Becca: Ever?
Kellie: I’m really bad with plans, but even I know this is a bad plan.
Sadie: Hang on. I’m calling you.
Becca: Conference call?
Kellie: Don’t leave me out!
It’s not that Marleewouldn’ttell him.
Of course, she would.
Marlee: Today just isn’t the day to bring this up.
Not on the same day that he finally opened up to her and decided that maybe they shouldn’t look toward a future that only included the demise of whatever it was they had.
Marlee: He just needs some time to adjust to things before I throw this in the mix.
She would simply give him a bit of time to adjust to the fact that there was a them. Then she’d tell him about the baby so he could adjust to the fact that there was athem.
She did her best I’m-pregnant-and-everything-is-fine saunter through the breezeway to the apartment. Her Sadie ringtone started going off right as she reached the door.
“Hey,” Marlee said into the receiver.
“You have to tell him,” Sadie said gently.
“I…” Marlee’s voice cracked.
“Areyouokay?” Sadie went into concerned friend mode. Concerned friend mode was a lot like concerned lawyer mode, but without the threat of legal action.
“No.” Marlee sat on the concrete bench surrounded by a flower patch in the courtyard outside the apartment. The flowers were long dead, the concrete cold as winter started to creep into fall.
“I’m in trouble,” Marlee murmured, her throat getting thick at the acknowledgement. Lothario hopped out of the purse, snuggling his head against Marlee’s thigh.
Sadie went quiet. “I know.”
“I think I’m falling for your brother.” And by falling for him, Marlee meant she was pretty sure she was all in with him.
Sadie sucked in a breath. “Well, given everything, that’s not so bad.”
“He’s Eli. And he’s started opening up to the idea of a relationship. He wants to go slow, try it out.” Absently, she stroked the top of Lothario’s head.
“Do you know how long we’ve all hoped he’d get over his shit and find someone?”
Actually, given that she and Sadie shared everything, Marlee did know that Eli’s family hoped he wouldn’t always be alone.
“I’m pregnant, Sadie,” Marlee whispered. “This is happening.”
When the tests had come back positive, she couldn’t say the word. She understood how Eli felt about the “married” word. That’s how she felt about the “pregnant” word. Velma had seen the tests first, so she’s the one who told Heather and Claire.
“I’m coming home,” Sadie announced. Marlee could practically see her pulling out her suitcase and throwing in clothes. “Like now.”
“That’s not—”
“I’m coming home.” Sadie’s words were final. “I’ll just stay with Mom this time. We’ll get things settled.”
Marlee’s heart dropped. Sadie knew Eli as well as anyone—better than anyone. She wasn’t coming home to console her brother when he found out he was going to be a dad. Marlee sucked in a broken breath. Sadie was coming home to scrape Marlee off the floor when Eli broke what was left of her heart.
