The Fireman's Baby(16)

“But you'd be doing it alone,” Sophie reminded her gently. “I know you're a good person and that you have this baby's interests at heart, but you've got to think about the reality. Could you realistically do this on your own? Who would look after the baby when you were at work?”

“Well, I suppose I'd just take it with me,” Laura said. “I mean, I am the boss after all. I could keep it with me behind the counter. I've got the kitchen out back to prepare formula and the shop only has manic busy spells around the holidays... I think I could manage to keep him or her with me, and I know my Mom would help out.”

“And I'd help out too, of course.” Sophie added.

“I know you would,” Laura said gratefully. “I've got good people around me, whether I see this guy again or not. I think I could do it, and I don't know that Daniel wouldn't take responsibility. Maybe he'd do the right thing.”

“He slept with you and never called again,” Sophie told her pointedly. “He doesn't exactly sound like a stand-up kind of guy.”

“Oh, you know what that night was about, Soph,” Laura reminded her. “I was hardly projecting myself as a woman who was expecting a call the next day. It was just about the sex.”

“It was just about the sex,” Sophie corrected. “Now you've got a bun in the oven and that fireman is the father, so you're going to need to expect a little more than that from him now. When does he get back?”

“They said there's no way to know. The weather this, training that...” she sighed. “The other firemen didn't seem that interested in helping me.”

“Maybe that's because they know what he's like,” Sophie predicted. “Maybe there's a different girl in there every week looking for that man and then he hops off to Colorado every summer to shake them off.”

“You're such a cynic, Sophie.”

“I'm sorry,” Sophie replied. “You just have a habit of picking them, that's all. Still, let's get back to the matter at hand. Are we just talking about this or have you already made a decision?”

“I'm not the sort of girl who runs from her mistakes,” Laura said determinedly. “I'm not getting younger, I have the right support. I know it sounds crazy because it's not part of the plan, but I think I need to keep this baby. I'm not ready now, but nine months is a long time.”

“Then I'll support you all the way,” Sophie told her, then she smiled at Laura. “Do you think it will be a girl?”

Laura smiled back and looked down at her still pretty flat stomach pensively. “I don't know,” she said. “It just feels like a girl.”

Sophie leaned back against the chair and shook her head in mild disbelief. “You know, I never thought you'd be the one to end up with an unplanned baby,” she confessed. “But I don't know anyone who would do a better job as a mom. Your little girl's going to be very lucky, Laura.”

The pregnant woman found herself growing tearful again, but this time with gratitude that she had such a good friend who was so capable of taking all of Laura's drama so easily in her stride and making her feel like everything was going to be okay. Sophie noticed her tearing up and pulled her into a sisterly hug.

“You're going to be all right, Laura,” she promised her. “We'll get through these next few months and then we'll track this guy down when he's back. Everything will work out one way or another.”

“Thanks Sophie,” Laura said meaningfully. “You're the best.”

“I know I am,” Sophie said. “You can either name your child after me or make me godmother. Your choice.”

Laura was amazed that she was able to laugh even as her perfect life plan unraveled before her eyes. She was truly blessed to have a friend such as Sophie, and, when she at last told her parents about the pregnancy, she felt doubly blessed that they were supportive and on her side.

“A captain!” her mother had said with approval. “Well thank God you didn't get pregnant with that other one. What's his name? Connor. Absolute moron.”





Chapter6

And so once more the time began to pass. The months rolled by and her body changed with them. Her belly swelled into a perfectly round ball and she began to shop in the maternity section, have an uncontrollable craving for bananas, and need to pee every thirty seconds, but she went through the pregnancy with strength and humor, as was her way.

Sophie began to get extremely excited as Laura's pregnancy went on, showing up nearly every other day with a little set of baby clothes or another soft toy. Laura almost had a zoo of Sophie's offerings now, all laid out together in a beautiful white crib that her mother had paid for, which was now standing at the end of Laura's bed in her only bedroom.