Page 31 of In Every Chapter

The room was painted a soft buttery yellow with sweet animal artwork framed on the walls. And in the middle of the room, an assembled baby crib.

Liz screamed, jumping up and down. “Oh my gosh, you’re pregnant, too!”

Juliet nodded, sniffling softly.

“Who’s the fa—?” I cut myself off with a jolt when my brain caught up with me. Juliet was married, happily from all accounts. Her husband was the father. My best friend—my sister-in-law—was married, and I couldn’t even remember it.

Tears stung my eyes.

“Pais, I’m sorry. I wasn’t sure how to tell you.”

I started when she touched my uninjured arm. “Why would you be afraid to tell me? It’s not your fault I can’t remember your wedding. Or that I’m coming to terms that this isn’t an unexpected teen pregnancy.” I laughed a little.

Juliet’s face crumpled. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what?” I asked, confused and a little hurt. “Why would you be afraid? I thought we told each other everything.”

“Not afraid,” she said, a bit of her spark returning. “But you wanted a baby, Pais. At Christmas. You were disappointed you weren’t pregnant, and—bam—I suddenly get what you wanted?” She was breathing hard by the time she finished. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

I . . . wanted a baby? Could I even have a kid? Was it infertility? Or . . . I had a hundred and ten questions, none of which were relevant when my grinch-like bestie was looking at me with weepy eyes and smudged makeup. “Jules . . . I wouldn’t have been resentful. I can’t even remember that, so it doesn’t hurt. But I’d be happy for you. Always. I am happy.”

I wrapped my arms around her, which, to my surprise, she allowed. Returned even. Wow. This was new. Juliet wasn’t overly affectionate by nature.

Patting her back, my gaze locked on Stephanie, and a whisper of something niggled at me. “Trust His timing, right?”

Light touched her face, her hazel eyes wide. “You remember?”

Did I? “Not fully. Just . . . it feels like we’d had this conversation before.”

“New Year’s,” Stephanie said softly, her smile a little wobbly. “When you came to Spokane to surprise me and Nash.”

Right. Because she was engaged. The last one of us to get her happily ever after.

Juliet tugged away, swiping her eyes. “Sorry. Hormones are no joke.” She sniffled. “Myles said he should invest stock in tissues.”

“I’ve never seen you cry,” Liz said, a little bewildered. “I spent years wondering if you could.”

Glad I wasn’t alone in thinking that. Couldn’t blame amnesia for this one.

“Don’t get used to it,” Juliet grunted, morphing back into the grump we knew and loved. “I have every intention of never crying again once this kid is born. That and never throwing up. Morning sickness is a beast.”

We laughed and moved in for a group hug.

“Is this necessary?” Juliet groused as we squeezed her.

“We’re about to become honorary aunties,” Liz said. “Of course it’s necessary!”

You’re pregnant, too. The words hit me with the force of a dwarf army crashing through a shield wall. “Wait, too?” I shouted, pulling back to look at Liz. “Are you . . . ?”

Liz’s smile dimmed. “Oh, sorry, Pais. Yeah, um, I told you guys a couple weeks ago over video chat.”

I squeezed her. “I’m happy for you. Really.” Just gutted I’d forgotten something this important. These women were everything to me. Now, I felt like I was on the outside looking into a life I wasn’t a part of. A life I’d always wanted, and it had been ripped away.

“When are you due?” Stephanie asked.

“December.”

Liz squealed. “I’m in January!” And she squeezed harder. “This is so exciting!”