Page 30 of Professional Consult

“Well, ain’t that a blessing,” Barb says, eyeing the picture with a warm gaze.

“Congratulations,” I say awkwardly.

The waitress looks surprised. “Th-thank you,” she stammers.

“Is this your first?”

She stares blankly at me, and it’s then that I realize she might be star-struck.

In Hollywood, this type of situation is easy to navigate. You offer them a signature and a photograph. Here, that just sounds pretentious.

I shift my eyes down to my plate.

“It’s my third, but the other two didn’t make it past the first trimester,” she rushes out.

My face falls.

“It’s okay, though. I found out that if I take hormone injections, it should be all right.”

I reach out to take her hand, which makes her eyes grow round. “That’s wonderful!”

“Now we just gotta figure out who’s gonna be serving me my breakfast when you’re on leave,” Barb says pointedly.

The waitress giggles. “You won’t have to suffer too long without me. I can’t afford to stay out for more than a couple of weeks.”

I see by a slight twitch that Barb’s smile is tested, but she manages to hold it. “Well, just tell us if you need anything.”

The waitress takes her sonogram back and puts it in her check holder, then goes to deliver more plates.

“I’ve known Tif since the day she was born, and now she’s bringing her own kin into the world.”

“That must be really sweet.”

“It makes me feel old,” Barb says grumpily.

As we eat, Barb carries on about her life in Pond Spring, which is unusual considering she’d been so hostile towards me.

But perhaps her aggression wasn’t born out of ill will. Maybe she is genuinely scared for Luke, which seems overbearing. It’s not like Luke could get his heart broken, for as surly as he is, he’s also annoyingly handsome.

And some women like brutes.

When the check comes, Barb reaches for it, but I snatch it away.

“You are a guest, and the Pond Spring Police Department will be covering—”

I cut in with, “Then how am I going to leave a big tip for when the baby comes?”

Barb puts her palms up, facing me. “You don’t have to twist my arm.”

I settle the bill as Barb’s radio buzzes to life.

“Yeah, boss,” she says into the receiver.

“Bernard is dumpster diving behind Jukes again,”I hear Luke say.

“I’m on it.”

“Is there so little work you’re cracking down on dumpster divers?”