Page 19 of Blackout: Book Two

I busy myself and my mind by cleaning the kitchen. That doesn’t take very long and when I’m finished, I move to the living room. I contemplate ordering dinner, but nothing is appetizing these days and I don’t really have much of an appetite either. Turning on the television, I realize I still haven’t told my mother about my pregnancy. Her and my stepfather have been traveling Europe celebrating their anniversary, and it wasn’t something I thought she should hear over the phone. She’ll be back next week and the elaborate way I planned on telling her has lost its appeal like everything else. I guess you’re never too old to just want your mom.

Before I have the chance to reach for my phone, the doorbell rings. With a sigh, I get up from the couch and make my way to the door. Begrudgingly, I pull it open to find Nico on the other end holding two pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

“What are you doing here?”

“Before you turn me away, this isn’t for you,” he explains, holding up the pints. “I mean it is, but it isn’t. I’m not here to check on you. I’m sort of having a Drake day and I’m in my feelings.”

“You didn’t really just say that, did you?”

“Kiki, do you love me,” he sings, wiggling his eyebrows for extra emphasis. A smile ticks the corners of my mouth and I step to the side, allowing him room to enter. He pauses and smacks a kiss to my cheek.

“You’re the best,” he exclaims as I shut the door and roll my eyes. “Seriously, I hate everyone.”

“That makes two of us,” I mutter, watching as he pulls two plastic spoons from his back pocket.

“Let’s hate the world together.”

Snatching one of the spoons, I size up the two pints of ice cream and choose the Cherry Garcia flavor. We make our way to the couch and pop the lids off. As Nico digs in, I let my ice cream melt a bit and eye him curiously.

“So, why do you hate the world?”

He swallows a mouthful of ice cream before looking at me.

“Let me see, where should I begin? My father is being a dick since he took the gavel and I don’t know if it’s because he’d rather be with Maria or if he’s overwhelmed with his new position.”

“Probably a bit of both,” I comment.

“Yeah, well, he needs to get a grip on life because things are about to get worse.”

“How so?”

“Remember that call I got when I was here the other day? It was my brother, Frankie.”

Taking a bite of ice cream, I raise an eyebrow.

“The youngest, right?”

“Youngest and fucking dumbest,” he grunts. “The fucking kid has been preaching about abstinence and all this bullshit about waiting until he finds the right girl…”

“Aww, that’s sweet

He glares at me.

“What? It is,” I defend.

“You’re missing the kicker, here,” he mutters. “Frankie found his perfect girl, got his dick wet and the fucking condom broke,” he hisses. “The little shit called me in a panic. I mean he was sobbing, asking me why the condom was empty,” he continues, shaking his head. “Not cool.”

Lifting my hand, I cover my mouth and suppress the laughter.

“You’re kidding,” I accuse.

“Do I look like I’m kidding?” he asks, raising an eyebrow. “It gets better. Guess who Frankie’s perfect girl is? The fucking district attorney’s daughter.”

My hand drops from my face as I stare at him in shock.

“Yeah, Frankie might’ve knocked up Ritzer’s daughter. Tell me, how do you think that will play out with my old man?”

“Does Ritzer know Frankie is Wolf’s son?”

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