Chapter 66 – Mabel
Chapter Sixty-Six
MABEL
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” Elle storms into my workshop, forgoing knocking. The door slams against the wall and poor Ali jumps nearly out of her skin. I know why she’s mad, but I’m so gutted by Paul’s text, I can’t even try to scold her for barging in.
“Sorry Ali. Did you see that motherfucker’s text?”
I nod, knowing if I try to talk right now, I’m just going to start crying. My Little Stinger, as I’ve come to call the baby, loves to play with my emotions and finally hearing from Paul is no exception.
To be fair, I think no matter if I was pregnant or not, his first text in months was guaranteed to wreck me.
“Hey Elle. How’s the paperwork going?” Ali asks. She started working for the Farm and with me again once we collectively determined that the combination of my pregnancy and Jude’s previous assessments from shadowing, it was time to hire more workers for the markets.
It was great having Ali back, it was like she’d never left.
“It’s the same as always. I love it. What I don’t love at the moment is my dumbass little brother.” Elle was pacing, her anger too much to contain at the moment.
My poor sister.
She had been my biggest supporter as I tried to navigate this new distance and disappointment with Paul.
My sweet Lola did her best to remain neutral, trying to see all sides.
I understood, I tried to as well but it still hurt every day he wouldn’t talk to me and this text felt like a punch straight to my cooter.
“I guess this means he got the baby shower invite.” I’m trying to add some levity to the conversation but my voice breaks on the last word and my vision blurs with tears. Two sets of arms wrap around me.
“I’m going to call Jude.” One of Elle’s arms drops from her hold on me as she digs around in her bra for her cell phone.
“Don’t you dare. Jude cannot keep dropping everything any time I tear up.”
“And why not? As the baby daddy, he needs to be there for you. Whenever you need him.”
“Please stop calling him my baby daddy.” I groan, I hate that nickname and Elle seems to love it more than Patrick.
“Why? It’s what he is. I certainly can’t call him your boyfriend.” She spits out the word like it’s a bitter bite on her tongue.
Ali chuckles, “Why can’t you call him her boyfriend? That’s what he is.”
Here we go.
“You get someone pregnant, you don’t get to be just a boyfriend. So, until Jude decides to nut up and make an honest woman out of Mabel, he’s the baby daddy.” Elle crosses her arms and nods, acting like her word is law.
Ali takes a moment to consider this, her pretty green eyes flashing with mirth. “You know what? That’s solid logic. I agree.” Another groan escapes me but thankfully this turn in conversation has dried my tears.
“Where is BD anyway? Is BD better? I don’t want to offend your delicate pregnant lady sensibilities too much”
Groan number three.
“Jude’s with Lola. They’re firing Zeke.”
“Fucking finally!” Elle, along with the rest of the Farm, had one too many poor interactions with that guy. Ali gives me a quick shoulder squeeze before she turns her back to return to work. We’d been making sure our stock was all counted and ready for this weekend’s market.
It’d be Ali’s first market by herself and even though she denied it, I knew she was nervous. We’d already double checked the stock but with nothing else we really needed to do, I let her get her do whatever she needed to get her nerves to settle.
Elle came to stand next to me, raising her brows in question. My sister was obsessed with touching my belly since it had popped, but she always asked permission before touching me. I smiled and gave her a nod, she wasted no time rubbing my rounded stomach and bending over slightly.
She was also obsessed with talking to my Little Stinger.
“Hey little guy. It’s your favorite aunt. Be nice to your mommy, okay? I’ll make sure to sneak you ice cream as soon as it’s age appropriate.” Elle returned to an upright position but kept her hand on my stomach.
She was determined to feel a kick before anyone else.
I didn’t have the heart to tell her my little guy was most active at night and had been kicking the crap out of Jude’s hands for the last week .
We chat for a little while longer before Elle sighs in defeat. “I should head back to my office. I have a few more things I need to get done today. You keep those kicks between you and your mommy until I’m around again.” We said our goodbyes and I returned my attention to helping Ali count stock.
“I’m not saying Paul’s the dumbest person in the world but if I were him, I’d be worried if the dumbest person died suddenly.”
“Elle Warren!”
“It’s Elle Hunt now, thank you very much.”
Mama rolls her eyes at Elle’s response. “Well, Mrs. Hunt, instead of commenting on how dumb you think your brother is, again, would you help me plate up some of these desserts?”
Elle groans as she stands, following Mama into the kitchen.
“I don’t know, I thought that was a pretty good burn.” My heart stops as Paul walks into the living room. The situation is so similar to months ago, Paul sneaking up on all of us together.
“Hey Mabel. Can we talk?” Paul looks nervous, his cheeks red, and he won’t look at me.
Lola jumps up from her seat next to me. “I’ll let you have the room.
” She’s gone before either of us can say anything.
I hear whispers and a not so whispered, “oh hell no!” from Elle before the house falls silent.
“We can go outside if you don’t want an audience?” I start to push myself off the couch but it’s slow going since my center of gravity has blown up like a balloon. I let out a small groan with the effort, that noise seems to snap Paul back to the present.
My little brother rushes over to me, bracing my arm to make getting up slightly easier but once I’m upright he steps back with eyes focused back on the ground.
We walk single file out to the front porch.
This is awkward as hell but I have no idea what to say to attempt to break the silence.
“You were right.”
My jaw hits the floor. Of all the ways this conversation was going to go, it definitely wasn’t with Paul saying that.
“I’m sorry. You were right, it was irresponsible for me to put all my anger with mine and Anika’s situation on Jude. Anika and I…we’ve talked…anyway. You were right and I’m sorry I’ve been such a shitty brother.” He’s gripping the back of his neck and still not looking at me.
“Paul.”
“No, I need to get this out. I never should have gone radio silent for so long after everything that went down at Mama’s house.
Before that, I really was busy with work, though I know that doesn’t really matter now…
I know Elle wants to kill me. Mama and Lola haven’t been super subtle about their disappointment either. I deserve it and more.”
“Paul.”
“Patrick, the poor guy, well, he helped Jude meet with me and that guy tore me a new asshole. He really loves you, you kn—”
“Paul! Shut up for a second.” I grab my brother’s hand and bring it to my stomach.
Little Stinger’s doing the can-can in my stomach.
Elle’s definitely going to hear about this and she’s going to be so mad.
“He must like the sound of your voice.” Paul’s eyes jumps to my watery gaze.
“It’s okay. You’re here now and it’s all going to be okay.
” I whisper and press his hand slightly harder against my stomach.
Was I forgiving him too easily?
Probably.
But I was going to have a baby, I was in love, and I missed my little brother.
It really was all going to be okay.