Seb, who’s sitting next to me, takes my hand and holds it in his lap. Everyone in the room follows the action. “Before I say anything about what happened tonight,” Seb says in a tone that I’ve never heard from him before, “I want you to understand that me, Micky, and Colby love Ellie. We’ve loved her for a long time but did nothing about it because of our family situation.”
“LOVE?” Harry spits like it’s a dirty word that tastes foul in his mouth.
Rather than rising to it, Seb holds up his hand calmly. “We held back out of respect for Ellie and for you both, but there came the point where we couldn’t anymore.”
“So you’ve been messing around together behind our backs?” Harry says. “All of you?” The look of disgust that twists his face is enough to enrage Colby. His jaw ticks, and his shoulders bunch, but Micky rests a calming hand on his back, and Seb continues, unaffected.
“Ellie’s pregnant,” he says softly. “It isn’t something that any of us intended, but it’s something we’re all happy about. We’re not innocent of what it’s going to take for us to care for a child. Changes will need to be made, but all you need to know is that we’re together in wanting this child and the future that it’s going to bring with it.”
“You can’t be serious,” Harry says. “This situation has to be dealt with.”
Seb is quick to raise his hand, and he leans forward, narrowing his eyes. “Dad, I’m going to let that comment go one time. ONE TIME. But if you say it again, we’re going to have a big problem. That’s our child you’re talking about. Don’t forget that.”
“Do you even know whose child it is?” he asks, the sneer still tugging his lips.
“We share DNA,” Micky says. “We share love. We share Ellie. This baby will be all of ours.”
Seb nods. “Exactly.”
Mom put her hand over her mouth, her eyes blinking rapidly. “You’re having a baby?”
I nod, resting my hand over my belly. “I’m having a baby.” She starts to cry, and I’m not sure if they’re happy or sad tears. I suspect it’s a mix of both. “Mom?”
Turning to Colby and Micky, her expression makes me fearful that she will explode on them. If I were in her shoes, I’d be gouging out eyes and skewering dicks.
“Are you going to look after my baby?” she asks softly. “And my grandbaby?”
“Yes, ma’am,” all the triplets say at once.
“Well, I guess that’s it.” She brushed her hands over her slacks, once, twice, punctuating the end of the conversation. “I’ll set up an appointment with an OB-GYN. I want to ensure you’re doing everything you need to stay healthy and help that baby grow big and strong.”
“Less of the big, mom,” I say. “If it’s anything like its daddies, it’s going to be huge.”
“Well, you reap what you sow, baby,” she says. A smile plays on her lips, and I’m so fucking confused that I laugh.
“What is it, mom? Why aren’t you yelling?”
Seb pretends to cover my mouth. “Ignore her. She doesn’t know what she’s saying…pregnancy brain.”
Mom laughs and shakes her head. “You know I love you all, right? And maybe it’s odd, but I’m so happy that my daughter has found men I respect to fall in love with.”
The surprise on the triplets’ faces is enough to make my heart ache. In fact, a little tear leaks from the corner of my eye at their pride and happiness. We all look at Harry, waiting to see what his response will be. He’s staring at my mom like he’s seeing her for the first time. I guess hearing her validation of his sons has taken away some of his anger at the situation.
It should.
“Dad?” Micky asks. The hopefulness in his voice forces another tear from my eye.
“Well, the ship has sailed,” he says gruffly. “No point in me having anything to say on the matter.”
“We’d like you to say that you’re with us rather than against us,” Seb says, squeezing my hand.
Harry shrugs his shoulders, glancing around the room. “I just want you to all make sure that you’re not giving up important parts of your future. Between the four of you, you can work out how to still do the things that are necessary for your long-term happiness and security. I guess I can help you all with that.”
Seb nods, and I swallow the lump in my throat. “We’d appreciate your help and advice.”
From the corner of the room, Celine clears her throat. “Well, isn’t this just awesome? One big, soon to be even bigger, happy family.”
“Yeah, congratulations, Ellie,” Gabriella says.
“Congratulations,” Dornan adds, still unable to look at me. Even though his outburst sent me running tonight, I can’t hold a grudge. His motives were decent, and that is all that matters. I stand from the couch, striding across to him, placing my hands on his face and forcing him to look me in the eye.