tickling her. She fell backwards screaming with laughter as her boyfriend held her down and tickled her all over. Somehow, they knew everything would be okay. Erin wasn’t too sure however.

“Hey, sorry, it was Violet, she had news.”

“News? Can you tell me?”

“No.”

“No?”

“No. Anyway, what were you saying?” Erin asked. She bit the inside of her lip and slid down the length of her refrigerator. She had taken Matt’s advice and let Max explain. Max told Erin he had slept with the waiter’s sister, but it was in the past and it was a one night stand. He didn’t say anything to the waiter because all of the things he could see he never wanted to say in front of a lady, especially Erin. Erin barely bought it, but was letting him slide.

“I was saying, Sunday, after I get back from Chi town we hang out? Low stakes, you come to my place, and we make dinner, watch a movie, just hanging out.” Erin made a series of faces and dug the nails of her right hand into her palm leaving half moon circles. Violet’s voice rang in her ears, but the last date had left a mark. She didn’t know what to do. Max’s exes and flirting had really blown a hole through her self-esteem. “Erin? Are you there?’

“Uh, yeah, I’m here.” Erin shook herself back to the present conversation. It would be at Max’s house, where no other girls could be. “Um, I guess we can do that. Yeah, sure,” Erin said quickly, opening the menu on her cell to text Violet what was going on.

“Great! I don’t know what time that will be, but I’ll know on Sunday morning, so we’ll figure it out. And you really can’t tell me Violet’s news?”

“No. Geno would beat me to a pulp.”

“So it’s both of their news?” Erin squinted and muttered shit.

“Uh, forget I said anything.”

“I will, if you wear a cute skirt on Sunday.”