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I looked at my brother, willing him to understand, but he refused to meet my eyes. “I’m not saying it’s your fault at all. I’m just saying that we fell in love, and we didn’t want to hurt you. That’s why we didn’t tell you.”
“You’re in love?” my mom asked, the first hint of a smile playing on her lips, despite the circumstances.
I nodded, so did Brett.
My mom sighed, her lips curling into a knowing smile. “I can’t say that it comes as much of a surprise to me. The baby? That’s a surprise, but I always had a feeling about the two of you.”
Even my dad grunted his agreement.
Well, what do you know?
“You’re not angry?” I asked, not able to believe that everything was going so smoothly.
“We’re not thrilled,” my dad said, then glanced at Brett. “Not because of your relationship, I mean. We both expected that would happen eventually, like Martha said. But it would’ve been nice if we’d had a wedding before a grandchild.”
“Speaking of which,” Mom said hesitantly, looking pained by what she was about to say. “You’re an adult now. We understand that, and we understand that it’s your decision, but have you decided what you’re going to do?”
They couldn’t seriously think… “We’re keeping the baby,” I said.
Mom smiled a relieved smile. “That’s good. I’m glad. We like that. I think congratulations are in order then.”
“Seriously?” I gaped. Both my parents nodded and stood, so Brett and I did, too. More hugs were exchanged, and my dad even thumped Brett’s back.
“You’re a good man, Brett. We’ve both always liked you. We know that you’re gonna be a stand-up guy for our Sophie and the baby, and if you’re not, well...”
“You’ll kick my ass?” Brett supplied helpfully, grinning at my dad.
“Exactly.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Brett said. “I love her. I’m going to care of both of them.”
“Glad to hear it,” Mom chimed in, leaning over me to give Brett a quick hug, too.
“That’s it?” Mark muttered incredulously, looking at our parents like they were in on some sort of conspiracy against him. “Un-fucking-believable.”
He stormed out of the room after that. Brett tensed, moving to go after him, but Mom laid a gentle hand on his arm. “Let Sophia go. The two of you, you’re too much alike. One or both of you will end up with a bloody nose if you go out there right now.”
Mom had a solid point. I planted a kiss on Brett’s cheek, ignored his look of warning, and turned to go after my brother. Mark would never hurt me, and Brett knew it. As for a few scathing words, he didn’t have to worry about that. I could take it.
“I’ll be fine,” I assured Brett before I left. “I’ll be right back.”
“Famous last words,” my dad muttered under his breath, smiling when he stuck his thumb up at me. “Go get him, slugger.”
I couldn’t believe that my parents were so okay with this. Now that I thought about it, I probably owed Mark for telling them. I doubt they’d have been as calm if they hadn’t had some time to think it through. I doubted that all that stuff they said to and about Brett earlier were the first things that came to mind when they’d been told I’d gotten pregnant by him.
Mark was on the back patio, slumped in a plastic chair and staring off into the distance. He didn’t look at me when I took a seat n
ext to him.
“Come to rub it in my face, have you?” he spat.
Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself that he had a right to be angry and that I wasn’t out here to fight with him, despite what he might say to me. “You know I would never do that.”
“I don’t know anything anymore.”
“I know that we shook your foundations pretty hard with this. I’m shaken up myself.”
Mark sucked in a breath and shook his head. “At least you knew it might be coming.”
