Read Online A State of Jane by Meredith Schorr - Free Book Online Page A

face get warm.
    “You what?”
    “We had sex for the first time on Saturday.”
    “Did he stay over?”
    “Yes.” I think.
    With a devilish grin, Andrew asked, “How was the sex?”
    “It was fine. From what I remember. But that's beside the point. He was gone when I woke up on Sunday and I haven't heard from him since.” I felt a quivering in my bottom lip and placed my hand over my mouth to hide it from Andrew.
    “Aw, Jane. You really know how to pick ‘em!” Andrew sighed dramatically.
    I looked hopefully at him and said, “So you don't think he'll call? You said yourself that it's only Monday. No need to be alarmed. Right?”
    Andrew got up and returned his chair to his own desk. Before sitting down, he walked back over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. “I don't know, Jane. Of course, he might call. I don't know this dude. I just know that when I sleep with a girl I really like, I call the next day. Shit, I sometimes send her text messages throughout the night. If I don't call right away, it's usually because I'm just not interested.”
    “Oh.”
    “I'm sorry, Jane. Maybe I'm wrong.”
    Repeating Andrew's favorite word, I said, “Whatev.”
    I barely fought back the tears on the way home. How did I get it so right with the first guy I had sex with and screw up so badly with the second? As I walked up Lexington Avenue, drizzle hit my head in a slow and steady rhythm, but I didn't care. I needed to walk it off and vowed to be in better spirits by the time I got home. Jim was a total dick who had charmed me into bed with his phony romantic act. Sure I had fallen for it, but that wasn't the point. No, he was to blame and I could do so much better. He wasn't even good in bed! Although I didn't really remember, I was positive he sucked in bed. Nope, he wasn't the one for me.
    The rain picked up intensity, so I ran the remaining three blocks home. As promised, I felt better as I climbed the stairs to my apartment. Not fantastic, but better.

C HAPTER 14
    The following Saturday night, I was sitting at my parent's favorite Italian restaurant celebrating their anniversary, along with Claire and Kevin. I had just taken the last stuffed mushroom from the hot antipasto appetizer when Claire clinked her knife against her full wine glass. “I'd like to make a toast, if you guys don't mind.”
    We all turned our attention away from our food and toward Claire.
    My mom laughed. “I'm having déjà vu. Remember the speech you made at your father's fiftieth birthday party? We thought it was going to be how lucky you were to have such a great father and instead you told us you were engaged. Way to steal our thunder!”
    Turning red, Claire released Kevin's hand and said, “Umm. Well, I do feel lucky to have such a great father.” Looking at my mom, she said, “ And a great mother too. Together you've set a great example for me of what a good marriage should look like and I hope you'll be at our dinner table when Kevin and I celebrate our thirty-third wedding anniversary.”
    Raising his glass to his mouth, my dad said, “I'll drink to that.”
    “Me too!” said Kevin.
    “I'm not finished yet!” Claire said.
    “Keep going dear. I'm liking it so far,” my mom said.
    Suddenly feeling sentimental, I glanced over at my smiling parents and back toward Claire, who was beaming. I took another sip of wine and said, “Me too!”
    Claire paused dramatically. “You've also been great role models for a mommy and daddy and your example is finally going to be put to good use.” Claire stopped talking and looked at us as if to make certain we were paying attention before saying anything else.
    Finally, she pushed her untouched wine to the side, raised her glass of water and squealed, “We're having a baby!”
    My mother instantly bolted out of her chair and jumped up and down in a display of giddiness I had not witnessed since our Memorial Day picnic of 2000, when she was reunited with her best friend Barbara from