Page 102 of Barefoot Dreams
With shaky hands, I close the door behind me and reach for the test under the sink.
Three minutes later, I’m not sure if I’m crying from happiness or devastation. But as I lay a hand over my flat stomach, I’m smiling. Through the tears, but I’m smiling.
There is a life inside me. A piece of Griffin and me, and no matter what, I’m happy and all I want right now are his reassuring, strong arms around me, telling me it will be okay.
I pull the phone out from the front pocket of my overalls and dial. It rings and rings and rings until it goes to voicemail. He must be out, and I should hang up and wait to tell him later but the line beeps, indicating the start of the message and my words flow out of me, unhinged as I stare at the two pink lines on the test.
“Griffin! Please, pick up!” I sniffle. “Please, call me back. Or maybe I’ll just come see you. I-I…we need to talk. This…I swear, I didn’t know it would happen. I didn’t even consider it. I know we joked about it that night, but I didn’t think…” My voice pitches at the end. “Griff—”
A few things happen simultaneously.
My sentence gets cut off with a loud bang at the bathroom door as it flies open.I didn’t even lock it, and I doubt it’d help given the impact he hit it with.
Mom screeches somewhere behind the imposing body in front of me.
I stop breathing.
“I thought we agreed on one shock at a time, Mom,” I whisper numbly, the phone slipping from my hand as I stare at the furious wall of muscle that is my brother.
My. Brother.
Callum. Callum who is looking from my phone to the tiny strip with two pink lines in my trembling hands. Back and forth. Back and forth until bloody murder is written all over the features he inherited from mom. Blonde, curly hair that he keeps short, that slightly pointed tip of his nose and green eyes, that we share.
He’s not as huge as Jacob, but he’s lethal. That’s about the only thing I can gather before he growls like a wild animal. “What did that motherfucker do?”
“Who…” I halt. “Cal? You’re back?” I can’t stop staring at my brother whom I haven’t seen for over sixteen years.
“Julie, please tell me it’s not what I think it is.”
“It’s not what you think it is,” I throw out quickly, and his eyes narrow furthermore.
“You were always such a shit liar.”
“Clover! Language.” Of course, Mom would findthisto be the right moment to chastise Cal for foul language using the middle name he’s always hated.
Sure, Mom, why not add fuel to this dumpster of fire.
Bad, bad joke, Julie!What if the fire crew comes out and Cal kills the father of my child before the poor guy even knows why.
“Mom?” I screech, worry laced through that one word, but she knows exactly what I’m asking for. She knows I need time to warn Griffin because clearly my brother isn’t stupid and put two and two together, but he doesn’t know the rest.
Actually, I’m not sure if it’s a good or a bad thing at this point.
All I know is I need to get to Griffin first.
“I guess I came back at the perfect time,” Cal mutters. “Don’t worry, sis, I know I haven’t been home for a while but I’ll deal with this.”
The frantic panic inside my stomach grows wings and takes flight but if you thought it was the kind that makes my feet move and run out the door while Mom holds Callum back…you were wrong.
No, all I have time to do is turn around before I’m throwing up again.
There’s a curse behind me and then Mom yells, “Callum Clover Lovinski! Where do you think you are going? You were gone for sixteen years, mister! I have lots to say before you take off again.”
“You can ground me later, Mom.” That’s all I hear before Mom lays her warm hand on my back, patting me soothingly.
“I’m so sorry, my sweet girl. Try to take a deep breath,” she tells me, but I can’t manage one. Not when I’m freaking out that I can’t hear my brother’s voice anymore.
“Wh-where is he?” I manage to ask in between heaving.
