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The greatest gift my father could have ever given me before he finally succumbed to his cancer was releasing me from the grip of the family.
It didn’t happen easily. For a while, I thought I might have to run away and change my identity, but eventually, he came to terms with it.
“I finally feel free,” I whisper, cursing my raging hormones for getting me teary-eyed again. “You made that happen for me.”
“Lenny,” he gasps, sitting up beside me. “Don’t cry. Are these happy tears? I hope they are. Only happy tears allowed in this house—don’t make me kick you out.”
I laugh, choking back a hiccup. His beautiful jade green eyes search my face, trying to figure out why I’m crying again.
He probably thinks I’ve been on my period for the past three months.
“Happy tears,” I assure, wiping my nose. He relaxes, stretching out beside me, and pulls me close. I snuggle into his flannel pajamas, savoring the safety he provides.
“I have a secret,” he whispers. “But you can’t tell anyone.”
“Funny, I have a secret, too!”
“No way! You first.”
“Nope.” I laugh. “You brought it up. I double-dare you to go first.”
“Fine,” he agrees, rubbing his temple in mock annoyance. “Fucking stubborn Taurus. Okay, so get this, Lux is pregnant again. Rafael said three months along, but they’re not telling people until next month. Can you believe it?”
Lux! I can’t believe it! I just spent the entire day with her and the kids, and she didn’t say a word.
Good thing Rafael is such a gossip, because this gives me the perfect opportunity to share my secret.
For a second, I worry about telling Enzo. We already have our hands full with the girls and their therapy sessions, after-school activities, my ballet studio, Enzo’s criminal empire—it’s a lot.
What if he’s not happy about it? What if he doesn’t want it?
“Helloooooo,” he drones, waving his hand in front of my face. “Earth to Lenny? Come back to me, please. I’m dying to hear your secret.”
Lux and I are pregnant at the same time.
I break into laughter even as I struggle to get a hold of myself. I think back over the last few months and realize that neither of us has ordered any alcohol.
We also both keep suggesting alternatives for our weekly sushi nights—and neither of us has realized what we’re hiding from each other.
“Okay, I’m officially terrified,” Enzo says lightly, but I see worry in his eyes. “Do I need to call a priest?”
“Oh, stop,” I wheeze, trying to control my laughter. “It’s just so funny.”
“That she’s pregnant?”
“That she’s pregnant,” I confirm. “Because I’m also pregnant.”
Shocked silence stretches between us, and I quickly sober up. Maybe that was a terrible way to tell him.
I glance over at him, trying to figure out his thought process. He stares back at me, open-mouthed and in shock.
Panic swells up in my chest, and my breathing gets shallow.Oh god, he doesn’t want this. He doesn’t want a baby.
I jump to explain, to tell him we can discuss it, but he cuts me off with a loud whoop.
What the…
I watch as he propels out of bed and jumps around, cheering. He’s acting like a cheesy athlete who’s just won a game, pumping his arm and whooping so loud I’m sure he’s going to wake the girls.