Page 34 of Delta
“Emma was adopted,” I explain. “Gibson is having trouble getting through the red tape to get his hands on the information.”
“Ah, hence the whole hacking into confidential servers. Got it.” Alice kisses Tucker on top of his head, and he casts a quick grin over his shoulder. Right before his gaze drops to her stomach.
It’s brief.
A tiny blip of a moment, but the small smile on his face screams the underlying secret.
“You’re pregnant.”
Alice pales. “What?”
“Dude,” Tucker says, a wide grin spreading over his face.
“How did you know?” Alice demands, then smacks Tucker gently on the back of the shoulder. “You said we could tell him together!”
“He didn’t tell me.” Even with as thrilled as I am, a pain spreads through my chest. Pain that I won’t ever get to experience that type of love. The excitement that surely comes when you bring another human being into the world. “I could tell.”
“How?” Alice asks.
“You were drinking tea on the porch instead of coffee, and Tucker briefly glanced at your stomach just now.”
Alice narrows her gaze and crosses her arms. “Okay, Sherlock. First of all, you didn’t get close enough to my cup to see what was in it.”
“There was no coffee scent in the air when I came in.”
“Coffee scent?” Tucker laughs. “You need a hobby.”
That proverbial knife that’s been lodged in my chest for over a decade twists as I try to shove aside all of my feelings and focus only on the fact that I’m happy for my twin and his wife. “So when are you due?”
“The end of April,” she replies. “We only just found out yesterday.” Alice reaches into her back pocket and withdraws her cell, then shows it to me. On the screen is a black and white sonogram photograph. The baby is little more than a blurred shape, but it brings a wave of emotion over me regardless.
“A baby.” I smile. “Tucker is barely responsible enough for himself.”
Alice laughs. “That’s why he has me.”
“Who else knows?”
“Just you,” Tucker replies. “We were planning on telling everyone together, but then—” His expression falters.
“Emma,” I say, knowing that he wouldn’t want to deliver news like this amidst something as serious as a kidnapping.
“Emma,” he repeats. “I’m sorry, brother.”
“For what?” I hand Alice back her phone. “I’m happy for you both. Truly. I think a baby is great.”
“Thank you.” Alice smiles, then steps toward me but hesitates.
I know what she’s looking for, and I wish I could give it to her, but even something as simple as a hug might just push me right over the edge of the cliff I’m currently standing on. So I remain where I am and do my best to ignore the slight disappointment on her face.
“Uh, will you let me know if you get anything? I need to go burn off some of this steam before I pop.”
“Sure thing, brother. Go.”
“Thanks. And congratulations, you guys.”
“Thank you.” Alice steps back toward Tucker, so after forcing another smile, I turn toward the door and head out of their house. Even though the air is fresher here than anywhere I’ve been, there might as well be no oxygen.
A baby.
