Amanda turned to the side, checking out her figure from different angles in the mirror.
After going to different costume shops and searching online, she'd finally found a realistic fake pregnancy belly. It was just like ones they'd used in the movies and in high school health classes. It looked and even felt authentic.
Amanda patted her belly as she studied herself in the mirror. She hoped she hadn't padded it too much. She knew she wouldn't look as far along as Reese, but she didn't want to overdo it. It was going to be tricky to make the change look gradual enough to seem real. She hoped she would be able to pull this off.
When she heard the door open behind her, Amanda hastily adjusted her top to make sure none of the body suit was showing. She took a deep breath and turned around nervously, hoping she would past the test.
She watched anxiously as Andrew walked into the bedroom and through into the adjoining master bathroom. A moment later when he stepped out again and headed back towards the living room, Amanda found herself a little annoyed that he hadn't noticed her at all.
"What do you think of this new outfit?" she prompted. "I got it at a maternity shop last week. It doesn't make me look too big, does it?"
"Of course not," Andrew answered automatically.
"I feel so huge," she said. "I think the baby must have grown overnight."
"Yeah," he said as he really looked at her for the first time since entering the room. "But that's good, right? We want it to grow. I thought you were looking too thin for a pregnant woman anyway."
"What do you think now?"
"I think you look great." When he reached out to touch Amanda's stomach affectionately, she flinched back, afraid he would be able to tell that it wasn't just her under the maternity top.
"Sorry," she said nervously. "I think I just felt a little kick."
"Can I feel?"
"No, I think that was it for now . . . I've got to go. I told Alma I'd come over for lunch. I'll see you later, ok?" she said quickly and hastened out of the room.
As Reese put the legal book back on the shelf in her office, she felt a slight tightening in her abdomen. She laid her hand over her stomach. The baby was being really active today. She wished it would stop. With every movement, with every change in her own body. This baby was feeling more real to her. She knew the time was approaching when she would have to give birth to this baby and then hand it off to someone else. It was too hard for her to think about. Until the time came, she was trying to stay focused on her work, holed up in her office, trying to stay out of sight as much as possible.
When she turned back to her desk and started to look through her stack of documents, she ran her hand across the adoption papers she had drawn up for Amanda and Andrew to look over and sign. She'd had them ready for days, but somehow she hadn't brought herself to call Amanda yet to tell her they were ready. It wasn't only her mixed feelings about giving up her baby that was holding her back, it was the recent conversation with Amanda that was making her have second thoughts. There was something fishy about the way she wanted to handle this. Reese was starting to wonder if these were the people she wanted to raise her baby.
"Reese," the receptionist's voice called out over the intercom. "James Spencer is here to see you."
"Thanks, send him in," Reese answered. She wasn't sure why James would need to see her. She thought her work for him was finished. She sat down, hiding her stomach behind her desk, right before the office door opened.
"Hi, Reese. How are you doing?"
"Fine. What brings you here?"
"I was just in the neighborhood," he said and then grinned. "Not really, I just wanted to thank you again for all the work you did and for all the help you gave me. I couldn't have gotten my club up and running without you. You're a great lawyer."
"That was nothing. Just routine paperwork. It's what I do."
"Well, you do it well, and it was a pleasure working with you. I hope we can do it again sometime."
"Ok," Reese said slowly. She wasn't sure what he was getting at.
"Listen, you should stop by my club and check it out. I'm planning the grand opening and I'd like you to be there. It will be a lot of fun. I promise you'll have a great time. I'll see to it personally."
"Maybe. I'll try, but I don't know if I'll be free."
"If you can't make it then, feel free to drop by any time to check the place out. Call me. I'll give you a tour."
"Thanks, but I don't know if I'll have time. I've been really swamped here at the office lately."
"Maybe you should take a break," he said seriously. He looked at her with genuine concern. "You look kind of pale. Are you feeling ok?"
"I'm fine."
"Seriously, I think it might do you some good to go out and get some fresh air."
"I'm ok. I have to stop by the courthouse later this afternoon, so I'll get some air then."
"Alright. Well, take care. Stop by the club anytime. It will be my treat."
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