first Christmas, when she and my
mother came up to visit. She told me to go slow, to watch
myself with Drew.
Because she’d seen his kind before.
Anyway—story time’s over, kids.
We’re here.
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62
E m m a c h a s E
Bob’s office is nice—a homey-looking brownstone with a real, live
parking lot. Those are hard to come by in the city, in case you didn’t know. It’s a busy lot, shared with the building next door. Cars come and go and jockey for spaces.
I kill the engine and grip the steering wheel. And take a deep
breath.
I can do this.
I mean, really—it’s only the next eighteen years of my life,
right?
I get out of the car and stare at the small sign in the window
of the building.
ROBERTA ChANG
GYNECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS
As I try to get my feet to move, two large hands come from
behind me and cover my eyes. A familiar voice whispers in my ear,
“Guess who?”
I turn around, bursting at the seams. Living with someone,
particularly during the college years, creates a bond born of shared experiences and precious memories.
“Daniel!”
Daniel Walker is a mammoth-sized guy. he and Arnold
Schwarzenegger could totally be brothers. But don’t let that fool
you. he’s like one of those Werther’s candies—hard on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside.
he’s affectionate. Giving. Compassionate.
During our junior year, a mouse decided to move into our
ramshackle house. All of us voted to kill it—except Daniel. he
constructed a trap with string, cardboard, and a stick that would
have made the Little Rascals proud.
Twisted_1P.indd 62
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t w i s t E d
63
And he actually caught the little bugger. We kept him. In a cage,
kind of like a mascot. We named him Bud after our favorite beer.
Daniel pulls me into a bear hug, picks me up, and spins me
around. Then he sets me on my feet and kisses my cheek. “It’s so
good to see you, Kate. You look great!”
I’m smiling so hard, my face hurts. “Thanks, Daniel. You too.
You haven’t changed a bit. how’s everything going?”
“Can’t complain. Things are good—busy. I’m still interviewing
at hospitals.”
Daniel’s an anesthesiologist. Whenever they can, he and Bob
work together. Like me and Drew.
he goes on. “But Bobbie’s practice is booming, so I’m the gofer
boy for now.” he holds up a bag of Chinese takeout.
When the smell hits my stomach, it twists, letting me know it
is not pleased. I swallow hard.
he throws a heavy arm over my shoulders and we chat for a
several minutes. About their move , about Delores and Billy. I tell him about Drew and how I want the four of us to get together for
dinner.
And then there’s a loud screech of rubber tires.
We both turn and watch the taillights of a speeding car disap-
pear out of the parking lot.
Daniel shakes his head. “And I thought Philadelphia drivers
were bad.”
I chuckle. “Oh, no—New Yorkers have the monopoly on bad
driving. And crazy baseball fans. Don’t wear your Philly’s jersey
here; it could end in bloodshed.”
Daniel laughs and we head into the building.
Twisted_1P.indd 63
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64
E m m a c h a s E
Well, it’s official.
Life as I know it is over.
I’m pregnant. Knocked up. The bun is in the oven and that bad
boy is baking. I wasn’t really surprised. Just hoping I was wrong.
According to Bobbie, my antibiotics were the culprit. They
lower the effectiveness of birth control pills.
So you see what I was saying about those pamphlets? Read
’em. Learn ’em. Live ’em.
It’s too soon to do an ultrasound, so I have to come back in
two weeks. And every day I also have to take prenatal vitamins that are big enough to choke a large elephant.
Lucky me.
I park my car in the garage, but I don’t go up to the apartment.
One of the best parts of living in the city is that there’s always someplace that’s open, somewhere to walk to with people around.
I
mother came up to visit. She told me to go slow, to watch
myself with Drew.
Because she’d seen his kind before.
Anyway—story time’s over, kids.
We’re here.
Twisted_1P.indd 61
11/18/13 11:47 AM
62
E m m a c h a s E
Bob’s office is nice—a homey-looking brownstone with a real, live
parking lot. Those are hard to come by in the city, in case you didn’t know. It’s a busy lot, shared with the building next door. Cars come and go and jockey for spaces.
I kill the engine and grip the steering wheel. And take a deep
breath.
I can do this.
I mean, really—it’s only the next eighteen years of my life,
right?
I get out of the car and stare at the small sign in the window
of the building.
ROBERTA ChANG
GYNECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS
As I try to get my feet to move, two large hands come from
behind me and cover my eyes. A familiar voice whispers in my ear,
“Guess who?”
I turn around, bursting at the seams. Living with someone,
particularly during the college years, creates a bond born of shared experiences and precious memories.
“Daniel!”
Daniel Walker is a mammoth-sized guy. he and Arnold
Schwarzenegger could totally be brothers. But don’t let that fool
you. he’s like one of those Werther’s candies—hard on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside.
he’s affectionate. Giving. Compassionate.
During our junior year, a mouse decided to move into our
ramshackle house. All of us voted to kill it—except Daniel. he
constructed a trap with string, cardboard, and a stick that would
have made the Little Rascals proud.
Twisted_1P.indd 62
11/18/13 11:47 AM
t w i s t E d
63
And he actually caught the little bugger. We kept him. In a cage,
kind of like a mascot. We named him Bud after our favorite beer.
Daniel pulls me into a bear hug, picks me up, and spins me
around. Then he sets me on my feet and kisses my cheek. “It’s so
good to see you, Kate. You look great!”
I’m smiling so hard, my face hurts. “Thanks, Daniel. You too.
You haven’t changed a bit. how’s everything going?”
“Can’t complain. Things are good—busy. I’m still interviewing
at hospitals.”
Daniel’s an anesthesiologist. Whenever they can, he and Bob
work together. Like me and Drew.
he goes on. “But Bobbie’s practice is booming, so I’m the gofer
boy for now.” he holds up a bag of Chinese takeout.
When the smell hits my stomach, it twists, letting me know it
is not pleased. I swallow hard.
he throws a heavy arm over my shoulders and we chat for a
several minutes. About their move , about Delores and Billy. I tell him about Drew and how I want the four of us to get together for
dinner.
And then there’s a loud screech of rubber tires.
We both turn and watch the taillights of a speeding car disap-
pear out of the parking lot.
Daniel shakes his head. “And I thought Philadelphia drivers
were bad.”
I chuckle. “Oh, no—New Yorkers have the monopoly on bad
driving. And crazy baseball fans. Don’t wear your Philly’s jersey
here; it could end in bloodshed.”
Daniel laughs and we head into the building.
Twisted_1P.indd 63
11/18/13 11:47 AM
64
E m m a c h a s E
Well, it’s official.
Life as I know it is over.
I’m pregnant. Knocked up. The bun is in the oven and that bad
boy is baking. I wasn’t really surprised. Just hoping I was wrong.
According to Bobbie, my antibiotics were the culprit. They
lower the effectiveness of birth control pills.
So you see what I was saying about those pamphlets? Read
’em. Learn ’em. Live ’em.
It’s too soon to do an ultrasound, so I have to come back in
two weeks. And every day I also have to take prenatal vitamins that are big enough to choke a large elephant.
Lucky me.
I park my car in the garage, but I don’t go up to the apartment.
One of the best parts of living in the city is that there’s always someplace that’s open, somewhere to walk to with people around.
I
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