Page 57 of Inherited Holiday

From an outsider looking in, I did have everything I set my mind to except one thing…

“I do have a lot, but the most important thing I don’t have is family. Do you understand how hard that’s been for me?”

“Two wrongs don’t make a right,” Grandma insisted, and I couldn’t argue with that either.

I still talked to my family. I even saw them a few times when they came to visit.

However, our relationship was strained.

At first, I changed my phone number. I mostly did that due to the fact that I didn’t want them finding me to try to change my mind. Over the course of a few months, I finally snapped out of it and called them. It was touch and go there for a minute, but now we talked every so often.

It still wasn’t good enough.

It never was.

Not holding back, I confessed, “I miss you guys. I hope you at least know that.”

“Oh, Nicholas…” Grandma pulled me into a tight hug. “I’m so happy you’re home.”

My mother made her way into the large space, kissing me on the cheek with a nostalgic smile clear across her face.

“We’ve all missed you,” she coaxed, pulling me into another tight hug.

I hugged her back. It felt good to be in her arms.

“Despite what happened, we’re very proud of everything you’ve accomplished, and now that you’re home, I’m hoping we can take the steps to move in the right direction.”

“Yes,” Grandma agreed with my mom. “Especially if you’re going to have a baby!”

“What?” Mom smiled, beaming.

What the hell is going on?

I opened my mouth to argue, but I closed it instead.

The thought of Noelle pregnant with my baby made my heart race…

“Is she pregnant?” Mom followed up, way to overly excited. “Oh, I’d love a baby in this house! We’re long overdue!”

“He just got here!” Felix exclaimed. “He can’t work that fast.”

Or can I?

Speaking of the devil, Noelle walked in with Holly beside her. My little sister wasn’t so little anymore.

“Nicholas!” She rushed over to me, wrapping her arms tightly around my chest. “I’m so happy you’re here! It’s been way too long.”

The emotions that poured out of me in that second weren’t something I expected to happen this soon, but they were unintentionally laying it on thick.

“I missed you too.” I kissed the top of her head.

Noelle stopped dead in her tracks, taking in the vision infront of her before hiding a smile behind her hand. She couldn’t fool me. It didn’t matter how nonchalant she pretended to be, I knew how much she enjoyed this.

Fully aware everything was getting to me.

Including envisioning her pregnant with my baby.

It wasn’t as if we were getting any younger, and she was my best friend. In a matter of seconds, my life with her flashed before my eyes.

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