“Kate and Liana Go Shopping”

by Layne and Stacey

It was mid-morning when Kate got Liana's call. She'd talked briefly with the woman at Travis' barbeque a couple weeks back about the two of them going shopping for maternity clothes together but she never really expected Liana to call. Kate didn't really have any friends in town other than her husband, Sid, so she was completely surprised and thrilled by the invitation.

Sid was reluctant to let her go into town alone to meet Liana, but finally agreed when she promised that whatever she bought today she'd model for him when she got home. She also promised that if she ran into Colin she'd let Sid know at once. Especially if the man had the nerve to come up and try to talk with her again. Fat chance she'd let him get close enough for that, she thought to herself, as she parked the silver Jag and headed into Andy's restaurant. She and Liana were meeting there for lunch before driving into Coff's to go shopping.

Liana was already there, seated in one of the booths and staring at a menu when Kate walked up to her. "G'day, Liana," she said, a friendly smile spread across her face. "I hope you haven't been waiting too long."

"Not at all."  Liana smiled up at Kate, excited at the thought of spending the day with another woman who was pregnant.  She'd just realized, the day she called Kate, that she was the only woman on their big ranch.  She spent most of her time with Ben or Dan Evans.  Some girl talk--especially with someone else who was expecting a baby--would be wonderful.

As Kate sat down, Liana put down her menu.  "I'm just trying to decide what to have for lunch.  I've never been too good at eating healthy before, but I'm trying to be better now.  So, I guess I'll order a salad, even though these steaks look wonderful."

Looking over at Kate, she chattered on.  "Ben's such a meat and potatoes man and, since we married, I've taken to eating the way he does.  Do you and Sid tend to eat the same things?"

Kate bit her lip, wondering how she should answer that. Sid was such a private person and it had taken a lot for him to confide in her about his food allergies. She knew how most of the people in this town already thought him odd and she wasn't about to give them any more ammunition to use against her husband. She just smiled, and replied, "No, actually we don't. Sid's not much of an... eater, really."

"Sid is rather slim, isn't he?"  Liana asked pleasantly.  "Ben's a man who's fond of his steaks.  I just love cooking for him!  He appreciates it so much.  I never thought I'd enjoy being such a housewife, but I actually like cooking and cleaning and doing all that sort of stuff for Ben."

"Well, I for one am enjoying NOT having to lift a finger around the house to do such menial chores. We have servants to do the cooking and the cleaning for us, and they stay out of sight as to not get in the way, either," Kate replied, gleefully. "And I wouldn't call Sid...slim... he's actually quite firm and muscular."

"Oh, I didn't mean that in a bad way," Liana told her hurriedly.

Then, she looked at Kate curiously.  "If someone does everything for you, what do you do with yourself all day?  Do you have a job?  A career?"

Kate grinned, "Oh, Sid keeps me quite... um... busy."

Catching her meaning, Liana blushed slightly.  "Ben's pretty good at that himself."

"He's talked about hiring a housekeeper, but I'm enjoying doing it myself.  Once the baby comes, I may do that, though."  She put a hand on her stomach and smiled.  "Oh, I can hardly wait!  Do you and Sid want a boy or a girl?"

"I'm not partial to one or the other, actually," Kate confessed, "Sid said he's not either, though I kind of think he might really want a boy. All men seem to want a son to carry on their family name. As long as the baby is healthy and has all it's fingers and toes, I'm happy. Is Ben taking an interest in your baby yet?"

"An interest?"  Liana burst out laughing.  "Yeah, you might say that.  As long as he's within five feet of me, he keeps a hand on my stomach all the time.  He tells the baby 'good morning' and 'good night' and talks to him constantly!  We're having a nursery added on to the house and he walks in there to look at the work about fifty times a day!  Oh, and he's picked out two ponies for the baby already.  Oh, yeah, he's definitely interested!"

Again, she looked at Kate curiously.  "What about Sid?  What sort of fatherly stuff is he doing?"

Kate's brow furrowed as she thought about what Liana had asked her. It wasn't that Sid wasn't happy she was pregnant, but he truly hadn't gone as far as to talk to the baby yet. She managed a smile and replied, "Well, he won't let me go on walks by myself anymore. And I do catch him looking at my stomach quite often. He keeps asking me how big it's going to get. Oh, and he said he'd take me shopping and buy me anything I want for the baby."

Liana was a little puzzled that Sid didn't seem more interested.  Ben was doing things she would have never imagined him doing when they first met.  She'd even caught Dan doing his best not to laugh when Ben spoke to the baby as though it had already arrived.  She supposed it just took a little longer for the reality to sink in for some men.

"Honestly!"  She laughed.  "Sometimes men think money can just buy everything, don't they?  Ben makes a big deal over how I should shop more often!  I just was never used to having money until I married Ben.  I don't spend a lot."

"Yes, I think once the baby is actually born that Sid will definitely take more of an interest. I'm barely even showing yet, so I'm sure it just hasn't set in yet that he's going to be a father," Kate told Liana, reassuring herself as well. "As for shopping, that's something Sid has a PhD in, I think," Kate chuckled. "He's always taking me shopping and buying me expensive clothes and jewelry and cars... anything my heart desires and then some! Speaking of shopping, we should probably order up some lunch now so we can get to the shops in Coff's before the sun goes down."

When they'd finished lunch, Liana drove them into Coff's.  They talked about baby things and maternity clothes.  Several times she thought she saw Kate looking around in the Toyota Land Cruiser as though it wasn't quite a luxurious enough car for her.  Liana didn't remark, though--just parked downtown nearest to some of the shops they'd be visiting.

"Thanks again for the invite, Liana," Kate told her as they entered the first shop they came to. "Sid is fun to shop with, but it's always nice to have female companionship from time to time. Actually, I must admit, you are the first girl friend I've hung out with since I moved to The Glen."

Again Liana smiled, actually feeling a little sorry for Kate.  "I'm sure they just haven't gotten to know you very well yet.  Everyone I've met here has been so friendly." 

Then, she thought of Sheriff John Biebe and his deputy, and the first time she hand Ben had met them.  Things hadn't gone too well, although they'd been better since then.  "Well, nearly everyone."  Then Liana went silent, afraid of revealing too much to this woman she didn't know very well yet.

"Yes, well, I've tried to make friends here, but it seems my ex may have tainted my reputation amongst the townsfolk here and no one has really taken the time to get to know me. They just accept his lies about me and my husband and stay their distance. Just because I broke up with him doesn't mean I'm some kind of monster. If I wanted to, I could completely ruin Colin and his business by the stories I can tell about him, but I won't stoop to his level. I'm sorry, I don't mean to put this all on you, Liana. I'm just thankful there are still people like you in this town that don't believe all the gossip and lies they hear." She paused to pick up an expensive maternity top and held it up to Liana. "Hmm... I think this suits you. Goes well with your eyes. You should buy it."

Liana admired it for a moment, then looked at the price tag and gasped.  "I couldn't possibly - I've never spent that much money on a blouse in my life!  There've been times when my entire wardrobe didn't cost that much!"

"Besides," she went on.  "I tend to wear more casual things.   I'm usually doing a lot of things in the house, or I'm down at the stables around the horses."

"It would look great on you too, though," she told Kate.  "We kinda have the same coloring.  Maybe you should buy it."

"Hmm... I think I will, actually. But for you, not me. My treat. I'm sure you'll find somewhere to wear it to. Ben can't expect you to work in the barn during your whole pregnancy, afterall," Kate insisted. "Which reminds me, we should make plans to go to the salon together soon, too." Kate told her, eyeing Liana's hair disdainfully.

"Salon?"  Liana's expression was doubtful.  "I don't know.  Ben seems to like my hair just the way it is.  He's always stroking it and running his hands through it.  I wouldn't want to do something he doesn't like-"

"Trust me," Kate smiled, "A day spent in the salon... getting the works... mani, pedi, cut and color... you'll feel like a new woman and it may just be the ticket to really spice things up around your home. A little pampering never hurt anyone... on the contrary."

"Well-  Oh, all right."  Liana gave in.  "I guess it couldn't hurt.  You know-  Maybe you and Sid could come to visit sometime.  Do you ride? We could all go riding together.  Or if you don't, maybe you could take lessons."

Kate frowned a bit at the thought of it. She doubted very seriously that it would be something Sid might want to spend time doing and she wasn't too thrilled about it, either. However, if she was going to make friends in this little dirt town she'd have to start playing nice, so she simply smiled and replied, "Maybe. After the baby is born, of course. I don't think Sid would want me doing anything that might endanger myself or our child, you know. Though I wouldn't be opposed for coming by for a visit sometime."

"That would be nice," Liana told her warmly, although privately she doubted any warm reception for Sid from Ben.  He was suspicious of the man, although he hadn't revealed to Liana just why.  All he would say was that Sid was a man with things to hide.

Then Liana remembered something else Kate had said.  "Colin from the garage is your ex?  I'm afraid I don't really know him.  We met briefly when I took my car in to be checked, but we didn't really talk or anything.  I'm not much to listen to gossip anyway.  You seem perfectly nice, Kate."

"I hope so.  Oh, look-!"  Liana walked over to another display.  "Jeans!  Now, those are more my speed!"

They spent the next few hours looking at maternity clothes and trying them on--attempting to get a feel for how they'd look when they were a little further along.  Liana was eyeing herself in a full-length mirror, a pretty sundress on, when she confided to Kate.

"I'm so afraid that Ben will be disappointed when I'm bigger.  He's always said he liked that I was so small and petite."

"Yeah, well, Sid always jokes about it, but I don't think he really will be turned off my growing belly," Kate told her. "Truthfully, I don't think anything I do can turn Sid off. He's quite...insatiable. I swear, there are some days I think that he doesn't even let me out of bed! I can't imagine what he's going to do once the baby is born and he has to share my attention."

"I'm sure he'll understand when the time gets here," Liana told her.  "The way Ben acts, he's going to have no problem sharing attention."

Blushing slightly, she asked, "So Sid's, uh-insatiable?  That must be wonderful."  She was slightly uncomfortable, not used to discussing this sort of thing, even with other women.

Kate grinned, "You have no idea." She carried her bundle of clothes she'd gathered to try on to the dressing room, then turned back to Liana, "If he were here now, he'd most likely have me in this dressing room, even." She giggled, thinking about their last shopping trip in Sydney when Sid had done just that, then closed the door behind herself and began trying on clothes. "I think this lot will do," she said, after trying on all the clothes. "How 'bout you, Liana? Find anything?"

"A couple.  Jeans and some tops."  Liana was aghast at the number of items Kate was buying.  Didn't she look at the price tag on anything?

"Where on earth will you wear all those things?" she couldn't help asking.

"Oh, well, Sid likes me to wear a variety of things for him... sometimes all in the same day," she said, offhandedly. "Besides, I don't really like to wear the same outfit more than once to big parties and such. And, by the time Sid gets them off of me there's sometimes not much left of them." She carried her bundle up to the register and handed the cashier her credit card.

Aside from being stunned at the way Kate spent money, Liana had enjoyed their day.  After she had paid for her purchases, they headed back toward the Glen, chatting about a possible visit with each other on another day.