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“I’ve got sandwiches!” Catherine said. “And soup for the lovely pregnant woman.”

“Thank you so much,” I said. “This morning was a nightmare.”

“You can keep that stuff to yourself,” Natasha said. “I didn’t have the kind of sickness you’re battling.”

“Good. Maybe that means I’m not having multiples. Because looking at your twins gives me the creeps.”

“Scared you can’t handle multiples?” Natasha asked with a grin.

“So, I need to fill you guys in on some stuff,” I said.

“Have you talked to Ryan? Because girl, you can’t keep-”

“Yes,” I said. “I have.”

Catherine fell silent as a broad smile ricocheted along Natasha’s cheeks.

“And since you’re not in tears, I take the conversation went well?” Natasha asked.

“It… went,” I said.

“Define ‘went’,” Catherine said.

“So, I sort of blurted it out to him at that meeting we had last week. Thursday night?”

“Is that why you came back from the bathroom in tears?” Catherine asked. “Did he say something to you?”

“No. He was pretty shell-shocked. He saw me run out of the auditorium after a bout of sickness rolled through my veins, and he knocked on the bathroom door. It just, fell out of my mouth. Right there. Without any warning. He kept asking to talk and it just... boom.”

“Sounds about right for you,” Natasha said with a giggle.

“Anyway,” I said. “He called Friday night and I decided to finally answer. We went to dinner this weekend and… he said he wanted to support me in all this.”

“Oh yes! See! I told you it wouldn't go to shit,” Catherine said.

“Oh, no no. It’s not that simple,” I said as I bounced the child in my arms. “He just signed for full custody of his nephews and his niece.”

“Carter told me something about that yesterday,” Natasha said.

“Wait, what happened with Valentina? Is she okay?” Catherine asked.

“All I’m comfortable telling is that she realized she couldn't raise the kids on her own while traveling the path she was. Ryan signed for custody last week.”

“So it’s not just you two and the baby. There’s three other kids in the mix,” Catherine said.

“Yep.”

“How does that make you feel?” Natasha asked.

“Worried. I don’t know if there’s room for me and another child in all of the chaos going on in his life,” I said.

“But he said he wants to help. To support you, right? That’s what he said?”

“His exact words were ‘in any way he could’.”

“Then that’s a good thing. Take him up on his offer,” Catherine said. “If anything, you’re going to be slapped with some insane medical bills because of our crappy insurance plans. He can help you with that kind of stuff.”

“I don’t want his money,” I said.


Tags: Nicole Elliot Romance