Rating: Mature (Discussion, not action)
Jazz parked in front of her friend’s condo, taking up either Elisa’s or Neil’s parking spot. Her fingers gripped the wheel tight. There had been a couple of close calls turning at lights. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could safely drive. It had been over two hours since she took the pink pill that gave her the mobility in her hands and knees so she could drive, but the loopy effects even after all that time were just enough to slow down her reaction rate and she had made mistakes. She couldn’t do highway driving at all anymore.
She wanted to cry in frustration.
Taking the bus took too much energy but grabbing a cab was beyond her budget. If she gave up her car, she would only be able to leave the house for doctor visits since Human Services provided a specially modified bus for that with door-to-door service.
To be completely home bound! No crying, she chided herself, not with the makeup.
Jazz pried her fingers off the steering wheel and got out of the car. From the back seat, she took out the walker-seat and put the lime green bag and her purse on the seat before pushing her way up the sidewalk. The cane would have worked since she was able to park so close, but Jazz had no idea what she would be like by five. The longest she had been out of the house except for doctor and hospital visits had been shopping for the gift on Tuesday, and that had put her on her back until late Wednesday. A short trip of only two hours inclusive, not four hours plus travel time
Elisa, her belly pressing hard against a tasteful skull and vampire fanged maternity top, answered the door. “Jazz!” The dyed fuchsia redhead pulled the door wide and helped her schoolmate lift the walker over the threshold lip. “I’m so glad you made it.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Jazz hugged her best friend, glad the painkiller allowed her to stand straight and bend into the hug without problems. “Where is everyone?” The jewelry had taken longer than she had anticipated, even with her special tools to close latches so she ran a few minutes late.
“Oh, Courtney is here and working with Neil on putting up the decoration. Everyone else should be here at two. I wanted time with just us. Come, come in.” Elisa closed the heavy wood and glass security door. “Sit with me and help me make fun of them. It’s been boring. They won’t let me do anything!”
“You are due in three weeks.”
Elisa flopped on the couch in a manner indicating she wasn’t getting up again in a long time. “Three eternities. Why did I do this?”
“Because you finally found a good man to go with your good woman and wanted to make some good children.” Jazz maneuvered her walker next to the couch, between the folding chairs moved in front of the television, where she could see Courtney and Neil working in the kitchen and Elisa stuff cushion into the small of her back on the huge ornate sofa. “After some very good sex.”
Elisa turned her head to Jazz, grinning evilly. “It was very, very good sex.”
“Best sex ever!” Courtney yelled from the kitchen. “Can’t wait for my turn!”
“Oh god. What have I gotten into?” Neil asked, placing a punch bowl filled with gingerale and sherbet scoops on the dining room table.
“Where did you find black sherbet and what flavor is it?” Jazz had to ask.
Courtney brought in red plastic cups and black napkins. “Oh, I made it. The flavor is mint and peach. I debated floating lady’s fingers but we did that for the valentine day party.”
“I don’t believe I’ve ever seen garlands of black skulls and gold baby rattles before.” Jazz looked around the room admiring the eclectic mix of the family’s ongoing vampire and Gothic themes with baby shower ornaments.
“$5 at GothPartyOnline.” Courtney bragged, before heading back to the kitchen, throwing a last bit of pride over her shoulder. “Free shipping with orders over $20.”
“You simply got to see what they have done with the baby’s room. We made an entire episode on it for our vlog interior decorating series.”
Jazz gave a crooked smile. “That is upstairs, right?”
“Okay. So I’ll have one of them go upstairs with a video camera and we can both watch it down here.”
“That could work.”
“Always make them do the work.” Elisa stretched a bit. “I could get used to this.”
“No, you won’t.”
“No, I won’t.” Elisa face looked sad and serious as she rubbed her belly, before sneaking a peek up at Jazz with sparkling brown eyes.
Courtney and Neil found them laughing with tears running down their cheeks when the couple brought the food trays out.
A to Z Short Story List Breakdown
Marathon Party (G to M)
4/8/2019 – G is for Gobi
4/9/2019 – H is for Horse
4/10/2019 – I is for Sherbet
4/11/2019 – J is for Jazz
4/12/2019 – K is for Keeper
4/13/2019 – L is for Loss
4/15/2019 – M is for Marathon
There were so many instruments in the room to explore and James went from one to another; except the mouth instruments, Mom said you don’t share those. He stopped when he realized he had been hearing his mom’s call tone on his tablet for a while. Opening the case, James swiped the tablet to see his mom’s face.
“Alright boy. Miles the Hammer said you got chops and dragged me out to your senior concert last month. You were good, but not great. Everything was technically perfect, but no heart. I was unhappy and let the Hammer know.”