AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"What did she say?" Karma turns to me.
"I believe she’s saying, fair’s fair." I walk over to rescue Karma’s hair from Avery, which results in Avery throwing her other arm around my neck. She holds onto both of us with a fierceness that belies her little frame.
"So, are things good with you and Seb?" Karma searches my features. "I assume they are, but you know, I have to ask. As the Don’s wife, by default, it makes me the senior-most female in the family, and all that."
"I’m great," I smile at her. "Seb hasn’t let us out of his sight since the night the intruder tried to break in. Not that I’m complaining. I’d rather have him for eye-candy, if you know what I mean."
"Oh, trust me, I do. And what about her? How’s she doing with Seb, and all the changes?" She nods toward Avery, who is following our conversation with avid attention. You’d think the girl understood every single word we speak, which I’m fairly sure she doesn’t. But once she starts speaking and picking up words, I'll have to watch myself around her.
"Oh, she and Seb have a mutual love affair going on. She has him wrapped around her little finger. From the time she wakes up in the morning, until she goes to bed, she has him doting on her. And he does it willingly. He’s arranged his entire life around her. He works from home so he can be sure to eat his meals with her. And he bathes her, then reads to her, and puts her to bed at night, and she… Laps it up."
"Sounds like the three of you are getting along really well."
"We are."
"Sounds like you’re happy," she says in a soft voice.
Tears prick my eyes, which is silly. "I am," I agree. "I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life."
"You deserve it." She gives me her full attention. "You really do."
"Thanks." Avery releases Karma’s hair and wraps both of her arms around my neck. I swing her into my arms, then plant her on my hip. "And what about you? How’s the pregnancy going?"
"It’s fine… so far." Her face clouds.
"So far?" I take in her features. "What does that mean?"
"Just that…" She glances away, then back at me. "I need to tell this to somebody, I guess."
"What?"
"I don’t know why it feels like it’s okay to tell you... Maybe because you have a child, so I think you’ll understand."
"What is it?" Avery wriggles in my arms and I shush her. "You can tell me anything Karma. I can keep a secret."
"I have this heart condition. It’s one of those things which is not life-threatening, unless it is."
"Like… when you’re pregnant, you mean?"
"There’s a chance it could flare up and turn life-threatening," she admits.
"Does Michael know about it?"
She locks her fingers together, then shakes her head.
"Are you going to tell him?"
She shakes her head again.
"What about Aurora?"
"No, absolutely not. If I told her, she’d have me admitted to the hospital, strap me to the bed, and have me monitored day and night."
"If it’s life-threatening—"
"That’s the thing. It’s not. There’s a chance I pull off the entire pregnancy without anything happening."
"What are the chances of it happening?"
