“Oh yeah, well, guess who’s having my son?”
“You absolute motherfucker!” I yell, shoving Carter off me. “What is with you today? First the ultrasound and now this? You can’t just yell that at him? That is not what we talked about.”
“No. You said you had to tell him first. So I did. Now he knows it’s a boy.”
“Ugh. Carter, can you control yourself at all today?”
He’s still grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. “Nope. Too damn excited, sweetheart.” He grabs me by the waist and hauls back me into him for an epic, Hollywood-style kiss. If this were a movie, my foot would pop.
Except Oliver is standing on the massive front porch, his jaw unhinged and his eyes comically wide. I don’t even think he’s breathing. “He… a boy? Grace?”
“Now you’ve done it,” I grumbled to Carter under my breath, as I pull away, addressing Oliver now. “Yup. We weren’t going to find out and then Carter looked and yes. A boy.”
Oliver blinks at me in rapid succession. “Who you’re naming Oliver.”
I roll my eyes at his statement. “Whose name is undecided. I’m only twelve weeks, Oliver. Give a woman a break.”
He stumbles down the stairs of the porch, wrapping his arms around us both and hugging us fiercely. Oliver took the news about the pregnancy as well as he took the news of me and Carter being together. I never realized how overprotective Oliver is, but I’d be lying if I said I hated it.
Since then, Oliver and Carter have worked it out. You can’t keep the two of them apart for long. Any of them really.
“Are you happy?” Oliver asks, his voice hoarse.
“Very. Another Fritz boy. Are you kidding?”
Oliver laughs, squeezing us both.
“Can I tell mom now?” Oliver asks, and I pinch his side, making him grunt and jump back.
“Absolutely not,” I reply indignantly. “Carter told you the sex before I could, so now it’s my turn. Dammit, you’re both like a pack of wild puppies. Rein it in, boys.”
Carter beams at Oliver. “She’s going to be a great mom.”
My heart swells at that, but there is no way I’m letting him know.
The Fritzes typically do Sunday dinners when they can all manage it—crazy healthcare worker schedules and all. But today is Friday and we requested everyone be here. No one other than Oliver, Rina, and Landon know I’m pregnant.
Carter made me promise the moment the ultrasound was over; we’d tell the rest all at once. So now, here we are.
Everyone is sitting out in the solarium, laughing and enjoying a bottle of wine when the three of us enter. Light classical music plays from built-in speakers in the corners, invisibly encased in the small strips of white wood that support the room. Other than that, it’s all windows in here. Windows that hide nothing of the beautiful grounds of the compound.
Kaplan, Landon, Stella, Luca, Amelia, Layla, Rina, Brecken, Dr. and Mrs. Fritz. The gang’s all here and suddenly, for the first time since this whole pregnancy began, I feel like I’m about to throw up. For the first time, I’m seeing them all with new eyes. My adoptive family feels like a term of the past. Now I’m meeting them as a woman not only dating their son, brother, uncle or friend, but pregnant with his child.
I survived so much heartache because of the people in this room. They assuaged the blows my parents’ intolerance and eventual indifference left in me.
Carter takes my hand, bringing my knuckles up to his lips, his eyes staring deeply into mine. “Ready?”
I nod. My ability to speak is gone. Nausea swirls in my stomach as my nerves frazzle, my heart in my throat.
“There you are,” Octavia says as she catches us entering the room, her smile so reminiscent of Oliver’s, I can’t help but return it. We greet everyone, hugs all around, as is customary with this crew. Even Dr. Fritz gives me a hug and a knowing wink as he looks at Carter, who hasn’t released my hand. Carter is his father’s younger doppelgänger. The only Fritz to get both the dark hair and dark eyes.
Finally we reach Octavia, who I note didn’t rise off the chaise she’s resting on to hug us. I bend down to hug her, only to have her drag me onto the cushioned seat beside her. “What about me?” Carter gripes, feigning indignation. “I don’t get a hug?”
“I like Grace more than I like you,” his mother teases, winking at him.
“Well that’s good because she’s pregnant. With my kid.”
“Oh my freaking god, Carter.” I glare at him. “What is wrong with you today? Have you no filter?”
He laughs, but the room is damn silent now.
“Carter? Grace?” That’s Dr. Fritz who is now the spitting image of a man who looks like he just stumbled upon Medusa. We had told Carter’s parents we were dating. They were still at The Vineyard then, but since they returned, we’ve been here together a few times as a couple. But this is different. So different.
Octavia takes my hand, hers bone-thin and ice cold. I squeeze it gently, turning to meet her eyes. I feel like a teenager telling my mom I got accidentally knocked-up as words start spewing from my mouth. “Well, you know I had a seizure about ten weeks back now and they gave me some medication that interacted with my Depo and…” My face falls to my hands. That was a total TMI if ever there was one.
“And you’re pregnant,” Stella cuts in, breaking the painful silence we seem to be creating all over the place. “Cool. I get a baby cousin. Can Layla and I babysit?”
“Yes,” Layla agrees with a squeal of delight. “We’d be awesome babysitters.”
Leave it to the teenagers to help things along.
“Wait. So this is true?” Octavia presses, touching the side of my face and forcing my gaze back to hers. “How far along are you?”
“Twelve weeks,” Carter tells her, saving me for once today. “We wanted to wait to tell everyone until after the ultrasound today. Grace is superstitious like that.”
“Twelve weeks?” Emotion clogs her voice as her other hand covers her lips, her eyes welling up. “You’re twelve weeks pregnant with my grandchild?”
“Grandson, to be exact.”
She sucks in a breath, her hand now trembling in mine. She looks over to Dr. Fritz who has come to stand beside us, hovering over us like a tall, dark shadow though the delighted expression now transforming his features softens him tremendously.
Suddenly I’m swathed in a hug, Octavia surrounding me with her arms as she starts to cry on my shoulder. “Thank you,” she whispers to me. “You have no idea how badly I wanted this.”
“You’re not mad?” I check.
“Oh sweetie, I’m furious. I can’t believe you waited so long to tell us. To tell us all of this.”
“I’m sorry.”
She laughs, pulling away and wiping at her face. “No, you’re not, and just because you’re giving me another grandchild, don’t think I’m letting you get off easy. I’m in charge of decorating the nursery with you. Oh, and Amelia, Rina, and I will plan a baby shower. Here, at the house.”
I can only shake my head. “Whatever you want.” Because there is no way I could say no to her. Not now. Not ever.