“Oh, honey, of course we—” Dad started, but I cut him off.

“Wait, let me finish,” I pleaded. “I also have to confess something.” I closed my eyes, forcing a deep breath. “When you told me the news about the baby, I was… upset.”

“Upset?” Mom asked. “Why ever would—”

“Honey,” Dad said, quieting her.

“I was upset because I know you’ve always wanted a big family, and that I messed that up for you. I know you were scared it would happen again, that you’d have another baby with a hand like mine, or worse, and… it really hurt me, that you waited until I was gone to try. I mean, I know I was never perfect, but it killed me to know I was such a burden that you couldn’t even consider having another child while I was there.” I choked on a sob I didn’t recognize was building, shaking my head against the tears already building and plummeting over my cheeks. “And I was angry,” I confessed. “I was mad at both of you, and mad at the baby, and so hurt. And I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

My voice faded out as the emotion became too much, and the line was silent for a long while before Dad spoke, his voice level and sure.

“Harley, we never meant to make you feel like we didn’t support your dreams. We do. Always. Were we worried about stability? Of course. But we’re your parents. We’re always going to worry — that doesn’t mean we don’t want you to do what makes you happy. Whatever career or other life choices you make, you have us in your corner.”

I sniffed, nodding, even though I knew he couldn’t see me.

“And, sweetheart,” he said on a sigh. “God, I wish I could hold you right now, baby girl. I wish I could look you in your eyes when I say that your mother and I never thought you were a burden. Ever.”

“You have been the most beautiful blessing in our life,” Mom chimed in, and I could hear her own tears robbing her of her normally strong voice.

“We didn’t wait to get pregnant after you were gone,” Dad said. “We had been trying for years. For nearly a decade, sweetie. So long that we gave up and stopped trying.”

I blinked, stopping mid-pace to strain my ears as if I hadn’t heard correctly. “I don’t understand.”

“We tried to get pregnant when you were younger,” Mom said. “We did everything short of going through the very expensive process of in vitro fertilization. But for whatever reason, the Good Lord didn’t have it in the cards for us. So, we stopped trying.” She let out a long breath. “Harley, this pregnancy is a miracle, another blessing, just like you were. I mean, I’m forty-four years old for goodness’ sake,” she added with a laugh. “And I’m pregnant.”

I sniffed, wiping my face. “But I heard you,” I said. “When I was younger. I heard you talking in the kitchen about how you wanted a big family like you had when you were younger, but you didn’t know if you’d have more like me.” I paused on another surge of emotion. “Or if you could handle another child like me.”

That made Mom cry harder, and Dad tried to soothe her before drawing in a long breath of his own. “Pumpkin, I’m sorry that you had to hear those things. Your mom and I, we’re your parents. We should always be strong for you, and supportive, and loving and sure. But the truth is that we’re humans, too. We mess up. We struggle. We say things we don’t understand the full consequences of when we’re scared or angry.”

“We were just kids ourselves,” Mom said. “I was your age when I had you.”

That sobered me up, and I blinked several times, trying to imagine what it would be like to have a baby right now.

“And you know what else?” Mom said. “I would have a million babies just like you, if I had the choice. Your small hand has never, ever made you less than. If anything, it has shown me all the ways you’re more. You’re brighter and stronger and more lovely than I could ever hope to be, than anyone I know.”

My bottom lip quaked more and more with every word she said.

“I hope your baby sister has that same light,” she whispered. “I hope she’s just like you, my sweet girl. I love you. So very much.”

“Sister?”

Mom laughed amid her next cry. “Yes. It’s a girl.”

“A girl,” I repeated, and the smile that spread on my lips next was the first sign of joy I’d felt since finding out about my sibling. It was true and genuine, pure and real. “A baby sister.”

“And you’ll be the best big sister in the world,” Mom said.

Tags: Kandi Steiner Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net