Chapter 12 - Godmother

Amelia's POV: 

I sit down at the table, already slightly uncomfortable. 

Going out to eat is one thing, but having to go somewhere i've never been before on my own is entirely another. Becca usually isn't late, which is why i thought it would be a safe bet to get to the restaurant at exactly 1pm, which is when we agreed to meet. For some reason, last night, Becca sounded frantic on the phone. She assured me that if i didn't meet her for lunch i would have to go to her apartment. At the time, i just presumed she wanted to see me after her honeymoon, but the way she was speaking- it was strange.

And now, i'm sitting in a pizza restaurant, hot and overstimulated as shit, waiting for my sister to appear. I've waited to order drinks because i don't know if this get together is a good thing or a bad thing.

I see Becca's maine of brown waves before i see her. She trundles through the restaurant, obviously looking for me. I wave to her in the most subtle way i can, given that we're in the middle of a restaurant. Becca's face breaks her stern, focused expression and gives way to a relieved smile.

"Hey," i say, getting up to hug her.

Becca is dressed in her floaty purple dress with a metal flower belt which clinks when she moves. Her hands are adorned with rings on each finger, as mine are. She looks ethereal, as usual. When she hugs me, she feels slightly rounder than i remember her to be. We sit down, both smiling.

"Amelia, God how i've missed your precious face," she says, looking around for a waiter. "I need a drink."

I frown. "Good drink or bad drink?"

She smiles, "oh, good drink, lovely. I just walked from the fucking bus station in heels. Honestly, i think that cobblestones should be ruled out of fashion in places where people have on their nice shoes."

I roll my eyes. "Well, maybe they weren't thinking about people in heels when they were building the roads," i say, seriously. We both laugh lightly, although it feels a little tense. There's something going on, but i can't put my finger on it. 

"So, tell me about this honeymoon, then, Mrs," i say cherrily.

Becca beems. "Oh, Am, it was amazing. I don't think i could ever get tired of seeing Evie naked."

I shake my head. "I meant about the hotel, about the sights or food but not about your sex life."

Becca giggles. "Sorry. Yeah, it was good. The hotel was crazy, like we had our own private room on the water, with this slide that went from our room straight into the sea. And there was a cute little window in the floor which showed the fishes swimming underneath. It was the best holiday, and obviously it helped having Evie there."

"That sounds fabulous. I'm glad it all went well."

Becca nods, thinking for a moment. "I need to tell you something. But first, i need you to promise not to freak out, okay?"

I nod, although i know i can't promise that.

She shuffles in her seat, leaning across the table to take my hand in hers. Our rings cling together against the table. She squeezes my hand encouragingly. "Evie and I have been talking about having a child for a while. And honestly, i didn't think we'd be able to afford it. But we went to an IVF clinic before we got married and asked how much it would be and what the chances were. They took a few scans of my ovaries and things, and they came back to us about a week later and said that i had a high chance of getting pregnant because my eggs are healthy. We were so excited that we didn't even ask how much it would be. And i know, we are unbelievably privileged to be able to just do a thing like that without having to worry about the price, but with Evie's promotion at her orthodontics and me being a psychiatrist we thought the monthly pay off scheme would be doable. We started the process a month before the wedding, hoping that i would be pregnant before the big day. Sure enough, on our wedding night, i did a pregnancy test and it was positive. We're having a baby."

I blink, letting her words settle. "Oh my god! Becca! Why did you not say anything?"

She smiles. "I kind of thought you knew when i was super emotional at the wedding. I'm never that bad."

"Yeah but i've never seen you get married, so i just thought that was your reaction! This is fucking brilliant news, Becca. I genuinely couldn't be happier for you," i say, tears forming in my eyes. 

Becca nods, "And the best part is that you're their Godmother!"

"Aw yay!" I say, not really sure what that actually entails. 

"But um, i wanted to ask, would it be cool if Zackary was the baby's Godfather?" She asks, biting her plumb coloured lip.

"Of course that fine! He's your best friend, you don't need to ask me."

Becca sighs, "thank God for that! Because how awkward would the baby's birthdays have been?"

We both smile for a moment. This will be so good for Becca.

"So, how's it going?" Becca asks, casually adjusting her hair.

I sigh. "It's been okay since you've been gone. Obviously way less visits early in the morning to do "wellness checks" like you do. But my publisher has been on my ass about my new deadline which is coming up next Tuesday, which means i've got six days to write it."

Becca raises her eyebrows. "How big is the deadline?"

"It's two chapters and some edits that from recent chapters. I haven't even started it yet."

My sister looks at me in the familiar way that sisters do, which make you feel as though you've just committed a mass murder spree even though you're just sat there. "Amelia," she says, her tone mum-like. 

"Oh, shut up. I know, it's not like me. I've had a lot on my mind, okay?" I say, praying she doesn't enquire. 

"Like what?" She frowns, her face already glossed over with worry.

"Just the normal. Publishers and showers and pink plants."

Becca screws up her face. "What the hell is a pink plant got to do with the list?"

"Zack brought me a cute pink plant, to put into my bathroom. You know, to stop the panic attacks from the shower."

"I see." Becca pauses, as if to digest this information. Did you know, when i came out to Zack, he gave me a peace lily?"

I smile, "that sounds like something Zack would do."

"Yes, it is. He gave me that plant because it has an obvious symbolic nature of peace. And i found out, years ago, that his dad was a gardener. But i won't dwell on that now. Anyway, Zack only gives plants to those he loves and cares about, because he once told me that he views plants as sacred, and he can only entrust them to people who he knows will treat them as they would a person who they love." Becca smiles at me knowingly, "Amelia, he loves you."