“I am pregnant with Cayden’s baby.” I laugh because I’malready crying. “I mean, sure, why not? It’s like the worst possible scenariothat could ever play out.”
“Not the worst, but…not the point.”
I wipe my cheeks and blow my nose. “What am I going to do?”
“What do you want to do?” Mel asks. “You have options…”
I don’t really. I mean, I do, but this isn’t just somerandom guy in a bar. Or a man who has ever disrespected me. It’s Cayden…the manI am stupidly in love with.
“I have to talk to him before I decide anything.”
She pulls me into her arms and I let her love and supportsurround me. “I know, right now, it doesn’t feel like it, but this will beokay. You are strong and smart. You have an amazing job.”
I sniff as the tears fall. “I am unmarried and we all knowhow the family feels about that.”
Melanie pulls back and purses her lips. “Yeah, but, screwthem. They aren’t the pillars of perfect living. They love you, Hadley. Theylove all of us beyond the point of normal, but they care. I know we’re all offour rockers, but there’s nothing we wouldn’t do for each other. You know that.”
“I definitely do. God, my dad.”
Melanie tries to hold back her laugh, but it escapes anyway.“Now, Cayden may not have any options because he’s going to be dead.”
“I have to tell him.”
“Who? Your dad?” Mel asks, her eyes wide.
“No, not my dad. I mean, sure I’ll have to tell him too, butnot now. Jesus, maybe once I’m actually giving birth you can call him and lethim know.”
She laughs at that. “Yeah, so not going to do that. Ifanyone is telling him, we’ll make it be Bethanne. He’s less likely to killher.”
I snort. “He’d put her in a convent for fear she’d be next.”
Mel smiles and then rubs my back. “You don’t have to tellCayden right away. Give yourself a few days to come to terms with it. Figureout what you want first, then you guys can discuss it. Maybe see the doctortoo. Confirm that what this test says is right. It could be a false positive.”
That sliver of hope hangs out there. Maybe she’s right.
“I’ll call today.”
“Good, and I love you and…we’ll be like two women and ababy. It’ll be fun. I’ll make them clothes and Auntie Mel will be the best.”
Yeah, I can’t even go there. Not now. Not until I know forsure.
* * * *
“I’m pregnant,” I say to my sister over the phone. Thismorning, I had my first appointment at my OBGYN and sure enough, I am withchild.
Bethanne goes silent.
“Beth?”
“You are…pregnant?”
“Yup. And no one knows other than Mel. So please keep yourmouth shut. I don’t want to tell anyone yet.”
I can imagine my sister’s face right now. “Are you happy?”
What a loaded question. It’s hard to explain what I ambecause it changes every damn minute. In thirty seconds I can go from oneextreme to another. “I don’t know if I’d say that I’m happy, but I am notunhappy. If that makes any sense.”
“It does,” Beth says with understanding only a sister canhave. “And you haven’t told anyone?”
