“You don’t look so hot. Are you feeling okay?” he asks, tilting his head to the side as he examines my face.
“I’m fine,” I lie. “Just trying to psych myself up for tonight. It’s hard to wear heels and a constant smile for hours when I’m carrying a giant watermelon in my tummy.” I run my hands over my swollen stomach, and where it’s normally soothing, right now, nothing could quell the storm rising to catastrophic proportions inside me.
“I’ll have Charlotte send up some water and a snack. Why don’t you rest up until we have to go?” He glances at the watch strapped to his wrist. “It’s still early. We don’t need to leave for an hour.”
An hour to compose myself—when this envelope might contain news that will upend my world—is nowhere near long enough, but Leon is being sweet, and I don’t want to worry him. “Thanks, Leon. I’ll do that.”
I close my door and pad in my bare feet to my dresser, sitting down in front of my mirror, staring at my reflection with mounting horror. I hold the envelope in my trembling hands, terrified to open it. This will either help soften the blow or make it ten million times worse. I’m tempted to shove it in a drawer to deal with tomorrow, but the knowledge Dillon has received a similar envelope means I need to look at it now. I know Dillon will, and I won’t remain in the dark and give him additional power over me.
But I can’t do this alone, so I grab my cell and call my bestie, praying she answers. Audrey is the only person who knows exactly what’s going down because I needed someone to help keep me sane.
“Hey, babe.” Audrey sounds breathless when she picks up.
“Where are you?”
“At the train station,” she pants. “I’m out of breath because I just jogged up several flights of stairs and still missed the damn train.”
“I got the results,” I blurt.
“Shit. Give me a sec to find somewhere more private to talk.”
I nibble on my lips and my foot taps on the floor as I wait for her to move to a quieter spot.
“Okay. I’m good now. Talk to me.”
“I haven’t opened the envelope. I’ve just been staring at it, feeling like I’m going to throw up.”
“Rip the Band-Aid off, Viv. At least this way, you will know what you’re dealing with.”
“I’m so scared, Rey,” I whisper, as I cut the top of the envelope with my silver letter opener. “I don’t want anything to change. I don’t want Reeve to leave me. I don’t want to ruin Easton’s life.”
“Breathe, Viv. Please just breathe. God, I wish I was there with you.”
“Me too,” I admit, pulling the report out of the envelope with trembling fingers.
“It’s going to be okay. Reeve won’t leave you. He will be upset and angry for a while, but he loves you and Easton too much to walk away. And look at it this way; if Dillon is Easton’s father, he gets two dads. That won’t ruin his life. He might be confused for a while after he finds out, but you will love him and reassure him, and he’ll be okay. He’s an awesome little boy. He’ll be fine.”
“Thank you.” I swallow over the thick lump in my throat. “I needed to hear that.”
“I know you did, babe. You’ve got to remember this isn’t your fault. You didn’t know they were twins.”
I place my phone on speaker, setting it down on my dresser as I unfold the letter. Tears blur my vision as I read, plopping onto the page with finality. Sobs burst from my chest as the floodgates open.
“Viv? What does it say?” Audrey asks as I cry.
“I…it’s…I,” I splutter, unable to form words over the messy ball of emotion clogging the back of my throat. Audrey waits me out, reminding me she’s here for me. I stare at my tearstained face in the mirror. My makeup is ruined, but that’s the least of my concerns. Grabbing a tissue, I dab at the dampness on my cheeks and try to rein in my emotions. “Oh God, Audrey,” I rasp as a fresh layer of pain presses down on my chest.
“You’re going to be okay, Viv. Take deep breaths. In and out. You need to calm down.”
I do as she suggests, and gradually, I am composed enough to confirm what I’ve suspected since the twin truth was revealed. “Reeve isn’t Easton’s father. Dillon is.”