Chapter 24
Twenty-Four
LEWIS
S uffice it to say I couldn’t concentrate on work for shit after Callie left. She promised she was fine to drive, but I insisted she text me to let me know she’d arrived home. I was gratified when she did. I replied that I’d drop by her cottage at three o’clock in the morning for our first date.
Did you mean to type 3AM?
I did. At this time of year, it’s twilight.
What the hell are we doing at 3AM?
You’re used to 3AM starts, no?
Aye, but that doesn’t answer my question.
You’ll just need to wait and see.
Honestly, I was glad for the distraction of my family returning to the house in late afternoon. I’d spent all my work time instead planning our three a.m. date and buying baby books. I was clueless about babies, and I hated that feeling of incompetence. By the time Callie gave birth, I’d know everything I needed to know. It was easier to deal with practical stuff like knowledge than to really think about the reality of having a baby in our lives that we had to feed and clothe and keep alive. Or how this would turn our lives upside down. Or how we had so little time left for just the two of us to reconnect.
I wanted to make the most of it.
By the time I got up the nerve to leave the office to give my parents the news (Callie’s mum and Aunt Ally already knew, and she was returning home to tell her Dad and brother), my wee sister had disappeared.
“Where’s Mor?” I asked my parents as I wandered into the open-plan living space. They were working together—Dad put away groceries while Mum prepped to cook dinner.
Mum flicked me a harried look. “A toddler puked all over her today at preschool and she says she’s traumatized and doesn’t want to talk to anyone.”
I flinched, realizing that very situation was in my foreseeable future. “So … she’s in a mood?”
“Pretty much. Just leave her be.”
I really wanted to tell everyone at the same time, but … “I have to tell you something.”
They both stopped what they were doing because my voice was shaking.
Clenching my hands into fists, I attempted to get myself together, but reality was kind of sinking in now and my knees were definitely trembling. Adrenaline had to be coursing through my body, understandable considering my entire life had changed in an instant. “Well … first, I put an offer in on the house.”
Dad beamed. “Was it accepted?”
I held up a hand to ward him off. “I haven’t heard back, but that’s not r eally the main news. When I was coming back from the viewing, Callie showed up. And, uh, well, for a bit of context—and I’m sorry if this is TMI—she and I slept together in London almost six weeks ago, and she is very much pregnant as a consequence of … that … event. Pregnant. With my baby. Callie.”
Mum’s mouth dropped open like a cartoon, the corn cob she clutched in one hand and the knife in the other frozen in midair as her entire body ceased movement.
Dad took a tentative step around the island. “Are you … are you … you’re going to be involved?”
I scowled. “Of course I fucking am.” It hadn’t even occurred to me I wouldn’t be.
My father deflated with relief. “Thank God.”
Frankly, I was insulted. “You thought I wouldn’t?”
“I thought she might not want you to be,” Dad assured me. “I know things are difficult there.”
“I’m going to be a grandmother?” Mum asked, looking a bit spaced out, hands still hovering.
Dad approached her and gently took the knife from her grip. “Yes, Regan, our son is going to be a father, and you are going to be a very beautiful, very young grandmother. That’s happy news. Right?”
I sagged, like air deflating out of a balloon at my dad’s words.
Mum stared into his eyes. “Our son is going to be a father.”
Dad nodded patiently.
“We’re going to be grandparents.”
“We are.”
She blinked rapidly, coming out of her stupor. Then suddenly, she dropped the corn and flew around the island at me. I braced as she threw herself into my arms. “Congratulations, sweetheart. I know how scared you must be, but never forget your dad and I ar e always here, and we will help you and Callie through this.”
With a shaky grin, I returned her fierce hug. “Thank you.”
Dad joined us, placing a hand on my nape to give me an affectionate squeeze. “Congrats, son.”
“Thanks.”
Mum released me but kept one arm around my waist. “So, does this mean you and Callie are back together?”
“I don’t know. But she’s letting me take her out on a date tomorrow.”
Mum’s dimples appeared as she let out a girlish squeal of delight. I chuckled, suddenly exhausted. Mum then started cataloguing everything we’d need and how she’d call Sloane in the morning so she, Callie, and Sloane could get together to organize a baby shower.
“Uh, that’s great, Mum, but Callie gave me the impression that she wants this to remain among family until she’s a bit further along.”
“Oh, of course. We can make plans without telling anyone yet.”
Deciding to take her reaction as a win, I let her be and turned to Dad. “How bad is Mor’s mood? I really want to be the one to tell her.”
“She’s fine. Go tell her.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “And if you want to chat about anything, I’m here. I was only a few years older than you when you came along, you know.”
“I know. Thanks, Dad.”
He gave me a warm look. “You make me proud, son. Best accomplishment of my life … raising a good man like you.”
“Fuck, Dad,” I huffed out gruffly. “I’m already an emotional wreck.”
Chuckling, he patted me on the shoulder again. “Go tell your wee sister she’s going to be an aunt.”
When Eilidh moved out, Morwenna had asked for her bedroom because it was b igger. After Mor grumpily granted me entrance, I realized I hadn’t been in it in ages because in that time it had been transformed into a bedroom/library.
I raised an eyebrow. My parents had hired someone to paint a mural of a misty forest on the wall where Mor’s bed was placed. The largest wall in the room was filled with floor-to-ceiling custom shelves, stacked to the brim with books. There was even a ladder on a rail so she could reach the top shelves.
“This is amazing.” I gestured around the room. “The mural is beautiful.”
“Allegra McCulloch helped me paint it.”
My eyes widened. “You painted this?”
Morwenna was huddled against her pillows, knees drawn to her chest, reading a book. She lowered her eyelids and nodded shyly. “Allegra helped.”
Shit.
I really had been a terrible brother. I didn’t even know my kid sister was a talented artist. Or that she even liked art. What else didn’t I know about her? “May I?” I gestured to the end of her bed.
She shrugged and I decided to take that as a yes. Sitting down, I stared around her room again, suddenly regretting all those years I’d stayed away. Half of Mor’s childhood. “I have to tell you something and I haven’t told Eilidh yet, so I need you to keep it to yourself until I do.”
“You’re telling me first?” Mor dropped her book, expression stupefied.
I frowned. “Aye, why?”
“Because you never tell me anything. Especially not before you tell Eilidh.”
Hearing the hurt in her tone, I studied her carefully. “Have I been an awful big brother?”
She shrugged again. “No. It’s just … I’ve always felt a bit left out. You and Eilidh a re so close in age, and I don’t have … you guys are close. I don’t have that with you both.”
It was true that the age gap between us made for a different dynamic. I suppose it had never occurred to me that it might bother Mor. But suddenly, I wondered if she felt like an only child half the time. Was she lonely? I hoped not. She had our parents and a huge gang of cousins a mere few hundred yards away.
“I’m sorry you’ve felt left out.”
Mor seemed to grow some confidence at my apology and finally looked at me. Frustration gleamed in her chestnut eyes. “People at school either tease me for being Eilidh Adair’s wee sister or they just want to be friends with me because of her. They’re so fake. And they all ask me questions about her, and I couldn’t even answer if I wanted to because Eilidh never bothers to talk to me. I haven’t heard from her in weeks. She texted me to ask how I was, and I didn’t reply, and she didn’t even bother sending another text to see if I was okay.”
Damn it, Eilidh.
Not that I could come down on my sister, since I hadn’t been much better. But I would have texted Mor again or called.
I made a mental note to talk to Eilidh about making more of an effort.
“I’m sorry.” I found myself apologizing again. “I’m sorry we’ve been so wrapped up in ourselves.”
Morwenna’s eyes gleamed, and I felt even worse as she blinked rapidly as if fighting back tears. Her lips pursed and she shrugged again before gritting out, “It’s fine. I’ll be leaving when I’m eighteen and I probably won’t talk to any of you for months.”
“That won’t be happening,” I said gruffly. “No way is my wee sister taking off into the world without checking in. In fact, I’ll probably send an armed bodyguard with you. ”
The corner of her mouth pulled up, as if she was secretly pleased by the thought. “Whatever,” she muttered, but there was a lightness in her tone that hadn’t been there before.
“So … I came to tell you that you’re going to be an aunt.”
She frowned, processing this information. Then she gaped. “Oh my God, who did you get pregnant?”
I chuckled at her bluntness. “Callie.”
Her eyes widened and then she snorted. “Well, that’s one way to get her back.”
“Cheeky wee shite.” I laughed, and my sister burst into giggles. I hadn’t heard her laugh like that in ages.
Mor’s amusement petered out and we shared an affectionate smile. Then she sobered. “Are you scared?”
I nodded.
Mor considered this and then she offered quietly, “You’ll be okay, Lewis. I think you’ll be a good dad.”
Emotion clogged my throat. “Thank you.”