"Happy Birthday, Andrew!" Laura said to Andrew a few days later over video chat when he received the gifts in the mail. He opened them up in his three-bedroom apartment where he lived with his roommates Darren and Mark. Laura had smartly wrapped and covered the glass of the mirror so that it wouldn't shatter en route. Andrew wasn't quite sure what to think of the mirror, but the chained necklace looked cool.
"Thanks, Mom," he told her.
"Well, go on, see how it looks in your bathroom!" she said eagerly. Andrew faked a smile and carried the mirror away from his desk and put it in the bathroom. He set it on the counter and walked out, barely looking at it. He walked back to his computer.
"How does it look?" she asked when she could see him again. "I picked up both of your gifts from this little store in the mall about a week ago. I'm surprised at how good the glass of that mirror looked."
"You're right. It looks good in our bathroom," Andrew lied. He picked up the necklace and pulled it over his head. His eyes suddenly went unfocused for a moment. He shook his head to clear his vision. Damn allergies. He looked expectantly at his mom.
Beaming, she said, "It looks perfect on you, sweetie!" She turned her head towards a sound out of sight. "Sounds like your father could use some help in the nursery. Make good choices tonight! Love you!" Andrew nodded with a smile as she ended the call. He then frowned. What did she mean by nursery? Maybe he heard wrong? Andrew shrugged and left his room.
He stretched his arms and made himself a glass of water from the kitchen. He looked up in time to see Darren walking into the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. The two wordlessly nodded to each other. Andrew sat down on the couch and flipped through his phone. He heard the shower moan and groan as it begrudgingly turned on. He took a picture of himself wearing the necklace and sent it to Olivia, the girl he had been chatting up for the past week or so.
"Just got this birthday present from my mom," he texted her. "Thoughts?"
He waited for her reply, which came a few seconds later, "Looks good on you. You going out like that tonight?" Andrew looked at his dark jeans and black t-shirt. The silver coin rested softly against his chest. Andrew had been wondering if something had been missing from his outfit. This chained necklace seemed to be just what was needed.
He texted Olivia, "That depends. Are you going to be there? Because if you aren't, then what is the point?" He heard the shower groan to a halt in the bathroom. Darren must be finished with his shower.
Olivia responded, "Clever. Yes, I'm already getting ready. I can't wait. And, depending on how the night goes, I might have a birthday present for you? ;)"
Andrew smiled. "A watch to go with the necklace? ;)"
"I was thinking something a little more exciting. But we'll have to see." Andrew couldn't stop himself from grinning. However, the grin vanished when Olivia then added, "In other news, how's your mom doing? The baby not giving her too much trouble?"
Andrew was confused and replied, "She's fine, but I don't know anything about some baby."
"Really? I thought your mom was like 4 months pregnant? Your dad quit his job to take care of her when he found out."
Andrew sat up. He was alarmed now. Where could she have gotten this information? "4 months? My dad quit his job?"
There was a pause. Then Olivia said, "Oh I see what you're doing. You're checking that I'm paying attention. Once again I say, Clever." Before Andrew could reply that he wasn't joking and in fact had no idea what she was talking about, she then ended the conversation with, "Well, I've got to continue getting ready. See you tonight, birthday boy. ;)"
Andrew typed out some random reply, but he couldn't quite remember what he wrote. His mind was a little too preoccupied. His mom mentioned a nursery, and now Olivia's acting like his mom being pregnant wasn't news.
The bathroom door opened, and Andrew spotted Darren walking behind him out of the corner of his eye. He decided to test something.
"Hey, Darren," Andrew said, turning to look at his roommate. He froze when Darren turned to look at him. Darren's body had always been more muscular and ripped than either of the other two guys living in their apartment. He almost always made it a point to wear little to nothing that would hide his large pecs and six-pack. But now, that six-pack was not so visible. Instead, Darren's stomach was visibly distended out from his body.
"What the hell is that?!" Andrew asked loudly.