Page 84 of Beautiful Secrets

I push past Sarah and run down the hallway, slamming the bathroom door behind me.

It is a small house, so I have no doubt that everyone in the living room can hear me puking into the toilet, but at least, when I am done, I can burrow my face into a towel to muffle the barrage of tears that follows.

29

Mika

Meisie is gone when I come out, and my legs feel shaky all the way to the couch. Sarah comes to sit next to me, bringing Meisie’s big, colorful bag with her. “Josh? Jordan? Come get your toys.”

The twins run over, now seeming done trying to climb up Derek’s legs like a pair of monkeys while he playfully fends them off, and start going through the bag, taking out robots and trucks and a grubby once-pink My Little Pony with tangled hair.

Sarah looks at me, ducks her head a little. “Did…did Cole give you anything last night?”

“Like drugs?” I ask stiffly.

Her lips purse, and she glances across at Derek. He raises his eyebrows and gives his head a soft shake as if he is not interested in joining the conversation. Instead, he goes to the kitchen and puts on the kettle.

“It’s just, you seem—”

“I am fine,” I tell her, willing my nausea to fade. “Just food poisoning.”

“From the hotel?” Derek asks skeptically from the kitchen.

“From street food,” I say, sending a quick glare his way as I mentally will him to mind his own business, before speaking to Sarah again. “Who is this Meisie?”

Sarah’s mouth opens a second before she speaks, as if she’s trying to think of the correct words to use. “She’s Cole’s sister-in-law.”

“His twin’s wife,” I say, just to make sure I have it straight.

“Yeah.” Sarah nods. “Adorable, aren’t they?” She ruffles the closest boy’s dark hair, but he absently knocks away her hand so he can concentrate on smashing a bright red fire truck into a silver robot. “But Meisie has a thing with her Mum today, so I said I’d look after them. That was before…” She glances at me and then trails off.

Before I arrived.

I look over at the little girl—several years older than her brothers—sitting in an armchair, reading her book with such a deep frown on her face, it is as if she is planning world domination.

Derek comes over with a steaming cup of tea. I am briefly disappointed when I inhale it and it is not the minty one Cole gave me yesterday. That settled my stomach immediately.

Then again, maybe it wasn’t special. Any tea would probably have done the trick.

I nod at Derek in thanks, and he goes over to the sideboard by the front door. He picks up a pair of keys and weighs them in his hand for a moment as he scans the room. “I don’t want to leave you alone,” he tells Sarah.

Sarah waves at him. “We’ll be fine.”

“You keep these doors locks, and you call me if—”

Sarah goes over to him and gives him a kiss on his nose. “I’m sure Cole won’t stay away for too long.”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” Derek grumbles. “How about I tell Isaac to open up? He can—”

“Derek, hon?” Sarah points to her round little belly. “You have about five months of peace left. Make the most of it,” she says, shoving Derek gently toward the door.

As if on cue, one of the toddlers starts crying. I assume because his brother just snatched his robot away and is refusing to give it back.

Derek opens his mouth.

“And don’t you worry about Cole.” Sarah glances back at me and gives me a wink. “I’ve got Mika.”

Derek grumbles something under his breath, grabs his wife by the hips and gives her a kiss. His stormy eyes scan the room one last time before he leaves.