Page 53 of A Moment for Us
I let out a long sigh, and then sit again. “What’s up?”
“Why don’t you tell me, Josh. You’re not like your normal self.”
Oliver laughs. “Right, he’s usually more opinionated than anyone wants him to be. Today, he’s all broody and quiet.”
“I’m fine.”
Stella shakes her head. “That’s a lie if I’ve ever heard one.”
Some days I wish my sister weren’t so smart. “I appreciate your concern, but I promise, it’s nothing.”
She looks to Oliver and jerks her head to the side.
“What?” he says, his voice going high. “Why do I have to leave?”
“Because you’re a pain in the ass, and I want to talk to Josh without you.”
“So, you don’t want me here?” Oliver asks.
“Clearly not if I’m telling you to leave.”
He huffs but gets up and heads toward the door.
“Iknow, Josh,” Stella says as soon as he’s out of earshot.
“You know, what?”
She gives me a soft smile and then loops her arm in mine. “About Delia.”
I jerk my head back, knowing Delia hasn’t told anyone, not even Jessica. She was clear that she wanted to wait a few weeks and be sure there weren’t any complications, and I don’t think anything has changed about that in the last three days.
“I don’t know what you know, Stella.”
“That she’s pregnant. She took the test when we were all at the spa, and . . . well, I took the fall for her when Jess found the test in the garbage. I played it off that it was me and then said it was a false positive and the doctor said I was not pregnant.”
“Does that happen?” I ask, wondering if maybe there’s a glimmer of a chance we’re not really pregnant.
“Yes, but if she told you about it, we’re going to assume Delia went to the doctor. Blood tests don’t lie.”
Right. Delia did tell me that she had it confirmed by her doctor.
“So, you know.”
Stella’s smile is more like a thin line. “How are you?”
“Confused,” I admit. “I don’t really know. It’s been four days, and I’m still in a haze.”
“I remember what that feels like,” my sister confesses. “When I found out I was pregnant, I really couldn’t process much. It was like someone had taken everything from me while also giving me a gift. Then, well, then it was completely different from what you two will go through.”
I don’t know that I’ll ever forgive my parents for what they did to Stella. Forcing her to give up her child like that is unthinkable. She should have known that we all would’ve been there for her, helped however we could’ve. Sure, I was living in New Orleans, but that wouldn’t have stopped me from doing whatever I could’ve for my sister.
“You never should’ve had to deal with that.”
“We’re not talking about me.” She elbows me and gives me a real smile this time. “I’m just telling you that Jack and I understand what you and Delia are going through. If you want to talk to us, we’re here.”
“What do I even say?” I ask, the question meaning a hundred different things.
Stella, in her infinite wisdom, laughs once before speaking. “About what part?”
