Yeah, and never run out of Haagen-Dazs or frozen pizza, Sam added her marital advice. Feeding Jimmy was like keeping the Green Bay Packers supplied, but she had never been as happy in her life, and they were loving the baby. He was asleep in her arms, and he nursed all the time. He was a month old and he weighed twelve pounds. And Sam looked as though she had been born for the life that she was leading. She loved being with Jimmy all the time, and he was wonderful at helping her with the baby. His little sisters came to visit them all the time, and they played in the Steinbergs' backyard. All of a sudden, Blaire felt as though she had a house full of children. It was like turning the clock back for her, except that in a nice way, it also wasn't. She and Simon had their own life, and they were free for the first time in years, except when they wanted to see Jimmy and Sam, or Allegra came by, or Scott came back from Stanford, which was rare now. They had time for each other; they were making plans for their new collaboration as soon as she did her last show. They were even talking about going to Europe for a while before his next movie. It was the most time they'd had for each other in years, and Simon really enjoyed it. He even came home for lunch now sometimes, and they seemed to spend more time in bed than they ever had when they were younger.
Maybe getting old isn't so bad, Blaire had teased him only that morning, as he pulled her out of the shower and dragged her back to bed to make love, complaining that she had gotten up too fast that morning. She had still been dripping wet, and her hair was piled on top of her head. He had left for the office afterward, half an hour late for an appointment.
But they were at the end, or getting closer to it. Allegra and Jeff were all the way at the beginning, like Jimmy and Sam, when love was still young, and there were mountains to be climbed, before children, before real life, before victories and defeats, and all the things that make you who you are. In some ways Blaire envied them; in other ways she didn't. She had already been there, and she liked the valleys now. The mountains had gotten just a little bit too rugged.
Just relax and try to get through this week, was the best advice Blaire could give her. This is probably the hardest part.
I'm glad I didn't have to do all this stuff. Sam laughed, putting Matthew back on her breast again, and gently touching his velvety cheek with her finger. But Blaire was still sorry that Sam had missed it. She had skipped right over the window dressing, and gone for the brass ring. But for the moment, it looked like she had a good hold on it. And poor Allegra was still riding the carousel, and her head was spinning.
Both of her bridesmaids called her when they got in on Tuesday night. They were both staying at the Bel Air, and Allegra had had Alice send flowers to their rooms, and magazines and chocolates. Their dresses were hanging in the closet, waiting for them, along with beige lace shoes in the sizes that Allegra had been given. Absolutely every last detail was in order.
Allegra was meeting them for lunch at the hotel on Wednesday with the fitter. She had booked an enormous suite and she was going to bring Sam. Carmen was meeting them there for her fitting too. And Allegra had to go to the title company before that to sign papers for the sale of her house. It was truly a whirlwind week. She was dizzy from all that she was trying to accomplish.
The best part of it was that she hadn't seen Nancy Towers in five years, when she moved to New York and then to London, or Jessica Farnsworth since law school. It had been a long time, but they had been dear friends, and it meant something to her to have them take part in her wedding.
When Allegra got to the hotel with Sam, she was helping her carry Matthew's bag, and a swing that would keep him happy while they tried on their dresses and had lunch. Allegra had reserved a big suite so they'd have privacy and could get everything done. The hairdresser wanted to meet them too, and he was bringing the makeup artist with him, and there were going to be a few informal pictures.
Blaire had decided not to come. She said she didn't want to intrude on the younger women. And no amount of arguing with her would persuade her, even though Delilah Williams said she really had to come. She wanted to meet all the girls, not just one or two of them, and see how divine they looked in their pretty dresses. Allegra had made such a good choice with the beige lace, and since they obviously all had such good figures, the fitting wasn't going to be a problem.
But, evidently, the gods had been drinking that day. When Sam and Allegra arrived, first the suite wasn't ready, and then it started to rain. They got soaked as they ran past the swans, trying to juggle all of Matthew's belongings and entertainment. Carmen was already there waiting for them. She was drinking Coke, nibbling on a box of chocolates, and talking to her agent on the phone. She was swinging one long leg over the other in a legendary pose, but as soon as she stood up, Allegra knew they were going to have a problem. She hadn't seen Carmen in a month, and she was only two and a half months' pregnant, but Allegra thought she must be having twins. She had doubled the size of her waist, and her hips were even bigger than that. She had to be wearing a size twelve dress. Allegra cringed, remembering the size of the dress they had ordered for her.
What happened to you? Allegra said in an undertone. They were good enough friends that she could be honest. How much weight have you gained?
Twenty pounds, Carmen said without a blink. Thank God, we finished the movie.
How could you gain so much so fast? Sam only gained twenty-five the whole time, Allegra scolded. There was no way they were going to get her into the dress. They'd have to leave it open and have her whole behind hanging out, and there certainly seemed to be a lot of that. She was going to be very sorry later. But she was so happy to be pregnant again, she was doing nothing but staying home and sleeping and eating.
Your sister is only ten years old, she hissed back. No wonder she weighs eighty pounds.
She has a little self-control, Allegra clucked, and then they all sat around and admired Matthew.
In the end, Sam tried her dress on first, and she had actually lost weight since before she got pregnant. She was five nine and weighed a hundred and twelve pounds, and the zipper started up at full speed, and then stopped halfway up her back, and it was easy to see why. Nobody had taken into account the fact that she was nursing.
What size bra are you wearing these days? Allegra asked, looking panicked.
Thirty-eight D, she said proudly.
Oh, my God, do they make them that size? her sister asked, and Carmen rolled her eyes.
I can hardly wait, Carmen said cheerfully.
Didn't it occur to you that maybe you should tell me? Allegra asked her sister. You went from a thirty-two A to a thirty-eight D and you didn't think it would make any difference?
I forgot. Sam apologized, but the fitter said she could take enough fabric from elsewhere to make up for it. Carmen's was another matter. They frantically called Valentino, and they said they had one more dress, in a size fourteen. Would that be too large?
I'm afraid not, Allegra said with a sigh of relief, ready to kill Carmen. Two down, and two to go, and with that, Nancy Towers arrived, all excited to see her again. Nancy had gotten married and divorced, was thinking of moving back to New York, was trying to start a magazine, had dyed her hair, and then dyed it back, and had been having an affair with a divine man in Munich. She had a very international life, and Allegra was exhausted by the time she'd heard it all, or most of it, and there always seemed to be more. But there was also more of her than there had once been. She had claimed to wear a four, and was more like a ten now. She had gotten a little bit roly-poly. But the dress Carmen had outgrown could be altered to fit her, and they were saved once again from the jaws of disaster.