Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
What’s happening?
“Oh my God,” she murmured. Then she started to cry.
Fuck. Did they find something wrong with the baby after the fact on the ultrasound? “What’s wrong?” I pleaded.
She looked white as a ghost. “Mimi died.”
CHAPTER 33
NICOLE
Delirious Jones canceled the first three shows of their tour so Atticus could accompany me to New Jersey. They rescheduled those cities on the back end.
I’d told Atticus he didn’t have to come for Mimi’s services, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He insisted that there was nothing more important than being there for me, and he’d indeed stood by my side throughout Mimi’s wake and funeral.
My mother, who’d flown in from Florida, was understandably surprised to see Atticus with me. She knew he’d come to stay with me and Mimi here, but I hadn’t told her he and I had remained in touch since then. And I’d also told her nothing about the pregnancy because I only knew myself right before I flew out to California, and I’d wanted Atticus to be the first one I told.
After a whirlwind three days, it was now the morning after the funeral, and Atticus, my mother, and I were cleaning out Mimi’s little house, getting it ready to put on the market. Mom was eager to get as much done as possible while she was still in town. She said she needed my opinion on what I wanted to keep versus what should be donated.
Atticus was out getting coffee when my mother accosted me in Mimi’s kitchen. “So what’s the deal with Atticus?” she asked. “You two seemed very affectionate at the service.”
“What do you mean?” My cheeks burned.
“What do I mean? He had his hand on your back. I saw him kiss you multiple times on the top of your head...”
It had been a long few days, and I didn’t feel like explaining everything right now. But this was likely the last time I’d see my mother for a while. I needed to tell her about the pregnancy. My loose black dress had done its job not giving anything away, but might as well just rip the Band-Aid off.
“I’m pregnant,” I blurted.
My mother jumped back a little. “What?”
Unfortunately, Atticus walked in with our coffees at that very moment. Horrible timing.
“I got some donuts, too, if you—” He paused, likely sensing tension in the air.
“I just told my mother about the baby.”
“Oh.” He put the tray of coffees down. “Should I leave so you can talk?”
My mother held out her hand. “No, you need to stay, Atticus. I’m assuming you’re the father?”
He turned to me. “You haven’t gotten very far in the conversation, I take it.”
“He is, Mom.”
She placed her hand on her chest. “When did this happen?”
“Atticus and I have stayed in touch since we visited Mimi, and we…reconnected when I went out to California for that wedding.”
My mother turned to him. “I wanted better for her than to get back with you.”
My stomach sank. That wasn’t fair. Atticus looked like she’d just stabbed him in the heart. “Mom…” I scolded.
After a brief moment of shock, he straightened. I recognized the fighting look in his eyes. He wouldn’t back down easily. Atticus looked over at me. “It’s okay, baby. I can take it.” He turned to my mother. “I get why you’re apprehensive, Maria. But I’ll earn your trust back.”
“Do you know how long it took her to get over what happened with you? What she deserves after all that is a fresh start. But obviously, with a child in the picture—or I should say another child for you—that won’t be happening.”
My mother’s reaction was harsher than I’d expected. She was even more scarred by what happened to me, and likely how it related to her past with my father, than I’d realized.
“Your daughter and I have been through a lot, but I think even you can agree there’s never been a doubt about how much I love her,” Atticus said calmly. “This baby is a blessing, and I hope you’ll see it that way eventually. But I never want Nicole to feel stuck with me, and I’ve expressed that to her. While I will always be here for this child, I only want her to give me her heart if that’s what she truly wants for herself. She will always have a choice.”
Mom crossed her arms over her chest. “I can see the baby as a blessing, but that doesn’t mean I believe Nicole should take you back after everything—”
“Mom, please stop!” I yelled.
But my mother refused to calm down. “Your grandmother would be rolling in her grave if she knew what really happened between you two. Not sure why I ever went along with your ruse to keep it from her.”
“That’s precisely why we worked hard to make sure she never found out. We didn’t want to hurt her,” Atticus insisted.