“Now you know how I feel?”
She points a motherly finger at me. “You’re pregnant and married to Aston. I’m allowed to be a mess. Halle is a mess.” She shakes her friend’s shoulder. “Now tell us everything.”
“I found out I was pregnant last weekend,” I continue, only for Aston to cut me off.
“And I asked her to marry me.”
Halle looks like she’s about to pass out. “Why? How did you get involved in this?”
He bobs his head toward the study on the other side of the first floor, away from where Zoey is eating like it’s her last meal.
My mother and Halle take off their coats, holding them in their arms and pinning us with impatient, demanding looks.
“Zoey has been struggling since Astrid’s death. We all know this. You saw her breakdown last night. Her therapist explained she has some fear of abandonment issues and that she needs more home life stability and consistency. She needs people she cares about in her daily life, and for whatever reason, she bonded with Skylar within about two seconds of meeting her.”
“I still don’t understand,” Halle admits. “How is that a reason tomarryher?”
“Josh,” my mother murmurs, covering her lips with her hand. “Josh isn’t safe for you or the baby.”
I glance down at the floor. “No. He’s not.”
“That motherfucker. I should have had him killed when you told us how he was with you.”
Halle holds up a hand, stopping my mother before she goes on a rant. “So, you offered to marry her for protection against this Josh asshole, and in return she’ll play house with Zoey.”
It’s not a question, but Aston answers his mother all the same. “Yes.”
My mother blows out a breath, takes a step toward me, and grasps my arm. “Why didn’t you come to us? Why didn’t you tell us? We could have done… something to help.”
“Like what? What is there to do in situations like this?”
“I don’t know. Security or lawyers or, again, having him killed.”
“All of that may eventually come, minus the murder, but for now, he can’t use this to manipulate me or come after me. I’m married. I can’t go back to him. There’s nothing for him to try for there. End of story. Besides, I’m not sure…” I trail off.
“What?” my mother presses.
“You’re not going to tell him it’s his,” Halle surmises, and I shrug. I’m still undecided. It feels wrong and yet right, and I’m conflicted with that.
“Who else knows about this?”
“Braelyn and Alden,” I answer.
“Are you two…” Halle waves a finger back and forth between me and Aston.
“No,” he and I both say quickly. “It’s not like that between us,” Aston finishes, and I sort of want to kick him in the shins for that even if it’s true. But ouch. You know? After last night and all the bullshit he filled my head with. Ouch.
“Does Micha know?” my mother asks.
“I tried to tell him, but our call got cut short.”
“So, he’s not on a plane right now from Sudan to kill you? At least not yet.”
I laugh, and so does Aston. “Not as far as I know. I told him I had something important to tell him. He had to go, so we’ll see how long it is before he calls either of us back. Or shows up to kill me.”
“Skylar, you’re pregnant?” My mother has gone from irate and incredulous to tearful, which isn’t helping me because now my hormones are kicking in and I’m choking up to the point where all I can do is nod. “How far along?”
“I haven’t had an ultrasound yet. Best I can figure, about nine weeks or so.”
