“You sound weird.Why?”
Joey closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.She was not intending for her sister to find out what she was doing.This was supposed to be her private business.She wanted just one moment of peace.
Only, that didn’t happen.
“Nothing, I am just, you know, busy.I’ve got lots to do, and with Thanksgiving coming up and our parents hosting, Axel is excited.So is Adeline, you know, there is a lot to, uh, well, uh, sort out, you know.”
“Something is up, you’ve just saidyou knowthree times.”
“No, I did not.You’re hearing things.”
“You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”Ashley asked.
This made Joey completely silent, which only lasted for a second.“What?How did you—are you spying on me?Are you getting someone to spy on me?”
“Joey, I’ve known you my whole life, and you think we’ve not had a similar conversation before?”
“With Adeline.”
“Exactly, so am I wrong, or am I right?”
Joey sighed.“I don’t know yet.I went and got the test.”
“Not in town?”
“No, of course not.Axel would have found out by the end of the day, and I don’t want that.Especially if it’s negative.”
“Do you want it to be negative?”Ashley asked.
Joey sighed.“Yes, no, I don’t know.”
“That’s a lot of answers.”
“Everything with Axel is going so smoothly, but we both know I’m not his usual type, and he has those rules.”
“That were broken.”
“But what if he doesn’t want kids?”she asked.“I ...if I’m pregnant, this could ruin it.”
“And if you’re not?”Ashley asked.
“I don’t know, I guess I won’t know how he feels.”Joey sighed.“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had a baby that the dad didn’t want.”
“Hey, I can’t even believe I am saying this, but George is an asshole, and from what I’ve seen and heard about Axel, he’s not.That guy is devoted to you.He broke those stupid rules for you, and Mom and Dad are always telling me he is amazing with Adeline.”
Joey smiled.“Yeah, he is.He adores her.He’s a good ...dad.Well, when he has kids, he is going to be a good dad.”
“You know I speak to Adeline, right?”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Well, she is the one that told me he took her to school and also went inside when it was ‘bring a parent to school day,’” Ashley said.
Joey knew those days were limited, as Adeline was getting older.She was more than happy to go for Adeline, even though she had gone to so many and talked about her job at each one.She was pretty sure the kids knew her story by heart.Some of the kids were nice.Others were cruel, but that was life.
According to Adeline, Axel had been a real hit with the kids.He had loved doing it as well.
“Yeah, he did.”
