Embracing Ellie (K&S Securities 3)

Holding one finger over my lips I shush her with a small nod of my head. Her eyes snap with excitement and she leans forward with a giggle to clink her glass against mine. With a rare smile on her lips, Nikki does the same.

“What are we toasting, besides the babies?” Faye’s voice calls out from the side of the yard as she prances through the gate with Becca on her heels. Becca is holding a gigantic pink and blue balloon bouquet in her hands, a huge smile on her pretty face.

“Nothing,” I hiss, trying to get them all to keep it down as they join our circle and Becca hands the balloons to Ana with a laugh.

“Every party needs balloons,” she says, laughing. Ana rises and hugs her before turning to Faye.

“Ellie has a secret,” she looks pointedly at Faye’s baby bump and wiggles her pale brows.

Four sets of eyes turn to me, all with the same question in them. I sigh. There’s no point in lying to them, I’m announcing it soon enough anyway. Just then Mama calls out from the doorway, “Girls, can you come help John and me with the food?”

Saved! Thank goodness for the timely distraction. Winking at Ana, I hurry into the house while the rest of my friends follow behind me. I can hear them whispering amongst themselves and chuckle. They can try all they want, but I’m not admitting anything out loud before Blake knows.

The next few minutes are filled with happy chatter as we all get busy carrying out pans and platters of food to the long table that is set up outside. The men set up folding tables and chairs that Xavier had brought over from Luminoso under more portable awnings. Becca helps Mama drape white tablecloths over the tables before excusing herself and running outside to her small Volkswagen Beetle. She returns with a box that is almost too big for her to carry. She drops it on the ground and starts pulling out decorations and setting them on the tables.

“Look I found champagne jellybeans!” She exclaims, pouring the shimmery white candies into plastic champagne glasses as part of her centerpieces. “Will they get me drunk if I eat too many of them?” she asks, her grey-blue eyes wide and innocent.

Nikki snorts with her attempt to hold back a laugh. “I think you’re okay to eat as many of them as you want, Bec,” she says, nudging the other girl with her elbow before stepping away and wrapping her arms tightly across her stomach. She’s starting to come out of her shell bit by bit, but the news of Dominic’s release on bail the day the babies were born has dimmed the light that was starting to shine in her eyes.

I know that the guys are doing everything they can to find him so that he can never hurt anyone, the way he did her, ever again, but knowing he’s out there somewhere has all of us shaken up. Some more than others.

A small cry draws everyone’s attention toward the Pack N Play, but before Ana can make a move, Xavier is there, leaning over the makeshift crib and lifting first one baby and then the other into his big arms. Ana grins and swallows the rest of her mimosa before setting the glass back on the table.

“Was that alcohol?” Becca asks, her freckled nose wrinkling in confusion.

“Yeppers!” Faye enthuses. “Mimosa. OJ and champagne. Not the jellybean variety! Want one?”

Becca blinks owlishly. I don’t think anyone has ever offered her alcohol before. I know that she’s sweet and naive, but how is that even possible? She’s only a little younger than I am.

“Is it good?” she asks, looking between us. Nikki nods and so do I. “Okay. I do want one then!” she claps her hands and bounces on her toes.

“Trav, will you make Becca a mimosa and bring me some juice?” Faye calls to her husband. Travis slaps Blake on the shoulder and goes inside the house and returns a few minutes later with a fresh bottle of champagne to make the requested beverage.

“Time to eat,” Mama calls out. You’d think the men hadn’t eaten all day as fast as they abandon their conversations and converge on the heavily laden food table, gathering up plates and starting to load them with piles of Mama’s savory dishes. Ana takes pity on X, taking Layla from his arms and passing her to me with a wink.

“Practice,” she mouths, taking Lennox as well before pulling two bottles in an insulated carrier from her silver and black Coach diaper bag and handing me one.

“Don’t you usually breastfeed?” Becca giggles, gulping down the last of her drink. Her eyes bounce around in confusion.

“I’ll pump and dump, since I’m drinking champagne today,” Ana tells her matter-of-factly, lowering herself into a chair and popping the bottle into the baby’s hungry mouth. I follow her lead, careful to support Layla’s head the same way as I hold the perfect, tiny baby against me. X sets a plate in front of her followed by a fresh mimosa. He takes the baby from my arms and lowers himself down beside his wife, baby in arms and bottle held carefully in place.

“Can I have another one?” Becca questions, motioning to the drink. Travis smiles and refills her glass from the pitcher Mama set in the middle of the table and she quickly takes two big swallows. “This is really good,” she whispers to Nikki and Grayson who are seated across from her.

I bite my lips to keep from laughing. Poor Becca is going to regret her mimosa consumption if she doesn’t slow down. She lifts the glass, downing the rest with a giggle and reaches for the pitcher. I open my mouth to say something to stop her when a harsh voice cracks across the yard from by the gate.

“Looks like you’ve already had enough, cupcake.”

Becca glares in the direction of the man leaning against the house just inside the gate. “Not that it’s any of your business Lucas, but I like these mimosa thingys and I’m going to have another one!” Her voice raises sharply at the end and she sloshes more of the mixture into her glass before recklessly lifting it to her lips and chugging.

I can’t help but admire her bravery. Luke doesn’t exactly scare me, but he does his best to keep everyone at an arm’s length with his rough appearance and rougher words. Travis and Blake don’t seem to mind that about him, but it has kept me from getting to know him. He’s never mean or disrespectful to me, or to anyone really, other than Becca. Now that I think about it, how he singles her out for the worst of his behavior is just weird. I’m going to have to ask Blake if he’s ever noticed that too.

I watch as Becca angrily reaches for the pitcher again, but Lizzy leans forward and simply moves the pitcher out of her reach with a gentle smile. Ever since Mama admitted her secret about Liz to us, she has been different. More mature. She still has bad days but has been taking more of an active role in caring for Auggie and is seeing a counselor that her doctor recommended. She even got a job assisting at the childcare center that X and Ana added to the casino for parents who wanted a vacation while still being able to bring their small children along. So far Liz and the center are doing well there. Every day that goes by increases my hope that someday I will have my sister back the way she was.

“I really like the balloons that you brought, Becca,” she says sweetly.

With Becca distracted from whatever tension was dancing between her and Luke and everyone else tucking into their food, I reach for Blake’s hand under the table and squeeze his fingers to get his attention. He sets down his silverware and turns his full attention my way. I clear my throat, a little nervous even though I’m with my family and friends.

“I, ummm. I have an announcement to make.” I say, loud enough that all eyes land on me expectantly. The girls titter excitedly. Even Luke looks up from where he is loading a plate with enough food to feed an entire family