“You have every right to be upset. But Rhett and I are consenting adults. We both knew if we had told you we were sneaky links, you would have lost your ever-loving mind. It never was supposed to go on as long as it did. In fact, we were done and over with when I found out I was pregnant, okay? And then I found out the father of my child might die before we ever get the chance to grow old together, so forgive me for notimmediately running to your door while I tried to be there for him.”
He doesn’t say anything for a while and I take a second to compose myself and get my own temper under control before I talk again.
“This isn’t going away. And you cannot avoid us forever. There is nothing more I can do right now besides apologize, which I have. Multiple times now. I didn’t sleep all night because all I could think about is how I let you down.”
He sighs and closes his eyes, his head falling against the headrest. “You didn’t let me down. I don’t get why you wouldn’t tell me.”
“I want you to take a second and think to yourself: would you really have been cool with it if I had told you from the get-go? Rhett was always upfront with me about what he had to offer. There was no point in dragging people in if it was going to be temporary. But, we couldn’t stay away. My heart has wanted him for a long time, and now that I have him, I might lose you because of it.”
“You could never lose me. Me needing space doesn’t mean I won’t forgive you.”
“I get that, but I have a million hormones pumping through me right now. Conflict makes me want to vomit and I just got out of the nausea phase of this pregnancy.” I’m hoping I can guilt him into forgiveness. I am a lot of things but shameful ain't one.
“Okay,” he says, taking a deep breath. “I forgive you. It’s still going to take me a while to get used to this and to process and move on. You will always be my baby sister, and no matter how mad you make me, I will always forgive you.”
Emotion rises in me, which isn’t new. Pregnancy means I have tears on demand. Happy, cry. Sad, cry. Mad, cry. It’s very annoying. So it’s no shock when tears fall.
“You know I hate it when you cry.”
“And I hate it, too. Yet, here we are.” I throw my hands up in defeat.
Weston leans across the console of his truck to hug me. “It’s going to be fine. We are okay.”
I nod. “You have to forgive Rhett, too.”
Weston goes rigid with that. “I’m trying.”
“He needs a friend right now. He’s going through a lot. Waiting on results, processing being a dad in a few months,” I say, my tone soft and careful. “He needs you.”
He hangs his head, seeming to stew over my words before responding. “I know,” he responds quietly.
“I know it will take time, but please show up for him.” I lean my head into his shoulder and I realize my brother's shoulder will always be my soft place to land.
Chapter 27
Aspen
Rhett grabs my hand as we walk up to the clinic. My emotions are at war between excitement and nervousness. A lot of things can be diagnosed from the anatomy scan at twenty weeks. That’s part of the curse about working in health care: you know too much. The majority are few and far between, but I know better than to write it off.
“You ready to see our baby?” Rhett squeezes my hand.
“More than ready. What do you think it is?” I ask him. We haven’t broached this conversation with everything else going on.
“I’d be more than happy with either; I just want him or her to be healthy. I never thought I would have this, so I’m just glad to be living it.” He keeps his head forward, but I can hear the emotion in his voice.
“I know this scares you, but I can’t imagine doing this with anyone else.”
“Me either, honey.” He lets go of my hand only to wrap his arm around my shoulders and pull me closer to him as we walk.
We go through the check-in process, and after a short wait, are brought back to the room. I get situated on the bed, and we get started.
“Alrighty guys, are you ready to see your baby?”
I eagerly nod, eyes on the screen. She pulls up my shirt and puts a squirt of the cold gel on my bump before pressing the probe against my belly.
Rhett sits next to me, his foot tapping at speeds I didn’t quite think were possible. Instantly I can see the outline of my baby. The sweet little nose, the tiny toes.
“Wow,” Rhett says so quietly I can barely hear.
