"How about this?" Kate asks holding up a large t-shirt.
"I can't believe that in a few months I'm going to be wearing something that size".
"Welcome to my world. I can barely fit in the car anymore." I laugh along with her but I'm also trying to figure out just how long it will be before I start showing. My clothes are already beginning to feel tight. Thus step three of my plan is to buy some new, bigger clothes. Kate has agreed to come with, though I suspect she's more interested in hearing about my life than shopping. She's become a good friend. We've had lunch a couple times during the last couple weeks. The first time we went to lunch I spent most of it explaining my relationship with Jax, or trying to. Apparently an ex-marriage-of-convenience husband/best-friend/white knight isn't something most women are familiar with. Our next lunch was spent with me trying to explain my relationship with Sonny. Once again having a client/best-friend/one-time-lover appears to put me in a group by myself. At one point Kate told me my life was better than a soap opera. Wait until I tell her about the ex-fiancé who's dating my long lost sister. Of course when I told her about Sonny I didn't use any names and fudged the details a bit. After all Sonny Corinthos is fairly well known in this town. Still it's nice to have someone to talk to. I haven't told anyone else because I feel that Sonny deserves to be told first and I have no idea how to tell him.
"I can't believe I'm shopping in the middle of the day."
"Why not?"
"I feel guilty, like I'm playing hockey from work."
"Alexis you're too stressed out to work, and stress isn't good for the baby. This is just the thing to help you relax. My mother always said, 'when all else fails, go shopping'".
"Who am I to argue with your mother."
"Good, now come over here and look at these." I notice for the first time that we've moved out of the maternity department and into the baby department.
"Aren't these adorable." Kate says holding up two tiny dresses, one peach and one violet, both too frilly.
"Yes". I answer because she expects it. Really I'm making a mental note that my daughter won't wear anything with that much lace. I know Sonny will be wrapped around her finger and treat her like porcelain which makes it my job to make sure she's tough enough to take care of herself. She's going to have to be, being both a Cassadine and a Corinthos. I can see her now, charming all of Sonny's men with her dimples. A troublemaker, just like her father. I begin looking at some dresses on another rack. They're summer dresses, some have flower prints and some are just one color. I pick up a light yellow one and try to picture my baby, dimples and dark curls.
"That's cute", Kate interrupts my thoughts. "Are you going to get it?" I'm startled by the question.
"No," I answer too quickly. "I mean I don't even know if it's a girl."
"Neither do I", Kate points out as she picks up a different dress "but I'm thinking positively."
"But can't you find out?"
"Sure but why? If we find out now that it's a girl we'll be thrilled, if it's a boy, we'll be disappointed. Once I'm holding that baby, I won't care what it is as long as it's healthy. Alexis once they put that baby into your arm, it's like holding every wish you ever had." I'm trying not to let the tears in my eyes show, and in looking away my eyes fall on a row of tiny sleepers. I pick one up; it's white with a tiny rabbit stitched on the left. "Peter Rabbit." Kate says and I look at her questioningly. "You know, Flopsy, Mopsy..."
"The rabbit's have names?" I can tell I'm supposed to know this by the way she's looking at me but she doesn't say so. Instead she takes the sleeper and pulls both it and me towards the cashier. I'm so busy trying to figure why someone would name a rabbit Mopsy that I don't notice her until she speaks my name, or rather squeals it.
"Alexis what are you doing here, and why are you buying that?" She glances at the sleeper as though it may attack at any moment.
"Hello Carly", I manage to say despite the fact that I stopped breathing several seconds ago.
"Wishful thinking Alexis?" She sneers and I am tempted to tell her just how wrong she is. Then I hear a voice from behind.
"I've decided to get this too," Kate says putting the pale yellow dress next to the sleeper. "Thanks for holding my place Alexis". She places her hand on her stomach emphasizing her point to Carly.
"Hi, I'm Kate," she continues; now looking at Carly. "What is your name dear?" she prompts when Carly says nothing.
"Carly, Carly Corinthos," she announces putting emphasis on the last shooting me a triumphant glance.
"Well Carly, Carly Corinthos, could you please move out of the way, there are other people trying to make purchases." Carly looked shocked for a moment and then quickly took her bags and left in a huff. "Carly Corinthos? Something tells me your story is even more interesting than I thought." Kate laughs.
Step Four - Tips From the Experts
The Plan
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