Deck didn’t say anything. He merely held me and it was oddly strengthening that it was Deck who held me. Connor’s best friend who never gave up on him and now we both had to finally let him go.Question 19: What is the best sound in the world?Three months later“THANKS FOR DRIVING me, Georgie,” I said as we walked into my house.
The final paperwork had been signed last month and I owned the quaint, former Grandma Kane house. It didn’t feel like mine though, because it would always be Connor’s.
I hadn’t the heart to pack away all of Grandma Kane’s knickknacks, although Deaglan had called and told me to box them up and put them in the basement apartment and he’d have his cousin Killian deal with them.
One day I’d get around to it, but mostly, I focused on just living and accepting that I was doing this alone.
Although, I wasn’t really alone. Georgie came to every doctor’s appointment with me and her excitement for the baby was contagious.
“Let’s put it on your fridge.” Georgie bounced into the kitchen and I followed smiling. “All mothers-to-be put the first sonogram on the fridge. London did, but Kai took it off and it disappeared. Kai wouldn’t tell her what happened to it and she was so pissed.” Georgie grabbed a magnet off the side of the fridge. “She told me yesterday it suddenly reappeared framed and hanging on the wall in their bedroom.”
An ache tore through my chest and I blanched. God, that is so something Connor would’ve done.
Georgie put her hand on my arm. “I’m sorry. Shit. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
I half smiled. “It’s fine. Really. I want to hear that stuff and I have to get used to it.”
“You shouldn’t have to,” she replied quietly. “My brother would do anything to be here for you if he could, you know.”
I didn’t say anything and dumped my purse on the kitchen table and took the sonogram from my pocket. As I peered at the white lines and specks on the black background, joy and nervousness swept through me. The idea of being responsible for the life inside me was at times overwhelming.
But there was more than just me now. I had Georgie and Deck, London and Kai, and last month, we’d told Connor and Georgie’s parents everything. Well, everything except Georgie’s involvement with Vault.
It was a tragic evening with a lot of tears shed, shock, disbelief and sadness. And, yes, there was anger, too, but mostly they were grateful for the miracle that their son was alive and I was having his baby.
Karen treated me like a daughter and called me every day and I was always included in any family gatherings, although it wasn’t easy being around them without it hurting and thinking about Connor.
“Here.” I passed her the picture and she placed it on the fridge. The magnet clicked as it magnetized holding it in place. She stepped back to stand beside me.
“Are you going to tell me now if it’s a boy or a girl?”
She’d pestered me the entire way home from the doctor’s office. “Nope.” I was keeping it a secret from everyone. I don’t know why, but I felt as if that was something for only me and Connor to know.
She scrunched her nose. “Hard ass.”
I laughed. “When are you and Deck going to have kids?”
She shrugged. “When it happens.”
My brows lifted. “Are you trying?”
“Oh, we try all the time. I hope it won’t be too long before one of those little suckers gets through. Deck’s getting older and soon won’t be able to keep up with a kid.” I laughed because Deck wasn’t old and I suspected he’d be able to keep up with a kid when he was eighty. She leaned in and kissed my cheek. “I have to go. Rylie wants the afternoon off and I’m filling in. Are you coming to brunch on Sunday? It should be really fun considering Kai is coming for the first time. The last time he was at our penthouse, he and Deck ended up in the plunge pool and Tyler threatened to throw Kai over the balcony.”
None of that surprised me. What did was that he and Deck hadn’t killed one another yet. “I’ll come by for a bit, but I have a shoot booked for the afternoon in Hyde Park.” I still worked at Avalanche, but only two nights a week as I was busy with freelance photography. Georgie’s friend, Kat, who had an art gallery, offered to have a showing of my work, so I was trying to get enough photographs together for that.
“Okay. Cool,” Georgie said, waving over her shoulder as she walked out of the kitchen.
The front door opened and then the screen door squeaked and banged closed behind her.
I stood listening to the hum of the fridge while I stared at the sonogram. The tightness in my chest ached and tears welled as I thought of Connor. Wishing he were here to share this with me. Hoping… no, praying he was okay, but knowing he probably wasn’t.