There Are No Words (The Morelli Sisters #3)

Chapter Four

Allegra

So my ob-gyn didn’t want to see me, wouldn’t put me out of my misery.

“Wait until the second month,” the receptionist insisted. Ugh. Maybe I needed a new doctor. Don’t they know I need confirmation?

But with my age and health, they said it was normal that I wait. In other words, they wouldn’t help me until I was due for my first prenatal appointment.

It would have been great to hear about my baby from a medical professional, but since they weren’t helping, I decided to go another route and visit my psychic.

Yes, I had a psychic—she even read tarot cards. I also had an astrologer and a medium.

Was I religious? Sure. I was just about as Catholic as the next New York Italian, but I was also a universe-loving girl. Maybe that was incompatible with my faith, but it always made me feel closer to God, not more disconnected. My sisters certainly didn’t get it, but it gave me even more peace. And let’s just say that after losing Mom, I needed all the peace I could get, hence the addition of a medium to my contacts.

The point was, I needed to see my psychic. I needed to know what she knew about this pregnancy. Then I would be able to relax and do the next logical thing—talk to Brady.

I drove the distance to the Upper East Side where Veronica worked and waited to meet with her. Just sitting in the space made me feel more at ease. Everything about the way Veronica designed the atmosphere made it that way. The walls were lavender, the beige carpet was soft beneath my feet—yes, I could tell even with shoes on—and the violet velvet chair I was sitting on was heavenly. And she always burned lavender incense.

It was so quiet the only sound that filled my ears was the tick tock of the clock.

I played with the straps of my handbag as I waited for Veronica.

Tick . My whole life was going to change.

Tock . I would need to move into a bigger place, right?

Tick . Why were condoms so useless?

Tock . I needed to remember that some things were out of my control.

Tick . This was one of those things.

Veronica pulled back the curtain to where she gave readings, and an elderly man walked out with her on his heels. As was usual, she had her long, red, curly hair piled atop her head. On her body hung a patterned maxi dress and the most jewelry I’d ever seen—necklaces of varying lengths, bracelets, and rings.

After she bid her previous client farewell, she greeted me, saying, “Allie.” Her green eyes connected with mine. “Good to see you. Do you—”

Let’s be clear about something—I never needed to tell Veronica why I was here. She knew. I didn’t know how, but she always did. I believed in the magic of all of this and her, though, so it wasn’t hard for me to exhale and nod.

Years ago, a friend hired her for an event, and as soon as we connected it just felt right. I knew Veronica was someone I could trust. She was the real deal, no question about it.

“Come on back,” she finally said, and I followed her to the table. The lighting was dim, and she put away her tarot cards before sitting opposite of me and extending her hands on the table, her bracelets jangling as she did. “You’re here for a reading, I presume?”

I nodded. “I’m pregnant,” I confirmed what I thought she already knew and laid my hands on the table for her to take. The store-bought test had already told me that I was pregnant, and I’d suspected that it was correct (as much as I wanted to be delusional in the car with Dom), but I needed more information. “I need to know what you know, Veronica. Please.”

She held my hands and waited, closing her eyes for a brief moment before she gasped, looked me square in the eyes, and smiled. “You will have a baby. A healthy baby for sure.”

I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Oh, thank heaven. My baby was going to be healthy. “You’re sure?”

So full of confidence in her vision, Veronica laughed and nodded. Then her voice grew serious as she went on, saying, “Your journey will not be easy, but it will bring someone new into your life, which will give you insight into someone you already know.”

Brady? It had to be Brady. But he was already in my life—at least technically. Who else could come into my life?

“This is how your child will come by their name,” she said.

Interesting. Will the name come from the new person or the person I already know?

“These are things I know, so don’t worry, Allie. This is a special time, and you must embrace everything that comes your way.”

Embrace everything that comes my way? I could do that. I was a positive, optimistic person.

I smiled. “Thank you, Veronica.” I closed my eyes for a brief moment and let the serenity she offered wash over me.

This was going to be good. Everything was going to be okay.

Now I just had to find the strength to tell Brady.