Page 39 of Resolution
Samantha
Somehow,Enzo and I manage to make it through the party without any further drama. Even though I’m incredibly irritated with Devin, having the two of them here was handy. By the time Enzo and I come downstairs, most of the kitchen’s clean and leftover food has been put into tubs and placed in my fridge. Aubrey even took the liberty of doing the few dishes in the sink. Devin realizes something’s wrong but is smart enough not to bring it up. Maybe Aubrey let the cat out of the bag to spare us from having to fill him in. When they leave, they graciously offer to take Declan and Frankie for the night. They know how loud slumber parties can be.
The next morning, as Enzo piles on pancakes to everyone’s plates, I add sausage and eggs. Each girl’s melancholy compared to last night and eats in silence. Occasionally, conversations continue about what had happened at the party, but for the most part, they keep to themselves.
As soon as they finish eating, the majority of the girls go home, leaving only Nicole and Maddie visiting in the family room. Enzo’s doing dishes and I’m sitting to eat while Maddie and Nicole curl up on the couch, deep in conversation, which is typical for them. I’m surprised when I hear Nicole mention, “Hey, Maddie, is your mom feeling all right?”
Maddie glances in my direction and I shrug, wondering where Nicole is going with this. “Yeah, I think so.”
When Nicole realizes I’m paying attention, she directs her comment to me, “Sorry, Mrs. O’Reilly. No offense.”
“None taken.” I shrug, wondering why she thinks I’m sick.
“Well, it’s just that.” Nicole blushes and appears embarrassed, but I eye her skeptically to continue and she does without any further prompting. “Well… you seem to be really exhausted and there’s something about you that’s different. I don’t know. I… I mean, you look great. Glowing even, but you’re dressing differently and…” she trails off.
Holy fuck. She knows I’m pregnant. How the fuck can she know this? I take in a deep breath and slowly release it, trying like hell not to let my sudden tension show. I turn my attention to Maddie and see the wheels turning in her head. She boldly eyes me up and down. When she reaches my mid-section, she stops and stares. Maddie’s expression morphs from confusion, to shock, to what I can only describe as denial.
“Oh. My. God. You’re not… Are you? There’s no way you can be…” Suddenly, she grits out in a hiss, “You’re such a hypocrite.”
Wondering where the anger is coming from, I ask, “What do you mean?”
“You sat Soren and me down in this very room and lit into us. You had the ‘sex talk,’ right here in front of him. It was beyond embarrassing.”
Without thinking, I burst out a response to her, “Well, the timing was right. You came in here talking about one of your friends staying out all night with a girl. You and Soren have been together awhile. The odds are you were either A… Already having sex or B… At least thinking about it. I thought I would hedge my bets and take the side of safety.”
“But you know we’re not having sex,” Maddie retorts.
“I know that, now. I would have had that talk with you no matter what. I’ve always been frank with you, Mads. You know that.”
“But… But…” she mutters and I see the wheels still turning in her head.
I feel Enzo come to my side as I wait out Maddie, to find where she’s going with this. He places a hand on my back, showing moral support.
After a long while, I quietly state, “I’m not a hypocrite, Maddie. You know that.”
“But are you…” She looks between Enzo and me, then back to my belly. If I wasn’t in the midst of having to defend myself, I’d almost think her ogling was comical. Unfortunately, this means I have a lot more explaining to do than I ever intended.
“But what?” Enzo finally breaks his silence.
“Are you guys… Um… Pregnant?” Maddie finally whispers, her eyes still wide in disbelief.
“Yes,” Enzo’s deep voice rings out. “But I want you to be clear on a few things before you jump to any more conclusions.” His tone is one I’ve never heard before. It’s commanding, and not to be messed with.
Maddie takes the hint and waits for him to continue.
Enzo reaches for my trembling hand. I’d been worried as to how to tell the kids, and didn’t think we’d have to say anything until after the wedding. A pin drop can be heard throughout the house as we all wait for him to continue.
“First,” Enzo’s deep voice breaks the silence. “Like I told you when I asked if I could marry your mother, I love her more than life itself. Second, I love you kids, too. I never knew what I’d been missing until I met your mom and you kids. Did we expect to add more kids to the family? No. But are we ecstatic about it? Hell yes. I’m so happy I get to be a part of five kids’ lives. I’m freaking scared to death I won’t know what to do, but I’m hoping with all of your help, I’ll be a great dad to all of you. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to replace your dad, but I want to be there for you, too.”
He takes a big breath, then continues before anyone can say anything. “Your mom loves you. She does everything in her power to protect you, even if it means causing embarrassment to set things right. You need to get a few things straight. She’s not a hypocrite and this isn’t her fault.” Enzo takes another settling breath and I swear, the tips of his ears turn a few shades darker, but only if you know him like I do. He continues with, “It… Uh… Takes two to tango. I’m just as at fault as she is for this unexpected pregnancy. Not that it’s any of your business, but we were careful, and it still happened.”
Maddie’s mouth hangs open and my heart squeezes as tears prick my eyes. His words have my emotions reeling. I don’t think I could love this man any more than I do right at this moment.
The torch of anger Maddie’s been carrying is quickly put out. She looks from me to him, then back to me. She approaches me with tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Mom.” She reaches out for a hug and I squeeze her tight.
“It’s okay, honey.”
Maddie pulls back and looks me in the eye. “I’m really going to be a big sister again?”
