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My mom was ensconced on one of Olivia’s comfortable lavender chairs, flipping through a magazine, her thick blond braid falling forward over her shoulder.
“Mom?” I asked at the same time she exclaimed, “Eden.”
Tossing the magazine aside, she stood up, arms open wide. I walked into them, bag of vitamins and all, and she enfolded me in a hug, her cushiony breasts pressing against mine. The familiar scent of coffee and cinnamon and Mom—of home—enveloped me.
My heart constricted. I hugged her back.
“Where the heck have you been?” she demanded in a voice rough with tears.
My own eyes stung. I swallowed hard. “New York. Well, that’s where I ended up anyway.”
“The city?”
“Yeah. Brooklyn.”
“You’re okay?” She stepped back, holding onto my upper arms. “You never called. We were so worried.”
“I’m sorry. I wanted to call, so bad, but I was afraid.”
Her brows scrunched together. “What d’you mean you were afraid?”
I blinked. Why had I said that? “I mean, I didn’t want you two involved.”
“Involved?”
Damn, I was only making things worse. I shook my head without speaking, and she palmed my cheek.
“It’s okay, honey. Whatever’s wrong, we’ll fix it. C’mon, let’s go.”
She plucked my jacket from the coat rack and held it out. I took it, hugging it to my stomach instead of putting it on. In the little bag, the vitamins rattled.
“I can’t, Mom. I have to get back.”
“You don’t have time for a short visit? What’s going on? And why are you here?”
“Just a routine checkup.”
Olivia entered the waiting room in time to hear that last part. She looked from me to my mother, clearly sensing the awkwardness, then smiled. “Hey, Gigi.”
My mom flicked her a look, but she was too polite to ignore the midwife. “Hello, Olivia.”
“She’s fine,” the midwife said. “Nothing to worry about.”
“See,” I told my mom. “It was routine. Now I have to go. My ride is waiting…”
Mom’s blue eyes scraped down my body. Then her mouth dropped open. Drawing my jacket to the side, she touched my abdomen.
“You’re pregnant, aren’t you?” She snatched the bag from me and pulled out the prenatal vitamins, eyeing the bottle like it was a hand grenade. “That’s why you’re here.”
I swallowed. “Yeah.”
My mom read the vitamin label and inhaled sharply. “With a dhampir?”
Olivia shifted on her feet. “Maybe I’ll give you two a few minutes alone.”
“Please,” said my mom without taking her gaze from me, and Olivia withdrew.
“Well?” Mom demanded.
