Pregnant Presentation
Craig and I went on the business trip together, our complementary skills making us ideal to give the firm's big presentation as a duo. I won't bore you with the business details: I feel like I'd even bore myself typing them out. The point was I was going on a two-and-a-half hour drive with my work friend Craig and we'd be staying in adjacent rooms in a hotel. I had a bit of a crush on Craig, to be totally forthcoming, though I was hardly in a position to do anything about it. We were both single, sure, but the working together aspect would obviously complicate matters, and...
I was 8 months pregnant. Nothing would happen on our trip together, I knew; I was just excited to spend a bunch of alone time with someone whose company I appreciated so much in our short periods of time alone together at the office. It would be harmless fun, I figured, and likely a much-needed dose of levity in the life of a single soon-to-be-mother.
The ride to the hotel was great, devoid of any talk of work, pregnancy, or any other potentially stressful topic. Just a couple friends shooting the shit, laughing and getting to know each other better. Precisely what I'd been hoping for, really. We covered the necessary prep for the presentation during dinner, getting it out of the way in about ten minutes so we could get back to more fun conversation. I was pregnancy-exhausted following the meal, excusing myself for the evening around 7 o'clock.
Alone in my room, though, my thoughts incessantly returned to Craig. They weren't romantic in nature, as that still seemed too far-fetched to pursue, but just about how great a time we'd been having together. Already relaxing in my modest, loose maternity pajamas (button-up top, elastic-banded pants, both good and stretchy), I cooked up a presentation-related excuse and knocked on his door.
He opened the door with a beer in his hand, wearing a short-sleeved white undershirt and blue basketball shorts. His body language and posture were looser, more casual than they'd been earlier: he'd had a beer at dinner and I doubted this was the first he was drinking in his room. "Rachel!' he exclaimed, opening the door wide and using his non-beer hand to gesture generously into the room. "Enter, please!" I chuckled and walked in, Craig closing the door behind me. "How may I help you this evening?"
I sat in the cushy chair next to his bed, crossing my legs and clasping my hands together in front of my belly. "I just wanted to make extra sure that we were all set for the presentation. I was just getting a bit nervous about it and wanted to make sure you were doing okay. You seem...fine, I guess?" He laughed and shrugged as he took a seat on the bed. "Yeah, 'fine' pretty well covers it. 'Tipsy' wouldn't offend me, either. But, no, not so nervous. Just a PowerPoint, should be all right, don't you think?" His eyes were squarely locked onto my midsection, and it was not the first time I'd noticed them focused there. I was huge and quite the spectacle, granted, but maybe he had just a bit of extra interest in the pregnant form?
Lost in thought for what may have been an awkward amount of time, I suddenly remembered he'd left off with a question. "Yeah, yeah, you're probably right. I'm sorry to bother you, I just get self-conscious about this shit sometimes. Especially sporting this belly, knowing everyone'll be looking at me in this state..." He shook his head emphatically, eyes still on my bump: I think he was a bit too buzzed to be all that aware of what his eyes were doing, or of the fact that it was obvious to me that he was staring. "Oh, come on now. You must know you look fantastic. People stare because it's awesome to witness, not to shame you or anything. Be proud of your body!"
I smiled and felt my cheeks warm slightly. "You really think I look 'fantastic'...like this?" He nodded slowly and emphatically, eyes meeting mine for the first time in several minutes. "Of course you do. It...pregnancy is very becoming on you, Rachel. I've thought so for..." He stopped, blushing and averting his gaze from me altogether. "I'm...I'm sorry, I really shouldn't have said anything. I've had too much to drink. We've always had fun at work, today's been really fun...I don't know...It'd be stupid of me to fuck it up...Jesus, I'm an idiot, I've gotta stop talking."