Epilogue Continued
“S he’s going to be so mad at me,” I say as we pull up in front of the Fritz compound.
“Yep. Both of us likely.”
“You don’t think she’ll understand that you’re not supposed to tell people until you hit the twelve-week mark?”
“No. We’re talking about my mom here. She’s going to be hurt, but she’ll get over it and be crazy excited.”
Lord, I hope so. After all, Carter and I are unmarried and don’t exactly have plans to become so. I mean, Fritzes don’t behave this way. Even Oliver is keeping his ring on Amelia’s hand as a placeholder, though they’re not technically engaged.
Which makes me wonder.
“You don’t think Oliver spilled it already, do you?”
“If he did, I’ll kill him, so he better not have.”
Carter’s parents returned from The Vineyard house back in early September. Some of Octavia’s tests came back troublesome and her doctor wanted to start her another round of chemo even though the PET scan was inconclusive.
No one is really talking about it. I don’t think any of us know what to say. There is so much fear swimming under the surface right now and every member of this family is on edge with it. If we lose Octavia Fritz, no one will be okay.
But knowing we’re about to deliver baby news will hopefully be a bright spot for her. The woman’s greatest wish is for her children to be happy in love and settled. Now here we are, and I can’t wait to tell her, but I’m also scared because yeah, she’ll be upset we held it back for so long.
Telling her feels better than telling my own mother. Octavia’s reaction matters so much more to me. The woman who never failed to embrace me as one of her own and keep me in her home and her family.
Carter puts the car in park and comes around to help me out, not releasing my hand as we walk up to the house. “I have to tell Oliver myself. First.”
Carter glances over, meeting my eyes. “You don’t want to do it together? He is my little brother. If he doesn’t like me there, I can just noogie him until he cries for mom like he used to when he was a kid.”
“You’re cute when you threaten violence, but I don’t think that’s the key to winning him over.”
Carter tugs on my hand, yanking me into his chest. “Hey,” he says, all big, dopey smiles. “Can you believe it? We’re having a—”
“Are you just going to stand out here all day making googly eyes at each other?” Oliver comes out from the doorway.
“You mean the way you did with Amelia before you were even actually together?” Carter retorts.
“Exactly like that. It’s gross. Grace can do better.” He shifts his focus to me. “Honestly, you have the worst taste in men.”
“Oh yeah, well, guess who’s having my son?”
“You absolute motherfucker!” I yell, shoving Carter off me. “What is with you today? First the ultrasound and now this? You can’t just yell that at him? That is not what we talked about.”
“No. You said you had to tell him first. So I did. Now he knows it’s a boy.”
“Ugh. Carter, can you control yourself at all today?”
He’s still grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. “Nope. Too damn excited, sweetheart.” He grabs me by the waist and hauls back me into him for an epic, Hollywood-style kiss. If this were a movie, my foot would pop.
Except Oliver is standing on the massive front porch, his jaw unhinged and his eyes comically wide. I don’t even think he’s breathing. “He… a boy? Grace?”
“Now you’ve done it,” I grumbled to Carter under my breath, as I pull away, addressing Oliver now. “Yup. We weren’t going to find out and then Carter looked and yes. A boy.”
Oliver blinks at me in rapid succession. “Who you’re naming Oliver.”
I roll my eyes at his statement. “Whose name is undecided. I’m only twelve weeks, Oliver. Give a woman a break.”
He stumbles down the stairs of the porch, wrapping his arms around us both and hugging us fiercely. Oliver took the news about the pregnancy as well as he took the news of me and Carter being together. I never realized how overprotective Oliver is, but I’d be lying if I said I hated it.
Since then, Oliver and Carter have worked it out. You can’t keep the two of them apart for long. Any of them really.
“Are you happy?” Oliver asks, his voice hoarse.
“Very. Another Fritz boy. Are you kidding?”
Oliver laughs, squeezing us both.
“Can I tell mom now?” Oliver asks, and I pinch his side, making him grunt and jump back.
“Absolutely not,” I reply indignantly. “Carter told you the sex before I could, so now it’s my turn. Dammit, you’re both like a pack of wild puppies. Rein it in, boys.”
Carter beams at Oliver. “She’s going to be a great mom.”
My heart swells at that, but there is no way I’m letting him know.
The Fritzes typically do Sunday dinners when they can all manage it—crazy healthcare worker schedules and all. But today is Friday and we requested everyone be here. No one other than Oliver, Rina, and Landon know I’m pregnant.
Carter made me promise the moment the ultrasound was over; we’d tell the rest all at once. So now, here we are.
Everyone is sitting out in the solarium, laughing and enjoying a bottle of wine when the three of us enter.
Light classical music plays from built-in speakers in the corners, invisibly encased in the small strips of white wood that support the room.
Other than that, it’s all windows in here.
Windows that hide nothing of the beautiful grounds of the compound.
Kaplan, Landon, Stella, Luca, Amelia, Layla, Rina, Brecken, Dr. and Mrs. Fritz.
The gang’s all here and suddenly, for the first time since this whole pregnancy began, I feel like I’m about to throw up.
For the first time, I’m seeing them all with new eyes.
My adoptive family feels like a term of the past. Now I’m meeting them as a woman not only dating their son, brother, uncle or friend, but pregnant with his child.
I survived so much heartache because of the people in this room. They assuaged the blows my parents’ intolerance and eventual indifference left in me.
Carter takes my hand, bringing my knuckles up to his lips, his eyes staring deeply into mine. “Ready?”
I nod. My ability to speak is gone. Nausea swirls in my stomach as my nerves frazzle, my heart in my throat.
“There you are,” Octavia says as she catches us entering the room, her smile so reminiscent of Oliver’s, I can’t help but return it.
We greet everyone, hugs all around, as is customary with this crew.
Even Dr. Fritz gives me a hug and a knowing wink as he looks at Carter, who hasn’t released my hand.
Carter is his father’s younger doppelg?nger.
The only Fritz to get both the dark hair and dark eyes.
Finally we reach Octavia, who I note didn’t rise off the chaise she’s resting on to hug us. I bend down to hug her, only to have her drag me onto the cushioned seat beside her. “What about me?” Carter gripes, feigning indignation. “I don’t get a hug?”
“I like Grace more than I like you,” his mother teases, winking at him.
“Well that’s good because she’s pregnant. With my kid.”
“Oh my freaking god, Carter.” I glare at him. “What is wrong with you today? Have you no filter?”
He laughs, but the room is damn silent now.
“Carter? Grace?” That’s Dr. Fritz who is now the spitting image of a man who looks like he just stumbled upon Medusa.
We had told Carter’s parents we were dating.
They were still at The Vineyard then, but since they returned, we’ve been here together a few times as a couple. But this is different. So different.
Octavia takes my hand, hers bone-thin and ice cold.
I squeeze it gently, turning to meet her eyes.
I feel like a teenager telling my mom I got accidentally knocked-up as words start spewing from my mouth.
“Well, you know I had a seizure about ten weeks back now and they gave me some medication that interacted with my Depo and…” My face falls to my hands.
That was a total TMI if ever there was one.
“And you’re pregnant,” Stella cuts in, breaking the painful silence we seem to be creating all over the place. “Cool. I get a baby cousin. Can Layla and I babysit?”
“Yes,” Layla agrees with a squeal of delight. “We’d be awesome babysitters.”
Leave it to the teenagers to help things along.
“Wait. So this is true?” Octavia presses, touching the side of my face and forcing my gaze back to hers. “How far along are you?”
“Twelve weeks,” Carter tells her, saving me for once today. “We wanted to wait to tell everyone until after the ultrasound today. Grace is superstitious like that.”
“Twelve weeks?” Emotion clogs her voice as her other hand covers her lips, her eyes welling up. “You’re twelve weeks pregnant with my grandchild?”
“Grandson, to be exact.”
She sucks in a breath, her hand now trembling in mine. She looks over to Dr. Fritz who has come to stand beside us, hovering over us like a tall, dark shadow though the delighted expression now transforming his features softens him tremendously.
Suddenly I’m swathed in a hug, Octavia surrounding me with her arms as she starts to cry on my shoulder. “Thank you,” she whispers to me. “You have no idea how badly I wanted this.”
“You’re not mad?” I check.
“Oh sweetie, I’m furious. I can’t believe you waited so long to tell us. To tell us all of this.”
“I’m sorry.”
She laughs, pulling away and wiping at her face. “No, you’re not, and just because you’re giving me another grandchild, don’t think I’m letting you get off easy. I’m in charge of decorating the nursery with you. Oh, and Amelia, Rina, and I will plan a baby shower. Here, at the house.”
I can only shake my head. “Whatever you want.” Because there is no way I could say no to her. Not now. Not ever.
Carter is surrounded by his brothers and sister, all giving him congratulatory hugs and asking a million questions. “Wait,” she snaps out of nowhere. “When are you getting married?”
I choke on my tongue while Carter appears completely unfazed. She turns her glare on him.
“Carter James Fritz, you are going to propose to her, right? She’s going to be the mother of your child.”
“When would you like me to do that, Mom?” he asks in total seriousness. “Now? Here?”
“If you’re asking my opinion, the answer is yes.”
My lungs empty. “Um. We. I. I don’t think. I’m not…”
“See, she’s not ready yet,” Carter cuts off my bumbling, taking my hand and kissing my knuckles.
“But don’t worry, Mom. I won’t let that go for too long.
Whether Grace likes it or not, one day, she’ll be my wife.
” He winks at me. “I’ll make sure of it.
You’re mine, Grace. Forever. There is no separating us now. ”