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“Sweetheart, you don’t have to say that for our sake,” Lorraine says. “We might be old fashioned, but we understand that young folk these days have premarital relations.”
“Premarital what?” I sputter. “Craig and I haven’t—”
Craig’s dad slings an arm around my shoulders and pokes his son in the ribs. “Craig told us you two have been shacking up for a few weeks now. Nothing to be embarrassed about, darlin’.”
I narrow my eyes at Craig.
I’m sorry, he mouths.
“The way he talked about you, we just knew you’d be special and that you’d accept Karina into your life with open arms.”
“Who’s Karina?”
“Mom, don’t.” Craig shakes his head, but his mom has a one-track mind.
“I didn’t think your new girlfriend would want to meet Karina so soon—”
“Oh, I’m not his girlfriend.”
“—which is why I told her to stay in the back,” she continues, ignoring me. “But hell, if she’s ready, then so are we. Karina,” Lorraine yells across the restaurant. “The girlfriend wants to meet you.”
“I’m not his—”
My words are interrupted by a high-pitched squeal, and I take a step back when I see a pregnant woman running toward me with her arms wide open. Her belly bumps into me first followed by strong arms around my neck.
“Uh…” My arms dangle limply at my sides while I silently plead with Craig to do something. He jumps into action and pries the woman away from me.
“I’m sorry, I’m just a little emotional,” Karina says, rubbing her swollen belly. She looks lovingly at Craig and then back at me.
“It’s okay. You’re…wow, like a million months pregnant.”
Karina laughs and looks down at her belly. “Tell me about it. I haven’t seen my feet in three months.” She wiggles said feet and looks at me. “I just hope they’re still there.”
“They are.”
“Good.”
Lorraine wraps an arm around me and another around Karina and holds us close. “I love that you two get along. Family is so important, and this baby will need all the support he can get.”
“I take it you’re Craig’s sister?”
Karina’s eyes widen. She shakes her head. “Oh, no, sweetie, I’m his ex-wife.”
Okay, this is officially weird. It’s bad enough meeting the mom and dad on the first date, but the ex-wife? This is where I draw the line. I pull away from Lorraine and look at Craig.
“Mom, Dad, Karina…could you give us a second?” he asks, keeping his eyes on mine.
“You didn’t tell her?” Karina whispers. “Oh, Craig, please tell me you told her.”
“Tell me what?”
“I’m so sorry, Lizzie, I thought…we thought…” Lorraine’s words turn into a sympathetic frown.
Tossing my hands into the air, I sit down. “I’m lost.”
Karina grabs Craig’s hand and puts it on her belly. “The baby is Craig’s.”
My lips part. Words fly through my head, but nothing comes out.
