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Mom’s lips tightened. “No pregnancy.”
Hope shifted her gaze to Mia then looked away guiltily. Mia rolled her eyes at her sister. Not that look again, she’d told Hope she hadn’t slept with Alexi. She’d been yanking Niko’s chain. Alexi had not gotten her pregnant. Surely Hope believed her. She’d done a fine job looking out for her, better than she’d thought she would.
“We’d really like to discuss number nine now,” Mom said with a glint in her eye and steel in her voice.
Mia flinched. She’d been dreading number nine. Alexi’s arm tightened around her and she leaned into him.
“You are responsible for your own actions.”
“Mia, this was not all on Hope,” Mom said. “You should have called us and told us where you were living. You should have told us where Hope was living. You have to take care of Hope just as much as she takes care of you.”
More usually.
Hope never liked to see Mia chastised, so she quickly threw out the final rule. “No cheer accidents without reporting them to you.” Hope’s expression was a mixture of confidence and relief.
“Mia’s school called to tell us that another kid made Mia fall off the top of a pyramid to mock her about her living situation. That was a joy to hear on the home machine.”
Hope gasped and blushed. “I didn’t know about that.” Hope’s blush rushed away, leaving her face ashen. Sweat broke out on Hope’s face. She rushed from the room.
Mia raced after her. “It’s over, Hope. It’s okay.”
Hope shut herself into the hallway bathroom and retched. The water ran. Mia tapped on the door.
Hope pushed it open, and Mia slipped in. “You okay?”
r /> Hope nodded. She leaned over the sink, rinsing her mouth. Lifting a shaky hand to her hot forehead, she let the sink hold her weight and then snagged a guest toothbrush from the drawer to brush her teeth.
Maybe she was sick. As parent storms went, this hadn’t been a Category 5. Although Hope wasn’t used to anything but approval, so even mild disapproval must make her stomach twist.
Hope left her wrists under the water and leaned her forehead against the sink mirror. She shivered.
Tap, tap, tap.
“Hope, are you all right?” Mom and Dad were outside the door.
“Hope?” Niko sounded worried.
Hope blushed and patted her face with the towel.
“Hope?” Mia said.
Hope met her eyes a second and opened the door. They moved to the hallway. Hope leaned into Niko.
“Enough.” Niko brushed at a strand of Hope’s hair and hugged her to his side as he addressed their parents. “No more. We should have been stricter with the kids. But no more, not another word to Hope.”
The kids?
Dad nodded his approval for the first time that night.
Hope pulled back. She wiped a trembling hand over her face, her eyes searching Niko’s. “I’m pregnant.”
Niko’s eyes widened, his expression grew dazed. He pulled her closer, patted her back and murmured to her in Greek, small phrases, quiet phrases. Hope clung tightly to him.
Mia slipped over to Alexi’s side. “Want to get outta here?”
Alexi nodded. Mia hugged her sister and Niko, and then jerked her thumb at the door. Let’s go. Her wave to her parents was ignored, their eyes on Hope.
***
