Page 71 of Power Move

“Who is this man?” Mom asked.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Well, are you dating him?” Mom demanded.

“Not… quite,” I winced. “Look, it’s complicated. We’re not together—not in a permanent sense—but we’re trying to make it work. The point is that he loves the babies, not that we’re obsessed with one another. Maybe that would happen? I dunno.”

“Babies?” Mom and Dad asked in unison.

“It’s twins. Mo-Di twins, which basically just means they share a placenta but are otherwise separate. They are identical. Tomorrow, we’ll ensure everything is perfect and find out the sex if we decide we still want to. He paid for the fancy test.”

No response came, just open-mouth silence.

“Uh, so yeah. I hope you will accept that. I’m a grown-up and I want to have these babies. I think we’ll be okay. There’s a lot of questions I don’t have answers to, but they won’t let me go past early January—and I hope you will love these babies just as you will Brooke’s kids.”

Dad squeezed my hand. “I cannot imagine a world in which we don’t love your children, Eva. It’s just… a shock. Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I worried you’d be angry. And after his mother verbally abused him for an hour for it a couple days ago, you can understand my concern.”

I realized I’d given it away.

“His mother? Wait… is this one of the Delphine’s?” Mom asked.

“It’s David,” I answered. “Davey is what we all call him, but… yes.”

“You’re having your boss’s baby?” Dad laughed heartily. “Eva, that is nuts! Kiddo, you weren’t the one I expected that from.”

“We met before I worked there. I didn’t know who he was—beyond Davey.” I shrugged. “He wanted to date me. I ran away. I wasn’t—and still probably am not—ready for something major, but here we are. He’s been sweet even when I haven’t been.”

“He better be so you don’t sue him for millions,” Dad said.

“Dad, it’s not like that. When I told him, he completely stepped up. I didn’t even want him to, but he did.”

“When is he going to come over and speak to us face-to-face?” Mom asked.

“He wanted to come. I didn’t want his identity to complicate things.”

“And where will you live?”

I winced. “I’m not sure. We have a lot to discuss, but it will work out. He wants to buy me a car, and we had an argument about that yesterday. I want to sort that out first.”

“Why are you arguing about a car? He wants tobuyyou a car and you’re complaining with him?” Mom laughed. “It’s theleasthe could do. His family is worth billions. Let him do it.”

I groaned. “I hate that. I can buy my own car. The truck is?—”

“Not safety rated. You’re carrying two babies. We need to get a car for you. I agree with him there. Until then, I’m driving you to the station and back,” Dad said. “Because I don’t trust that thing. It doesn’t even have airbags.”

Davey would have lost his shit if he knew that. And, for once, I agreed the men in my life were probably right.

“I will tell him,” I said. “But Dad, he’s the one buying?—”

“I’m coming, too,” Dad said. “It will be good to meet the man who suddenly shook your entire life up.”

“And ruined your reputation,” Mom sighed. “Eva, is this really the right thing?”

“Mom, you’re agoodCatholic.”

“I’m also a realist. Although, at least it appears he istrying. No wonder his mother is angry. This is her second child to conceive children out of wedlock.”