Page 111 of Power Move
“I got it,” I said.
“No, stop!” Jace called me out. “I got it.”
“Folks, I’m not broken. I can fix a dress!”
“Babes, if you squat right now, you’re not coming back up,”Ellie giggled. “Calm down. It’s fine.”
“I have been useless all day!” I whined as she beckoned me closer.
“You’re not. You are the best moral support available.” Ellie gave me a hug and a kiss. “How could I do this without you?”
“How could I not be here?” I sniffled, fighting tears.
“Tissue!” Callie called.
“Got it,” Jace pulled one out of their jacket.
“Ladies, let’s get together,” the photographer insisted.
“Folks or y’all. We’re not all ladies. I’m a Maid of Dishonor,” I corrected him with some self-deprecation.
Jace shot me a look of solidarity.
“Come here and shut up,” Ellie said. “You’re adorable. Show it off. You’re beautiful.”
She was right. I was happy and safe. Brooke couldn’t call me whore. I didn’t have to fear my mother’s judgement or the press’s eagle-eyed awareness that I was carrying David’s child. His mother insisted we do some sort of formal announcement via the publicist. I was wary but theTribunealready knew everything our workforce did. Why they withheld the news I didn’t know. Maybe it was out of respect for David Sr’s widow? No one knew. I was done being mortified. I couldn’t exactly hide it any longer. Davey didn’t want to. What more could we lose? The world hadn’t ended.
Davey
“Can you tell Eva we didn’t mean to miss her?” Bert asked.
He rushed over after the ceremony. I worried this was about to be a fight at the worst time. The newlyweds took pictures while we drank in celebration of their nuptials. The wedding was sweet and relaxed. It was perfect. The weather was a littlewarm, but nothing too bad for Labor Day. I didn’t want Bert and Mary to ruin everything.
“Excuse me?” I asked, confused.
“We meant to tell her we loved her—and not say anything about Brooke. We don’t want trouble. We are trying to figure it out, okay? I cannot see my baby up there looking so pretty and not say anything. But Brooke is in labor.”
“Oh,” I said. “So, you just want me to tell her that?”
“Yeah. We need to pick Miles up, so we’re rushing to the hospital right now. You don’t have to tell her all that. We’re not trying to play favorites here. Just… we need to figure out a way to protect Eva and I don’t think Mary is ready to admit all of this is futile yet.”
I nodded. “Okay. I will do my best. I hope it all goes well.”
He patted my arm. “Thanks, son.”
Son. I couldn’t help but feel bad. Eva was still rightfully angry with her parents. Discussions ended in tears—as did everything these days. They had no idea Carter was dying and that she cried anytime Mona sent an update. Eva was simultaneously happy about the babies thriving and grieving the loss of her beloved dog.
Eva appeared forty minutes later, looking exhausted. Cocktail hour was all about standing, but I knew she needed a break. We escaped outside to the ceremony space to sit. I grabbed her a pop.
“Thanks,” Eva said. “God, I’m so tired.”
“I hope you’re not too tired for a dance later,” I said. “I plan to take you out.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. It might surprise you to know I actuallyliketo dance.”
“Really?”
