‘Guess what? I didn’t know whether to mention this or not, but heck! You’re still my best friend!’ Shadee looked up at her enquiringly, leaving the fish in the oven to cook unattended’ I’m three months pregnant!’



Shadee’s mouth dropped open with shock and a glacial air seemed to fill her lungs at the sound of the news. She wanted to speak out, congratulate Holly on her future baby, but no sound came out. The wound of not having been pregnant herself were still fresh in her mind. She regained her composure a little in a few seconds and said all the right things that were to be sad. At least this could explain Holly’s few pounds extra, anyway!

‘Wow! Out of college, gone to Vegas, married and now pregnant!’ Shadee gave a long whistle, but could still feel the pang in her heart, that hadn’t subsided at all since first hearing the news.



‘Well, I can say I have everything I ever wanted.’ Holly nodded serenely, unaware of the struggle Shadee was going through.



Their talk was interrupted by a loud “ding” from the oven: the fish was ready.

The rest of the evening went by in a swirl of food and talk. Shadee went through it all like through a thick layer of fog, not really registering what was being spoken at the table and giving mechanic answers whenever addressed.



She kept throwing furtive glances at her friend’s belly. There, inside her, a baby was growing and developing. Despite herself, she felt envious and angry and would have given anything in the world for her to be in Holly’s place.

Later though, while lying wide awake in bed next to an already sleeping Sebastien, Shadee felt ashamed of herself.



There was a time and a place for everything; it was Holly’s time to be happy and fulfilled. Maybe she just wasn’t meant to have a baby yet.