“Every pregnant lady does ‘pumpkin’ for Halloween.” Her fiancé watched from the bed.
“Only the vastly pregnant ones, Sherman.” She turned to view herself in profile and strapped on the stem-shaped hat. The twinge intensified.
“You were a pumpkin last time.”
“No I wasn’t.” Laura hated Braxton Hicks. She had been dealing with them on and off for four days now, and the last three hours had been worse. But she refused to miss her second and surely final chance to trick or treat in her pumpkin suit.
“I remember, because we’d just gotten engaged, and the ring looked glitzy in comparison to the costume.”
“If you recall, I never made it to trick or treat.” She gave him a glance above her glasses. “Besides, Shelby is three now. It’s like a whole new costume after so long.” And we’re still engaged, and the ring is still glitzy.
“You ought to do something unique. Paint a mural on your stomach and wear a bikini.”
“No. Not just no, but hell no.” But thanks for the vote of confidence. She tossed out a wink to soften the words.
“Are you ready, Mama?” Shelby trooped in, Spiderman cape trailing behind her.
“Tell Grandma it’s time to get in the wagon.”
Shelby thundered away down the hall shouting, “Grandma, let’s go!”
Laura sat on the bed and breathed in deeply, in through the nose and out through the mouth.
“Hey.” Sherman crawled up close. “Are you…?”
“Probably.” The pain let go, and Laura stood up again. “I will not miss trick or treat. But take my bag out to the car. I’ll be ready to go as soon as we get home. I doubt Shelby lasts long this year.”
“I hope not,” Sherman rubbed his own stomach and frowned. “I sure do hope not.”
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We’re showing off our ample selves at Trifecta this week.
This post is dedicated to the real Laura, who was sixteen and pregnant a lifetime ago at Chatfield College. I don’t know where you are now, but you were a wonderful friend, and I have never forgotten you or your adorable pumpkin costume sitting in the computer lab.
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Jessie Powell is the Jester Queen. She likes to tell you about her dog, her kids, her fiction, and her blog, but not necessarily in that order. |
I enjoyed this story and the loving banter between these two. It seems very real.
Hop over and visit lumdog’s recent post Ritual
Thanks! I wanted that ample to be cute, rather than gross, as it can be taken to be! I kind of hoped making her pregnant would achieve that goal.
Not just no. But, hell no. 🙂 I can so hear you saying that to Sam or Caroline. (That is a compliment. I hope.)
Hop over and visit Andra Watkins’s recent post Corpse Reviver No. 2
That line cracked me up too. And, dude, it’s COLD at Halloween! Bikinis are right out, at least around here. I love her determination to wear the suit.
I think for a guy, “fiance” should only have one E?
Hop over and visit Annabelle’s recent post Trifecta: Ample
AH – I never realized the difference between the two spellings. I thought it was just one of those words where both spellings were acceptable. Very cool to know, and I shall fix it post-haste.
Haha! Totally. I got the line from one of their teachers. She was NOT talking to the kids at the time, but she turned it into a ‘thing’ at the school, where EVERYBODY said it for awhile. And she was the sweetest, non-sweariest person ever, which made it all the more delicious to quote.
Aww such a sweet story. I can relate since I, too, went into labor once on halloween. I really enjoyed this. It brought back some sweet memories.
Hop over and visit JEANNA’s recent post STRANGE INSPIRATION – TRIFECTA: WK 43
That’s so cool. Caroline was born in September, a month before Halloween. Sigh. I yearned for a Halloween baby.
I think your goal of making her ample belly cute and not gross was totally achieved. Putting her in the pumpkin costume helped. Totally. It was a very endearing read, and I could have read on…
Hop over and visit Marie’s recent post Sweet & Sour Memories of Racing
She’s a fun character. The girl she was based on was also way wonderful.
I wish I’d thought to wear a Halloween Pumpkin costume. though my baby was born on the 27th and I brought him home on Halloween so…
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Sounds like you’d have missed out on the trick and treating and the costume would have been unused 🙂
The kid comes first. Also: I’m a sucker for pregnancy/birth stories. Very nice.
Hop over and visit I, Rodius’s recent post All That and a Bag of Chips
Absolutely. There’s no way she isn’t going to have to be picked up and driven to the hospital or at least rolled there.
awww, love that she doesn’t make Shelby miss trick or treating. But I predict that baby coming out on the street amongst the goolies and ghosties 😉
Hop over and visit Carrie’s recent post Drabble of Clues
Absolutely. I may or may not be basing that part on my own delaying of being in labor to the point that I only arrived at the hospital half an hour before Sam did.
great dialogue jes. Can;t believe I’m saying this, because I’m a boob guy, but thanks for using something other than the bosom.
Hop over and visit Lance’s recent post Come As You Are
Yeah, I hate my boobs. They’re ample .Ample and ample again. I could totally give breast donations to three or more others without losing a C cup. I lost fifty pounds once and gained two cup sizes .I’m at 30 pounds so far on this round of baby weight (um, the baby is five) and I’ve already gained a cup size. Not. Supposed. To. Work. That. Way. Anyway, I couldn’t stand to have ample cleavage hanging around my blog in anything but an angry sarcastic way.
You had me from the first line, and seriously, it got even better.
This was a moment in any home, you put us right in the room with them. Visuals were fantastic. Well done!
Hop over and visit braintomahawk’s recent post Trifecta 43 – Ample Material to Work With
Thanks! I am strongly in favor of writing about the small moments. I don’t want to make every story into a drama laced roller coaster ride. Rather, I want to be able to make everyday things feel compelling. So I take your comment as the highest of compliments.
I love this one. That good kind of sweet, simple, and so real.
Hop over and visit Sparks In Shadow’s recent post Entanglement — Nineteen
I’m glad these two don’t come off stilted. I always worry when I’m doing man-woman-boy-girl things!
Finally! Another pregnancy related use of ample! I love how such a simple thing like the costume is actually the catalyst for the piece. Great job.
Hop over and visit Wisper’s recent post Things No One Tells You
I was surprised there were so few of us. But the breasts were ample enough, I suppose ;P
What a great tale.
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So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Love it. Love Halloween and love pregnant women pretending they’re not in labor because what they’re about to do is way more fun than pushing out a baby. I did that once–went out to a fancy dinner with contractions five minutes apart. Must. Have. Fancy. Dinner.
Nice work. Can’t wait to see what Halloween tales await us!
I am like that exactly. I went to the baby shower, I went and picked strawberries, and I hoisted my three year old over my head. Must have LIFE. You are not DUE YET.
Yeah. I got to the hospital half an hour before I crowned.
What a wonderful Halloween tale you weave!
Hop over and visit JDaniel4’s Mom’s recent post Ten Apples: Read.Explore.Learn.
I love this. I recently saw a picture somewhere with a woman having a mural painted on her pregnant belly. Pumpkin costumes are cute on them too.
Hop over and visit Happy Little Feet’s recent post Kid’s Playhouse
I think those things are so cool. I just would love to have some reason to have cool body art.