Page 93 of Fierce- Royce

“So someone you met through work,” her mother said. “That’s nice.”

“We’ve known each other for years.” She decided to tell her parents what her bosses had planned and wasn’t surprised to see their frowns. “As you can tell, there is a reason we kept it quiet.”

“You don’t like anyone telling you what to do,” her mother said. “Nor do you want any pressure on you to do what others think or want.”

“No,” she said. “And if I didn’t have more news we might have kept this quiet a bit longer, but it’s time to let everyone know.”

Her mother frowned. “What news?”

“I’m pregnant. A little over two months. I went to the doctor this week.”

“Chloe,” her mother said. “How could you be so foolish?”

She ground her teeth. She hadn’t expectedthatreaction. “First off, I didn’t plan it. And don’t say it’s a mistake. I hate that word.”

“We won’t say that word,” her father said. “Right, Doreen?”

She looked at her mother. “Right. But you’re old enough to know better.”

“I wasn’t careless. We protected ourselves, but it still happened. Royce is a great guy. As I said, we’ve known each other for years. We get along great.”

“Do you love him?” her mother asked. She didn’t expect to hear that either.

“Things are moving fast with us. I haven’t said the words to him. I’m not sure what I feel. Do I feel more strongly for him than anyone else? Yes, I do. We are in this together regardless. He told his father and sister last night. They are excited about the baby. They know me already obviously.”

“They get that bonus that we don’t,” her father said. “We want to meet this man that you are going to have a child with. You are going to keep the baby, right?”

“Of course I am,” she said indignantly. “Why would you ask that?”

She didn’t think anyone would question her on that. As a person that was adopted, she’d never consider giving a child up. But not only that, she had the means to raise a child and had a man in her life to help.

Even if she had to do it on her own, she still would have.

“I think, all things considered, it’s a fair question,” her mother said. “We’ve never wanted to assume anything with you before.”

She had to give them that. “Yes, I’m raising this child. I’m doing it with Royce. We are doing it together.”

“So you are moving in together?” her father asked.

“We haven’t gotten that far,” she said. She held her hand up. “Listen, I know you’ve got a lot of questions, but I don’t have answers. I’m sure we will be in the same house by time the baby comes, but it’s early yet.”

“You’ll leave your apartment?” her mother asked.

“Yes. He’s got a nice house not that far from here in a development. Plenty of space. His father’s company built the house twenty years ago or something and then he bought it a few years ago and made a bunch of changes. It will be a nice place to raise a child.”

Funny how she was thinking along those lines rather than co-parenting. Probably better to be positive this way but knew it could go sideways too.

“We just have to trust you know what you’re doing,” her mother said.

“I do,” she said. “I’m not a child. I’m not Emily.”

“Speaking of that,” her mother asked. “Have you decided what you’re going to do?”

“You mean if I’m going to find out more about Emily?” she asked.

“Yes. Or if you want to meet her? Maybe being pregnant now you might be inclined to find out more?”

“I did have a friend of Royce’s that is a PI look into her.” She shared what she found which wasn’t much. “Whether or not I reach out, I’m not sure yet. I can’t focus on that right now.”

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