“Sandy, what would you say if I told you I think I would rather have a home birth?” Ashley was sprawled out over her friend’s bed reading one of the thousands of baby books that had lately seemed to take over the dorm bedroom.
“The fuck, Ash? I’m no doctor..” Sandy peeked out from her own baby book.
“I know, I know. But here me out… I mean hundreds of thousands of women never went to the doctor, or did all the stuff that as women today, we’re told we have to do to have a healthy baby. They just went about their lives and popped out a baby and just kept living. It seems to make the most sense.”
“Stop being all philosophical crazy girl, you have a doctor appointment in like an hour,” Sandy smiled at her friend before turning back to the lists of names, highlighting ones she thought her friend may be fonder of.
The day passed quickly, the doctor’s appointment went smoothly and the girls decided to finish their night with pizza and a movie. Walking through the parking lot back to Sandy’s car the girl’s remembered what it was like to be a care-free college student and were heavily enjoying the feeling of freedom.
---“One month left,” Ashley sighed as her best friend massaged her swollen feet. “Can you believe it?”
“I’m excited to meet this baby, I’m going to love the fuck out of it,” Sandy grinned at her friend, passed the huge mound of a stomach that acted as a barrier between them. It had been a chaotic last few months, filled with tears, shopping, random birthing classes, victories and losses, and over all a friendship that had only gotten stronger. The boys had called everyday, several times a day at first, but the phone calls had dwindled down to once or twice every few weeks. They had began to be filled more with arguments about the failure of communication and about being forgotten and what was seeming to become a hassle.
“You know, you’re kinda like my baby-daddy,” Ashley giggled at the thought, Sandy joining in at the sadly, almost true idea.
“It’ll probably be different when Tom gets back, two weeks, ‘member?” Ashley sighed, excitement and displeasure all brewing together to create an overall confusion about the situation.
“Don’t worry San, I’ll always remember who was always there,” Ashley leaned forward after a slight struggle to kiss her friend on the cheek, patting her hand to let her know without words that they’d be friends forever.
---“Billa, come ON, we’re going to miss the flight,”
“You weren’t so worried about that last night,” Bill rolled his eyes remembering the groupie fans his brother had brought back the night before. Sworn to secrecy he had promised to keep his mouth shut but he still felt guilty knowing that his brother was potentially ruining his relationship with the mother of his child.
“Bill! Shut up! Let’s go, I want to go see the girls,” Tom glared at this brother before grabbing his already packed bags and heading out the door. Bill muttered under his breath, sick of all the nights of Tom yelling at Ashley over the phone only to make things worth by making himself feel better with other women. He knew his brother was having a hard time and just taking out his frustrations of not being able to be with the girl he loved, but he also knew that Tom wasn’t going to listen to logical thinking. His own relationship hadn’t been failing per se, but with all the stress he was being put under with his brother and the new album he was starting to become a hermit, and he knew Sandy was being hurt by it which just killed him even more. Getting the last of his things shoved into the already over packed bags, he sighed, following his older brother’s steps out the door.
