Page 46 of Laying His Claim
Giving in to what they both wanted, he grasped her left hand and planted a kiss on the finger where an engagement ring, and eventually his wedding ring, would sit. “Yes, my love. Let’s just do this.”
They held on to each other for a long time, but even that couldn’t chase away the last cobwebs of guilt from Justin’s mind.
* * *
Jalissa threw one final glance at the tea setting for two on the low table in Justin’s sun room before opening the door to Kaiya. The two friends hugged each other, then they walked further into the room and Kaiya set TJ down before Sebastian. Those two also hugged, chattering away in a language that only toddlers understand.
“Ooh,” Kaiya exclaimed as she sat. The table was laid with Justin’s best china tea service, and an array of dainty dishes that Jalissa had spent the morning making, despite the fact that it was her day off and she should, theoretically, not want to set foot in a kitchen. There were tiny open-faced baby shrimp sandwiches, handmade oatcakes with a cream cheese and sundried tomato spread, and avocado slices on wholegrain toast. On the sweeter side, Jalissa had served strawberry scones with clotted cream, madeleines sprinkled with citrus zest, and butterscotch éclairs.
“You’re a dangerous woman to know, Jalissa,” Kaiya announced as she began placing delicacies on her plate. “By the time I walk out of here, I’ll weigh a million pounds.”
Jalissa poured the mint tea and poo-poohed the mere idea. “No, you won’t. You have the metabolism of a dragonfly.”
Kaiya bit into an éclair, closed her eyes in pleasure, then responded. “Maybe normally, but pregnancy is a whole ‘nother ball game.”
“What?” Jalissa squealed, her hands shaking with excitement, so much so that amber tea spilled from her cup into its saucer. “You’re pregnant?”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Kaiya grinned, radiating glee.
“What? When? How?”
Kaiya winked. “You know how.”
Jalissa playfully swatted her friend on the arm. “You know what I mean. Did you guys plan this? Are you excited?”
“Yes, we did, and I amsoexcited. Ty is, too.”
“I am so happy for you,” she said sincerely. Jalissa waited until she’d put away a whole scone before saying, “Not to steal your thunder, but–”
Kaiya immediately looked down at Jalissa’s flat belly. “Are you?”
Slapping her hands to her abdomen defensively, Jalissa exclaimed. “Me? No!” At least, she thought not. She and Justin hadn’t been very careful, and you never knew how the universe worked. “What I mean is, we’re getting married!”
“The engagement is back on the table? I was wondering what was happening with that. Did he propose to you again?”
“Iproposed,” she admitted with a sheepish grin. “But he said yes.”
Kaiya hugged her. “I’m so happy. Do you love him?”
“I do. And he loves me, too.”
“That’s amazing. That’s great. Especially since you don’t remember the first time.”
There was a thick silence that followed, one that Jalissa didn’t like at all. “Kaiya? Is there something you want to tell me? Do you not think marrying Justin is a good idea?”
Kaiya gave her a stoic smile. “Of course, I think it’s a good idea. It’s just that I’m surprised. Just before you started seeing Justin, I remember you talked about tying your tubes.”
Given how happy she was now, as a mother, the idea that she’d have considered such a permanent solution left her aghast. “What! That’s drastic!”
“I know. You just swore you’d never have any children.”
“Why? Why would I say that?”
Kaiya shrugged. “You never told me. But I never forgot what you said. Matter of fact…” She glanced uncomfortably in the direction of the nursery, where the laughter of the children could be heard. “Matter of fact,” she pressed on, “Justin and I had a few arguments when you were in your coma, when we first discovered you were pregnant. I reminded him that you were against being a mother, but since he was your fiancé and presumably the baby’s father, I allowed him to convince me of your carrying Seb to term.”
After the argument he said they’d had and the awful things she’d told him, Justin had fought for her to have their baby? Even after she’d threatened to terminate? The idea that she might have had her way, and that Seb might not have been brought into existence, nauseated her, made her weak.
Suddenly not hungry anymore, she pushed her tea plate away and towards the empty area of the table. Kaiya did likewise. “The woman I was,” she began tentatively, “wasn’t such a nice person, was she?” She felt deeply ashamed, anguished.
