Page 121 of Poison and Wine
In a show of solidarity, my brothers had spent Christmas Day with us, and I’d prepared some of the Italian dishes we’d grown up with. Since Callum’s shooting, my brothers had remained estranged from my parents. The fact that the shooting could've possibly ended my life as well as Callum’s had fractured the already precarious relationship. The Neretti family now was split into the camps still supporting my father and the ones who supported Rafe.
Once I finished my shower and got dressed, I made my way downstairs. After receiving another playful smack on the ass by Callum as he came out of the dining room, I headed for the kitchen. I needed to grab something quick if I was going to make it to my class on time. When I entered the kitchen and smelled the meat frying, my stomach clenched. As bile shot into my throat, I clamped my hand over my mouth. Without enough time to make it to the bathroom, I sprinted around Lorna to throw up in the kitchen sink.
After retching repeatedly, I wiped my mouth and turned on the hot water. Lorna’s hand pressed gently on my back. “Are you all right, lass?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. That came out of nowhere.” Glancing at her over my shoulder, I asked, “I must’ve picked up a bug on campus.”
Lorna’s eyes narrowed curiously. “When was your last monthly?”
I furrowed my brows. “What does my period have–” Before I could finish, my stomach lurched again. As I threw up, I realized how stupid my question was. My period, or lack thereof, had everything to do with me being sick.
Once I finished, I dried my lips and face with a paper towel. “I can’t believe I didn’t realize it.”
“What?”
“I haven’t gotten my period this month,” I whispered.
Lorna’s brows furrowed. “How late are you?”
I did the math in my head. When I realized how late I was, I gasped. “Two weeks.”
Now it was Lorna’s time to gasp. But then a beaming expression lit up her face. “Oh lass, you’re up the pole.”
I groaned but laughed in spite of myself. “That is the worst expression I’ve ever heard.”
“That might be true, but it’s the best news ever.” When I didn’t respond, she cocked her head. “It is good news, isn’t it?”
“Of course.”
“Callum needs an heir.”
“I know.”
She frowned. “Then what’s the problem?”
“I guess I’m just surprised.”
Lorna shot me an exasperated look. “Considering how many pairs of sheets the two of you go through, it shouldn’t be a surprise at all.”
Heat burned in my cheeks. “Lorna!” I protested.
She grinned. “It’s the truth, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” I mumbled with embarrassment.
“Then what’s the problem?”
“It’s just…” Panicked out-of-control thoughts whirled through my mind. “It’s just fast. We haven’t been married long. A year ago I was a sister. I’ve barely gotten used to the idea of being a wife and now I’m going to be a mother.” I swallowed hard. “There’s a selfish part of me who wanted more time with just Callum.”
“Aw, love, I can understand that. I’m sure it does seem fast.” She pushed my hair out of my face. “But if there’s one thing I’m certain of, you’re going to make an amazing mother.”
“You really think so?”
She patted my cheek. “I certainly do.”
As Kellan and Quinn came into the kitchen, I put my finger over my lips. Whispering in my ear, Lorna said, “You want me to make you an appointment today with the Kavanaugh family OB?” At my nod, she turned and left the kitchen.
Kellan sniffed the air before wrinkling his nose. “Why does it smell like puke in here?”