“Caleb, darling!”Mom looks up, her warm hazel eyes lighting up at the sight of me.“Come look at these cribs with us.”
I lean down to kiss her cheek.“Hey, Mom.Is that a new necklace?”I gesture to the thin gold chain around her neck.
She touches it lightly, smiling.“Your father gave it to me for our anniversary.Do you like it?”
“It’s nice,” I say, noticing the small diamond pendant I missed at first glance.“Very you.”
Natalie smiles up at me, her hand resting on her swollen belly.“Your mom thinks the mahogany crib with the hand-carved details would be perfect.”
“Of course she does.”I plop down next to them, peering at the catalog.“Mom believes in the finest things.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Mom waves dismissively.“Quality matters, especially for a baby.This will become a family heirloom.”
I glance at the price tag and whistle.“Five thousand dollars for a crib?”
“Hush,” Mom scolds, but there’s no heat in it.“This is an important decision.The nursery sets the tone for everything.”Her face softens with genuine joy.“My first grandchild deserves the best.”
“Second grandchild, Mom,” Ethan corrects gently as he walks in with Dad and Sophie.
Mom’s smile falters for just a moment.“You’re right,” she whispers, and I catch the shadow that passes over her face before she quickly brightens again.“Second grandchild.”
The room goes quiet.We all know Elisha won't let Mom see Damien.It’s been months since Nick’s son was born, and his wife still keeps him away from the family.Mom never complains, but I can see how much it hurts her.
“I think this mahogany one is beautiful,” Natalie says, pointing to an ornate crib with intricate carvings.“What do you think, Helen?”
Mom beams, patting Natalie’s hand approvingly.“It’s absolutely perfect, darling.Classic and elegant.”I bite back a smile.Natalie has completely embraced Mom’s traditional taste since day one, and Mom adores her for it.It’s like they share one brain when it comes to decorating.I’ve never seen Mom happier than when Natalie asks for her opinion on anything house-related.
“Where’s Jake?”I ask, scanning the room.“Hiding from crib shopping?”
“In the kitchen, last I saw,” Natalie answers with a knowing look.“Helen said she made sandwiches.I heard his stomach rumbling.”
My own rumbles in response to the mention of food, and on my way to the kitchen, I stop to plug in my phone on the hallway charger.When I step into the kitchen, I find Jake with one sandwich in his mouth and one in his hand.
“Sup,” he speaks around the sandwich with a grin.I snatch the one in his hand and bite into it.
“So why are we here?”I swallow and ask.
“Megan’s apartment got broken into, and she doesn’t want to move out,” Jake says.
“Oh.”I pretend to look surprised but my brother tilts his head.
“You know something.”
“No, I don’t,” I say quickly.
“You’re lying.”Jake sets down the sandwich he had just picked up.“What do you know?”
“That’s what I was asking him.”Ethan’s voice sounds from the kitchen door, and I know I’m trapped.
“Look it was a while ago, two or three weeks,” I finally sigh in defeat.“She called me from Derrick’s apartment.”
Ethan goes still.“Derrick’s apartment?”His voice is dangerously low, and I bite my tongue.
“Before you get mad, he brought her home because we were all at the station and she didn’t want to worry us or Mom and Dad.She got home, and her apartment door was unlocked, so she called Derrick by accident, according to her.”
“And Derrick didn’t tell me?”Ethan sounds pissed.“She stayed over at his apartment, and he didn’t let me know?I’ll be having a word with him.”
He takes out his phone, and I stop him.“Look, if he didn’t tell you, that means she asked him not to.If she finds out he rats to you whenever she goes to him with a problem, you know she’ll stop going to him.I didn’t like the idea either, but she trusts him.We should leave that avenue open for her.She doesn’t tell us everything, so if she feels she can tell him, he can still look out for her.She won’t do that if she thinks she can’t trust him to keep her secrets.”
