“He deserved it. After everything he’s put me through!”
I knew it was coming. So did Brando. Before we left, Brando left him with a helmet—it was a joke, sort of.
“Let’s talk about something else,” she said. “Tell me more about the wedding.”
“Violet…”
“I don’t want to talk about it!”
“All right,” I sighed. Then we gossiped about the wedding, in more detail, until an awkward silence came between us.
“What’s up, Sandy?”
“Well, I don’t know if I want to tell you about it now. You’re being rotten with your own issues.”
“Get over it,” she said. “Myissueis not juicy—my issue is just man drives woman crazy and she goes nuts on him. He made me worry, Scarlett. I’ve never been so scared—” She sniffed, and my heart squeezed in a painful contraction.
“I know, Violet. But he’s going to be fine.”
“Maybe tomorrow, but not today. I think reality is starting to settle in. He threw a paint can at the wall in his house. It went through the wall and he didn’t stop there—whatever he found, he pitched. Pitched and cried. Then he fell over, not able to keep his balance. He’s still getting used to having only one full leg. I’ve never felt so…helpless.”
“We’ll be home soon,” I said.
She sighed. “What’s up with you?”
“People keep telling me that I’m flushed.”
A few seconds went by, before she cleared her throat. “And?”
“Doesn’t that mean—I mean, they keep calling it the ‘magical’ flush.”
“Not to be rude, but you’ve lost me. What the hell is a ‘magical’ flush? Is that some kind of special cream for your face? Or a new diet fad? Oh, don’t tell me.” She groaned. “A new diarrheic to make you lose weight?”
That made me laugh. “No. Pregnant.”
She sucked in a breath. “Are you?”
“I don’t think so.” I looked at the bags on the counter—my palms started to sweat and my heart raced. Like looking down from an absurd height with no safety net. “I really, reallydon’tthink so, but more than one person told me that I have it.”
“Maybe it’s just a rash. Or an allergic reaction. Pollen and shit.”
“I bought a test.”
Neither of us said anything for a little while.
“Just take the test,” she said. “You’ll feel better once you do.”
“And if I am?” I whispered.
“The theory will be confirmed. Brando Fausti has magical sperm. Then it turns into a fact.”
I hung up on her. She sent me a text a few seconds later:Don’t keep me in suspense, Sandy. Let me know what the results are as soon as you do. Love you.
I paced around the bathroom while I waited, holding tight to the cross around my neck. I almost thought the test exploded when a knock came at the door.
“Oh my God!” I almost yelled, my heart attempting to jump out of my throat.
“Scarlett.”
