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Lyla turned in her seat to face me. “I’m not worried about the wedding thing. It’s that she was talking about a baby. I mean, she knows better than to say shit like that if it’s not true. Yeah, okay, sure, she could say she had a miscarriage if it really came down to it. But what if she’s not making it up?” She frowned, pressing her lips into a hard line.
“Maybe she really is pregnant and wants you to play baby daddy to this kid?”
I sat up straight, tension filling every muscle. “Ah fuck, Ly. What if you’re right?”
“I suggest you find out one way or the other, little cuz.”
“How the hell do I do that?” I asked with a groan. “It’s not like she’s going to tell me the truth if I point-blank ask her if she’s knocked up.”
“Well, I doubt any doctor’s office would tell you if she was a patient there or not because of HIPAA, so that’s out.”
“Fuck,” I muttered, scrubbing my hands over my face.
“Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out. I have an idea…” She trailed off, a devious grin lifting at her lips as she picked up her phone lying on the seat between us. “I’m going to need Mia’s help, though.”
Ten minutes later, we were picking up Mia and driving toward my parents’ house instead of the mall. Christmas shopping could wait, but finding out if Darcy was actually pregnant or not wouldn’t.
Mia was looking green as usual as she sat on the other side of Lyla. “This baby is really working you over,” Lyla murmured sympathetically.
“I’m never getting pregnant again,” she said with a moan. “I haven’t eaten in days. I’m lucky if I can keep down fluids.”
“Well, we will find you the best doctor and get you taken care of, my friend.” Lyla patted her on the shoulder as the driver pulled up in front of my parents’ mansion.
I didn’t particularly like Lyla’s idea, but it was the only one we had at the moment, so I had little choice but to follow along. Stepping out of the car, I walked around to help Mia out and kept close to her in case she tripped as we walked up the steps to the front door.
Lyla was already ringing the doorbell, and moments later, the housekeeper pulled the heavy door open with a welcoming smile. My father was at work, but my mother was always at home during the week. The housekeeper led us down to the library, where my mother was sitting with Julia Hamilton. On the table between them were wedding invitation samples and other things that made no sense to me, but they looked like they had to do with wedding preparation.
The housekeeper announced us, then left the room to retrieve refreshments while my mother stood, shock on her face as she crossed the room to greet us. “Darling,” she murmured. “What a wonderful surprise.”
I barely refrained from rolling my eyes, and I kissed her cheek. “Lyla and Mia couldn’t come to the party Friday night, and they wondered if you needed any help planning the wedding.”
I had to force myself not to spit the word “wedding” at her, instead giving her a tight smile.
“How wonderful, darling.” Turning with a beaming smile, she embraced Lyla then shook Mia’s hand. “It’s so good to see you again, dear.” Her eyes widened when she took in Mia’s sickly appearance and the sweat beading her forehead and upper lip. “Are you feeling well?”
Mia swallowed and gave my mother a grim smile. “Morning sickness is the devil,” she said with a weak laugh. “It’s not contained to just the morning, so I have it all day long.”
“Oh goodness,” Julia Hamilton exclaimed as she came over to join us. “Darcy had it for weeks until we got her in to see her OB/GYN. Isn’t that right, Braxton?”
My eyes widened at her asking me about her daughter’s morning sickness. How the fuck would I know when I hadn’t even seen her daughter in years up until a few days ago?
But it confirmed one thing.
Darcy was pregnant.
And apparently her mother thought I was the father.
What the actual fuck?
“I just found out that I’m pregnant,” Mia told her. “So I haven’t found a doctor yet. Would you mind suggesting your daughter’s?”
“Not at all.” Walking back over to the table, she picked up her phone and came back to us. “Here it is, dear. Tell them Julia Hamilton recommended you, and they will fit you in immediately.”
“Auntie Belinda,” Lyla said, putting her arm through my mother’s. “What can we help you with? I want to make sure Braxton’s wedding is perfect, and since he doesn’t have any sisters, Mia and I want to step in and help you with all the details.”
“That is so kind of you two, darling. Come and look at these beautiful invitations Julia and I are considering…”
For the next hour, the four of them talked about the wedding, and I had to grit my teeth and bite my tongue to keep from yelling at my mother that there wasn’t going to be a fucking wedding. Instead, I texted Barrick to ask him to pick up Nevaeh from her class and make sure she got to her next one safely.
