Almost Easy

Liz’s POV

“I mean it’s not the worst thing that’s ever happened.” I laughed, kicking my feet up on the side of the couch as Val shrugged from her spot perched on the chair across the room, Michelle on the couch beside me drinking a glass of wine, “I’m just fucking glad my head can have a rest.”

“For like five more months, and then you can rip your hair out.” Val snickered, “I’m honestly pissed at myself for being so upset about you two, we used to be friends and him being a shady fuck is his issue not ours.”

“Well it took you long enough to see that shit.” Michelle mumbled, “I’m just impressed he didn’t do any math last week when Zack spilled the shit.”

“Yeah, but I don’t think he’s smart enough to know when you can tell a baby’s gender and how far along that means you are.” I pushed at the pillow under my back, “He’s a man, he’s clueless.”

“Got that shit right, especially because he had two gorgeous ass bitches at his feet and still let them both slip away in his run off of bullshit.” Val tipped back the glass in her hands, “Idiot.”

“Alright enough depressing shit,” Michelle sat up more straight and grabbed her laptop from the coffee table in front of her, “Time to plan this baby shower for god sake. We only have five months, and knowing Liz’s genes… that baby doesn’t have patience.”

“You got that right.” I giggled and looked at the idea boards she brought up, blue and greens covered the screen and Val came over, peering at the screen she let out a small sigh, “What was that?”

“Babies are cute as hell, just when they’re other peoples.” She laughed, “I’m just glad I’m not going to have to be stuck with him for eighteen more years.”

“For the love of god,” Michelle put her hands up, “Will either of you find a new dick to talk about? And plus, we aren’t even sure if it’s Matt-“

“Michelle, I love your optimism here but let’s be honest, we all know Liz wasn’t fucking anyone far enough back for it not to be his.” Val clapped her hand on Michelle’s back, I laughed under my breath as Michelle looked over at me, “What am I missing?”

“Oh, nothing, nothing at all.” I laughed as Michelle grunted to hide her laughter, “If you wanna talk about it we can.”

“There was this one time my drunk ass husband..” Michelle began and shook her head, “Actually when you think about it he could have raped you, in all technicality-“

“Woah, wait, you and Brian fucked?” Val leaned back and looked at me, I shook my head vehemently, “Oh, god, I was gonna say, damn Baker you’re making the rounds.”

“No, Matt found me in bed the next morning and Brian was in the guest room… actually you guys fucked that night.” I mumbled and Val got quiet, “It’s whatever, Val. Shit happens.”

“Yeah, I know, but still I fell like a cunt. It was different when you two weren’t married because… Well it was. I feel like if that didn’t happen you two would be going to the Alps together tomorrow to celebrate Christmas..” She mumbled, “I just feel like shit about it.”

“We were spiraling anyways, Val. The trip was to bring us closer together, but it’s whatever. I can’t go because I don’t want to be on a plane that long this pregnant anyways so I wouldn’t have gone even if we were together… Ok, let’s plan this baby shower and stop being depressing.”

“You coming to the Christmas party next week?” Michelle glanced at me and I nodded slowly, “Good. Because I think it’d be cute to have holiday pictures of you pregnant with all of us and at the same time as Jacky.” She smiled and continued typing on her laptop as I glanced at the time, I should be boarding a plane tomorrow to the Alps, it should be with Matt but I wasn’t going and I wasn’t with Matt.

I felt tears welling in my eyes and knew the hormones were pressing all the right buttons today, I wiped at them discreetly and took a breath. Nothing was going the right way for this to be an ideal situation and next week was going to be the shit show of the century.

:.:.:.:.:

We had barely got any planning done at Michelle’s so when I got home I flopped down on the couch, again, and groaned. My back ached and I hadn’t even gained much weight yet, I could tell this was going to suck for another five months.

I had found out right around the time Matt had finally turned his divorce papers in that I was pregnant. A part of me then wanted him to back out but he didn’t, and the phone call to finalize it all from my lawyer all but broke my heart. Jacky had thankfully been there for me, and obviously Zack was resuming a big role once again in my life. I told him he didn’t have to since he had his own family to take care of but Jacky insisted and so did he.

My emotions had been out of whack ever since the ultra sound where I found out what I was having. A boy. A little boy, I was going to have a son. Matt was going to have a son, and the part about telling him it was his wasn’t coming easily. Or at all. For the time being I had told Sam it was his, I could imagine the reaction I’d get from him when all the perfect little pawns in my game fell face down and the masquerade was unveiled.

“Liz baby?”

I sat up straight and watched as Sam walked in from the kitchen, “Oh, Sam. I didn’t know you were over. I thought you were at work?” I asked.

Sam, another thing that wasn’t the same. He had always been possessive when we dated before but I think the change of turf was doing a number on him now and I don’t think he even believed my lie about the baby. And he made it known in small ways.

“I took the day off to be home with you.” He smiled and I knew something was up, “Where’ve you been?” He sat in front of my on the couch at an uncomfortably close distance.

“I was at Michelle’s planning the baby shower.” I fidgeted in my spot, “Val was over and we just hung out and tried to put a few ideas together.”

“Oh, just the three of you?” He asked, “Brian wasn’t home?”

“Uh, no? He was out with Jimmy I believe, the guys were all going out tonight to stir up some shit or something.” I shrugged, “That’s what Michelle said Zack called it at least. I’m glad they’re dragging Matt out of his cave.”

There it was, the fuel his little spark was looking for. As if I had dumped a five gallon bucket of kerosene on a match he stood up, instantly red in the face, I regretted my choice of words.

“So you guys were just sitting around talking about your ex-husband the entire time?” Sam scoffed and waved a hand at me, “That’s so unhealthy for you, Liz. You’re so fucking hung up on him it’s disgusting. I came out here because I thought you could come in to this without being stuck on his dick but apparently-“

“Sam that’s now what it is, come on.” Lies, Liz, it was one-hundred percent what it was. Well not his dick per-say but him in general, “I’ve known him since I was like a toddler, and we still have the same friends and he’s Zack’s best friend it’s not like I’m getting rid of him any time soon.”

“Obviously.” Sam gestured to my stomach, the small accent of a bloated gut hidden under a t-shirt, “I can’t fucking believe you. You’re such a whore.”

“Come on.” I sighed, feeling the hormones in my blood spilling through my eyes, “Can’t you just be nice?”

“Whatever, I’m going to go out tonight. I’ll see you when I get fucking back tonight.” He grabbed his coat and walked for the door. I sighed, this was going to get interesting later.