2014 Prompt Responses - 32. Prompt 354

I lay on the couch contemplating whether or not I wanted to actually take the pills in the bottle in my hand. I read the label for the hundredth time. Prozac – take one pill by mouth at night. I frowned. I didn’t want to take them, but Bill insisted that I needed to. I set the bottle on the coffee table next to a flower arrangement on its last legs. The powder blue basket was surrounded by brown-edged daisy petals and the baby shaped balloon sagged halfway to the table.

I picked up the birth announcement that lay next to it and held it to my chest. I didn’t need to read it to know what it said. Baby boy Sullivan, Due date July 15, 2014.

So I’d been a bit down since the adoptive mother changed her mind and decided to keep the baby and raise him herself. It didn’t mean I needed medication. Everyone felt down sometimes, right? I exhaled sharply. I suppose not everyone spends an entire week in bed.

I heard the front door open just as the tears began to fall. I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to see Bill’s look of pity. He ran his hand through my hair and caressed my cheek, brushing the tears away. I sat up and melted into his embrace. He kissed the top of my head.

“How did your appointment go?”

“Ok, I guess,” I replied. “They prescribed medication, just like you said they would. It’s sitting on the table.”

“Did you take any yet?”

I sighed. “Not yet. I’m supposed to take it at night.”

“I know how hard this is for you. I’m so proud of you, sweetheart.”

I scoffed. “Proud of me for having a complete meltdown?”

He moved to sit next to me, keeping his arms around me. “I’m proud of you for realizing that there’s nothing wrong with needing a little help once in a while.”

I looked at him skeptically. “Sandy called. She wants to come to dinner tomorrow. I told her ok. I hope you didn’t make any plans. She was pretty insistent.”

Bill laughed. “You know you can’t say no to my sister. Tomorrow sounds great. Are you up to cooking? I can’t take the day off, so I’ll be home around 5:00.”

“Yeah. I’ll be fine.”

“She probably just wants to show off her new car. She won’t shut up about it.”

I swung my feet around so I could lie back against Bill’s chest. He kicked off his sneakers before joining me.

“You just bought those things and scuffed them up already?”

He shrugged. “I can’t help it if I’m a klutz. Did you start anything for dinner?”

I shook my head. “I thought we could just order something.”

Bill tightened his arms around me. “Sweetheart, we can’t keep ordering out every night. It’s too expensive. Besides, I thought you planned some meals? What happened?”

He was right. I had planned some meals, but that appointment today really threw me. I talked about a lot of things I really hadn’t planned on. It was draining. Bill picked the birth announcement up off the floor and set it on the table.

“Rudy… It’ll be ok, hun. I know how much this last one hurt, but another one will come along, you’ll see.”

“This was the third time. We’ve been waiting two years! Maybe we’re just not meant to be parents.”

“Don’t talk like that. We’ll be great parents. The right one will come along. We just need to be patient. Now, what should be order for dinner?”

*****

“Oh my God, Rudy! This tastes amazing! You should cook more often.” Sandy gushed around a mouthful of beef stroganoff.

“Thanks. I’m planning on it.”

“So where’s the rest of the clan?” Bill asked.

“Jack has rugrat duty tonight. I wanted to talk to you guys without hearing ‘mommy’ being yelled every five seconds.”

I smiled wanly. It wasn’t easy hearing about Sandy’s three children when Bill and I couldn’t even get one.

Sandy smiled at me reassuringly and took my hand. “I know it’s been hard on you guys and you’ve been waiting so long. It’s really not right that two such awesome people should be childless.” She took a deep breath. “Jack and I have been talking and we’ve decided that three children are enough. We’ve been so blessed, but I was thinking of getting my tubes tied.”

Bill looked at her in confusion. “Ok… that’s great, sis, but why the private dinner to tell us something that’s really between you and Jack?”

She squeezed my hand. “Because I want to undergo one more procedure before the surgery and I need your permission to do it. Well, that and Rudy’s sperm.”

Bill spewed the sip of coffee he just took all over the table. “What?”

I stared at her incredulously.

“Well, it needs to be Rudy’s because although I love you guys, I draw the line at having my brother’s baby. You don’t have to give me an answer now. Just know that I am willing to be your surrogate and Jack is with us 100%.”

Bill and I stood up at the same time and rushed over to embrace Sandy. I’m pretty sure all three of us were crying.

“Thank you,” I whispered.