Page 18 of A Magnolia Move-In
Plus, I was going to get better. And when I did, I was going to take charge of my life. Until then, I was just trying to survive.
After I brushed my teeth and hair, I made my way to the door.
The house was quiet. I wheeled from the room and glanced around, wondering where Jackson had gone. From what I knew of my brother, he wasn’t the kind of guy who left his house much.
Especially with his eyesight issues. He hated sunlight of any kind. Which was why his blinds were currently closed.
My mouth felt dry, and I was desperate for a drink. So,I wheeled into the kitchen and opened the fridge. Just as I moved to close it, I caught movement from the corner of my eye and startled, slamming the fridge closed.
A woman with a short pixie cut and wide eyes stared back at me. She had a spray bottle and rag in her hand. “Naomi?” she asked in a soft breath.
I nodded. “Fiona?”
She smiled, set down the cleaning supplies on the counter, and hurried over to me. Before I could stop her, she wrapped her arms around me. The smell of lemon assaulted my senses, and I hugged her back as quickly as I could before I pulled away.
When she stepped back, she looked startled. “Sorry. I know I should ask, but I am a hugger.”
I was taking slow breaths through my nose and out my mouth, trying to still the desire to puke. I’d already thrown up yesterday, and I didn’t want to do it again today.
I was tired of feeling sick.
“It’s okay. I just hurt,” I said, hoping that my vague response would throw her off the scent. The last thing I needed was for anyone to know that I was pregnant.
She covered her hand with her mouth. “Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t even thinking. I just…” Her voice trailed off as she reached out her hand. “Do you need anything? Can I get you some pain meds?”
She looked genuinely upset with herself, so I offered her a small smile. “Some water would be great.”
She nodded as she hurried to wash her hands. “How about some breakfast?” Her gaze flicked up to the loftbehind me. “Jackson is still asleep, but he likes me to make him omelets. Does that sound good for you?”
The baby hated eggs. Every time I was around them, my stomach churned.
“I’ll be just fine with a banana,” I said as I motioned to the bunch on the counter.
Fiona glanced from me to the fruit. “Are you sure?”
I nodded as I began to roll over to the table. “I’m not a big breakfast eater.” Well, I had been before this pregnancy. Now, all I ever wanted to do was throw up.
“Got it. Water and a banana coming up,” Fiona said as she bustled around the kitchen. Seconds later, she set down a glass of water and a banana in front of me. Then she stood about a foot off, waiting.
Not sure what she was doing, I waved toward the chair next to me. “Want to sit down?”
She hesitated. “Are you sure? I don’t want to be a bother.”
I cracked the top of the banana and pulled the peel down. “No bother.” I wasn’t in a chatty mood, but I did want a relationship with the woman my brother cared about. Eventually, I wasn’t going to be pregnant. Eventually, I wasn’t going to feel sick. Eventually, I was going to be a halfway decent person to be around.
When that happened, I didn’t want to have alienated Fiona.
She sat down, resting her hands on the table in front of her. She glanced around, seeming to look everywhere but at me.
I took a bite of the food and chewed thoughtfully as I watched her. I hated that she appeared uncomfortable. That was not how I wanted my first interaction with my brother’s girlfriend to go.
“How long have you lived—”
“Do you re—”
We both stopped talking and pinched our lips in unison. I gave her a sheepish smile, and she did the same.
“You go first,” she said at the same time I said, “Go ahead.”
