Betty emerges from a row of shelves, holding her second cup of coffee, and stops short, looking at me with my hand on my stomach. Oops. Though, really…why keep this from her any longer, or from anyone for that matter? I gotta explain how I ended up with a child somehow.
“Yes,” I tell her.
“Yes what?”
“To what you’re wondering. I’m pregnant.” Coming out and saying things bluntly has been a game changer for me. Just say what you’ve got to say, ripping it off like a Band-Aid. Let those words out and be done with it instead of dancing around the truth.
“What?” She almost chokes on her coffee.
“This isn’t a food baby.” I pat my stomach. “It’s a baby-baby.”
“I wondered but didn’t want to say anything. You’re always so skinny, and you still are other than a little bump.” Betty looks at my stomach, smiling. Then she flicks her eyes back to mine, and her face goes slack. “How? Lucas is—you didn’t—no, it’s not possible.”
“Lucas is the father, and trust me, I know how crazy that sounds.”
“I thought vampires couldn’t reproduce. Sorry, that makes it sound like I’m talking about an animal. I meant everything I’ve heard says they can’t get someone pregnant and female vampires cannot get pregnant.”
“They can’t. Vampires are dead, and dead people don’t have babies.”
“I’m so confused.”
“I still am,” I say, shaking my head. “Back in September, Lucas was cursed, and the curse made him start coming back to life, but only so he would die. I was able to lift the curse, but before that, he was human enough to knock me up.”
“Holy shit.” Betty blinks a few times. “Holy. Shit.”
“Hah, you’re telling me. It’s the last thing we thought would happen, and it was quite the surprise, trust me.”
“I bet. You look great, though! And—wait, September? That was so long ago.”
“It feels like it. I’m eighteen weeks along.”
“Holy shit!” she repeats. “You kept this from me for eighteen weeks?” Her hand flies to her mouth. “Or did you just find out?”
“I found out pretty soon. I had terrible morning sickness pretty much from conception. I still do, but luckily there is a potion for that which works like a charm, pardon my pun.”
Betty is still staring at me in disbelief. “When are you due?”
“Mid-June.”
“Do you know what you’re having or is it too early for that?”
“We’re pretty sure it’s a girl.”
“Oh my god.” She slowly shakes her head, smile forming. “Is Lucas excited?”
“He is so freaking excited. He never thought he’d be able to have a kid in this sense. I mean, Eliza is like his vampire-daughter, but to have an actual baby…it’s fucking insane,” I say with a laugh. A customer comes over, asking for help finding a book.
“I gotta take off soon,” I tell her as I put the rest of the stuff for the display back in the box. “I’ll see you later? And keep what I told you quiet.”
“Of course! Congrats, Callie.” She gives a small wave and leads the customer down an aisle. I close up the box and take it behind the register and then go to find Kristy to say bye before taking off. I start my Jeep, wait a minute, and then bundle up and walk out in the freezing air. The sun is starting to sink, and it’s getting colder and colder out.
Mentally preparing to go out in the cold, I flip up the hood of my jacket and dash outside, careful not to slip in the icy sidewalk. We got a decent snowfall last week that of course mostly melted before the temps plummeted. I’m shivering by the time I get into the driver’s seat, quickly closing the door behind me.
“Why didn’t I take Lucas up on his offer to go to the vineyard?” I grumble.
“You still can,” Julian says, appearing next to me. Nearly jumping out of my skin, I turn to face him. “Hello, Callie.”Chapter 9“Jesus!” I exclaim, still startled.
“It’s Julian. My name is Julian.”
“I know. It’s an expression.”
“To call for Jesus?” He tips his head. “I don’t understand.”
“I don’t really, either. It’s just something people say.” I shake my head. “It doesn’t matter, I suppose. Why are you here? Is something wrong?”
“Nothing in particular. I was able to get away without being noticed and wanted to give you an update. And say hello, from both me and your father. He’s been watching from afar but cannot risk coming here again.”
“I know.” I let out a breath and put my Jeep in reverse to back out of the parking spot. “I missed you.”
Julian smiles. “I missed you, too.”
I have no idea what it’s like amongst the other angels, but I get the feeling Julian is a bit of an outcast. It makes sense considering that he’s the only angel other than my father who thinks I should be allowed to live, and to judge me on my actions instead of what I was born.