Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“Bellamy, I love you. You are my best friend. You’ve been there for me through… well, everything in my life, and I know it’s selfish of me, but I need you here for this, too. The thought of losing either one of you is tearing me up inside.” My voice cracks, and a tear rolls down my cheek. I make no move to wipe it because I’m sure there are more to follow.
“Aunt Manda sad,” Coral says.
“I’m okay, sweetie,” I assure her.
Mia crawls into my lap and hugs me around the neck, just as Will leans in and wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling us both in close.
“I can see it.” Reid nods. “At first, it was hard to wrap my head around, but seeing the two of you together, you’re in sync.”
“I wish I had the words to tell you, to explain it to you so that you would understand. I know asking Will to keep this from you was wrong. I’m sorry.”
“We’re sorry,” Will adds. “Bellamy, you’re my daughter. I love you more than anything, but this love, the love I have for Amanda, is a different kind of love. One I was sure I’d never find in this lifetime.”
Bellamy doesn’t respond right away. She just sits with her arms wrapped around herself, her eyes moving from my face to Will’s and back again, like she’s trying to solve a puzzle that suddenly has too many pieces.
The silence stretches. I try to think of something to say, but nothing will make this better. I just pray that one day she forgives us. I hope with everything inside me that I don’t lose my best friend.
“I know,” she finally says quietly. “I know it’s different.” Her voice isn’t angry. If anything, it sounds tired and reserved. “I know,” she repeats, swallowing hard. “I’ve seen it. The way you look at her. The way she looks at you. I just… didn’t want to believe it. No, that’s not true either. I just didn’t think this”—she waves her hand in the air between us—“would ever happen.” Her eyes flick to me again, and there’s something raw there—hurt, confusion, maybe even a little betrayal.
“Sweetheart,” Will says gently. “Look at me.” She doesn’t want to, but she does. “You are my daughter,” he continues. “That will never change. Not today, not tomorrow, not ten lifetimes from now. Nothing and no one can take your place in my heart.”
Bellamy’s chin trembles.
“You’re my best friend. Always,” I add.
“I mean, if this is going where I’m pretty sure it’s going, technically, you’d be her stepmother,” Reid chimes in with a chuckle.
I freeze, expecting Bellamy to lose it, but instead, something miraculous happens. She smiles.
“And if you adopt Mia, that makes her your half sister,” Reid keeps going.
“And this baby, too,” Will speaks up, leaning over and placing his hand on my belly.
“What?” Bellamy gasps, sitting up and letting the cover that was thrown over her lap fall to the floor. “You’re pregnant?”
I nod, tears now flowing freely down my face. “That’s why I passed out. I didn’t know I could get pregnant. I thought… well, you know what I thought.” I wipe my cheeks, and fresh tears spring to life.
“You’re having a baby?” she asks again, needing clarification.
“Yes, we’re having a baby.”
“So, your baby is going to be my wife’s half-sibling, and Coral and her little brother or sister are going to be your grandkids, step-grandkids. You can’t be Aunt Manda and Mamaw both, or can you?” Reid asks, smiling.
“Wait! You’re pregnant?” I ask Bellamy.
Will can already see what’s coming, and he takes Mia from me, kissing her cheeks and making her laugh.
Her head bounces up and down in a nod, and I’m on my feet, rushing toward her. She stands, too, and we meet together, wrapping each other in a hug so fierce that I feel we might burst wide open. But I refuse to let go, not until she does.
When she pulls back, she’s smiling. “I might be a little hormonal. I’m sorry for how I acted. I love you both so much, and this is… weird as hell, and it’s going to take some getting used to, but the two of you have been happier these past few months. Now that I know it’s because you found each other, what I have with Reid, how can I be angry about that?” she asks, wiping at her cheeks.
“I love you, bestie,” I say, my voice cracking.
“I love you, too.” She pulls me into another hug. “No more secrets. Whatever it is, we deal with it together. As a family.”
Relief washes over me, and the next thing I know, Reid, Will, and the girls have joined our group hug. When we finally break apart, I snuggle back up to Will on the couch while the girls play on the floor in front of us. Suddenly, the tension and worry from the past few months are gone, and in their place is pure happiness.