Chapter 25: Mostly Girl Talk

Newly pregnant Val Marcolina was delighted at being included in the informal pre-shower meeting that was in progress at her sister Heather's house.

Janet was carefully laying out several pictures of different style baby carriages for the other women's inspection.

Val's mother pointed to one of the designs. Janet looked on and said, "Hmmmm, well I think it's between this one, and..." she paused to point at the third photo, " ... maybe this one."

Val's mother nodded effusively, and said, "That one. Yes ... definitely, that one."

The front door opened and without turning, Janet eagerly called out, "Bernie?"

It wasn't Bernie, but Joe Marcolina who walked in and laid several packages on the table in the foyer. "Nope, it's just me," he said cheerfully.

Everyone but Val ignored him.

Heather, glanced at the two choices under consideration and said, "I don't like that one."

Natalie, standing next to Heather, rubbed her nose and said, "Oh, I do."

Heather, waited a second, put a hand on Natalie's shoulder and agreeably said, "I sort of do."

"I sort of do too; only ... damn I need Bernie. Where is she?" Janet threw in, and then leaned closer to give the pictures a more serious look.

Val approached the group with a tray of cups filled with vanilla and strawberry ice cream. She served her mother first and then the other women, saving Joe's portion for last.

But more on impulse than anything else, Joe grabbed a spoon and helped himself to a generous spoonful of her mother's ice cream.

Val's mother, startled and irritated by his action, blurted, "Hey! Get out of there. Get your own!"

"Joe," Val said, intervening before the two adversaries were at one another's throats, "here's your ice cream." And as if speaking to a small child, added, "See, I gave you a very generous a generous portion."

"I don't want that one. I want this one," he said, and dug the spoon back into his mother-in-laws cup again.

Bernie, having just entered the room, was embarrassed for Val and her mother, but said nothing as Joe swallowed a second spoonful of the older woman's ice cream. He saw her looking at him and something passed between them.

"What?" Joe asked her.

"Oh ... nothing," Bernie replied, and went back into the kitchen to see if she could help out in there.

"It should be this one. Definitely ... unless ... wait," Heather said, paying no attention to Joe's shenanigans while giving careful consideration to the respective merits of each baby carriage.

Janet, distancing herself from the hostility between Joe and his mother-in-law, glanced at a small book lying on the foyer table. Joe must have brought it in, she thought and picked it up and read the title.

"What Shall We Name The Baby?"

"Oh, look, Val, a baby name book!" Janet called out and waved the book in the air.

"Hey!' Joe growled, irritated that his surprise was spoiled by Janet's nosiness.

All the women gravitated to Janet.

"Look how many names there are!" Janet said as she leafed through the book.

"I wanted that to be a surprise," Joe said, glaring at Janet, who paid no attention to him.

Val's mother, laughed, and said, "Serves you right for taking my ice cream."

"Thank you, sweetie," Val said and gave Joe a kiss on the cheek.

"You too, Janet," and she kissed her too.

Everyone, including Joe laughed, and his rude behavior was put aside.

"Oh!" Val gasped, and her mother and sister were immediately at her side asking her question after question, for they were overly concerned about the possibility of another miscarriage.

"No, no!" Val said, deflecting her sister's arm from her shoulder. The baby kicked. He's been doing that a lot."

"So it's a boy?" Janet yelled.

"No! I mean ... I don't know," Val said defensively and risked a quick glance at Joe. "We don't know, honest. It was just a figure of speech, please, let it go."

The baby kicked again, and this time Val laughed and said, "Oh, God ... I'm so pregnant!"

"How's Theodore sound, Joe?" Heather inquired.

"Theodore is a fine name, but we don't know that it's a boy." He and Val had agreed to keep the baby's sex a secret for the time being.

"Theodora then," Heather chirped. She was definitely trying to get under his skin.

"We'll pick a name when the time is right," Val said coming to Joe's rescue. Now were we looking at baby carriages or what?"