“AMY!” Nick yelled from the top of the stairs. “I think someone’s at the door, could you get it?”
“All right!” I called back from the kitchen where I was washing the breakfast dishes. I wiped my soapy hands on a towel and hurried to answer the door. I figured it was Nicole; it was Thursday, our official shopping day. That’s why I was startled to see Kari was on the other side. “You know, if you want to try kidnapping the girls, you might wanna try a window, not the front door.” I went to close the door but Kari stuck her foot out before I could.
“Amy please, can we just talk?” Kari pleaded. “I have something really important to tell you.”
“What, do you want my unborn child as well as Summer and Autumn?” I asked sarcastically as I led Kari into the living room.
“No. But I would like to talk to you about our conversation about the girls a few weeks ago. I came here for two reasons. The first is to apologize for everything Brian and I said. We realize now that it was a stupid and immature thing to do, and really hope you can forgive us.”
“What’s the second?”
“I’m pregnant.”
“Kari, that’s great!” I reached over and gave her a hug. “Now we can suffer through mood swings together!”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Kari said, wrinkling her nose. “So, do you forgive us?”
“Of course.”
“Friends again?”
“Best friends,” I answered with a smile. “So, you wanna come shopping with Nicole and me? We’re going to the mall.”
“Would I ever skip out on a shopping spree?” Kari produced a cell phone from her Tommy purse. “Brian gave it to me, basically so he can check up on me every five seconds. I’d better call him so he doesn’t get worried when I’m not home right away.” Kari punched in seven digits and waited patiently for him to answer. “Hi sweetie, I’m going to the mall with Amy and Nicole… If I’m going shopping with them wouldn’t you assume that…? Okay, I’ll bring you home some… All right, love you too…. ‘Bye.” Kari clicked off the phone. “It’s all set. But I have to bring him home some candy, I swear he is such a little-” Kari was cut off by the doorbell.
I got up and opened the door for Nicole. “Hey, ready to max out your card again?” Nicole teased as she entered the house.
“Hey, that wasn’t my fault. Do you mind if Kari comes with us?”
Nicole shook her head. “Not at all, I’m glad you guys are talking again. Are you gonna bring the twins?”
“No, Nick just put them down for nap, but next time I will. You two ready to go?” Kari and Nicole nodded eagerly. “Okay then, I’ll be right back.” I quickly walked up the stairs and found Nick in the girls’ room. “Nicky honey, I’m going out with Nicole and Kari okay?”
“Kari?” Nick raised his eyebrows. “I thought you hated her.”
“She apologized and now we’re cool again. By the way, can I have your credit card?”
Nick sighed. “Sure, why not?”
“Good, I already have it in my purse.” I planted a kiss on his lips. “’Bye sweetie, I’m not sure when I’ll be home. Remember to feed the girls around four. Autumn gets the strained peas and Summer gets the carrots. Don’t forget to warm their bottles a little and –”
“I think I know how to take care of the twins by now Aim. ‘Bye, have fun.”
“Oh don’t worry, we will.”
* * * * *
“C’mon Nicole we’ve been in JC Penny’s for two hours now!” Kari whined, slumping to the floor and pretending to faint.
“Knock off the theatrics Kari, people are staring,” Nicole hissed, her face turning red as she looked down at the of Calvin Klein jeans she’d been deciding whether or not to buy for the last twenty minutes.
“I don’t care, I wanna leave,” Kari said stubbornly. “Just buy the damn jeans and let’s go.”
“I dunno… do you think they’ll make my butt look big?”
“NO!” Kari and I yelled in unison.
“Okay then, I’ll get them,” Nicole decided. “Now all I need is a shirt to go with it…”
“Here, try this one.” I grabbed the first shirt I saw and threw it at her.
“Eww Amy, this is puke green! I can’t wear this!”
“Would you prefer mustard yellow?”
“Could you guys please stop it and help me? Honestly, I can’t take you people anywhere!”
“Yes Mommy,” Kari said obediently, digging through the racks for something suitable for Nicole. “How about this one?” She held up a baby blue shirt that said Calvin Klein Jeans across the front in midnight blue.
Nicole smiled for a moment, then frowned. “No, blue’s not my color.”
“Ugh Nicole, you’re so picky! Just find a damn shirt and let’s go already!”
“All right, fine.” After ten more minutes of searching, Nicole found a the same shirt Kari had only in red and was finally satisfied. She bought the shirt and jeans and we could leave.
“Do we have anywhere else to go?” Nicole asked as we wandered around the mall.
Suddenly, Kari’s cell phone rang. “Yeah, we have to go to the candy store, hold on. Hello… I told you I was going shopping… Yeah, Nicole took forever in JC Penny’s… yeah, I’m getting it now, what do you want… Peanut butter cups and gummy bears, okay…Love you too, ‘bye.” Kari clicked off her phone as we walked into the candy store. “Okay, Bri wants peanut butter cups and gummy bears,” Kari informed us.
“So, get them,” I told her. “You’re his fiancée, not me.”
“Fine.” Kari quickly grabbed a bag, shoveled in some candy, and paid for it. “Okay, we can go now.”
“Good, I’m getting tired,” Nicole said, yawning.
“No wonder, we were only in JC Penny’s for how long?”
“Oh shut up. You guys don’t know how to shop right.”
“Whatever,” Kari and I said in unison as the three of us walked out of the mall, each one of us carrying at least five bags.
We climbed into my car and headed for home, but not without two more phone calls from a frantic Brian, wanting to know if Kari knew exactly how long she had been gone for, and when the hell she was planning on coming home.
“Brian is such a sweetheart, but he is too paranoid,” Kari sighed. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do with him.”
“Try talking to him,” Nicole suggested. “That always works.”
Kari opened her mouth to answer but was cut off yet again by her cell phone. “Hello?” she answered heatedly. “Look Brian, I told you I you we were on our way home, calm yourself down… Yes, I have your candy… Look, we’re almost there, so I’ll see you in a few… Whatever, ‘bye.” Kari turned off her phone and threw it into her purse. “I knew I shouldn’t have let him buy the damn phone, but no, I had to be stupid.”
I shook my head and stifled a giggle. I peered into the rearview mirror and saw Nicole doing the same. As I turned down Kari’s street, we could see Brian waiting in the driveway, his foot tapping impatiently and his gazed fixed upon his watch.
Kari sighed, grabbed her bags, and out of the car. “I’ll call you guys later,” she said as she slammed the car door.
“It’s been five minutes and ten seconds since I talked to you!” Brian yelled. “You said you’d be home in a few minutes! I don’t know where you’re from, but I consider three minutes to be a few!”
I saw Kari rolling her eyes and walking past him as I pulled out of the driveway. “Do you believe that?” I asked Nicole as I sped down the street. “The Backstreet Boys who’s at least an hour late for everything yelling at his girlfriend for being five minutes and ten seconds late.”
“It’s unbelievable,” Nicole agreed. “But pretty damn funny.”
We both started giggling, but our laughter ended abruptly as I pulled into my driveway and saw Kevin and Nick in the same position Brian had been in, both looking quite peeved.
“Here we go,” Nicole and I sighed as we got out of the car to face the wrath of our husband and fiancé.
