“How are you feeling?”
“Tired. The morning sickness has finally waned.”
“Bitch,” one of the other women grumbled, and Grace laughed.
“Please forgive Beck. She had hyperemesis.”
“What’s that?” I asked, looking at Beck.
“It’s complete and total torture,” she said. “Nonstop throwing up. I couldn’t eat anything but dry turkey and cheese on bread. No mayo, no oil, no freaking lettuce or tomato. Nothing. Until my amazing stepmother made me a smoothie. I swear I would have died without her.”
The other woman holding the baby, whom I assumed was Maureen, laughed and said, “She’s being a bit dramatic.”
I smiled. “I haven’t had any morning sickness.”
“Bitch!” Beck growled, and Grace and Maureen and the other young woman all laughed.
“I’m Colleen, Maureen’s daughter.”
“And my niece,” Freyja said.
Colleen rolled her eyes. “Yes, technically Freyja is my aunt, but seeing as she’s not really that much older than me, I just call her Freyja.”
“You could just call her the witch; that’s what her brother calls her.”
Colleen laughed, and Freyja groaned.
“I’m Maureen.”
“You’re Declan’s wife? I haven’t met him yet.”
“He’s excited to meet you,” Maureen said.
“You’re meeting all kinds of family today,” Aunt Caity said as she took the baby from Maureen. “Hello, nephew.”
“I’m Beck. Declan’s daughter. I guess that makes us cousins.”
“Yeah,” I said with a smile. “You’re Blade’s old lady? And he’s my cousin too?”
Beck groaned. “Yeah, but I swear Micah and I are not related.”
I smiled, knowing she must get that a lot. Blade was my father’s nephew through his half-brother, Eduardo, who died. Beck was my father’s niece through his brother Declan. But Declan and Eduardo weren’t related to each other.
I turned to the fourth woman. “And you are?”
“Um, I’m Darcy.”
My mother gasped and my knees almost buckled under me. I blinked at the woman, not believing she was standing here. I bit my lip and looked at my mother. There was a strange look in her eyes, pain, but surprise as well, and I wondered about it.
“You’re King’s mom,” I said.
“Yeah,” Darcy answered, her eyes on the floor. “I wanted to stay home, but Maureen insisted.” She looked at my aunt. “Hi, Caity.”
My aunt Caity had tears running down her cheeks, but she didn’t say hello. She handed Maureen’s baby to my mother, who was closest to her, and walked out of the room, ignoring Darcy completely.
Darcy sighed. “I told you I shouldn’t have come.”
“Nonsense,” my mother said once the shock had worn off. She handed the baby to me and pulled Darcy into her arms. “Family is always welcome.”
