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“Chloe!” she exclaims before rushing over to rub soothing circles on my back. “Just breathe, okay? Deep breaths.”
I nod weakly, clinging onto the sink and trying to control my breathing. After what feels like an eternity, the nausea subsides, and I rinse out my mouth with water. “I-I told him.”
Lauren looks at me with wide eyes. “You told Parker?”
I nod weakly once again and lean against the sink for support. “He didn’t react how I expected.”
Lauren sighs and gives me a hug.
“He’s probably just shocked Chloe,” she reassures me. “It’s a lot to take in. Give him some time to process, then I’m sure he’ll reach out to talk about next steps.”
I nod again, closing my eyes and praying that Lauren is right. That it was just the shock and not the reality of becoming a father that made Parker hang up on me so abruptly.
As I stand in the kitchen, holding onto Lauren for support and trying to make sense of my world that seems to have shifted off its axis, one thought remains constant: I’m pregnant.
Suddenly, Lauren’s phone starts to ring. She pulls back from the hug with a frown and pulls her phone from her pocket.
“It’s Parker,” she murmurs.
“What?” I gasp. Why’s he calling Lauren and not me? Is he wanting to vent to her about my pregnancy when he couldn’t even say one word about it to me? I know Lauren’s his sister, but that thought just sends a pang of hurt throughout my body.
She gives me an apologetic look before answering the call. “Parker, hey. Why did you…huh? What did you just say?”
I watch as Lauren’s eyes go wide and her face drains of color.
“No,” she says on a gasp, shaking her head. “No…no…not again. Are you serious?”
What’s going on? It doesn’t seem like Parker is talking about the pregnancy. If that’s not it, though, what has Lauren so upset?
“Okay,” she murmurs. “Okay, I’ll meet you there. Yeah, yeah, right away. Bye.”
She hangs up the phone and gazes at me with a stunned expression.
“Lauren?” I step closer to her and rest a hand on her arm. “What is it? You’re worrying me.”
“We—we need to get to my parents’ house,” she mumbles. “Bethany, she did it again. I-I can’t believe she did it again.”
Bethany? Oh, no. I can only imagine what she’s done now. Whatever it is, it’s shaken Lauren to her core.
“Okay.” I nod and take her hand. “Let’s go. We’ll go right now. Everything will be okay.”
She nods but doesn’t say a word as I lead her through the house and out the front door. As we make our way to my car, I can’t help but worry about seeing Parker after our brief conversation over the phone and his sudden departure from it. There’s clearly some family drama that needs to be addressed, but once it is, what then? What will he want to do about the baby?
What will he want to do about me?
Chapter twenty-four
Parker
When I reach my parents’ house, I see Chloe’s car parked in the driveway. I shouldn’t be surprised that Lauren brought her along. Still, I don’t know if I can handle seeing Chloe right now. I don’t know if I can really think about the pregnancy when my family is imploding again because of Bethany.
There are also two police cars parked in the street. Their presence only drives home just how intense of a situation this really is. Bethany hasn’t just betrayed the family again, but she’s willingly committed theft in order to do it.
My hands tighten on the steering wheel as I pull into the driveway, parking my car next to Chloe’s. I sit there for a moment, trying to sort through the maelstrom of thoughts racing within me. Eventually, I force myself to get out of the car and make my way toward the house.
As soon as I open the front door, a heavy sense of dread washes over me. The usual laughter and warmth of my parents’ house is replaced by a somber silence. My mom is sitting on the couch, her face pale and drawn. Dad is standing and talking with two cops, his brows furrowed in worry.
“Parker!” Lauren rushes toward me, and her eyes are brimming with tears.
