“You knocked up Lauren, didn’t you?” Trista’s voice is so low and full of menace Brian and I both instinctively take a step back.
“I… maybe?” I look at him for help, but Brian just raises his palms, signaling I’m on my own with this one.
“You asshole!” She throws her phone at me, and I barely duck out of the way. “What part of don’t fuck her did you not understand?”
“The part where we’re two consenting adults!” I yell back and barely avoid a wooden spoon. Damn, that girl has a strong arm.
“Obviously not if you were stupid enough not to use protection!” She grabs a bread roll and lunges it into my head.
“Ow!” I protest, rubbing the spot she hit with focused accuracy. Trista’s face is getting impossibly red, and I shoot Brian a look. His worried gaze is fixated on my sister, ready to jump in if necessary.
“What were you thinking, you fucking moron?” Another bread roll flies my way.
“It was just that one time,” I excuse, barely loud enough for her to hear, but she does, and I swear I see smoke coming out of her ears.
Brian takes a step toward her, gently touching her arm, bending to her ear to whisper something, and Trista’s eyes flutter shut as she inhales deeply.Oh, thank fuck. Because I’m pretty sure she was a shade of red away from starting to fling sharp objects at me.
“Tris—” She lifts a finger to silence me, taking a few more deep breaths before her eyes open and her finger drops.
“What are you going to do?”
“Lore is coming here. We haven’t figured out the living arrangements yet. I would rather she moved in with me, but whatever works best for her and the baby.” I look at my little sister and, surmising she’s over the murderous streak, I take a cautious step forward, then a few more, until I’m standing in front of her. And up close, I can see the sadness and fear slowly replacing the wrath. “I won’t be another person that crushes her, Trista, I swear.”
“She’s not the only one I’m worried about, Mikey.” The last remnants of anger leave her vibrant blue eyes and are replaced by a watery mix of confusion, concern, and grief. “I can’t do it again. I can’t.”
“You won’t have to.” I pull Trista into a hug, a real one this time. Her face buries in my chest, and her tears wet my shirt. “I’m so sorry I made you go through that even once, Cabbage Patch, so sorry. But I promise I’m okay.”
“You’re really, really okay?” Her muffled sobs are something I’d usually try to make fun of, lighten the situation by rubbing her the wrong way and making her sad turn to mad. But not now, not whenI’mthe reason my baby sister is falling apart in my arms. Because last time I wasn’t able to carry the weight and she was forced to do it for me. I will never make her do that again.Never.
“Better than okay,” I promise, tightening my arms around her. “This is crazy and amazing, and that woman…”
I can’t find the right word to describe Lauren, but I don’t have to. Trista knows her better than I do. “She’s pretty awesome, isn’t she?” Trista looks up with a smile, and I laugh.
“She’s a rockstar.”My rockstar.
“You better not screw this up because I will choose her over you!”
“Can’t blame you.” I tug her braid, and she swats me away. “Cabbage Patch.”
“Fuck you.” She shoves me back playfully before wrapping me up in another hug. “Baby Daddy.”
I catch Brian looking at us with a warm smile. “You want in on this cuddle action, B?”
“Nah, man, I’m good. Congratulations.” He passes by us, giving Trista a little wink, and pats me on the shoulder, his hand lingering as his gaze turns serious. “Lauren is one of the good ones, Mikey, which says a lot because she hasn’t had it easy.”
“I know. I’ll do right by her and that baby.”
“Even if that means letting her go?” I can see it in his eyes, he knows. That inner struggle, wanting to give Lauren everything, even those parts of me that I’m not sure are still viable, but also not wanting to start something and then break her all over again.
Instead of answering, I look back down at Trista with a grin. “Did I ever tell you how much I like your boyfriend?”
Trista shoots an undeciphered sideways glance at Brian, her arms tightening around my middle but more like she’s bracing to hold me back than hugging me. “So, now seems like the right time to tell you we got married in China.”
I stare at her, not entirely sure how to react to that specific piece of information, and her arms go into death grip mode.
I let out a choked sound because she really is stronger than she looks, and I can hear my ribs starting to crack. “You can let go, Tris. I’m not going to hit Brian for eloping with you.”
Her hold loosens, Brian holds back a snort in the background, and she lets out a relieved sigh. “Good, because your surprise news is way worse.” Then she frowns, brow furrowing in thought. “Does Mom know?”