Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 157672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 788(@200wpm)___ 631(@250wpm)___ 526(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 788(@200wpm)___ 631(@250wpm)___ 526(@300wpm)
“Willow, honey, look at us.” Mom’s mollifying tone is a contrast to his. “We wish you wouldn’t have seen that.”
“I’m not apologizing for having sex with my wife in my home,” he gripes.
“No, Sterling, but we should have been more aware.”
“Aware of what? Our grown-ass daughter stopping by on a Thursday in the middle of the afternoon? You knew what you were doing wearing that dress.”
“Oh my God, quit talking, both of you!” I plead. “My eyes are bleeding, my brain is shutting down, and I will never recover.”
“Quite the drama queen.”
I twist, cracking an eye to find my dad glaring down at me with contempt. Not an ounce of shame or humility.
At least they’re both dressed. Mom is different than the last time I saw her.
The glow is unmistakable, and it’s not post-sex radiance.
She is happy and completely beautiful.
“That dress is hot.” I can’t believe that blurted out of my mouth.
Her cheeks flush and she side-eyes my dad shyly. “Thanks.”
If this wasn’t so awful, it would be sweet.
“If I leave now, can we act like this never happened?”
“I love seeing you, but you should have called,” Dad informs.
Grandma’s voice replays in my head. Did she know?
“I wanted to surprise you, but that will never, ever happen again. You and Chase need to have a code, like a sock on the door or something.”
Mom’s tinkly giggle has his face softening. “Noted. I’ll mention that to your brother.”
“Don’t, because then he’ll know about this. We shall never speak of this again.” I push to a sitting position, ignoring my ankle when it protests. “I’m sorry for barging in unannounced. It will never happen again.”
“’Lo.”
“Dad, It’s not natural to see your parents having sex. Seriously, let’s drop it before I get sick.”
“Okay, honey, we’ll drop it.” Mom’s back to pacifying, but the look they share sets my nerves on alert.
“Something else?”
“Well, when you… uh… walked in and saw…” She peers to Dad for help.
“You dropped your purse in your haste to retreat.”
Haste to retreat? Why does he sound like a textbook?
Mom reaches for something on the chair behind her, and when she turns, my world stops.
One of the fourteen positive pregnancy tests is in her hand.
“I peed on that.”
Yes, that came right out. Apparently, pregnancy has given me a case of Tourette’s Syndrome.
Dad sits on one side and she on the other. She takes my hand. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“I’m pregnant. What’s there to talk about?”
“How do you feel?”
“Like I’m on one of those pirate ship rides at the fair that swings back and forth.”
“Is that an analogy or are you nauseous? Because the one and only time you rode that, you threw up.”
I recall the memory and how Rylee and Chase made fun of me forever.
“I’m not constantly nauseous, just at the mention of certain foods. More like I’m suspended in the air with a ball of nerves constantly turning.”
“Was this… was this a surprise?”
“Yes, Mom.” I roll my eyes with my best sarcastic draw. “I didn’t set out to be single and pregnant while my dangerous, heroic baby daddy is somewhere saving lives and playing Captain America.”
Her eyes mist over, and I realize I called her Mom for the first time in over a year.
“It’s one hell of a shock to my perfectly laid plans, but in the most wonderful way,” I relay with less satire.
“How far along are you?” Dad inquires cautiously, like he’s scared of my answer.
“I don’t know. It’s all very new. I took the tests a few days ago.”
“We need to get you to the doctor.” He stands, ready to take charge. “Then we need to visit Robbie and tell him to get Talon’s ass back here.”
I clasp his wrist as he digs for his cell. “No. I’ll agree to the doctor, but no one can know. Not yet. This is my secret, and hopefully soon, Talon will be home. Once he knows, we’ll decide when to tell people. This is a lot to dump on him, and he needs to process without outside influence.”
“It’s not dumping anything, Willow. You’re having a baby. My guess is he will want to shout it from the rooftops and hire a skywriter to announce it.”
I smile at Mom. ”I think he’ll be happy, but it’s definitely not something we planned on this early.”
“Is that why you came by today? To talk to me about the pregnancy?”
Dad’s question has me squirming and guilt swallows me. “Not exactly.”
But now that one secret is revealed, might as well let the other cat out of the bag.
In for a penny, in for a pound.
“I was planning to surprise you when you got home from work. But there’s more, I also needed a distraction from my overactive and endless thoughts. My pregnancy isn’t the only thing on my mind.”
They wait patiently, hanging on my every word. What could be more serious than your unwed daughter popping up pregnant without a job?