"Wow! This spread is great, Pearl. Thank you for having us." Ian said as he piled stuffing on his plate. Pearl looked at the table and felt proud. She loved cooking thanksgiving dinner and was incredibly happy to do it again.
"How are toy feeling, my love? Your due date is less than two months away, right?" Fi asked.
"Yes. And I feel good. Just tried but that's about it. Sleep is becoming difficult. This one likes to wake up around three am and practice for gymnastics." She said. Erik smiled at her and nodded. "He kicks me, even." He said.
"He will be born around that time." Pearl's mother, Darlene said. They all looked at her. She had been nearly silent the entire time and this was the first she had spoken up.
"Really?" Fi asked.
"Pearl was the same way. Calm during the day and around three am every night, decided to wreak havoc. My water broke at around three thirty am and she was born around three am the next day." Darlene said, looking at Pearl with pride.
Pearl smiled.
"When do you for back to London?" Ian asked.
"We meet with another nanny tomorrow to interview, Erik is against the idea of having a male nanny, so we are still looking." Pearl said,
rolling her eyes.
"We fly back Monday. We are very excited to meet this little chap." Erik said, ignoring her comment and eye roll.
After dinner, Pearl's mother began to help clean up.
"Oh no. Please. Relax. Abigail and the other staff can help. Would you like some coffee?" Pearl asked.
"Yes. That would be nice." Darlene said.
They all sat on the patio and had drinks while Ian's daughter played in the yard.
"She's beautiful, Ian." Pearl said, shading her eyes from the sun and watching her chase a butterfly.
"Thanks. I think so, too." Ian said. "How are things, how are YOU?" He asked. Pearl looked over at him and smiled.
"My life has taken some interesting turns these last two years. But I'm good. I am learning as I go." She said.
"I'm glad to be in the band. I'm glad to know you all and I'm glad to be your friend." He said. It was his thanksgiving. He had made some tough choices, but ultimately, he decided to be the good guy and keep his loyalty to the band and to her.
"Me too. I love you, Ian. You are family." Pearl said. Ian smiled and nodded, patting her hand. This heavy metal guitar player with leather pants and tattoos was a big teddy bear. She giggled a little to herself.
"I'm filming a movie beginning after Christmas. It's going to be huge. Grace Kelly biopic, sort of. It's based on her best friend, Carolyn Reybold's daughter's book. Already Oscar buzz. I'm hoping I can have some time to come see you after the baby is born. I can't wait to meet him." Fi said.
"Congratulations! Why didn't you tell me you landed such an amazing part?" Pearl asked.
Fi looked down at Pearl's belly and then at Erik, who was running around the yard with Isabella. "You've been busy." She said, smiling.
Pearl nodded.
The day had went by so well, her parents were kind and grateful, Ian and Fi were wonderful. Erik was the perfect husband. It felt normal, if only for a day.
****************
"Well, I like her." Erik said as the nanny candidate left. Pearl hated to admit it, but she liked her, too. Her name was Charlotte and she was in her late fifties. She had been a housewife and mother of two and when they grew up and moved out, she decided to become a nanny. She came highly recommended from several affluent California families and her previous job had been for a director Fi had worked with. She was willing to travel and live with them as long as she had time off here and there for visits with her family.
"I think she will be great." Pearl said, reluctantly. She hated it when Erik was right. He was such a gloat.
"I cannot wait to be a family." Erik said, putting his hand on Pearl's belly as the watched the sunset over the hills.