“We’ll make it the best Christmas ever,” I promised her.
“Thank you, sweetheart. Thank you so much.”
I hung up with my mother and packed a bag.
But before I left, I messaged Lena.
Don’t shut me out. We need to talk.
I wasn’t surprised when she didn’t respond. And I definitely didn’t blame her.
Chapter 19
Lena
Jeremy had reacted exactly how I should have known he would.
Like a complete and total dickhead.
Even if on some level, I wasn’t surprised, his question about whether the baby was actually his had broken something inside of me. Something I wasn’t sure could be healed any time soon.
What had I expected him to do? Throw confetti? Break into song about how amazing it was all going to be?
I was deluding myself if I actually believed he’d do anything other than what he had done. Which was to go into complete shock and denial.
Prick.
I left the Christmas party and went straight home, not wanting to see or speak to anyone. I should have known I wouldn’t be so lucky, and it was only a matter of time until the deluge of unwanted visitors hit.
I kept checking my phone expecting Jeremy to call. Or message. Or something!
It remained quiet. And his silence wounded me even deeper.
I was going to have to deal with this situation on my own. That much was obvious.
My doorbell rang. With my face puffy and swollen from sobbing, I opened the door hoping against hope that Jeremy would be waiting on the other side.
It was only the first of many disappointments.
“Lena, my god, are you all right?” My brother was all frantic energy and wild eyes. He burst his way into my apartment looking ready to tear the whole world apart. Meg was right behind him, trying to get him to calm down.
“Please, Adam, I can’t deal with your crazy on top of everything else. So, if you have nothing productive to add to the conversation, just go.” I pulled on my robe and wrapped it around me, suddenly feeling cold. The kind of cold that was soul deep.
“Lena, talk to us. What’s going on?” Meg asked softly, always the calm one. I loved my soon-to-be-sister-in-law. There was something comforting about her demeanor, about the way she took me in her arms and held me while I cried.
Because there was a lot of crying. I was a wreck.
“I’m going to fucking kill him,” Adam seethed, pacing my living room like a captured tiger.
“Enough, Adam. You’re not helping,” Meg snapped. She turned back to me. “Let me make you some tea. Do you have any decaf?”
“Decaf?” I made a face. “Why would I have—oh.” I felt my whole body sag. “Caffeine isn’t good for the baby, is it?”
Meg put her arm around my shoulder and led me into my kitchen. “How about some juice then? I’m sure you’ve got something to eat in one of these cabinets.” She rooted around until she found a box of chocolate chip cookies Jeremy had brought over on one of our TV binge nights.
“Not those,” I said hoarsely. Meg didn’t ask why, she simply put them away and got out a bag of chips.
“How long has this been going on, Lena? My fucking god, I told him!” Adam growled. I hadn’t heard him come into the kitchen, but now the air practically hummed with his rage.
There was no point in telling him to mind his own business. I had sort of made it everyone’s business by airing my private life for the whole town to see. “For about three months,” I told him, not quite meeting his eyes.
“Three months?” Adam howled, slamming his fist on the counter. “He promised he’d stay away from you. He fucking promised, Meg!”
“And I told you that you can’t make people promise things like that. That you’re only asking for trouble,” Meg shot back, clearly annoyed with her fiancé.
“It’s so irresponsible. And selfish. And narcissistic. And—”
“We get it, you’re angry, Adam. But don't you think we should be focusing on Lena here?” Meg interjected sharply.
Adam’s expression cleared and he looked immediately remorseful. “I’m sorry, sis. I’m just so angry with him for doing this to you. To knock you up—”
“Okay, I’m going to stop you right there, big brother. Do not use antiquated terms like ‘knocked up.’ This isn’t the 1950’s for God’s sake.” I took the glass of orange juice Meg offered and took a sip. It tasted gross. I pushed it away. It seemed OJ was another casualty of my ever-changing taste buds.
Adam accepted his own glass and it was then that I noticed his split knuckles. “What happened there?” I asked, pointing to his hand.
For the first time since my brother had shown up breathing fire, he looked sheepish. “I um... well, I…”
“He punched Jeremy after you left,” Meg filled in.
I covered my face with my hands and groaned loudly. “You didn’t! Adam, why?” This whole thing was becoming worse and worse by the minute. And I was still checking my goddamn phone waiting for his call.