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Chapter 2
SETH
“Well,Iguesswe should pack up,” says Charlie while hoisting herself off the couch. “I don’t think they’re coming down for a while.”
My frown deepens as I look around the room. Everyone is sitting, waiting for Rachel and her mother to return to the living room so we can continue the baby shower. It’s already been about twenty minutes if not more. I don’t think they are returning any time soon, which makes me nervous. Rachel was released from the hospital barely an hour ago and now she has to deal with her mother. I keep wondering if one of us should go up there and say anything.
My gaze falls on Bryan, standing near the couch, right next to Hunter. Bryan keeps twiddling his fingers. He looks around the room like he’s analyzing every crack or smidge of dirt in the corners of the wall. The fact that he’s not sitting down makes me wonder if he’s afraid of wrinkling his black, suede jacket. Or maybe he’s worried that the couch is filthy and will somehow ruin his outfit. My gaze lowers to his shoes, noticing he’s still wearing them, unlike everyone else who was polite enough to take them off at the door.
Yeah, I can see why Rachel isn’t a fan of this guy.
“I can help you with the balloons,” says Lauren while following Charlie toward the table filled with cupcakes and presents.
“Why are we leaving again?” Mike asks. He doesn’t make any movement to get up from the couch and sits there looking around cluelessly.
Charlie sighs and spins around. She looks unamused as she stares at Mike. I’m still wondering why they are together. She seems perturbed by every little thing he does or says. It kinda makes me feel bad for the guy—but then again, if Mike hates it, he should break up with her.
“Because Rachel isn’t here,” Charlie says angrily. “Because she’s probably exhausted from coming home from the hospital. And she will probably be even more so after speaking with her mother. Because it’s awkward.” Charlie rolls her eyes. “Choose one reason, Mike, and get your ass off the couch and help us.”
Mike promptly does what he’s told, like he’s somehow wrapped around Charlie’s little pinky. I don’t like how Charlie speaks to him, but I’m already stressed about Rachel. I will deal with Charlie and Mike once I know Rachel is okay and resting.
“So,” Bryan starts awkwardly, “how far along is Rachel?”
“About twenty-seven or twenty-eight weeks,” Lucas mumbles.
I notice Lucas hasn’t looked away from the staircase since Rachel ran up it, chased by her angry mother. He’s worried. I am too. Who knows what could be going on up there? Somehow it seems way too quiet.
“Oh,” Bryan says, sounding disinterested. His gaze slides to the staircase. The asshole wants to be anywhere but here. Honestly, I agree. I also would like for him to be anywhere but here. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem like it’s going to be happening anytime soon.
“So, which one of you is Rachel’s boyfriend?” Bryan asks, pointing a finger at each of us.
Charlie snorts as she packs the streamers into a bag. Mike coughs and looks anywhere but in our direction. Lauren, thankfully, keeps whatever thoughts she has to herself, while the rest of us glance at each other with a mixture of looks displaying horror, worry, and amusement.
“Or are you guys her friends?” Bryan asks while scratching his head. “Sarah never really told me what the deal is.” His brows pinch together and a sudden worried frown overtakes his features. “Do you guys even know who the father is?” His eyes widen, looking horrified. “Does Rachel know?”
Well, that’s a clear sign for me to leave.
“I’m going to check on Rachel,” I say with a thin smile.
Lucas rises, his mouth gaping at me as if wanting to say something. Hunter groans while Alex gives me a pleading look, wanting me to invite him upstairs with me. I guess it will look weird if we all leave Bryan alone in the living room, and who knows what the dude will do on his own. He could go sniffing around, getting into things we don’t want him discovering. The dude seems the type to not respect privacy and boundaries.
Alex scowls when I don’t say anything and continue up the stairs without him. I’m going to pay for that later. I just know it. Once again, my priority is Rachel and making sure her mother doesn’t do anything that will aggravate Rachel’s pregnancy. I don’t want her back in that hospital until it’s baby birthing time. Even that concerns me. A c-section is a serious surgery and there could still be complications.
I will be very happy when all of this is over, although part of me feels like this worrying will never stop. I’m sure with the baby being here and all, I will have anxiety 24/7.
“You’re being delusional, Rachel,” I hear Sarah, Rachel’s mother, say through Rachel’s closed bedroom door. I frown, pausing briefly on the last step. "You can’t possibly become a mother at your age.”
What in the actual fuck is going on? Did Rachel not tell her mother she was in the hospital? That must be the case. Because why would Sarah be yelling at Rachel if she knew? That’s only going to increase Rachel’s blood pressure. She needs to be in a relaxed environment, laying down and thinking happy thoughts.
I stalk down the hallway. Sarah is not going to speak to Rachel like this. Not now, and perhaps not ever. Sarah can’t come here, to our house, uninvited, and then yell at Rachel.
“And I’m not going to bail you out when you need money,” Sarah says just as I open the door.
“You won’t need to,” I say, my voice shaking with anger.
Sarah’s head turns toward me so fast I swear she just gave herself whiplash. “And will you be there to help her financially? You who works in retail and makes minimum wage?”
It takes everything within me not to roll my eyes. “We’ll all be there for her, Sarah. It’s not like Rachel will be on her own. She has the four of us—”
