It seemed like a stretch after seeing the hurt in his eyes earlier, but I hoped anyway.
Before I could reach the door handle, the door swung open, and Glamma stood there staring at me in her cheetah print muumuu. “What are you doing out here? You’ll catch your death.”
My cheeks felt hot as I followed her inside.
“Do you need some cocoa?” she asked. “I think I have some sprinkles.”
My lips lifted. She would always give me cocoa after I lost a volleyball game—she thought it fixed everything. “Yeah, I’d love some.”
“Come on, sugar.” She waved me to follow her to the kitchen. “Tell me about your date! Are his friends as handsome as Bryce is? Any of them into more seasoned women?”
“Glamma!” I gasped and chuckled.
“I’m old, not dead,” she retorted, taking a half gallon of milk out of the fridge.
I shook my head at her and thought back to Bryce’s friends. My neck prickled at the thought of their judgement. If Bryce told them, surely they’d think I was a no-good gold digger. “They seemed nice,” I finally said.
“Of course Bryce would keep good company. He’s a good man,” Glamma said. She put the cup of milk in the microwave and then rummaged through the cabinet for an old box of Swiss Miss.
“He is,” I agreed, despite my initial assessment of him. Even though I’d given him news of my betrayal, he’d been respectful. Never yelled or cussed or devalued my worth. It made my eyes sting more. I turned away from Glamma so I could gather myself.
The microwave went off, and when the door opened, the smell of warm milk and chocolate filled the air. As she mixed it, the metal spoon clinked against the mug—it was vintage with the Campbell’s Soup kid on the outside.
She opened the fridge again, and I watched as she topped it with a dollop of Cool Whip and a pinch of Christmas sprinkles she probably bought back in ’05.
I took it from her and sat at the table. She joined me, and I took a sip, careful not to get the whipped cream on my nose. Warm chocolate filled my mouth, providing an ounce of comfort I needed so desperately.
“Thank you,” I whispered, still trying not to cry.
Glamma looked concerned. “What’s going on, sugar?”
I bit my lip, slowly pushing away the cocoa. “I have something to tell you.”
Her eyebrows pinched together. “Tell me.”
With a breath, I circled my hands over my stomach. “I am pregnant, and I didn’t know it. I’m six months along.”
Glamma’s jaw went slack, showing every one of her silver molars. It was a weird thing to notice, but my brain was scanning every bit of her to gauge her reaction and how I should respond.
“You’re pregnant?” she finally asked.
I nodded, already teary. “It’s a girl.”
She covered her mouth with her hands, still bejeweled despite the late hour. “A girl?”
I nodded.
“Oh, honey, that’s great news!” She got up from the table and walked around to hug me.
With her chest smashed against my face, I mumbled. “It is? Weren’t you the one saying marriage and then baby?”
Pursing her lips, she said, “Maybe that’s not how I planned it, but a baby’salwaysa blessing. Besides, I was starting to worry I’d never get a great-grandbaby out of you. With Bryce, I was starting to hope but—” She froze and then pulled back. “Does Bryce know?”
I nodded. “I just told him.”
“You told him before me?” She shook her head and slid the hot cocoa back across the table toward her. When she sat down, she took a sip and licked the whipped cream off her upper lip. “We’ll get to that later. What did he say?”
Half amused, half unsurprised, I said, “He was shocked. Said he needs some time to process.”
