“But...” Maddy’s gaze slid down to Emma’s still-flat belly. She obviously wasn’t very far along. And even Maddy knew morning sickness was a first trimester thing.
“Right,” Emma said, a wan smile curling her lips. “There was an... unexpected night a couple months ago. He came over to talk, and one thing led to another. When he first left I was so angry with him that I trashed my birth control pills.
“That night he came over... I was so used to being protected, I didn’t give birth control a single thought. But the next morning we had words, and he left again. Things were just awful after that. I never told him I’d stopped my pills. I just hoped and prayed I didn’t get pregnant.” Emma gave a wry laugh. “But of course that’s exactly what happened.”
“You haven’t told him about the baby yet?” Maddy asked.
Emma shook her head. “I’m scared to death to tell him. We’ve been trying to work things out since I got here. We’re making real progress, and I’m afraid this’ll push him away for good.”
“Maybe it’ll draw you closer together,” Maddy said.
Emma shook her head. “You know he never wanted kids. We agreed to that before we ever married. When he finds out what I did... he’s going to hate me.”
“Oh, honey.” Maddy pushed Emma’s hair over her shoulder. “First of all, you both did this. And second of all... that’s just not possible.”
“I never wanted children, not really. But ever since I found out about this baby, I just...” She placed a hand on her flat tummy. “I want him, you know? I really, really want him.”
“Of course you do,” Gram said. “You’ll be a wonderful mother, Emma.”
A long silence hung in the room as they digested everything that had just been revealed. Between last night and today, Maddy’s mind was spinning.
Outside the wind howled. Pippy barked again, now sitting at the door and looking at them beseechingly.
Maddy looked at her sisters. They hadn’t been close in so many years, it was only natural that they hadn’t opened up to one another. But maybe that could change. Maybe this was a chance for a new beginning.
“Sounds like we’ve all been keeping a secret or two,” Maddy said.
“Except you,” Nora said.
Maddy gave a wan smile. She’d hardly been forthcoming. “Not so fast, sister.”
Three sets of eyes searched hers.
Maddy felt hollow inside at having to admit her failure. But if her grandma and sisters could be vulnerable enough to bare their secrets, so could she. “You know that great career I had? That fabulous new promotion I was set to get?”
“Oh no,” Emma said.
“Yep. Lost it all. The job... the promotion... the boyfriend. All in one fell swoop. It must be some kind of record.”
Maddy told them about that last day at Pirouette, taking comfort in their indignant expressions when they found out Nick had betrayed her with their boss and all but stolen her job.
“Losing him was a blessing.” Emma said. “But why didn’t you tell us about the rest of it?”
Maddy gave her a look. “Same reason you didn’t tell us you were pregnant. Same reason Nora didn’t tell us her husband was in prison. My career was the one thing I had going for me. The one area of my life where I was a success. I just... It’s demoralizing to lose it so suddenly and have nothing left.”
“Oh, phooey,” Gram said. “You’re so much more than your work, honey.”
“Maddy, you’re a wonderful human being,” Emma said. “You have a lot going for you.”
Nora snorted.
Emma shot her a scathing look. “What’s your problem, Nora?”
“Look who’s talking,” Nora said. “You’ve always taken such great pride in your wonderful marriage. And when it crumbled, what did you do? You hid it.”
Emma’s nostrils flared. “You’re a fine one to talk. Your husband’s been sitting in prison all this time and not a peep out of you.”
“Emma,” Gram chided.
