Colossal Jump

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"Sure." He nods his head.

Eden walks ahead with Blake and I trailing behind. Eden invites us into her home and takes us down a hall which opens up to a kitchen and a lounge room. The large open windows show the children and men standing outside. Here's a one chasing other children around, while a solid clump of them are sitting down talking.

"I'll introduce you to them," says Eden.

"Don't let me hold you ladies up." Blake opens the back door and strides out. I watch him walk over to the group and instantly insert himself in like a long lost friend. I'm envious of Blake's people skills. He could really talk himself in and out of things easily.

"I'll introduce you to the girls." Eden offers me a seat on a single couch which brings me comfort. There are four other ladies sitting around, they don't look too happy, but they're all very pregnant. I'm going to be the only pregnant one in a couple of months . . . maybe I should find another group? I feel like the odd duck right now.

There's another single seater across from me and a larger four-seater couch with the four ladies sitting down – each one just as pregnant as the next.

"Ava, this is Blair, Bree, Grace, and August," Eden introduces.

"Hi," they chime together.

"I'll start with my intro." Smiles Grace. "I'm due in a couple of weeks now, and we're having a little girl," she explains, flicking her light blonde hair over her shoulder. She gives me that very positive, upbeat vibe a cheerleader mum might have. She's instantly likable, so it works.

"Three months to go, thankfully." Bree rolls her brown eyes. "Our little man is so impatient, he's always kicking at night time, ugh." She rubs her swollen belly, then looks towards Blair expectantly.

"We're choosing to keep the baby's gender a surprise. I have one month left." Blair smiles, which shows her crooked teeth. Blair awkwardly runs her fingers through her dyed brown hair before turning to face August.

"The doctors have me on bed rest at the moment, I'm praying I pop this bugger out in the next couple of weeks." August shakes her head, which makes her short black hair flair out. "I'm only here because I'll go mad sitting alone in bed." She laughs.

"How about you, Ava?" asks Eden.

"Oh, um, nine weeks so far." I slightly smile.

"We'll keep the horror stories to a minimum." Laughs August.

"Don't be mean, Augs. Pregnancy is an amazing miracle," says Grace.

"She's breezing through her pregnancy, though, so she loves it. Some of us are suffering. I can't sleep, I always have to pee, and I can't see my feet. I can't wait to pop the baby and get into comfy clothing," adds Bree.

The girls go on about their horror stories, their awkward moments, and some amazing times they've had together. Part way through Bree's story about her accidental bathroom mistake, another woman walks into the room.

She's a lot younger than me and doesn't look pregnant, so that makes me feel better. Maybe I'd get to experience this with someone else. She's got short wavy brown hair and a slim petite figure which is quite different in this room full of bloated women.

"Charlotte, you're here." Eden tries to jump off the couch, but it takes her time to push herself up. The two awkwardly embrace before Charlotte takes a seat on the floor with her takeaway coffee cup.

"Char, this is Ava," says Eden. "Sometimes Char comes to the group to help out. She usually looks after the children when the boys are off doing whatever."