Suddenly, something I hadn’t thought of hit me like ice water: I had been a part of something that may make Mom go into one of her funks—maybe the biggest one yet. I was responsible for Auntie Lee getting pregnant, and that pregnancy may make Mom feel like she failed—again—at the most important thing in her life. That is, being a great mother. Which she was, even if she never had another child.
I would do anything to help Mom out. Anything so she wouldn’t get depressed again.
What Uncle Zack planned as another joyous announcement now made me dread it. We’d have to see.
****************************
The cinnamon rolls were a hit. Of course, Mom made the best.
Uncle Zack told his stories and made us laugh. Auntie Lee joined in and bubbled up with that extra happiness that now infected her. Every once in a while she would throw little gestures my way like licking her lips, winking, or running a casual hand over her boob. You know, normal aunt/nephew signals.
My dad finally said, “So Zack, what’s the big news. You running for President?” He laughed.
“Bigger even than that, Gavin. Much bigger. So big that I’m going to quit blabbing and let my beautiful wife tell you.”
Auntie Lee put both her hands on the kitchen table, leaned forward and said, “I’m pregnant. Zack and I,” and at this point she made eye contact with me, I guess to include me silently in her news, “are going to have a baby!”
I watched Mom’s face, and a big smile crossed it. A great big, fake smile. I knew when Mom was faking.
Mom got up and put her arms out to Auntie Lee. They hugged. “I’m so happy for you. You must be so thrilled after all this time?”
“It’s like a dream,” Auntie Lee said. “I had almost given up, and then Zack said ‘think of only positive possibilities.’ He kept me believing until—”
“Until a miracle happened. Something that—” Uncle Zack seemed to change his mind about what he was going to say, and then ended with, “well … actually it was a new position that I would describe in intricate detail if Mikey were not present!”
Dad laughed, Mom and I didn’t; Auntie Lee made a sexy wide-eyed “Oohhh!” expression in my direction. Made me think, regardless of Mom’s state of mind, of the positions I had bent my aunt into.
“Come here, big brother,” Mom said. She hugged him. “I can’t tell you how happy I am for you.” She had tears in her eyes.
“Thanks, Zooey. I love you, Sis! Love you so much. You have such a great son in Mikey. Even you don’t know how much he means to me, and how glad I am to have him in my family, and in my new expanded family. I’ll finally find out what it’s like to have a child, and I hope that child turns out a lot like Mikey.”
Little chance that it wouldn’t—it being my child.
Mom’s tears started flowing, and she said, “Look at me. I’m just so happy. Excuse me a minute.” And she ran for the bathroom.
I shook hands with Uncle Zack, for show, and for real too. Auntie Lee hugged me and whispered in my ear: “Congratulations … Daddy!”
I went to check on Mom and knocked at the bathroom door. “Okay, Mom?”