Days of Black and Gold

“You’re sure you want to do this tonight?” I asked, knocking loudly on the door.

“We can’t keep it a secret any longer. People are getting suspicious because you’re not showing up to events with me.”

“Sid, you’ve seen my belly. This baby is growing a lot faster than I expected. This dress might be flowy, but they would have known. Cath would have known.”

“I know, Margot,” Sidney smiled, kissing my temple. “I’ll make the announcement tonight.”

“Margot!” The door burst open and a beaming Catherine greeted us. “It’s been awhile.”

“It really has,” I agreed, as she pulled me into a hug.

“It’s good to see you,” she said, pulling out of the hug slowly and glancing down at my stomach. “It’s good to see you, too, Sid. Why don’t you two come in? Kris and Marc are in the basement with the kids, and Margot, you are coming with me to the kitchen. Vero and I were having a lovely conversation.”

“I’ll see you in a bit,” Sidney muttered, kissing my cheek.

I quickly squeezed his hand before following Catherine into the kitchen’s festive aromas. “This smells amazing! You must have been cooking all day. All Sid and I did was bring wine and a salad.”

“Would you like a glass?” Veronique asked, raising her own in greeting.

“Uh, no, I’m driving tonight,” I refused, sitting in the bar stool beside her. Subconsciously, I adjusted my dress to better hide the ever growing bump. “How have you two been? Sorry, I haven’t been around much.”

“That wouldn’t have anything to do with the belly I could feel when I hugged you, would it?”

“Belly?” Veronique gasped.

“Maybe a little bit,” I shrugged, taking the glass of water Catherine handed me. “Sid wants to tell the team tonight.”

“What a lovely surprise for our Canadian Thanksgiving,” Catherine smirked. “You’ve got to be, what, three months along?”

“Give or take,” I nodded. “I got big, fast, so I’ve been spending the preseason up in Mario’s box.”

“Alex was asking about you.”

“Same with Estelle.”

“I’ve been avoiding my phone, too. I wanted to tell you to so unbelievably bad, but I knew what Sid would say if I let it slip.”

“You two are excited, right?”

“Yes, Cath, we are both very excited. It took a few days for it to sink in, that’s for sure. Plus, our parents had slightly differing views on the whole situation.”

“And Mario?”

“I think he was more shocked that Sid and I had been so careless this summer.”

“Careless in what way?” Veronique asked, taking a sip of her wine.

“I guess in terms of getting pregnant.”

“I thought you two were practicing safe sex?” Catherine chuckled.

“We were,” I groaned. “We slipped up, though.”

“Obviously,” Veronique joked, nudging my arm.

“It’s surreal, you know. I just assumed that since Mom lost the ability to have children early, genetically, I wouldn’t be able to have kids either. On top of that, I’m not on contraceptive and forgot to tell Sid. A couple of bad moves on my part, and ta da, there’s a bun in the oven.”

“No birth control?”

“That was his reaction, too.”

“Why?” Veronique tilted her head.

“Never needed it,” I shrugged. “Before Sid, I was with Robin for four years, and a couple different women for the two or three years before that. Actually, Sid’s the second man I’ve ever slept with.”

“Does this mean he knows about Robin?” Catherine asked.

“I haven’t told him,” I muttered.

“He’s going to find out, Margot.”

“I know.”

“It’s going to be bad when he does,” Veronique sighed.

“I know, I know. I should have said something much earlier than this, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I think I’m struggling with it because I only have eyes from Sidney.”

“That’s great to hear, Margot, but you still need to tell him.”

“The rate I’m going it’s easier said than done.”

“You know I’m here if you need help,” Catherine offered, as the doorbell rang. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’m here, too,” Veronique smiled. “Anything you need, let me know.”

I smiled and nodded my appreciation as Catherine entered with a few more wives. Exchanging a few Happy Thanksgivings, I excused myself from the room and ventured down the hall to the bathroom. The cool water against my face was just what I needed to calm my nerves before the rest of the women started asking questions.

Stepping back, I rubbed my protruding stomach and stared at my disastrous makeup in the mirror. With one hand, I tried to wipe away some of the black smudges, but failed miserably, making it worst.

“Don’t you look magnifique.”

“Ha,” I let out, turning to Veronique. “I look horrible. I wanted to freshen up, and destroyed my face.”

“We’ll clean you up,” she chuckled, grabbing a face cloth from one of the cupboards and dampening it under the tap.

“You’re too familiar with this house, you know.”

“I could say the same about you,” she reminded me, handing over the wet. “Wipe you face.”

“Thanks,” I smiled. “I really just needed a breather. I’m not good with a lot of baby questions, yet, and the amount of wives and girlfriends that has arrive was almost unbearable.”

“You’ll be happy to know that none of them noticed your secret.”

“I’m not sure that I believe that.”

“If they noticed, they never said anything.” She popped her body up onto the counter and watched me clean my face. “I hate to ask, but I want to be able to support you two. You didn’t purposely get pregnant, did you?”

I let out a heavy sigh, and dropped my head. “I know people are going to ask, and no one is going to believe me when I tell them I didn’t. I mean, we’ve only been a couple for eight months, and we are already expecting? That’s insanity.”

“I don’t think it is. I see the way you two look at each other when you think no one else is looking.”

“Well, his mother was ready to have me locked up when Sid told her, so not everyone can see it.”

“Give her some time, she’ll start to love you like one of her own.”

“Then Sid will find out about Robin, tell her, and somehow I won’t be invited to any family events.”

“You are always welcome to family events with Marc and me.”

“Thanks, Love, but I’m not so sure Marc will be as inviting as you.” I glanced in the mirror. “How does this look?”

“Très belle. You know that pregnant glow people talk about? You definitely have it.”

“Merci, Vero, but I know I look drained.”

“Maybe a little. What’s going on?”

“I’ve been up most nights this week,” I shrugged.

“Margot,” Veronique warned, watching as I ran a finger under each eye. “That cannot be healthy for you or the baby.”

“It’s not,” I agreed. “But I just keep worrying. What if we aren’t ready for this? What if we aren’t good parents? Will I be able to handle everything when Sid is on the road? What happens if I ruin everything?”

“You have to stop worrying,” Veronique laughed. “You are going to form an ulcer. Every first time parent thinks more or less the same things, especially with these guys.”

“You and Marc were together forever before you started a family.”

“It’s still a scary thing. Have you talked to Sid about your fears?”

“How can I?” I asked. “He’s so excited about the whole thing. Writes down all the appointments and the doctor’s instructions. He is more organized than I am.”

“I bet he is having some of the same concerns.”

“I’d never guess it with the way he’s been acting this past month. He’s already started talking about which would be the baby’s room and what to do with it.”

“You’ll get there, too,” Veronique assured me. “It might take some time, but you will. Are you planning to find out whether it’s a boy or girl?”

“I’m not sure. I’m happy either way, so it will be up to Sid.”

“What are you hoping for?”

“Either,” I hummed.

“Right,” she giggled. “Now, the truth?”

“I kind of want a boy,” I admitted. “Not to say a girl wouldn’t be just as adorable.”

“I know what you mean.”

“You have two girls.”

“You might want one or the other, but when they are born, you really don’t care. You are just happy that they are healthy.”

“Vero? Margot?” A light knock accompanied the sound of Catherine’s voice, before her head popped into the bathroom. “Dinner is ready.”

“Thanks, Cath,” I smiled, as Veronique hopped off the counter.

The three of us made our way into the dining room, and quickly found our seats.

I gave Sidney a quick kiss on the cheek as Mario started speaking.

“You ready?” Sidney whispered.

I shrugged, and squeezed his hand.

“I know you are all starving, and the meal looks great, Cath, but Sidney wanted to say something.”

“I just have a quick announcement, and thought Thanksgiving was an appropriate time to do so.” He glanced around the table and drew in a deep breath. “Margot and I are pregnant, due in March.”

The table sat still, stunned by the news.

“This is where you tell us you are kidding, right?”

“No, Hags, we aren’t joking,” I spoke. “We found out about a month ago, and kept it quiet in case something went wrong in the first trimester.”

“I thought I told you to cover your yam before pounding her ham,” Pascal joked, earning a chuckled from the table and lightening the mood. “But in all seriousness, congratulations.”