Chapter Twenty-Nine
Bella
“This week has been a shit show, and now I find out that River and I don’t even have the same dads. I mean, what the fuck,” Corey says, coming into my office and sitting down on the daybed. “I’m almost scared to find out what tomorrow is going to bring.”
I swivel around in my chair. “He was as shocked, don’t worry. And it still doesn’t change anything for you both. You are still and always will be his baby sister.”
“I know,” she sighs, staring at her freshly done white fingernails. “It was just a shock. What other secrets is this family keeping? Actually, never mind, I don’t even want to know. A whole cupboard of skeletons will probably fall out and crush us all.”
I can’t help but laugh. “You know what, I think you’re right. It will be nice to have things a little drama-free for a while. No evil villain grannies or anything would be lovely.”
One love betrayal is more than enough.
“Only our family,” she sighs, standing up. “Can I do something for you for once? Get you something to eat or drink?”
She’s so sweet, and obviously wants to do something nice for me. So even though I already have a fridge full of snacks and drinks, I say, “Yes, please, I would love a coffee. And maybe some of those shortbread biscuits Julianna bought the other day.”
She beams as she walks out. “Okay, I’m on it.”
Julianna finds her way into my office next—it’s almost like it’s become everyone’s psychologist sessions. The poor thing looks upset, her eyes puffy and sad. And understandably so. Betrayal is a hell of a weapon, and it’s one that can take anyone down.
“I can’t believe Rosalind did this to me,” she says, sitting in the spot Corey just vacated. “I should have known that she didn’t forgive me and Romeo for being together. I thought she got over it and wanted to make amends, but boy, was I wrong. I don’t ever want to see her again.”
“What is your dad going to do with her?” I ask gently, wishing there was something I could do to help. “What if this is something she’s never going to let go, like with Cathy? I think losing Johnny Boy to Libby just pushed her over the edge even further, so they feel like they have nothing to lose.”
“They just want to bring down everyone around them. It’s pathetic. My parents don’t know what to do with her. At the end of the day, that’s their daughter. But Romeo told them she gets one chance and one chance only, because the next time the MC will be dealing with her themselves. I know I’m the only reason he was so lenient, but I just hope I don’t come to regret it,” she says, scrubbing her hands down her face. “You can’t choose your family. I just don’t know how I got paired with Dumb and Dumber.”
I choke with laughter. “It’s not your fault—you were a good sister to her. Unfortunately you can’t control other people and their intentions. But we can make sure that we don’t trust them again. Fool me once, shame on you...”
“Fool me twice, shame on me,” she finishes, nodding. “Yeah, you’re right. I just don’t understand how she can be filled with such hatred. She only dated Romeo for a few months, and I didn’t know about that when I met and fell in love with him. If I did know I probably wouldn’t have gone near him, because who the hell wants their sister’s sloppy seconds?”
I cover my mouth with my hand, trying to contain my amusement.
“But no, I didn’t know, and I fell head over heels in love with him, and here we are. With my sister now apparently wanting to kill him for deciding to marry and have a child with me,” she continues with her rant. “And because I’m pregnant I can’t even slap her across the face like I want to.”
“I can do it for you, if you like,” I offer, and her lip twitches. “I mean, Corey did.”
She grins. “True.”
Corey returns about twenty minutes later, with a mug of coffee and cookies. “Sorry I took so long. I ran into River, who wanted to have another discussion about me and him not having the same father.” She places them on my desk and then goes and sits next to Julianna. “And how are you doing?”
“My sister tried to kill my husband,” Julianna tells her.
Corey nods. “Yes, I was there. Your sister kidnapped me.”
Julianna hugs her with a sigh. “I’m so sorry, Corey. From now on that bitch isn’t coming anywhere near us and our family.”
I move next to them and hug them too, just as River sticks his head into the room, smiling when he sees all of us. “You guys are pretty damn cute.”
“Just feeling sorry for ourselves,” Julianna says, looking up at him. “You know, I always thought of you as this baby’s uncle, but you actually really are his uncle. That’s pretty cool.”
“Thanks,” he replies, looking down at her stomach. “And I never thought about it, but... I like that. I would have loved that baby regardless, though, blood or not.”
“I know,” she replies, smiling. “Do you want to come and sit with us? There’s room for one more on this daybed.”
He smiles and comes to sit next to me on the end, taking up the space of two people, and as always making us feel safe.
“So what happens next?” I ask them.
“Next we make sure that we’re all okay, safe and happy,” Julianna replies. “And we have a baby. And we don’t let anyone else hurt us.”
“And we trust each other more,” Corey says, looking at her brother.
“And we don’t make out with men in front of people’s brothers,” he replies in a dry tone. “The next time I see you kissing someone better be at your wedding.”
Corey rolls her eyes, and I decide to change the subject.
“Who is hungry?”