Nothing good. AJ thought,Nothing. Good.
“Thank you again, Yaya,” Poppy thanked the Costas matriarch for the dozenth time. “I didn’t want this to take away from your big day.”
“No, no, no!” Yaya waved her hand dismissively. “What else is wedding for but for to celebrate family! This is best gift you give for me, reunite long lost brother with siblings! We put on the YouTube and it get virus!”
Poppy wasn’t sure how to break it to her that the viral moment she was hoping for wasn’t going to happen since Deacon had already met all the people who were his long-lost family.
Last night when Poppy showed up at Liam and Frankie’s, she’d spilled the beans about Deacon, and Liam called an impromptu family meeting with Michael’s parents, her grandparents, Bampi and Momo, Teresa, her mom Kerri, the legitimate Davies sisters and their husbands to fill them in on the news. When Yaya heard about the development during her makeup and hair session that morning, she demanded Deacon and Tabitha be invited to the wedding, so Poppy made the call.
She explained to her half-brother, it was so strange to call him that, the events that had transpired, that she’d seen the text and knew who he was, and that she’d told everyone else. He apologized profusely that he hadn’t been honest. She told him she understood, even though she wasn’t really sure she did and still felt a little betrayed, but she was chalking that up to pregnancy hormones. Also, she couldn’t begin to imagine the responsibility that came with being a multi-billionaire, or how suspicious one would have to be of people’s motives.
Poppy relayed that Yaya had insisted on inviting him and that the rest of the family truly wanted both him and Tabitha in attendance, and they arrived ten minutes before the wedding began. Now the cake had been cut, Tabitha had slotted right in with her cousins, especially Freddie, who was six, and Finley eight, and Deacon was chopping it up with Liam, Niko, AJ, and all the brothers-in-law.
“Excuse me, young lady, I was wondering if I might borrow my beautiful wife.” Mr. Santino tipped his chin and held out his hand.
Yaya’s face lit with a smile that spread from ear to ear and Poppy found it contagious as her own lips curled at the edges. “Yes, sir, you may.”
As Poppy watched the couple head out of the kitchen and into the tent to the center of the dance floor, she wondered if she’d ever have that sort of devotion Mr. Santino clearly felt towards Yaya pointed in her direction. It must feel amazing, like the sun shining on you in the middle of a blizzard, warming you, sustaining you, giving you light to find your way.
Not if you don’t suck it up and go talk to AJ, you won’t,her inner voice pointed out.
She’d been hiding out doing dishes. She’d washed her dessert plate five times. Yaya had come in to try and lure her to the dance floor, but Poppy just felt…she didn’t know how she felt.
There was something going on with AJ today. He didn’t seem like himself. It was freaking her out, especially with how they’d left things the day before. His energy was unlike any she’d ever felt. It worried her that he was going to say she was too much and he didn’t want anything to do with her.
“I think it’s clean, honey,” a voice sounded behind her.
She froze. She knew that voice… but it couldn’t be. She turned around, and her jaw dropped.
“Miss Carol!?” She looked up at Zion, who was standing beside her honorary grandma, then back to Miss Carol.
“Surprise!” Miss Carol’s arms flew out to her sides.
Poppy launched herself at her and threw her arms around her neck, holding on like her life depended on it. It sort of felt like it did. After absorbing all the maternal warmth and comfort she’d been craving, especially since she’d found out she was growing a human, she released her grip.
When she finally leaned back, she asked, “What are you doing here?”
“I’m moving back.”
“What?!” Poppy shrieked.
Miss Carol had left California because the price of living had gotten too high when Poppy was nineteen. She moved where she could afford to live on her fixed income.
Miss Carol clasped her hands together in front of her chest. “I got a call yesterday from a young man who had just found out his grandparents’ house was going to be vacant, and he offered it to me. He said that the mother of his child was in need of all the support she could get.”
Poppy looked up at Zion, searching for answers because she was still trying to fill in the blanks.
“AJ found out yesterday that Yaya and Papou left him the house. As soon as he did, he called Miss Carol and said, “It’s yours if you want it because my baby mama loves you, and she needs all the support and love she can get.”
Poppy looked back at Miss Carol. “He did?”
“Well, not in so many words, but, yes, honey, that was the basic gist. He wanted me close to you to be support for you and the baby.” She patted Poppy’s belly. “I told him I needed some time to pack up and get my things in order, and it might take me a while cause it’s just me. He didn’t say much, actually, he just hung up. He called back an hour later and had hired a wholecrew of people who showed up and had my house packed in four hours and left in a truck last night. It beat me here. He booked me and Roger on a flight for today because he said you needed menow.”
“Roger’s here?”
“He’s at the house napping.”
Tears were streaming down Poppy’s face. Shedidneed Miss Carol now. How did AJ know that? She nodded and hugged her again.
