Page 66 of Lose to Win: Lost Trilogy: Part 3
My bare feet don’t make any noise when I step out into the hallway. When I reach the stairs, I stop. I can hear a couple of different male voices talking, but I can’t pinpoint who’s who, and I am too nervous to focus on that right now.
All of a sudden, I hear a baby crying from the other side of the house. It is the wing where my mother’s suite used to be. With my heart feeling like it’s about to give out on me, I change my mind and head that way first.
When I turn the corner, I see the light on in one of the guest rooms on the opposite side of the hallway from my mother’s suite. It is irrational of me to think this, but I am grateful that my father didn’t put anyone in the rooms where mom stayed, and where she also died. That part is creepy.Idon’t even want to stay in there.
I knock on the door, and when there’s no answer, I just press on the door handle and walk in. The crying of the baby is louder now, and my eyes widen in surprise when I see a woman walking back and forth by the large windows, a squirming bundle in her arms.
“Oh my god, did she wake you?” she asks when she sees me standing in the doorway, staring like a creep.
“Uh, no, not at all,” I rush to assure her. “I… I’m Emily,” I finally spit out. “This is my dad’s house…”
I don’t know how to ask her who she is, although, I have a feeling she is my brother’s wife.
“God, I’m sorry. I don’t know where my manners are,” she gasps in embarrassment. “I’m Alison. I’m Wyatt’s wife. This is our daughter, Parker.” She turns a bit for me to see the baby’s face. It is all red and angry looking, a tiny little scowl in place.
“She’s not happy,” I laugh nervously.
“Her belly is bothering her, and the flight over was bumpy too.” Alison looks close to tears when she explains.
When I look around the room, I notice a small lump under the covers, in the middle of the bed.
“That’s Ethan,” Alison guesses correctly what I am looking at. “He is our nephew,” she explains. “Dylan’s son.” She is completely choked up at the mention of her brother-in-law.
“I’m sorry for barging in like this,” I finally say. “I heard the baby crying,” I point at her. “And I didn’t know you were here too…”
“I’ve been looking forward to meeting you,” she tells me with no other warning. “Wyatt will be happy to finally meet you as well.”
I swallow hard, trying not to let emotion take over.
“You think?” My voice sounds small and insecure. Just like me, I suppose.
“If you had an asshole of a brother like Dylan, wouldn’t you be excited to find out you also have a sweet little sister?” she teases.
I finally let go and laugh. “Yeah, I guess I would.”
She is about to say something else, when we hear voices from the hallway. That’s followed by a booming laugh, and the baby instantly quiets. Both me and Alison stare at each other in surprise before she walks around me and opens the door.
I almost choke on air when right there, in the hallway of my father’s house, next to my husband, is my brother. There is no doubt in my mind about it.
I don’t even pay attention to what Alison tells me, but I do catch that she is not impressed with Puck being my husband.
“I was about to mention that,” I tell her apologetically, then walk around her and plaster myself to Puck’s side.
We are all quiet for a while, and while it is uncomfortable, it is not toxic.
“Ethan sleeping?” Wyatt grumbles, and I realize with a start that he sounds so much like dad.
Alison nods at him. “Like a rock.”
My fingers dig into Puck’s t-shirt, ready to rip it into shreds. I’m scared to talk. But Puck decides I’m done hiding.
“Well, babe, are you ready to meet your brother?”
The question lingers in the air, and I am holding my breath, hoping that someone else can answer it for me.
“Fuck,” Wyatt says, a small smirk in the corner of his mouth. “I’m nervous, too.”
His confession relaxes me on the spot. I grin at him and finally let go of Puck. I take a few steps forward, getting closer to my brother, but then I panic again. I don’t know what to say.
