The house was still not going to be available to move into for almost 6 months. Zoë's house was beautiful, and we had plenty of room there, but we had such big dreams and I was so anxious to begin. The baby was born, and we named her Emily Estelle Keys. I gave her Zoë's last name in order to tie them together in some way.
We set up a rough nursery in the rental house. Unable to paint or make any renovations we just made do with curtains which we could bring into the new house with us, decorative bedding and furniture and a few framed posters.
From the beginning Em was the light of my life. Her, Zoë and I were the most amazing little family, impatiently waiting the arrival of our new home. Even Emily seemed impatient, as if she knew that we had big dreams and they started at some point other than here.
I couldn't believe how much my perspective on just about everything changed, from the use of 'bad words' around an infant who had no comprehension to the state of the world in general. Suddenly, Barney seemed endearing and cable TV seemed all too violent and sexual.
The biggest and most surprising change was that my sex drive became amazingly low. Now I felt much more like staying home and cuddling with Zoë, than going out and finding a playmate. Zoë hadn't experienced the same physical changes as I had, but she too seemed much more homebound.
It was the strangest thing- this family that I had never sought, and never even thought that I wanted was the most fulfilled life I could have ever imagined for myself. But it was not without difficulty. I found that the money that I thought I was pretty good didn't go nearly as far after diapers, diapers and more diapers. Never mind the myriad of other things that it turned out you need for a person so small they fit in the crook of your arm.
Even though our new neighbors were loving and excepting, there were many others whom we encountered that weren't. Many just assumed that we were two friends and that one or the other of us had a baby, but when it became clear that the three of us were family we got responses that ranged from hostile to those who seemed to take it as a personal insult. The last group I will never understand, even if I somehow figure out the reasoning that rules over the first.
At last the day came when the deal was final and we were able to move into our new house on Willow Street. Em was four months old, and we dressed her in this sweet little pink dress and booties. Normally I'm against gender stereotyped baby clothes, but she just looked so darn cute in it and we planned to take lots of pictures.
First we drove Zoe's car- now our car up to the house and brought Emily inside with much fanfare, snapping pictures and telling her in our high singsong voices all about how this was our new home and how much she was going to love it here, and how great the neighbors were. The whole time she gurgled and drooled on my shirt, not understanding anything beyond the fact that her parents had flipped.
We decided that we would spend the night in the houses, moving all our boxes and belongings from Zoe's house in first. The big house cost us much more than the apartment so we let that go first, and decided to keep the apartment for a while so that we could cut down on the stress of moving. After our first night there, we still didn't have a phone hooked up, and many of our neighbors chose not to even have a phone, so I ran out and invited them all over for an impromptu housewarming.
Now for many people that would seem rude, not giving them time to prepare and come with a gift and all of that. But once you understand the mindset in our neighborhood you would realize that it was just the right thing to do. They were all very spontaneous people, and very much enjoyed the idea of a last minute party. In fact, they all told me they would be over as soon as they could cook up something quick that they could bring over with them.
Janice and Manache made a quick cassarole of ham and corn baked into scalloped potatoes from a mix, Dexter and Ilene made an organic salad from their backyard garden, and Miss Henderson, who came over with Katherine, brought an grocery store frozen ice-cream pie from her freezer and a bag of chips.
Our guest had also brought makeshift gifts. Ilene brought us a potted plant which she had put together from a cutting of her garden flowers. Dexter made a bright patchwork wall hanging using cloth and hot glue, Janice embellished some kitchen curtains that Dexter had packed away that they had inherited from his grandmother. Miss Henderson had painted some wooden candlesticks, and Katherine had insisted on bringing some light bulbs. "They always blow out as soon as you move in," she told me grimly. "And before you get a chance to stock up."
Our party was fantastic, with gifts and food and good friends. We played cards and talked and had a grand old time. It was a wonderful welcome to the neighborhood. Later on in the week we would invite them all back along with our old friends- but there was something special in this first welcome- some warm and full of generosity.
After a month or two we had settled in, and made the new house a true home. Zoe told me that I deserved and needed to go out, and that she would stay home with Em.
"No, I really don't want to," I told her honestly. "I'd rather stay home with you."
"I know- but you really need a change of pace. Besides I want you to get out before you feel like you have to or you'll go crazy."
"That's not going to happen, silly."
"Of course not," she said rolling her eyes. "Just humor me. Besides- maybe I'm getting sick of you," she finished in a teasing way. I gave her shoulder a friendly shove taking no real offense.
"All right. OK. I'll go."
I soon realized this really was about her as much as me. As I was dressing, she began to make suggestions about what I should wear. And all of her suggestions were more daring than my own choices.
"Look, you've got your figure back so nicely. You want to show that off!" she said, grabbing a form hugging mid-thigh skirt. "And your breasts are amazing!" She said, handing me a cleavage enhancing top.
"But I'm not as thin as I want to be," I tried to protest. "And they're so tender!" about my breasts.
"Don't be silly, you look great! Here, put these on," she said handing me a pair of sheer black crotch-less pantyhose. Finally she dug out a pair of strappy four inch heals that I had not worn for what had seemed ages.
"I can't wear those!" I objected. "I'll fall on my ass!"
"And a gorgeous ass it is, too," she said shoving them at me.
After I dressed, Zoë brushed my hair and helped me put it up and encouraged me to use some color on my face, although I still kept it tasteful to which she did not object. In the end, I looked sexy but not sluttish and she seemed quite satisfied.
"Have fun," she told me with a devilish grin. "We'll see you tomorrow some time," suggesting that she fully expected that I would stay out all night and maybe even go home with someone for a while.
"If not sooner," I told her just before shutting the door behind me, suggesting that I might not.
