Page 62 of Endure the Pain

I hadn’t added a single pro.

Yet, I dared to wonder, what if I kept Jellybean? Would it look like Jamie? Was it a boy or girl? The sound of its heartbeat continued to play on repeat in my head.

The uncertainty of Jellybean’s heartbeat and the sonogram was strong enough to stand against all the cons I had. Therefore, I was still no better off and I didn’t have a decision. Sitting on the floor of my closet, I sobbed.What do I do?

I hadn't planned on going downstairs for dinner, but Stefan sent Josh up to my room asking that I attend. I found out why when I walked into the dining room. It was a family dinner. My aunt, uncle, and cousins were present. The only ones missing were Brenna and Aoife.

My eyes immediately landed on Dylan and Angela sitting next to him.Why did he bring her?He was so far at the top of my shit list, I itched to hit him over the head with something hard again.

Everyone went quiet when they noticed me. I masked my expression as I rounded the table to my seat. I was going to take the high road because frankly, I had too much going on to deal with my cousin’s skanky girlfriend.

“Thank you for joining us,” Stefan said once I was seated.

I gave him a bland expression with an equally bland response. “Yup.”

His eyes narrowed. Thankfully, Noah walked in from the kitchen asking everyone what they’d like to drink.

I tried not to listen as my aunt Kiara, being polite, asked Dylan how long he and Angela had been dating. Angela answered for him. Gushing that it had only been ashort time, but they were really happy, and how wonderful Dylan was. The corner of my eye twitched as I fought not to roll my eyes.

By the time Noah made it over to me for my drink order, I was itching for something strong. “Whiskey.”

He nodded and made his way over to the liquor hutch.

Louie cleared his throat. He gave me a look I couldn’t quite decipher and I returned it with a questioning frown.

Noah set down a crystal tumbler in front of me and I lifted the glass to take a sip.

“Maura,” Louie snapped in a low voice, drawing both Stefan's and Jamie’s attention because they were the only ones not distracted with conversation.

I paused with the glass an inch away from my lips, realizing what he was trying to tell me.Shit,I thought. I wasn’t supposed to drink. I set my glass back on the table, annoyed. Not being able to drink was going on the list.

“What’s wrong?” Jamie asked.

“Nothing. What happened with Gavin?” I deflected. It seemed to work on Jamie, but I caught Stefan looking from me to my untouched whiskey glass.

Jamie grimaced. “Let’s talk about it later.”

Must be bad.

Noah and Jeana came out of the kitchen, carrying plates, and began serving everyone dinner.

The smell of the food reached me before my plate did. My stomach turned and I had to hold my breath as I eyed the seafood pasta dish sitting before me. I battled to rein in my nausea because I needed to breathe. I tried to discreetly put my hand over my nose and mouth as I took in a tiny breath. It didn’t help and the smell of fish filled my nose. I jumped from my seat and rushed out of the dining room to the nearest bathroom down the hall. I barely made it to the toilet before I threw up and was so focused on just getting to the toilet in time that I forgot to close the door.

After dry heaving a hundred times, I went over to the sink to rinse my mouth out. I noticed Stefan standing in the doorway behind me in the mirror.

He watched me as I cleaned up without saying a word. Once I’d finished and turned to face him, I’d thought of the best lie I could.

But he spoke before me. “I asked Jeana to prepare dry toast and chicken broth for you.”

“Thank you,” I said and again was about toexplain, but he spoke.

“When your mother was pregnant with you, her morning sickness put her in the hospital. She couldbarely keep water down. Let’s hope we can avoid that with you.”

Stunned, I lost my ability to respond.

“How far along are you?” he asked. There was no emotion to his voice to reveal what he felt. Just plain curiosity.

I swallowed as I regained my composure. “Nine weeks.”