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He ignores her. “Actually, no. I'm gonna kill him.”
“Oscar.”
“I swear to fucking God, Alexandra, he's dead. Is this why you guys broke up? Did he get you pregnant and then break up with you? Fucking asshole.” He's pacing now, creating a draft in the room as he storms from one side to the other, wild-eyed and red-faced, hands braced on his hips.
He pauses at the foot of the bed, grasping the footboard with white-knuckled hands. “How long?”
Lux shifts, her eyes almost apologetic as they flutter towards me for a moment. “Almost five months.”
“Five?” Jackson gapes at his sister before side-eyeing me. “And you knew?”
“Not for five months.”Only for, like, one.
Jackson kisses his teeth. “Oh, well, that’s okay then.”
“I told her at the funeral,” Lux chimes in. “She took me to an appointment the day after.”
“I fuckingknewyou two were being weird.”
Cautiously, I sidle up behind Jackson, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Calm down. You're gonna pop a blood vessel.”
I get another one of those looks but beneath my palm, his shoulder slackens. Breathing deep, steadying breaths, he perches cautiously on the edge of the bed, gaze straying to the stomach swollen with his niece or nephew. “You're pregnant, Lux.”
“I'm aware.”
“A baby. You're gonna have ababy.”
Lux hums, absentmindedly rubbing her stomach, the faintest of smiles curling her lips up. A smile that's wiped the moment Jackson asks, “Mark knows?”
Her mouth flattens in a straight line. “Mark knows.”
“And?”
“And nothing.”
“I'll kill him.”
Lux rolls her eyes. “Your girl already offered to slash his tires.”
That earns me an appraising look from Jackson, one big hand wrapping around my thigh and squeezing. I bump him with my hip, my hand returning to his shoulder, briefly swiping through his hair before I can stop myself. Lux watches us with a knowing smirk that I choose to ignore. “You hungry? I can run out and get you something.”
She straightens up, her face brightening. “Would you mind?”
“Not at all.” I hold my hand palm up towards Jackson. He rummages around in his hoodie pocket for a moment before he drops my car keys in my waiting hand. “McDonald's?”
Lux presses a hand over her heart, bottom lip jutting out in a pout. “You might be my new favorite sister.”
Red stains my cheeks as I bark out a nervous laugh.
I don't let myself overthink her words, even when Jackson squeezes my thigh again with a smile on his face. I also don't overthink it when he grips me by the chin and drags my face down to his so he can kiss me. Definitely no overthinking happens when his lips brush over my cheek too, his thumb swiping over the warm, tingling spot they leave as he murmurs a 'thank you.'
I’m barely out the door before I hear Lux explode into giddy laughter. I don't stick around to eavesdrop on what she says—I have a good enough imagination to figure it out on my own—I just hightail it to the parking lot and, again, definitely do not overthink a thing.
* * *
Every person I pass shoots me a weird look when I re-enter the hospital almost an hour later, balancing at least half of McDonald’s menu in my arms.
Lux didn't specify what she wanted, so I got a bit of everything, purposely not using the credit card Jackson snuck into my back pocket at some point before I left. I may not be loaded, but I can swing a takeout.
