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“Before any of you ask questions, I have a story to tell you.” I start by telling them how I’ve wanted more with Riley for a while. I tell them about our kiss and even our night together, sparing them the details. We’re all adults; I think we can read between the lines.
“You slept with my sister?” Raven blurts.
“I did.”
“And Hayes, he’s yours?” April asks.
“He is.”
“I’m so sorry,” Riley cries. “I was devastated that he was gone, and I couldn’t deal, not after our night. I went shopping in Jessup a few times and blew it off as dating. Then when I found out I was pregnant, Raven assumed, and so did the rest of you, it was the guy I was dating, and I didn’t tell you any different.” A sob escapes her lips.
“Rave?” I nod toward my son, and she’s on her feet, taking him from my arms.
With both hands free, I wrap them around Riley and hold her as close as I can. To see her upset like this guts me. All I want to do is make it better.
“I wrote him letters,” Riley explains. “He didn’t reply. I thought he didn’t want us.”
“Why didn’t you?” Brett asks, crossing his arms over his chest. I don’t take the move as offensive. I’m glad they were all here for her when I wasn’t. I know he’s coming from a place of friendship. At least he better be.
“I didn’t get them. I promise you if I’d known that the woman I’ve been in love with for years was having my baby, I would have been here. I don’t care what it would have taken to come home. I would have been here. As a matter of fact, I was working on coming home early when I found out about my dad.”
“Why?” Darcey asks.
“Riley.”
“Explain that.” This is from Jacob. He’s gripping the back of the couch. He has that look on his face that tells me he’s processing what he’s hearing right now and trying to form his own analysis.
“Raven wrote to us and even sent a picture of her with Riley at the baby shower. At first, I was broken by the news, but then I realized that it was the jackass who knocked her up’s loss. That I would be there for her and for her son. I knew that loving him would be easy because he was a part of her.”
“Wow,” Raven breathes.
“I was coming home. I wanted to be here when he was born. I wanted to be there for both of them. I got the call about my dad and left as soon as I heard. I was shocked to see you all in the parking lot that day. I knew she was getting close, but no one ever actually told me her due date, and I was too stubborn to ask.”
“So how did you end up here?” Bruce eyes the two of us.
“When Jake called me this morning, I jumped at the chance to get Riley alone. I’ve been trying since I’ve been home, but today was the first day that was possible.”
“Wait.” Raven holds her hand up to stop me. “Is that why you’ve been short with him?”
“You noticed that?” Riley asks.
“Yeah, I thought it was hormones from just giving birth.”
“It was that too,” Riley admits. “But mostly it was my anger at him acting as if nothing happened, that Hayes wasn’t his son. I ended up blowing up about it earlier, and he didn’t know.”
“Wow,” Darcey whispers.
“I’m so sorry that I lied to all of you. Can you forgive me?”
Raven stands and passes Hayes off to April. She moves around the coffee table and kneels before us. “Riley, you’re my sister, my only family, and there isn’t anything you could do that I wouldn’t forgive you for. I hate that you felt like you couldn’t tell me.”
“He’s your best friend.”
“You’re my twin sister.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I relax my hold so that they can hug. They pull away and wipe at each other's tears before Raven stands and leans over the chair to hug me too.
“So what’s next?” Raven asks.
“Uh, I’m not sure I know what you’re asking.”
“With this.” She points at the two of us.
“We’re getting married,” I say at the same time Riley says, “We’re co-parenting.”
“Yeah, looks like you two still have some things to work out.” Bruce laughs.
“There’s nothing to work out. We’re not getting married. Just because we have a kid together doesn’t mean we have to get married. I’ve tried explaining this to him,” Riley says, pointing over her shoulder at me.
“And I’ve tried telling you that when a man loves a woman, he marries her,” I counter.
“So this is real?” Raven asks. “You know, just so that we’re all on the same page.” She smirks.
“This is real. It’s as real as it can get, and one day, my friend, I will be your brother-in-law, and our kids will be cousins. As for the rest of you-” I eye our group of friends “I hope that you all find the love of your life as I have. I do have one piece of advice for you. When you find that person, tell them. Don’t let fear of the unknown hold you back. Don’t let a possible misconception of the situation cause you to miss out on what could be precious moments.” I glance at my son, still sleeping in April’s arms.
