He grabs me and puts me on top of him. “That is everything I’ve always wanted to hear.”
* * *
“I invited Tilly,”I whisper to Tara. We both look over at Alan, but he’s busy with the boys. He has Evan on his back and Vincent wrapped around one of his legs. “I didn’t tell Alan, so shh.” I put my finger to my lips. She winks back at me, but Ethan walks behind her, wraps an arm around her waist, and hands her a drink.
“Rat poison for my lady love.” It’s a purple liquid, which they’ve claimed as their signature drink.
“What? That’s not fair,” I hear Evan complain. He slides down Alan’s back and runs to me. “Vickie, Alan says when Tara marries Vincent’s dad, Alan’s going to be his uncle. Can you marry my dad so Alan can be my uncle too?”
I look around the room at a loss for words. Tara lets out a chuckle. Ethan crosses his arms and waits, and Vincent takes Evan’s place on Alan’s back.
“You both can call me Uncle Alan now,” Alan says, and I elbow him in the ribs.
“But mine won’t be real. Dad!” Evan waves Colt over. My dad overhears and joins us in the kitchen.
Tonight is Tara’s birthday, and the penthouse is filled with family and friends. I’m reminded of how happy I am to be home. While I was in Mexico, my sister got engaged, and I wasn’t there. The pregnancy brought me back, and it was exactly what I needed.
Things have finally leveled off. The nausea continues to be controlled if I take my medication. Colt and I are still in our bubble. I spend every night with him when he’s home, continuing our tradition of eating together after his home games. I miss him when he’s gone, and I even went to one of his away games, though I stayed in the hotel and watched him on television. We ate takeout together when he got back.
He hasn’t missed a game, something I know he was concerned about, but his knee appears to be in great shape.
“What’s goin’ on?” he asks. He lifts Evan into his arms.
“Can you marry Vickie so Alan can be my uncle too?”
“Of all the reasons, I never considered Alan,” Colt says.
“That’s where you went wrong,” Alan responds.
Colt does his best to hide his amusement but fails. He whispers something in Evan’s ear then puts a finger to his own lips. “It’s a secret,” he whispers.
Whatever he says satisfies Evan, who jumps out of his father’s arms and approaches Alan and Vincent. My phone vibrates with a text from Tilly. I ask Tara to follow me to the elevator, and a few seconds later, it opens. A server takes her coat, and I pull her into a group hug. She’s in a dress with a red and black skirt, white top with black polka dots. She’s wearing big glasses with black polka dots on the frame.
“I haven’t seen you since you were twelve,” Tara says and wraps her arms around Tilly’s. “Let me introduce to you to everyone.”
They nearly collide into Alan, who is running around chasing Evan and Vincent.
“Alan,” Tara says. She catches my eye and we both smirk. “You remember Tilly, right?” Alan’s eyes nearly bug out when he sees her, staring directly at her chest that is barely restrained in her top.
“Tilly?” he mutters. “Hello.” He clears his throat. “Wow.”
“Why is Alan looking at her like that? And why is his mouth hanging open?” Vincent asks. Alan abruptly shuts it. Cheryl comes and pulls Tilly away in her excitement to see her.
I give Tara a high-five and spot Colt. His Adam’s apple bobs as he approaches, but my dad intercepts him, grabbing his attention. I narrow my eyes at him as one of the servers walks by and hands me a non-alcoholic drink. I sip it slowly while holding his stare. I take the cherry out of the drink and bite on it slowly. He continues to watch me while he talks to my father. My breasts have almost doubled in size in the past month, and he can’t keep his hands or eyes off them. He’s been patient about keeping our relationship quiet, but I know he’s getting restless. He wants us out in the public eye, and I know my days of privacy are numbered.
“Your father is about to faint,” Cheryl says. “Colt invited him to watch the team practice tomorrow. As if the season tickets aren’t enough.”
Colt catches my eye again and winks.
“Lame,” I say and walk away. I approach one of the food stations Ethan has set up in the kitchen. I’m still only eating small portions, and certain smells still set me off.
“Let me get you something,” Mother says. “How about some soup.” I nod at her and take a seat. Things with us have improved. I no longer avoid her calls, and we’ve had a couple of more sessions of therapy. She brings me a bowl of minestrone. She takes a seat next to me and rubs my stomach. There’s only a small bump.
“I was thinking I want a Christmas picture with you kids this year. I mentioned it to Tara, and Vincent overheard. He’s excited. He’s so adorable.” All I can think of is if Ethan and Vincent are included, Colt and Evan will be crushed if they’re not. “Maybe you and Colt can work things out.” She nudges my shoulder with hers. “I’m sorry about the Gerald thing. I thought that if I helped you guys get back together, I’d finally do something right by you. Believe it or not, I only wanted to help. But after what he said in the hospital, forget him.”
I enjoy the soup, and for the first time in a long time, I enjoy my mother’s company too. She rests her head on my shoulder and says, “I’m proud of you.” The spoon stops halfway to my mouth. Unsure of what to do or say, I remain frozen. She’s never said those words to me before. I don’t think she’s said it to any of us. “You always remain true to yourself. You stand up for what you believe in, and you love with your whole heart. Don’t ever change.” She runs a hand down my back, and I put my spoon down.
“Thank you, Mother.” She kisses my cheek and gets up but returns moments later with a bottle of water.
