Page 9 of The Golden Goalie

I nod, miserable. “I’m sorry.”

She snatches my hand and squeezes it in her own. “Amber, would you be mad at me if the circumstances were reversed? If I’d gotten pregnant with a guy that wanted nothing to do with me?”

“No,” I say, hating even the thought of that. I love that she’s loved by Aiden. “But I got pregnant before you,” I whisper.

Her shoulders fall. “Oh, Amber. Is that what you’re worried about?” She shakes her head. “Aiden and I absolutely want to get pregnant, but not yet. We’re not ready yet. I don’t care that you’re going to have a baby first.” Her eyes light up. “I get to be an aunt!” It’s like it just occurred to her.

“And I’m going to be a grandma,” my mom says. And then we’re all crying. I’m not sure how long we sit together on the couch, but my heart finally begins to lift. The pain and shame I’ve been carrying dissipates a little. I know it’s not gone, but it’s at least taken a back seat for now.

“I can’t believe you got Rico in a fight,” Brielle says with a grin.

“I didn’t,” I argue. I had nothing to do with it.

Brielle smiles. “I somehow don’t think that’s true.” She suddenly sits up. “Stephanie! I can’t wait for her to find out!”

Guilt creeps in. “Um, she already knows.”

“What?” Bri shrieks.

“Rico called them last night when I was throwing up in the bathroom at your house.”

“Sebastian too? Does everybody but us know?” Bri asks dramatically.

“Sorry.”

She sighs, and then it must hit her what I said. “Have you been sick?”

I nod. “Yeah. I’m not sure how much of it has been stress and worry, and how much of it is from being pregnant.”

We both look to our mom. “I was really sick with both of you,” she says with an apologetic look.

I sigh. “Well, I guess I’d better start looking up some remedies.”

We fall silent, each of us lost in our thoughts. “I can’t believe you’re going to have a baby,” Brielle says softly. In that moment, I think it hits me for the very first time.

“Yeah,” I say equally soft. I look between my mom and sister. I’ve been sick about this entire thing, and yet my mom is right. This baby is a gift, a miracle. And I need to start treating it like one. I sit up. “I’m going to call first thing in the morning and try to get in with an OB/GYN.”

My mom nods, pride shining in her eyes. “You’re going to be okay, Sweetheart.”

I look around the room and notice for the first time that Aiden’s gone. “Where did Aiden go?”

Chapter 5

Rico

I come up the stairs from my workout and hear my phone buzz.

Aiden-be at my house in twenty

I smirk. “Somebody’s in a mood.”

Me-wow, thanks for the sweet offer but I'm going to have to decline

Aiden-no, you’re not

Sebastian-uh, is this for all of us?

Aiden-what do you think if you got the message

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