“Way ahead of you!” Dad said, smiling brightly.
My stomach twisted.Will he ever smile like that at me after I tell him?
The phone suddenly rang. Mom reached for it, but I beat her to it, picking up the receiver and immediately hanging up.
“Virginia!” Mom scolded. “What if that was important?”
“What I have to tell you is important,” I said.
Mom’s eyes flicked down to my stomach. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”
“No, I’m not pregnant!”
“A grandchild would be nice,” Dad said. “Even out of wedlock. Kai looks like he has good genes.”
“Oh, it would be the most handsome little boy!” Mom said.
“Or a beautiful girl. Long, red curls…”
The phone rang again. I picked it up and slammed down the receiver again.
“I’m not pregnant!” I said. “Stop speculating and let me get this out!”
“We’re only speculating because you’re delaying,” Dad said.
“I’m not delaying. You keep interrupting me.”
“Is this a practical joke?” Mom asked. “You know I don’t like jokes.”
“You like them when I make them,” Dad said.
“I only pretend to.”
“You know, that explains a lot.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. This wasn’t going well, and I hadn’t even told them yet. I should just blurt it out.I’ve been running an OnlyFans page. They probably didn’t even know what that was. I would have to explain it to them. Maybe it would be easier to say that I’ve been doing internet pornography. At least they would immediately understand what that meant.
I opened my mouth, but the doorbell rang.
“Don’t answer that!” I said.
“I’m not going to ignore someone at the door,” Mom said, already walking in that direction.
“Mom, please, just wait,” I said, but she was still going to the door.Just spit it out.“Earlier this year, I did something stupid for money. And it finally backfired.”
“Backfired, how?” Dad asked.
“We’re going to lose the house.”
Mom stopped in her tracks, even though the doorbell rang a second time. Dad slowly rolled himself toward me.
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.”
“Me too, Virginia,” Mom said. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault.”
“There will be other houses,” Dad said.
There won’t be. Because Sandra Trout will follow us wherever we go.