Page 106 of All Along

“Why would I run away? I love you. We’re living together. Next step is a baby.”

“I think the next step is supposed to be marriage.” Her eyes widen and she slaps a hand over her mouth. “Forget I said anything.”

I chuckle. “You want to get married? We’ll go down to the courthouse today.”

“What if I want a big wedding with a white dress and twenty bridesmaids?”

I shrug. “Those bridesmaids will be walking down the aisle alone since I refuse to have twenty groomsmen but otherwise, I don’t care. You want a wedding. You can have one.”

Anything Maya wants, I will move mountains to give her. As long as I don’t have to wear a baby blue tux, I’m all in.

“What if I want a romantic proposal?”

“Do you want a romantic proposal?”

Her cheeks darken but she nods.

“Then, I’ll start googling how to perform a romantic proposal.”

She giggles. “Or you could read for inspiration.” She motions toward her reading nook.

I waggle my eyebrows. “I thought we’d use those books for another kind of inspiration.”

“Enough.” Nova pushes her way in between us. “I’m taking my baby back before the two of you teach her about sex.”

“She’s too young to understand sex,” Lily says as she walks up to us with her husband, Jack, trailing her.

“I’m not chancing it.” Nova steals Iliana from my arms. The baby starts to scream. “Dang it. My little girl is obsessed with men. This does not bode well for my future. Where’s Hudson?” She wanders off.

“You appeared quite comfortable with a baby in your arms,” Lily says once Nova is gone.

“Sweet flower,” Jack grumbles from behind her. “Do not encourage them.”

“Why not? I want more grandchildren.”

He sighs. “I apologize for her.”

I smile. “No need to apologize. My mother is the same.”

“I’m the same what?” Mom says as she enters the house. My sisters and Dad follow her inside.

I tug on the collar of my t-shirt. It’s getting crowded in here. These are my friends and family, I remind myself, but it doesn’t help. I can feel the sweat gathering on my brow.

“Excuse us, Cora.” Maya tags my hand and drags me through the crowd down the hallway to her bedroom.

I vaguely hear catcalls and laughter but they sound far away as if I’m underwater.

Once the door is shut behind us, Maya pushes me onto the bed. She stands between my legs and brushes her fingers through my hair.

“Shall we work on some breathing techniques?” I nod. “Deep breath in.” I try to follow her instructions but I can’t seem to get enough air. I choke and start coughing.

Maya rubs a hand up and down my back until the coughing subsides and I feel as if I can breathe again. “Better? Let’s try again. Inhale a deep breath.” This time I manage to inhale a breath without choking on air. “And let it out.”

We go through the breathing exercises a few more times until my heart stops racing and my palms are no longer sweating.

I wrap my arms around Maya. “It shouldn’t be this way. I know and care for every single person in this house. I shouldn’t be panicking.”

“And I shouldn’t believe in vampires, but I do.”

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