James had flown to LA to pick up Vivi, and Caroline and I were crammed like sardines in the back of coach. We had booked first class, but our first flight was delayed, causing us to be bumped off our second flight. We were lucky to be in seats 27D and E, by the bathroom, actually. I was wearing my cashmere travel mask Mom had gotten us all for Christmas, trying to sleep, which had been impossible the past two days. Every time I closed my eyes, I tried to picture how I was going to tell Mom the news. It was not something I ever thought I would have to face, not something I had even envisioned. I knew I wanted Jack there. She was stronger when Jack was there. And I had to admit that maybe I was, too.
Caroline was flipping through FrenchVogue. She had become fluent in French over the past ten years, when she decided to get Vivi French lessons and sat in on them as well. She thought French was very chic and that everyone should know how to speak it. It would come in handy now that she was going to Paris and Morocco every few months to buy items for the store.
“Have you decided about your new apartment?” I asked. I felt Caroline jump beside me. She must have thought I was asleep. But who could possibly sleep at a time like this?
“Um,” she said. “You know, Em, I think now is a time for the status quo.”
I pulled my mask up and looked at her. “Because of me, you mean? Because everyone will have enough to deal with, with me?”
She shook her head and said softly, “No, sweetie. I don’t mean that at all.” She flipped her magazine closed and handed it to me.
“I can’t read that,” I said. I, the uncivilized sister, did not speak French.
“I assure you, you can. There’s not a lot of translation. It’s basically interviews with beautiful actresses whom you know talking about how many Oscars they’ve won. You can figure it out.”
I rolled my eyes. “James,” I said. “Why are you trying to change the subject?”
“It’s not important right now, Em,” she snapped.
“Of course it’s important.”
Caroline sighed.
I wanted to say that even I knew that living with one foot out the door was no way to live. But frankly, I probably wasn’t the best person to give love advice right now, since I’d been jilted by my fiancé and then slept with my best friend and ignored the nine phone calls and seven text messages he had attempted since.
“Hey!” Caroline said. “You can come live in my apartment when you’re finished filming. Mount Sinai is amazing. You can even have a room with a view of the park.”
That did sound kind of nice, if you could consider any hospital anywhere kind of nice. It wasn’t exactly a place people wanted to visit.
“So what do I even say?” I asked.
Caroline shook her head. “I have no idea, sweetie. This is a tough one. I think you practice on Sloane.” She paused. “I mean, I can tell them if you want.”
I squeezed her hand. “Thanks. That would be really great.”
She went white, and I laughed.
“I’m kidding. I’m kidding. This should definitely come from me.”
Two hours later, the driver James had arranged to pick us up from the airport was dropping us at Sloane’s house. Well, Caroline’s house. Whatever. Real estate was very confusing these days.
I probably should have knocked, but I just walked in the front door, calling, “Sloane!”
“Em?” she called from upstairs.
“And Caroline!” Caroline called.
Sloane ran down the stairs. “Oh, my gosh!” she said, engulfing us in a hug as though it had been a year since she had seen us, not six weeks. “I am so excited!”
She must have seen the grave looks on our faces, because she sat down on the step. “OK, I’m not excited. What’s wrong? I feel like I can’t breathe.”
“Well...” I said, not knowing where to start. “I fainted on set. Fortunately, Caroline was there to take me to the emergency room.”
Sloane gasped. “Oh, my God. What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Actually,” I said, blowing all my breath out. Caroline and I had lots of secrets, but once I said this out loud to anyone else, it was real. Like really, really real.
But Sloane was starting to cry, and I didn’t want to keep her in suspense any longer, so I just said, “I’m pregnant.”
