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When I get homethat night, Imogen and Hudson are on the couch, watching the original Harry Potter movie like two kids. And the damn questions start before I made it to the stairs.
“Where’s Scarlet?” Hudson looks around me, confused.
Gen moves a little slower. I may have woken her up. “Are Scarlet and the baby okay? Do you need something?”
“Scarlet’s sleeping at her condo tonight. She’s fine. Her mom stopped by, and we both just need a little space.” I turn away from them. “I’m going to bed.” I don’t make it two steps before Hudson is next to me. Pissed.
“That must have gone well. Scarlet hates her mom. Why are you here and not there with her?” Yeah. I’d feel the same way if she were my sister. But she’s not, and this doesn’t concern him. Not now. Not ever.
“I’m going to bed.” I get one foot on the bottom step before he opens his big mouth.
“You’re supposed to be taking care of my sister, Cade. Go do your fucking job.”
I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to hit someone so badly.
But I look at Hud and see Scarlet.
He’s got no idea what happened tonight.
He doesn’t get to know that.
Fuck him.
But he’s coming at it from a place of love and concern for his sister.
I get that. Begrudgingly. “Fuck off, Hud.”
And somebody does need to check on Scarlet.
I pull my phone out and make sure she’s taken care of.
Cade:Hey, man. Can you ask Amelia to check on Scarlet?
Sam:Why aren’t you checking on Scarlet yourself?
Cade:We had a fight and both needed some space. She’s at her place.
Sam:You left her alone?
Cade:Just ask her to call.
Sam:You’re about to make enemies out of both Amelia and Lenny. You know that, right?
Sam: Bad move getting a sister involved.
Cade:Just ask.
Sam:You need me to wipe your ass for you too, Saint?
Sam:No matter what it is, you’re fucking this up.
My phone rings, and I groan at Sam’s name flashing across the screen. “Okay, I may grow a vagina with this conversation, but as your friend, and a man who’s married to a woman who deserves so much more than me, I have to tell you, you’re fucking up.”
“Fuck off, Prince. We had a fight. A big one. I just need to know she’s okay.” I drop down on the edge of my bed and lie back. How the hell did we get here?
“You’re off your fucking rocker if you think my wife is going to call her sister and then let me report back to you. That’s not how this shit works. She’s going to call her sister, then she and Lenny are going to come hunt you down for whatever you did to fuck shit up. Because it’s always our fault. The fuck’s wrong with you, brother?”
I close my eyes and picture Scarlet, her lips trembling, her fingers caressing the ultrasound as she told me her truth. A truth she’d kept from me. A fact she should have shared months ago. A reality she shared now only because she was forced to by her mother, otherwise I might never have known. A heartbreaking loss she dealt with alone.
