Free More Than Enough by Ashley Johnson

who had taken it down or when they had but it didn’t bother me at all. That was his past and he loved her. There were no feelings of jealousy or anything. How childish would that be? I’m a little more mature than that. I said nothing though for fear of dredging up anything unwanted. While we were sitting, Sherry broke out the baby pictures of Luke. He was the most adorable baby with his rosy red cheeks. I couldn’t stop smiling the more I looked at them. The more I looked at them, the more I thought about Luke and I having kids. Ugh, here I go again jumping the gun and getting overly excited. Sherry found a picture of her just a few weeks away from giving birth to Luke and showed it to me bragging that she barely looked pregnant. She looked amazing in the photo for being almost due. Most pictures of women that far along that I’ve seen look like whales but she was so elegant looking.
    Suddenly all the feelings of happily ever after faded and I felt like I was going to cry. Looking at that picture only reminded me that I should be getting ready to give birth soon to my baby girl, but I wasn’t going to be. I felt the hot tears spring up behind my eyes as I brought my hand to rest on my stomach that should be protruding with life. Determined not to break down in front of Luke or his parents, I excused myself to the bathroom. I could hear them laughing and talking carrying on their own little conversations. I even heard his mom say she really liked me. Besides my Uncle Gary and Halley, I don’t think I’ve ever felt welcomed. They knew nothing about me and yet they liked me. I can’t believe I almost broke down and let something so small affect me.
    I stood looking at my reflection in the mirror and I splashed some cold water on my face. I blotted it dry with a towel as I prepared to go back into the living room. There was a soft knock on the other side of the door and I heard Luke’s voice.
    I put on a smile and opened the door.
    He kissed my forehead. “Hey babe, you ok? Did something upset you?”
    Smiling the best fake smile I could, I replied, “No baby I’m fine. I promise.”
    “If the baby photos upset you, I will understand I promise. They are upsetting for me too. I know what you’re going through.”
    This is why I loved this man so much. He understood everything; we were alike in more than one way. I didn’t want to tell him it upset me though, I mean it’s not his parents fault. “I’m ok I promise. It started to bother me but I’m good.”
    I grabbed his hand and we went back to join the conversation that had now switched to why they moved here, which he had told me earlier. Sherry asked me about my family and I explained to her that I live by my Uncle and help him run his bar. When she asked about my mother, I kept it short and sweet telling her that my mom lived a few minutes away from me but we weren’t that close. She didn’t pry or try to find out more than she needed to.
    We talked for a while and when L uke looked at the clock and saw it was almost six in the evening, I couldn’t believe it. I was upset that this day had gone so fast. It seemed like we just got here and soon our day would be over.
    I’ve never met anyone’s parents before. Trevor had been raised in foster homes so he had no one and I’d never dated before him. There was never a reason to let anyone in so my walls could be torn down. This was a first for me and it was one I didn’t mind at all. I’ve always heard how nerve wrecking it can be to meet the parents but well, when you have parents as wonderful as mine were, sometimes it’s pretty exciting to meet someone else’s.
    Sherry and Randy asked if we had any plans tonight and Luke replied, “I was thinking I may take Macy up to Shells for a little.”
    I wore a puzzled expression on my face before I realized he was talking about a bar. Sherry and Randy told us both to be careful and after another thirty minute conversation about whatever we could come up