“How about some fish?” I said. “You could use more omega-3s.”
Deena glared at me. “You want me to eat fish at seven o’clock in the morning?”
I glared right back. “I want you to feed yourself properly. You’re growing another human.”
Her jaw clenched. I knew she was annoyed at me, but I was just following the guidelines. All I was trying to do was keep her and the baby healthy. It was temporary; she’d just have to deal with it until our child was born. That scrabbling, panicked feeling that kept clenching at my throat couldn’t handle the thought of her getting sick. That meant no sesame. No runny eggs. Nothing that could even conceivably have any listeria in it.
I was just trying to keep her safe, and she was looking at me like I was her jailer.
“Deena,” my sister said from the entrance to the kitchen, “there you are.” She smiled at Deena, then shot me a long look. “I was thinking we could go out for breakfast together this morning.”
“I’ll come,” I said.
My sister lifted her hand to stop me and shook her head. “No, Cal. I’ll take Deena out. We’ll just go down the street. We’ll be fine.”
“I’ll come,” I insisted.
Deena rounded on me. “What, so you can make sure I don’t order runny eggs? So you can police every bite I take? Would you rather hold my fork and feed me yourself?”
“Well, it’s not like I can trust you to take your own nutrition seriously, can I?”
“I am a grown woman, Cal!”
“You’re carryingmy child.”
“Inmy body!” Deena’s voice came out as a screech, her eyes narrow with fury.
“Okay,” Erica said, stepping between us. “Okay. Deena, how about you grab your things, and I’ll meet you at the elevator. Cal, can I have a word?”
Deena stomped out, her cheeks red, her fists clenched. I watched her go, my body leaning toward her. I hated it when she was out of my sight. What if she tripped on the stairs? What if she fell? What if she was upstairs, hurt, and no one found her until it was too late?
“Cal,” my sister said, calling my attention back to her. She wasn’t wearing her head scarf today; her hair had started to grow back. It was a fuzzy, half-inch halo all around her head. Her eyes were bright blue and very serious.
“What?” I snapped.
“You are about to lose her,” she said without preamble.
I reared back. “What are you talking about?”
“I’ve watched you ever since she moved in. You’re suffocating her.”
“I’mtaking careof her.”
“Every day, she shuts down a little more. Being pregnant is hard enough without having some overbearing asshole breathing down your neck. You need to back off.”
I glared at my sister. She had no idea what the hell she wastalking about. Back off how? Back off when? I was managing Deena’s appointments and making sure she was getting all the nutrients she needed. If I wasn’t here, she’d be eating whatever the hell she wanted, and who knew how that would affect the baby?
“When I was pregnant, I ate French fries and ice cream every day, and I barely even sniffed a vegetable. Lila turned out fine.”
“That’s irrelevant,” I said.
“If you keep pushing Deena, she won’t magically do what you say and turn into some simpering, agreeable fool. She willleave, Cal.”
“No, she won’t. We’re together. She’s carrying my child. She’s not leaving.”
Erica let out a long sigh. “As smart as you are, Cal, sometimes you’re really freaking dumb.”
I scoffed, spreading my arms. “How am I being dumb? I’m supposed to just encourage her to get salmonella?”
