Chapter 32 #2
“Then tell her. Tell her what you want for your life, for her life, and for the baby’s life. And do it today. Do not make that girl have to go to bed one more night questioning what is going on in your head.”
AJ nodded.
Niko let go of the steering wheel for two seconds, lifting his hands in frustration as he asked the universe at large, “And what the fuck is Gianna doing here?!”
Nothing good. AJ thought, Nothing. Good.
“Thank you again, Yaya,” Poppy thanked the Costas matriarch for the dozenth time. “I didn’t want this to take away from your big day.”
“No, no, no!” Yaya waved her hand dismissively. “What else is wedding for but for to celebrate family! This is best gift you give for me, reunite long lost brother with siblings! We put on the YouTube and it get virus!”
Poppy wasn’t sure how to break it to her that the viral moment she was hoping for wasn’t going to happen since Deacon had already met all the people who were his long-lost family.
Last night when Poppy showed up at Liam and Frankie’s, she’d spilled the beans about Deacon, and Liam called an impromptu family meeting with Michael’s parents, her grandparents, Bampi and Momo, Teresa, her mom Kerri, the legitimate Davies sisters and their husbands to fill them in on the news.
When Yaya heard about the development during her makeup and hair session that morning, she demanded Deacon and Tabitha be invited to the wedding, so Poppy made the call.
She explained to her half-brother, it was so strange to call him that, the events that had transpired, that she’d seen the text and knew who he was, and that she’d told everyone else.
He apologized profusely that he hadn’t been honest. She told him she understood, even though she wasn’t really sure she did and still felt a little betrayed, but she was chalking that up to pregnancy hormones.
Also, she couldn’t begin to imagine the responsibility that came with being a multi-billionaire, or how suspicious one would have to be of people’s motives.
Poppy relayed that Yaya had insisted on inviting him and that the rest of the family truly wanted both him and Tabitha in attendance, and they arrived ten minutes before the wedding began.
Now the cake had been cut, Tabitha had slotted right in with her cousins, especially Freddie, who was six, and Finley eight, and Deacon was chopping it up with Liam, Niko, AJ, and all the brothers-in-law.
“Excuse me, young lady, I was wondering if I might borrow my beautiful wife.” Mr. Santino tipped his chin and held out his hand.
Yaya’s face lit with a smile that spread from ear to ear and Poppy found it contagious as her own lips curled at the edges. “Yes, sir, you may.”
As Poppy watched the couple head out of the kitchen and into the tent to the center of the dance floor, she wondered if she’d ever have that sort of devotion Mr. Santino clearly felt towards Yaya pointed in her direction.
It must feel amazing, like the sun shining on you in the middle of a blizzard, warming you, sustaining you, giving you light to find your way.
Not if you don’t suck it up and go talk to AJ, you won’t, her inner voice pointed out.
She’d been hiding out doing dishes. She’d washed her dessert plate five times. Yaya had come in to try and lure her to the dance floor, but Poppy just felt…she didn’t know how she felt.
There was something going on with AJ today. He didn’t seem like himself. It was freaking her out, especially with how they’d left things the day before. His energy was unlike any she’d ever felt. It worried her that he was going to say she was too much and he didn’t want anything to do with her.
“I think it’s clean, honey,” a voice sounded behind her.
She froze. She knew that voice… but it couldn’t be. She turned around, and her jaw dropped.
“Miss Carol!?” She looked up at Zion, who was standing beside her honorary grandma, then back to Miss Carol.
“Surprise!” Miss Carol’s arms flew out to her sides.
Poppy launched herself at her and threw her arms around her neck, holding on like her life depended on it. It sort of felt like it did. After absorbing all the maternal warmth and comfort she’d been craving, especially since she’d found out she was growing a human, she released her grip.
When she finally leaned back, she asked, “What are you doing here?”
“I’m moving back.”
“What?!” Poppy shrieked.
Miss Carol had left California because the price of living had gotten too high when Poppy was nineteen. She moved where she could afford to live on her fixed income.
Miss Carol clasped her hands together in front of her chest. “I got a call yesterday from a young man who had just found out his grandparents’ house was going to be vacant, and he offered it to me. He said that the mother of his child was in need of all the support she could get.”
Poppy looked up at Zion, searching for answers because she was still trying to fill in the blanks.
“AJ found out yesterday that Yaya and Papou left him the house. As soon as he did, he called Miss Carol and said, “It’s yours if you want it because my baby mama loves you, and she needs all the support and love she can get.”
Poppy looked back at Miss Carol. “He did?”
“Well, not in so many words, but, yes, honey, that was the basic gist. He wanted me close to you to be support for you and the baby.” She patted Poppy’s belly.
“I told him I needed some time to pack up and get my things in order, and it might take me a while cause it’s just me.
He didn’t say much, actually, he just hung up.
He called back an hour later and had hired a whole crew of people who showed up and had my house packed in four hours and left in a truck last night.
It beat me here. He booked me and Roger on a flight for today because he said you needed me now. ”
“Roger’s here?”
“He’s at the house napping.”
Tears were streaming down Poppy’s face. She did need Miss Carol now. How did AJ know that? She nodded and hugged her again.
When Poppy released her from her bear hug, Miss Carol brushed the hair off Poppy’s forehead just like she used to do when she spent the night at her house right before she’d go to sleep. It was the safest she ever felt. “So, Zion has filled me in on all things AJ on the way home from the airport.”
Poppy looked at Zion. “Weren’t you at a photo shoot? Was that just a lie so you could pick up Miss Carol?”
“No, I had a photo shoot in San Francisco, and I just scooped up Miss Carol when I was done. It was perfect timing.” Zion leaned down. “But, we are dying to know. How did your baby-daddy talk go?”
Poppy glanced outside at AJ, who was standing with Niko. He looked so handsome, and she missed him. Her body physically ached as she looked at him. They hadn’t spoken all day, not really. They’d said hi, awkwardly, but no real conversation.
She looked back at Miss Carol and Zion. “It didn’t.”
Zion’s forehead wrinkled as his brows lifted in an accusatory fashion. “You chickened out?”
“No, I mean, not…really. I went to talk to him yesterday. I was there, I was going to talk to him, but then Deacon texted, and that’s when I found out about, you know, him being our half-brother. Did you know—’
“Yes.” Miss Carol waved her hand dismissively. “I know he’s another one of Michael’s children.”
“You do?”
“Frankie filled me in,” Zion explained. “I filled in Miss Carol.”
Right. Of course, that made sense.
“What does that have to do with you talking to AJ?” Miss Carol questioned.
“AJ knew about it for a week, and he didn’t tell me.”
“Mmm.” Zion made a nondescript sound.
Miss Carol looked at Poppy with the same look she got when she brought home a D in English.
“What?” Poppy asked defensively.
“I don’t see what that has to do with asking AJ for clarification about your situation.” Miss Carol’s right brow lifted, and Poppy knew she was in trouble.
“He knew who Deacon was for a week and didn’t tell me.” She tried to make her see the issue.
“Zion told me you two hadn’t even talked all week,” Miss Carol pointed out.
“We hadn’t, but—”
“When did you find out that you were pregnant?” she asked.
Miss Carol was now in the cross-examining phase of her lesson/lecture. Poppy knew this stage well.
“Why?” Poppy challenged.
“When did you find out?” Miss Carol repeated the question while Zion’s eyes bounced between the women like he was watching a match at Wembley. All he needed was popcorn.
“Um, around two months ago.”
“And who knew that you were expecting?”
“Just me and AJ.”
“Did you ask him not to tell anyone?”
“Yes.”
“How long had you known AJ before you all found out?”
“Two months.”
“How much actual time had you spent together?”
“About two days.”
“Were you ever worried that AJ was going to tell anyone that you were pregnant?”
“No.” Poppy shook her head.
“He has a twin brother, didn’t you think he would tell Niko, it’s his twin?”
“No.”
“What about Frankie? You know they’re closer than most siblings. Zion explained they went through trauma as children. Lost a parent. Did you think he would tell her he was expecting a child?”
“No, he would never do that.”
“Why?”
“Because he…” As soon as the words were about to come out of her mouth, she realized she’d walked right into that one.
Zion turned to Miss Carol, his head tilting slightly to the side. “Well played, Miss Carol.” Zion slow clapped. “Well played.”
“Okay,” Poppy got it, she saw where Miss Carol was going with this.
“No, you’re not getting off that easy, ma’am. Continue,” Miss Carol insisted.
“I knew because he told me he wouldn’t and he never breaks a promise. And also because unless it is his story to tell, he does not tell it.” He had a very strict moral code when it came to that.