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She’s holding me throughout all this and I’m thankful for it because it doesn’t look like I can stand on my own.
“So how far along are you?”
At her question, I jerk my eyes up and meet hers in the mirror.
They’re knowing.
She knows.
Maybe because like touching your belly, throwing up from a random food — something you really liked pre-pregnancy — is another dead giveaway. Plus she’s been through all this herself.
So even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t be able to deny it to her.
And honestly I don’t want to anyway and I whisper, “Seven weeks.”
“It’s his, isn’t it?” she asks next, her eyes frank and her tone clear. “My brother’s.”
I swallow, trying to gauge her mood, but I get nothing.
Besides, again it’s the truth, so I nod. “Yes.” Then, “Just don’t tell —” I hear the door slamming against the wall then and I straighten up from the sink, throwing the towel away. “He knows too, doesn’t he? My brother.”
Callie grimaces. “Well, there was no way to hide it. When you were throwing up in here and Ledger was going crazy out there, trying to get to you, he kinda figured it out.”
Now I’m feeling nauseated for another reason altogether. “I need to go out there. I need —”
“No,” Callie stops me. “What you need is to gather your strength. You need to relax and maybe lie down.”
“I can’t lie down,” I say frantically, turning away from the mirror and facing her. “They’re out there and I’m pretty sure Reed is trying to commit murder right now.”
Callie is still unbothered. “Well, if he is then I can assure you that Ledger can take care of himself. They’ve done this before, remember? They both know how to handle themselves. Your health is more important right now, especially when it’s only going to get rougher after this.”
“No, they haven’t.”
“What?”
I can’t believe I’m standing here, explaining things to her when Ledger is out there, going through God knows what.
But the sooner we finish chit-chatting, the sooner I can go out there. “Listen, the reason I came here tonight was to tell you guys. You and my brother. I was going to explain everything to you guys and somehow, someway, diffuse the situation enough so my brother doesn’t end up killing your brother.”
“But —”
“And he can do it, okay? Reed can and will kill Ledger if I don’t go out there and interfere. Because in my stupid infinite wisdom, I told Ledger to behave.”
Callie is still confused. “You told him to behave.”
“Yes,” I say frantically, my dread mounting by the second. “I told him to not antagonize Reed. I made him promise, so we need to get out of here and save his fucking life.”
She still doesn’t move. “You made him promise.”
“Yes,” I say exasperatedly. “Why is that such a big deal?”
“Because,” she replies slowly. “No one can make my brother promise anything. He’s a hothead, remember? Completely unpredictable and —”
“You know what.” I fold my arms across my chest, still feeling weak but not too weak to make my point. “I find it very offensive that you’d talk about your brother like that. He’s not a hothead.” Then, “Okay, maybe he is. But that’s not all that he is. There’s more to him than just being the Angry Thorn. So yes, he’s done some unpredictable crap in the past and made some mistakes. But who hasn’t? Are you saying that you’re so perfect that you’ve never made a mistake? He cares about people, okay? Maybe he doesn’t show it all the time but he does and yes, I made him promise and he agreed to it and —”
“Okay, I get it,” Callie says, her face lined with something very akin to amusement. “My brother is a saint.”
“I never —”
She reaches out and squeezes my shoulder. “Hey, I’m glad. I’m actually pretty thrilled. About all this.”
“Y-you are?”
“Yes.” She smiles. “Not only because we get to be double sisters now but also that my brother has found someone who finally understands him. Ledger has always been different, you know. From the rest of my brothers. Well, he’s the same in so many ways but he’s … his own person. His personality is different and I always wondered, growing up, if we ever understood him completely. And the fact that you get that, that you can actually see beneath the surface is the most wonderful news ever.” Then she grins. “Plus you guys are having a baby together. This is amazing. This is like, the best news I’ve heard ever since my studio told me they’re opening up an on-site daycare center.” Then, even more excitedly, “Oh my God, I need to decide what to wear to your wedding!” Gasping, she goes on, “Can Halo be your flower girl? Please, I’ll train her.”
She looks so happy right now.
