Theo folds his arms. “You’ve been… quiet.”
Jasper snorts. “I’m always quiet.”
“You once narrated your own sandwich,” Theo replies.
Jasper opens his mouth, closes it, then waves a hand. “Irrelevant.”
Theo studies him. “Is there something you want to tell us?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Because Ivy—”
“Ivy is not my keeper,” Jasper cuts in. “And if she knows something,it’s not from me.”
I glance between them, trying to keep my expression neutral while my brain does laps.
Theo sighs. “Alright. Fine. Then one of you is lying.”
Jasper points at me. “Him.”
I stare at the table for a second too long, buying myself time. My heart’s doing that irritating thing where it’s both heavy and oddly calm, like it already knows there’s no way out of this.
“Well,” I say finally, lifting my gaze, “when you put it like that.”
Theo’s face shifts immediately. Gone is the amused suspicion. In its place is focus. Concern. Big brother mode, even though technically he’s the middle one.
“Geoff,” he says. “What’s going on?”
I rub my hands together once, then stop because it feels like a tell. Everything suddenly feels like a tell.
“There’s… a baby. I’m having a baby,” I say.
The words hang there. Small. Dense.
Jasper blinks. “Sorry, rewind. A baby.”
“Yes.”
“You,” he clarifies.
“Yes.”
Theo’s voice is steady. “Are you okay?”
The question lands harder than I expect. Notwhat happenedorhow did this happen, just that.
“I am,” I say. “I was… shocked. Obviously. But I’m okay. I want this. I’m in. Fully.”
Jasper studies me, head tilted. I know that look. He’s checking for bravado. For panic disguised as competence.
“And the mum?” Theo says gently.
“Christa,” I reply. Saying her name out loud here makes it feel more real somehow. Less theoretical.
