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“Aunt Jazzy!” Trace called when he caught sight of me. I grinned.
“Hey, buddy. Looks like you got a new ride.”
“Dad said I’m almost too big for this, but I said he’s got big shoulders so it would be fine,” Trace reasoned, and we all laughed.
“Where’s your mom and my new niece?”
“Mom is changing Angeline’s diaper. Dad and I are gonna swim in the pool. Uncle Venom, Aunt Loralei, Uncle Voodoo, Aunt Kira, and baby Parker are on their way, too! You wanna come?” he asked with excitement.
The fact that my brother named his daughter after our mom almost made me cry every time I heard her name. In a good way, but it still really hit me in the heart.
“Maybe next time. Well, how about if I sit by the pool with you,” I said with a smile. No way was I wearing a swimsuit in front of my brother, his club, and his family. Nothing said “hello, I’m pregnant” like a baby bump in a bikini.
“How did everything go today?” my brother asked. I’d finally decided to tell him I was going after about a month of sessions. Getting over my initial worries, I figured it would be good for him to know I had started doing something to get myself in a better place. Especially if I wanted him to accept that Nico and I were going to be a thing. Granted, I didn’t need his permission, but it would make things a lot easier if everyone involved was cool with it.
Again, I prayed Nico wouldn’t lose his shit about the baby. I prayed he was the man I thought he was; otherwise this could get really ugly.
“It went really good.”
“I’m proud of you sis, and I’m happy for you. You deserve the best, and I only want to see you happy.”
“Let’s go get our swimsuits on!” Trace said as he waved his hands around. Angel clutched his thighs tighter.
“Easy there, cowboy!” My brother chuckled. “We’ll see you out by the pool.”
Since my leggings were a bit warm, I opted to put on a pair of shorts, but kept the loose Boho-style off-the-shoulder top. Knowing the boys probably didn’t, I grabbed towels from the hall closet and went out back.
“I was just going in to get those,” Korrie said with a grin. Angeline was snoozing in her little baby swing under a huge umbrella. Absently setting the towels down on the glass-top table, I leaned over to fawn over my beautiful niece. It had me wondering if I was having a boy or girl.
“She’s so beautiful,” I murmured softly.
Korrie snorted. “No need to be quiet. That one would sleep through a tornado.”
Angel jumped in the pool with a squealing Trace, followed by a big splash.
“See?” We both laughed.
“Aunt Jazzy! Come sit by us!” Trace called out as he swam toward the stairs.
I took one of the towels to the edge of the pool and laid it out as Trace climbed out of the pool. Before I could sit down, I heard the slap of wet feet on concrete. Trace flew past me and cannonballed into the pool. Water exploded from the pool and soaked me.
Hair hanging in my face, I stood there sputtering. Trace surfaced, giggling his little ass off.
He was the only one, though. After I pushed the hair out of my face and dried my face off with the towel, I looked into my brother and sister-in-law’s shocked faces.
“What?” I asked.
“Umm,” Korrie said as she circled a pointer finger at my stomach.
Looking down, I saw the top that had once been flowing, was now stuck to me like a second skin. My four-month along baby bump was sticking out front and center. I’d never cursed being skinny more than at that moment.
“Oh!” I heard over my shoulder. I turned to find the whole troop was gawking at me as well. The women looked excited; the guys couldn’t seem to pick their jaws up off the ground. Pulling my attention from the new arrivals with a sigh, I glanced back to my brother.
His once shocked face was steadily getting redder.
“Jude,” I began, pulling out the real name card, then nervously chewed on my lip. “Remember how you said you just wanted me to be happy?”
