More of the same original...

[chicating]

was surprised at how quickly bed-rest(instituted in an abundance of caution more than from some real condition) had made my life shrink to the size of my boxy little bedroom. I had thought being in the mix, as if I were a dented-in-shipping His Girl Friday was a part of me, even if I could only act it out with a library visit or a furious round of phone calls that sounded like more inside my mind than they might have been to anyone else.I thought I would chafe against being sidelined, and I did, but sometimes being in a bubble seemed all right. When Jessica came into shift, she carried a plastic bag of take-out food. “Dinner.”I was so glad the nausea eased; it smelled really good. Food was taking on a new importance in my life,or maybe just its old one. Childhood days could rise and fall based on what was for dinner. Today, it wasn’t quite the same, though I still didn’t like broccoli or brussels sprouts.

She put the food in the kitchen and helped me sit up taller.

Ana, brown eyes twinkling, brought in a thermos. “I brought drinks. We skipped the alcohol for yours. But I thought you should have something festive, too.”

“Speaking of occasions…”

Jessica’s eyebrow went up and she looked very alert. “Were we speaking of occasions? Because I didn’t notice.”

Ana fiddled with her long dark hair as if she wanted to put it up, but seemed to change her mind and let it fall past her neck “I think she’s working up to something, honey.”

A quick sharp pang: I never could decide on a pet name for Alex. Maybe I never cared enough. Too late now. Although I did sometimes imagine him crossing the country to save the day when I was struggling my hardest, but it was past time for all of that for sure.

“You guys look out for me so much,” My previous self might hate that my eyes were filling with tears(How much had hormones kicked in already?) but in this instance I let them flow a little.’
“It’s why they pay me the big money,’ Jess said lightly.
“No, it’s more than that… you care so much. Could you take the baby?”