Page 123 of Feared

“Yes.” Mary rubbed her tummy, with a contented sigh. “I feel better about it now. I think I was being negative about the pregnancy. Anthony said so and he was right.”

“It happens.” Judy set the stacked plates on the dresser.

“Maybe it’s good that it takes nine months, so you can get used to the idea.”

“Right. I’m so glad you’re okay, and the baby is too.” Judy puckered her lower lip. “But I’m going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.” Mary felt a pang.

“But I’ll bring dinner over and hang with you guys.”

“I know you will.”

“You won’t be able to get rid of me.” Judy gathered the crumpled napkins.

“I won’t try.”

“It’s not the end of anything.”

Mary felt touched. “No, it’s just the beginning of something else.”

“Aww, that’s deep.”

“It kind of is.” Mary heard Roger coming upstairs, and in the next moment he entered the bedroom with two trashbags.

“I got one for recycling, too,” he said, breaking the mood.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

Mary listened to Judy and Roger laughing and talking downstairs as they took out the trash, finishing up their cleanup. A text alert pinged on her phone, and she glanced over on the bed to see that it was Anthony. She picked up the phone and read his text:Research went well. Will call later. Love you. She texted back,Great! I had a big day too. Love you too.She set the phone down, then leaned back in the pillows against the headboard, resting her hand on her belly, and in the next moment, she felt the baby kick.

“Ah!” Mary yelped, thrilled. She kept her hand on the same spot, trying to figure out if the baby had kicked her with his heel or its toe, but she couldn’t tell. Relief washed over her like a warm wave. It made her so happy to feel the baby move again, and she wondered if the pizza had done the trick. She made a mental note to eat more pizza, purely for medicinal purposes.

Mary heard Judy and Roger coming upstairs to say good-bye. “Guys, I felt the baby move!”

“Yay!” Judy cheered, entering the room with Roger. “Were you worried?”

“I was trying not to, but I was.” Mary looked up at Judy, wholooked down with sympathy, her expression soft in the warm light from the lamp.

“Aw, let me feel.” Judy put her hand on Mary’s belly, and Mary moved her hand over to the spot.

“Wait for the magical pizza trick.” Mary felt the baby move again. “Ha! Did you feel it?”

“Yes!” Judy burst into laughter, turning to Roger. “Feel this! It’s the coolest!”

“That’s intrusive.” Roger recoiled, amused. “I would never do that.”

“I’m fine with it, by now.” Mary smiled. “Roger, have you ever felt a baby move before?”

“No, unfortunately, I’m not a father.”

“Go ahead then, I don’t mind. Here’s the spot.” Mary took his hand and placed it on her belly. He leaned over, and his jacket sleeve edged up his forearm, revealing a chunky bracelet of wooden beads, with a large silver medallion hanging down.

“I don’t feel anything.” Roger smiled, cocking his head. Judy was standing behind Roger’s shoulder, beaming.

“Just wait.” Mary looked at his bracelet again and did a mental double-take. She flashed on the enlarged video, with the bump on the left wrist. The outline of Roger’s bracelet was the same, with the medallion hanging down. It could have beenhisbracelet on the video.

“I still don’t feel anything.” Roger kept his palm against her belly.