Violet looked teary-eyed again. “Remember the two of you at Loch Ness, both of you pretending the monster didn’t exist?”
When I was ten and Cat was twelve, we visited my dad’s place of birth the glorious summer after he won the Cup and fell for Violet. Getting down on one knee on the muddy shore of the loch, he proposed to her while Cat and I squealed our heads off.
“It was so romantic,” Cat said. “Best proposal ever.”
“Agreed,” I said. “But I was most definitely not ‘pretending’ about the Loch Ness monster. It’s a myth, and I was very aware of that fact at the time.”
“Sure.” Violet laughed. “But you still brought those high-powered binoculars you borrowed from Dante.”
“So I could look for wildlife typical of the British Isles.”
“Like Nessie.”
Maybe I had been a touch hopeful as I scanned the murky surface of the loch, watching every dark ripple for signs of monstrous life. The dreamer in me wanted to abandon logic and embrace the possibility of magical thinking.
“It was a special trip for all of us, the happy ending we all craved.”
Violet looked wistful. “I couldn’t believe how blessed I was. This man, these girls, my sisters—a life I barely allowed myself to dream of. Watching the two of you grow into such lovely young women has been my greatest privilege.”
“Vi.” Cat sniffed.
“We were the blessed ones,” I said.
“And now, one of you is a mom and the other is about to become one. Cariño, I’m so happy for you and Jason. Every time I run into him, he’s constantly asking if I’ve talked to you, if you’re okay, if you’re getting enough food and sleep. He’s going to be such a great dad.”
I didn’t doubt it. Each morning, I sent him “proof of life” photos of my growing belly and whatever I was eating for breakfast. Toast and tea weren’t good enough for Super Kid; I was up to my neck in fresh fruit deliveries and enough folic acid to supplement multiple growing babies.
“I’m lucky to have such a great partner in all this.”
“And maybe more?” Cat said with a cunning tilt to her lips.
Before I could issue a forceful denial, Violet spoke up. “You’ve never told us and I haven’t asked, but”—she lowered her voice—“did you and Jason conceive this child naturally?”
“Violet!” My cheeks heated.
“I saw the way he looked at you at Theo’s party. That boy has the hots for you!”
That was over two months ago, and our conversations since had remained disappointingly unsexy. Understandable, given my appearance.
“He was merely being supportive because Kendra was there, absolutely shocked at this turn of events. He was also happy that the secret was out, so he displayed an exuberance suited to the moment.”
And later he made me feel better by going down on me in my kitchen. Standard friend behavior.
My stepmom looked skeptical. “I know you went into this, thinking it was the Franky & Baby Show with everyone else as a supporting character. Literally, because we are here for you, Franks. All the way.”
“She’s right, sis,” Cat affirmed.
“But if you and Jason—oh, please don’t cry! I don’t mean to upset you.”
I swiped at a tear. “I don’t want to feel this way about him. It’s so inconvenient.”
“And how exactly do you feel?” Cat asked. “Fond? Horny? Mad about the boy?”
Rather than answer, I made my case for not being in love with him. “We’re not suited at all, you know. He likes young, pretty, perky blondes who gaze at him adoringly and tell him he’s the best, the absolute best.” I added a flirty fluttering of my eyelashes that likely made me look demented. “And he wants a trad wife who cooks five-course meals for him and his multiple children before she dons lacy and likely very uncomfortable lingerie that embeds in her butt crack. I don’t have time for that. I have important research to do!”
They blinked at my very scientific assessment of the situation.
Violet broke the silence. “Has he said he wants this butt-cracking Wunder wife?”
