Page 156 of Rule Breakers Fall Hardest

“I hope so,” she sighs.

I hate seeing my bubbly, vivacious best friend like this. Stressed. Sick. Worried.

With a painted-on smile, I glance her way. “I’m going to spoil this baby silly, just so you know.”

She laughs at that, and I swear some of the weight visibly lifts from her shoulders. She’s not alone in this, and I want her to know it.

“You’ll be the best Auntie, Rosie. At least you’ll be able to give me advice. I’m terrified, and I don’t have the first clue about how to take care of a baby.”

The defeat in her voice breaks my heart. Our situations are different, but many of the feelings are the same. I think she’ll be surprised by how quickly she’ll adapt. Parenting is challenging, for sure, but I find that a lot of the little stuff I was worried about feels insignificant now.

“Yep, and we’ll have playdates with the baby and Sammy. It’s going to be great. And you know I’ll be there for any advice you need.” My priority today is to cheer her up, but I might be laying it on too thick, so I snap my mouth shut.

“Yeah, that’ll be fun,” she says in a detached tone, turning to the window. “How are things with you and Daire?”

As much as I want to help her work through this, I give in and let her change the subject. “Good, really good… they’re…” I rack my brain for the right words. “Real. It’s real.”

She shifts in her seat and gives my wrist a squeeze. “I’m so happy for you.” She’s quiet for a few minutes, watching the scenery passing by.

I remain silent too, unsure of what to talk about if not this situation she’s found herself in.

Eventually she asks, “Do you think you and Daire will have kids?”

I laugh at that, which probably isn’t the best reaction when she’s in the predicament she’s in. “One day. But not now. We have our hands full with Sammy. I can’t imagine another one any time soon.”

“Sammy’s lucky to have you both.”

Emotion clogs my throat. “Thank you.”

It’s hard most days, not only parenting a child, but digesting all he’s lost already. I never knew Danielle, and Daire didn’t know herwelleither, so at some point, after everything is settled, we’ll have to meet up with her family and learn what we can so that Sammy always knows about his mom.

The whole situation might’ve been fucked, but she doesn’t deserve to be erased from his life. Neither of us would ever dream of doing that.

As we pull into the parking lot of the OBGYN’s office attached to the hospital, a shaky breath flutters out of Bertie’s lips. “I think I’m going to throw up.”

Quickly, I reach for the grocery tote I keep in the back seat and shove it at her.

She opens it, taking a few deep breaths, while I watch her, unsure of how to help.

After a solid minute passes and nothing happens, she nods. “I think it passed.”

“Maybe take the bag with you. Just in case.”

“Yeah.” She folds it up in her lap. “Good idea.”

The office is on the first floor to our left. Bertie signs in while I find a chair in the corner.

“I’ll just wait out here for you, okay?”

She shakes her head vigorously, her eyes going glassy. “I want you to come back with me.”

Trepidation rolls through me, but I want her to be as comfortable as possible. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” She rubs at the side of her nose, breathing a rapidly. “Fuck,” she says in a low whisper, knocking the back of her head against the wall behind us lightly. “I’m going to have to tell Luke.”

I clasp my hands in my lap and shift to face her. “When do you think you’ll do it?”

She holds her hands out in front of her, stretching her fingers. “I don’t know, but I can’t put it off forever. He’s… he’s such a good guy. I’ve been avoiding him because I’m so fucking scared. But I can’t be one of those girls who waits until there’s no hiding it before breaking the news or, God forbid, never tells him at all.”

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