Conceal (The Barker Triplets 3)

“Jesus, why do you always do that?”

“Do what?” She gave up trying to make herself look presentable.

She didn’t like the way Shane studied her. His eyes saw too much.

“I’ve been where you are, Betty. I know what it feels like to have the entire town think you’re no good. But don’t make it easy for them. You have to drop the attitude.”

“And why would I do that?” Sometimes attitude was all that got her through the day.

“Because it doesn’t fit you anymore. You’ve changed and if folks can’t see that, then they’re idiots. You look,” he shrugged as if he didn’t quite know what to say. “You look…light.”

“Light,” she murmured and glanced down at her dirty clothes.

“You know what I mean,” Shane said tossing his cup and then shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “You look…almost happy.”

Almost happy.

Wow.

She had no sarcastic comeback to those two words. Betty Jo and happy hadn’t been friends for a very, very, long time.

She decided not to think about it and pointed down the hall. “I guess I’m going in. Are you coming?”

“I’m just leaving. My dad and his wife are out of town so I’m looking after my kid sister. She’s with Gramps and your dad and I want to go check on them. Last I heard, Pia wasn’t exactly making a good impression. She peed on your father’s sofa.”

“Your sister peed on Dad’s sofa?”

“No.” Shane grinned. “Pia is a dog. My dog.”

“Oh. Right. Except that little thing isn’t a dog.”

“Don’t let her hear you say that or she’ll—“

“Pee on my sofa?”

Shane sighed. “Something like that.”

Betty made her way down the hall and stopped just short of room 504. She could hear her sister Bobbi talking and then Logan’s voice—as well as one she didn’t recognize. A doctor maybe?

They didn’t sound upset and before she lost her nerve, she pushed open the door and walked inside as if she had every right to be there. She wasn’t sure what her reception would be but she didn’t care. None of that mattered. Not now.

Everyone went silent and four pairs of eyes stared back at her. A stranger near the end of the bed cleared his throat, and glanced back at the prone figure beneath the sheets.

Billie.

Her sister looked so pale and scared and small, her hands over her belly protectively, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. Monitors beside her bed beeped, their green and red graphs meaning nothing to Betty.

“We’ll do everything that we can to make sure your little boy arrives with a fighting chance. Don’t worry. This happens and we’re well prepared.”

“Thank you,” Billie whispered. She squeezed her eyes shut as the doctor shook Logan’s hand and then nodded to Betty on his way out.

His hand was on the door when Billie spoke. “Doctor Kelly?”

The doctor glanced back.

“His name is Abel.”

The doctor nodded and then disappeared.