Apollo takes his wife’s hand and announces, “We’re having a baby.”
“A boy,” Yordan tacks on, barely getting the words out before the whole room explodes with congratulatory cheer.
Well, now I can’t even be mad at them for ruining my night. It’s great news. An heir for Apollo, another grandchild for Dad, and another cousin for my nieces and nephews.
But fuck if I don’t wish this happened last night instead.
Eyes filled with unshed tears, Martha asks, “How far are you?”
“Twelve weeks,” Rayna replies, looking down at her flat stomach. “The doctor said I should start showing more soon.”
“You haven’t been married for twelve weeks,” Yordan says, eyebrows crinkled in the middle as he looks down and makes a show of counting on his fingers.
A sharp cackle burst out of me, despite my disappointment. With my head thrown back, I let the humor take me over until it eventually calms. “Marriage doesn’t make a baby, bud. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but this family is fertile as hell. Apollo probably just breathed on her—and boom, pregnant.”
“It was the first time,” Rayna confesses. Apollo’s face transforms into the definition of smug and she rolls her eyes at him.
“I’m pregnant, too,” Jade suddenly blurts out.
Gasps sound all around the room and my eyes widen.
She didn’t tell me?
I guess I can’t be too upset. There’s plenty of things I haven’t told her recently as well. But my heart still seems to clench at the news.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” she apologizes, half covering her mouth with her hand. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud and cut in on your moment. I’m only six weeks, I’m not supposed to say anything yet. I’m just so excited to have a pregnancy buddy thistime around.” Jade is practically bouncing up and down with enthusiasm, like she can barely contain it.
“You didn’t cut in,” Rayna argues softly. “That’s such amazing news, Jade. I’m honestly so excited to have someone to go through this with.”
“Oh thank God,” she replies in a rush, pulling Rayna in close for a long, hard embrace. “I didn’t mean to blurt that out, I swear.”
“I’m glad you did,” Rayna assures her, hugging my sister in return.
“We definitely have to celebrate,” Ana pipes up with a gleeful smirk. “Two of the prettiest Morettis are pregnant, which means two beautiful babies are on the way.”
“Hey,” I protest. “I think we all know,I’mthe prettiest Moretti.”
The joke lands, of course it does, but I’m not laughing. As thrilled as I am for Jade having another baby on the way and for Apollo having his first incoming, I’m so disappointed that this news is throwing a wrench in my plans.
More surprisingly though, this news doesn’t have me second-guessing my plans to join Anya in California for a while. I always assumed that for Jade’s next pregnancy, I would want to be there for her as much as I was for the first one. But I want to be there for Anya even more.
Discreetly separating from the group, I whip my phone out to update her.
Matteo
I just found out Jade and Rayna are pregnant. An impromptu family dinner is being thrown together right now to celebrate. I couldn’t get out of this if I tried. I’m so sorry, I would invite you to come but I know you don’t want to meet everyone yet.
Matteo
I’m so fucking glad we went to a matinee so we got to enjoy the ballet uninterrupted but I wish we could have kept our plans for dinner. I can try to dip out of the dinner after a couple hours and meet you at the hotel?
She replies quickly, almost like she’s been waiting for a text.
Anya
I’m so happy for them, that’s great news. If you think you can still come see me tonight, I won’t turn you away. Uncle Mikhail and I will get room service for dinner since you can’t come.
Anya
