An Unexpected Life (Carolina Rebels 3.50)

“She hasn’t talked to me.” Which is true. I don’t know what happened after I left the house earlier.

Marc missed what I didn’t say and nods. “She’s been sick, so maybe that’s all it is.”

“She’s been sick?” She looked fine when she was at the house.

“Yeah. I’ve been doing nothing but disinfecting the house after her because hell if I want to get whatever she has. Last time she was sick, she gave me the worst flu in history.” He pauses, thinking about something. “Maybe she’s stressed. She has four cakes to do this weekend.”

Lizzy loves to bake and decorate cakes. She could totally be on Cake Masters or something. (I only know about this show because of Sylvia.) She started baking cakes for wives of my teammates for a kid’s birthday and word of mouth has spread. She’s been taking orders ever since. If she keeps on, she might be able to do it full-time. Begrudgingly, I have Marc to thank for pushing her to return to following her dream.

We’ve reached the point in the parking lot where we need to go our separate ways to our vehicles. Marc turns to me. “Have you been working on your wife to make her stop being mad at mine?”

I laugh. Marc has been trying harder than Lizzy to get Sylvia to get over her grudge about not knowing about their eloping business. All that does is tell me it’s bothering Lizzy more than she lets on, but there are some areas where not even I can budge Sylvia. “Haven’t you been listening to me? There is no working my wife. Sylvia will stop being mad when she decides she’s done. I’m sure things will be back to normal soon.” Hopefully, since they talked after I left, things ended well and Sylvia is over it. If it weren’t for Lizzy being upset, I doubt Sylvia would’ve sucked it up.

“Hope so. See you later, Scotty.”

“Later, Marco.”

I check my phone one last time to see a text.

Sylvia: I need milk!!!!!

Me: On my way.

At least once a week, I have to stop on the way home from work for something. It might be whatever it is that she forgot to buy while grocery shopping, like in this case, or something sweet that she’s craving since she tries not to have a lot of junk food in the house, or whatever else we don’t have that she decides we need that very day. I don’t mind. I can’t do things like that for her when I’m on the road, so hell yeah I’m going to do it when I’m home.

That reminds me of our conversation from earlier today. Sylvia has been acting very strange lately. Not that she isn’t an affectionate person, but she doesn’t ask for it. Never has. She doesn’t ask to be held. She doesn’t ask to stay in bed a little longer. She doesn’t ask for more time together. She’s also not a worrier. She’s very much an it is what it is type of person. For her to be worried, and for no apparent reason, it’s very concerning.

All seems well when I get home. Stella and Stephanie are at the table doing homework and Sylvia is waiting for the milk, so she can resume cooking. She’s also grinning.

“I have news! And I’m the first to know!” I can’t ever tell what makes her happier. Having news to share or being the first one to know it.

“What is it?”

Her eyes flick to our girls, which means their little ears probably shouldn’t hear it. “Why don’t y’all take a break from your worksheets and go play? Daddy will help you finish them after we eat.”

They don’t hesitate to bolt from the table.

“What is it? How’d it go with Lizzy? Do you need help?”

“No, sit.” She focuses on her task at the stove. “At this very moment, Marc is finding a cake with a jersey decorated on it that says Daddy on the back.” Sylvia glances over her shoulder. “Lizzy’s pregnant.”

Before I can ask, she rehashes what happened after I left this morning. I have trouble processing what she tells me. Roger didn’t want those girls? What the hell? She’s saying he put Lizzy through hell with their arguing? I don’t even know how to feel about this. No wonder she was so distraught when he died. Man, I wish he was alive just so I could kick his ass like I used to do when we were growing up.

“Scott?”

I blink and find Sylvia kneeling in front of me, her hands on my knees. “So much makes sense now, but I just...feel bad for her.”

“We didn’t know them as well as we thought we did.”

Obviously.

“Are you okay? She d

idn’t want me to tell you.”

“I’m fine. This is good news. The pregnancy, I mean. Also means Marc will figure out why she’s been sick and he can stop worrying about catching what she has.” Sylvia laughs at that. “He said she’s been jumpy. He was worried about her.”

She smirks as she stands and returns to the stove. “Maybe I should try to set someone else up. I clearly did great when I put those two together.”