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“Like what?” Adelia asked.
“I don’t want to say.”
“Okay. You have to tell us now.”
“I actually ate pickles and ice cream the other day,” Merritt admitted. “How cliché is that?”
“How could you not think you were pregnant after that?” Skylar asked.
Merritt shrugged. “At least I’m not craving celery like Genevieve.”
“Hey, celery with peanut butter is delicious,” Genevieve said. “Don’t knock it until you try it.”
The girls laughed, and Adelia envied the pure joy on Merritt’s face.
“You two are making me so excited to have a baby someday,” Adelia said. “I can’t wait to have pregnancy cravings of my own.”
Skylar leaned in and whispered, “With Oliver.”
Adelia shushed her. She glanced over at Oliver, who hadn’t said more than three words in the past hour. He was loosening his tie, looking extremely uncomfortable. “Are you okay, Olly?”
“Yeah, this thing is feeling a little tight.”
“Let me help you.” She lifted her hands to take over, but he leaned away.
“I got it.” He stood then. “I think I’m going to step outside for some air.”
“It’s thirty degrees.”
“Ten minutes won't cause death by exposure.”
She rolled her eyes and smiled. “Wear your coat.”
“Yes, Mom.”
Her eyes widened. “Don’t ever call me that again.”
He smiled for the first time all night and walked toward the exit.
“Did we scare him away with all the baby talk?” Skylar asked.
“I’m not sure. He’s acting really weird. I think I’ll go talk to him.”
Adelia retrieved her coat and walked outside, where she found Oliver, looking up at the thick, heavy snowflakes, falling from the dark sky.
“Hey.”
He looked over his shoulder at her. “Hey.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” She reached up and brushed at the coating of snow on his hair.
He chuckled and shook his head like a dog shaking water from its coat.
“You seemed quiet in there.”
He let out a heavy breath, and his shoulders sank a little. “There’s something I have to tell you. I wasn’t planning to do it tonight, but I guess it needs to be said.”
Her body hummed with nervous anticipation.