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“I-I know.” I watch Rachel take a deep breath. “But I’m still not ready for anyone to touch her outside my boyfriends. Maybe we can schedule a time for you to visit over Christmas and you can hold Maria then.”
I’m so proud of Rachel for holding her ground and sticking to her boundaries, especially when she is so tired and in so much pain. However, Sarah’s mother’s face twists into something ugly. It lasts for about two seconds, but it’s enough to have my insides run cold and alarm bells go ringing in my head. I feel like I am watching the evil sorceress from Sleeping Beauty, about to place her curse on the newborn.
“I see you have a lot of anxiety,” Sarah starts while playing with her engagement ring. “I knew you would, which is why I recommended you give up the baby for adoption.”
“Anxiety is normal,” I rush out. I’m not going to let Sarah ruin this for Rachel. We’re a happy family. Nothing is going to ear us apart.
“Yeah, but this much?” Sarah waves a hand at Rachel. “You can still give the baby up for adoption. It’s not too late. And you’re young. You’ll get your body back.”
“Rachel has already made up her mind,” Seth says angrily.
Sarah rolls her eyes. “While her hormones were running high. Now that she’s given birth, you’ll see all the trouble you’re putting yourselves into. Adoption is the responsible thing to do.”
“No, it’s not,” I say, my voice rising. “Putting your kid in the system isn’t always for the best. And Maria is a wanted child. We love her. We will love her now and always.”
“Do you even know who the father is?” Sarah asks while looking between us. She smiles when no one responds. “You say you will love the baby, but wait until you find out who the biological father is. Then where will all of you be? Most likely half of you will leave her, and the other,” she turns her shrewd eyes on Seth, reminding me of an evil serpent, “will be forced to play father despite wanting nothing to do with the kid.”
“That’s not true,” Seth rushes out, his hands fisting. “I love Rachel. I love Maria. We all do.”
Sarah looks Seth up and down and cocks her head to the side. “For now you do. I doubt you will for much longer.”
“All right, enough,” I say while wedging myself between Seth and Sarah. “You need to leave.” I direct that at Sarah.
Sarah scoffs and looks around the room. “You’re kicking me out? Again?” She turns to Rachel. “You can’t be serious.”
“We are,” Lucas says while coming to my side. “Out. Now.”
“You’re the one who invited me.”
“And now,” Lucas says bitterly, “I’m uninviting you. Please, go.”
Sarah takes one look around the room. Her gaze lands on Bryan, who gives her an awkward shrug. Finally, she stalks away from us, shoving pass both me and Lucas before throwing open the door with Bryan following after her.
“I’m so sorry,” Lucas breathes while rushing to Rachel’s side and taking her hand. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I thought…maybe if she saw Maria, things would be better.”
Rachel nods while Lucas caresses her face. “I think it’s for the best,” Rachel says while blinking away tears, “that we don’t invite her to anything until I give the okay.”
We nod in unison.
“That’s definitely reasonable,” I say while taking Rachel’s hand and brushing my lips on her knuckles. “Are you going to be okay?”
Rachel smiles at me and nods. “With you guys here to support me, how could I not?”
We gather around Rachel and stare down at Maria. I can’t say this for the others, but I know deep in my heart, I would never leave Rachel and Maria. And I know Maria isn’t mine. But that’s the thing about families—they don’t have to be blood. Sometimes the friends and lovers you surround yourself with are your family, and that can be enough. I know it is for us.
