Everyday I Think Of You

“Ava, baby, Mommy missed you,” I told my daughter upon our arrival at the Sharp home.

“Soph, welcome home. How was the wedding?”

“Absolutely perfect and I’m pregnant!”

“I’m so happy for you, hunny. You and Corey are great parents.”

“Thanks, Abby. So, where are your three munchkins?”

“Pat got them a dog, a Chesapeake something or other. Jr. and Ally love it while Jonny hates it.” Abby and Patrick named Jonny after Tazer because they are such great friends.

“I’m guessing the dog licks his face?”

“Yeah, puts him in a screaming fit every time.”

“Don’t comfort him; let him get used to it. It worked with Ava before Tasha died.”

“Good idea, tell it to Pat. You and I need to go shopping.”

“Abbs, I haven’t seen my daughter in almost a week.”

“But, I’m pregnant too. We were on the pill and everything. So, now I need some new maternity clothes since I gave all of mine to Jackie.”

“Patrick Sharp is the devil, huh?”

“A fourth time, I never imagined four kids.”

“But you will love them all equally and amazingly. You always do. I guess I can spare you a couple hours.”

“Good, Pat, Corey, Sophie and I are going out. We will be back for dinner!” Abby yelled through the house. Corey came to the hallway. “Pat doesn’t know yet,” Abby whispered in my ear. I nodded.

“Where you going?” Corey asked.

“Just a quick shopping trip, we will be back before dinner. I promise. Meet you at home?”

“No, you are all eating here, it’s our wedding present. The team is coming for a barbeque.”

“Abby!”

“What? You didn’t think you’d get away without one, did you?”

“This is why I hate my best friend,” I grumbled, not really wanting to hang out with the team tonight, but with my husband and daughter.

“You love me, now let’s go, we have to be back before everyone else arrives,” she basically dragged me out the door and to the car.

“Abby, how about this?” I held up the article of clothing so my best friend could see. It was a simple black v-neck for early maternity. I had already spent close to one hundred and fifty dollars and so I called it a day. Abby had only bought fifty dollars worth. She seemed to hate just about everything in the store and was always referring to the clothes she gave to Jackie.

“Add it to the pile,” she replied.

“You know, Jackie will be growing out of your clothes before you need them, Abby. Why don’t you just take them back after she grows out of them?”

“It’s rude!”

“It’s just Jackie!”

“Just leave me alone, Soph. I want new clothes since I’m having a fourth child. Is that so hard to understand?”

“But you keep telling me about the clothes you gave to Jackie. Obviously you loved those clothes.”

“I do! That’s why this is so hard. So just stop.” We stopped talking after that. She finished shopping after adding only fifty dollars worth of clothing to her other fifty bucks worth. I drove us back to her house since I drove us there to begin with. When we reached her driveway, she spoke up. “I’m sorry, Sophie. You know that I get all frustrated easily with my increased hormones.”

“I know, that’s why I just left you alone. This is why we are best friends,” I replied.

“Thank you, for sticking around even when I am that frustrated.”

“You’re welcome; now let’s go in so we can get this party going. I have a family I want to take home.”