Owen:I didn’t get a proper look at said friend but if they were tall, male and dark haired then that was who she was with.
Payton:Interesting. If it was my sister, then she’s up to something.
Owen:It could’ve been a male friend who was having issues. She’ll tell you when she needs to.
Payton:Unlike my brothers, you’re too nice. I’ll phone you in a bit. Just need to fail miserably at poker before they let me go to bed. Looks like I haven’t gotten out of playing.
Owen:Okay. Speak soon x
I knew I wasn’t texting any of my other friends at this time on a Friday evening, just Owen. There wasn’t any one I was going to call before I went to sleep, just Owen, and it wouldn’t be the first time this week either.
And I knew I missed him.
“Texting lover boy?” Callum said, dealing the cards. I’d been coerced into playing, which happened whenever I was the last woman standing.
“I thought you were just friends?” Killian said. Eliza was strapped to his chest in a sling. He’d been allowed to stay up as long as he was on baby duty.
“We are,” I said. “It is possible for a man and woman to be just friends.”
“I agree,” Callum said. “I just don’t think it’s possible for you and Owen. You look at each other like Jackson and Van do and we all know she’s adding to the niece and nephew collection in less than nine months.”
Jackson glared hard. Vanessa and Victoria had driven out to the twenty-four-hour supermarket to pick up some bits for tomorrow that Mum hadn’t had chance to get. I missed the opportunity to go with them, which was unfortunate as I now had to put up with Callum’s input into my love life.
“Just because she’s not drinking doesn’t mean she’s pregnant,” Jackson said. He looked at his card and his expression changed. He was a decent poker player so I figured it had nothing to do with his cards. “Okay, she’s pregnant. I’ve been dying to tell you but please don’t say anything apart from to Claire and Vic.” He eyed me. “And Owen. We only found out this week so it’s really early days and she’s nervous.”
“Congratulations, Jacks,” Max said, putting his cards down and pulling Jackson out of his seat into a huge hug.
My eyes filled up as my brothers, Killian and my dad hugged Jackson. Seph looked ridiculously joyful.
“You told them, didn’t you?” Vanessa stood in the doorway, Victoria just behind her and smiling broadly.
Jackson walked over to her. “They guessed. You weren’t drinking so Cal put two and two together and managed to make four, which is good considering he needed a math tutor when he was at school.” He wrapped his arms around her and I felt a pang of happiness and an ache that it wasn’t me who had that connection with someone else who was here to hold me. “Let’s hope the baby inherits my math skills and not his.”
Vanessa shook her head. “Go make me a cup of tea. I’ve bought decaffeinated, and then you need to tell your mother before she finds out from Seph.”
“Why does everyone always blame me?” Seph called loudly. By this time Eliza had woken up and was starting to cry.
Marie walked rapidly through the doors into the kitchen side, looking annoyed. “Joseph, do you need reminding to use your inside voice? You’ve woken the baby,” she said, pointing which meant she was really cross at him.
“Yeah, but only one of them,” Seph said. Jackson looked murderous.
Mum looked round the room from person to person, her eyes finally landing on Jackson and Vanessa. “Is he telling me something about you two?”
Jackson looked at Vanessa, his expression one of absolute awe. “He is, Mum. It’s very very early days though. We’ve only just been to the doctors.”
Marie opened her arms and filled them with Jackson and Van and I heard another bottle of Champagne open.
“Oh fuck, more stuff I can’t drink,” Claire said, dragging herself into the room, looking like she’d just woken up. Her bed-hair was worth risking a photo for prosperity’s sake.
“You’re going to be an auntie,” Jackson said before she’d even looked at him.
“I’m what?”
“I’m pregnant,” Vanessa said.
Claire shrieked louder than Seph had shouted. My eardrums bled a little.
“Fuck it. I’ve expressed enough for more than twelve hours so I can have a glass to celebrate,” Claire said, her eyes on Killian who nodded. Eliza was completely awake and staring at her daddy. I started to take a few photos, ignoring the glares some of my siblings sent over and accepted a glass of Champagne.
