Page 19 of Omega’s Oath

“But?”

Rose ran her finger around the edge of the mug as she tried to put her finger on what was unsettling her about Harlan suddenly turning up. “I don’t know. I just… I guess I just feel maybe he thinks there’s unfinished business between us and that may be the case for him, but it isn’t for me. It never was. I can be his friend but that’s all I can be. That’s all I want to be.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that, Rose. Just make sure you’re clear with him.”

Rose was about to answer when she heard the doorbell and wondered who it could be. It wasn’t often she got a visitor, especially on a weekday when she’d normally be at work but it was probably one of the girls checking in to make sure she was okay.

Hayden stood. “Want me to get that for you?”

“Please. I’m not as fast on my feet as I normally am.”

Hayden quirked a brow. “Well, you are growing a human.”

Mickie moved to follow. “I’m going to make us some lunch. How about some spicy chicken and avocado wraps?”

“Um, sounds good but not too spicy or my heartburn will flare up.” Rose wrapped her arm over her belly. “I think this little one must have a full head of hair.”

“You know that’s a myth, don’t you?” Mickie asked.

Rose waved her hand in the air. “Meh, whatever.”

She smiled to herself as her friend walked out of the room before she stood to go and use the bathroom for what felt like the hundredth time today. As she was washing her hands, she heard a light knock on the bathroom door.

“Rose, it’s me, Hayden. Your parents are here with your sister and grandmother.”

Rose gripped the sink tightly as a wave of dread passed over her. She didn’t see her family often because they just didn’t get on. Every opportunity was a chance for them to make a dig about her lifestyle and her choices and to criticize. She’d stopped regularly visiting years ago because she just couldn’t cope with the constant barrage of abuse. It had taken her a long time to realize it was mental abuse. When she had, she’d removed herself from the situation as much as possible and only visited on occasion and not for long.

Rose glanced in the mirror at the bump that was impossible to hide and wondered how she was going to explain it. She hadn’t told her parents about the baby because she knew it would raise hundreds of questions she wasn’t prepared to answer. “I’ll be out in the sec, Hayden.”

“Do you want me to call Omega?”

Rose did, she wanted him by her side for what she knew would be a difficult conversation and one where she’d come out the loser no matter what was said. Yet, she couldn’t drag Aide away from his job every time she felt a little unnerved. “No, it’s fine. Just give me a minute.”

She ran the cold tap before splashing some water on her face and patting it dry with a towel. Looking into the mirror above the sink, she tried to find some semblance of the woman who’d been confident enough to have a baby on her own. Taking a deep breath, Rose unlocked the bathroom door and walked to the top of the stairs. She paused, hearing the sounds of her family talking to Hayden and Mickie and wondered what her friends thought of them. No doubt they’d already made a lasting impression and she wondered if it would color their view of her.

Knowing she couldn’t put it off any longer, Rose walked down the stairs and stepped into her now crowded living room. All eyes turned to her and she held her head high as she greeted the shocked faces of her family.

Her mother stood, her eyes moving over Rose, her lip pulling up in a sneer. “You got yourself a man and didn’t tell us about him?”

Her father was seated in the chair as he watched her with disinterest.

“Well, you gonna answer me, girl?”

Rose didn’t know what it was about being around her parents, especially her mother, that made her feel like a helpless child again. She glanced at Hayden and Mickie and saw sympathetic looks, and the way Hayden, especially, seemed to be biting her tongue to stop whatever it was she was thinking pouring from her mouth.

She mentally straightened her spine and answered. “Hello, mother. It’s good to see you too and to answer your question, no, I don’t have a man.”

Her mother waved her hand in the vicinity of Rose’s belly. “What the hell is that? I didn’t know I’d given birth to a slut.”

Rose felt embarrassment and shame heat her cheeks and blinked away the tears she could feel burning at the back of her eyes. She wouldn’t let them see how much their words hurt her. She noticed Mickie lean down and say something to Hayden before slipping out the back door. She didn’t blame her for leaving. She’d do the same if she could. Instead of answering her mother’s question, she moved toward the kitchen. “Does anyone want a drink?”

Her mother sniffed, her lip curling in disdain as she sat back down on the couch. “Yes, and some food. We haven’t eaten lunch and we’re starving. Aren’t we, Billy?”

Her father just grunted and dipped his head in agreement. Her grandmother pulled out a pack of cigarettes and began to light up. Rose knew it was pointless saying anything, they wouldn’t listen anyway, but her friend didn’t.

“Excuse me, you can’t light that up in here. She’s pregnant.”

Rose wanted to hug Hayden for standing up to her family for her but resisted the urge, waiting for her family to kick off and she didn’t have to wait long.