Vanessa
" S o… what was that?”
“What was what?”
I pretend to be engrossed in something on my phone. I know what she’s asking but I’m not ready to tell her. I have so many conflicting emotions swirling through my head right now. Until I can figure all this out, I’m not ready to tell my best friend I betrayed her by marrying her brother without telling her.
“Cut the shit, .”
“You should really stop cursing. You’re a mom, now.”
We were at P&T celebrating Reese landing a campaign with a big fashion brand. Everyone we knew was either on the dance floor or at the bar, Ava and I settled into our personal booth not drinking. She’s currently in her second trimester of pregnancy and I’m the godmother, so I refuse to drink in support.
“What’s going on with you and my brother?”
“I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
“.”
I knew she was going to see us walk in together. I told Stephen that we needed to arrive separately. He just huffed like I insulted him before ushering me into P&T with his damn hand on the small of my back.
I don’t know what his deal is. He knows more than anyone how fragile Ava is. We can’t just drop a truth bomb like that on her.
“Nothing is going on, Ava.”
She sighs, looking over my shoulder at Reese and her friends who are dancing pretty enthusiastically last time I checked. I don’t bother looking this time.
All I want to do is go home and go to bed. I’ve been super exhausted lately.
Ava looks back at me, a frown crossing her face. She opens her mouth to say something else when Jesse enters our booth. Immediately all her attention goes to him and he scoops her up, pulling her into his lap. I don’t wait around to witness their snog fest. I grab my bag and escape through the back.
I’m too busy rummaging through my bag for my phone to call an uber that I don’t see him until it’s too late. A burning sensation that feels a lot like an iron hot poker pierces through my side.
White spots fill my vision and my stomach swoops before I find myself falling face flat on the pavement.