by Lily Harlem
Mason and Lucas looked at each other.
“Maybe we should tell them the truth,” Lucas said.
“Or a version.” Mason nodded.
“What version?” Harry asked.
“We’ll say that she’s our wife, us two, but not all of yours.”
“You reckon they’ll go for that?” Evan asked. “What about if they read the gossip mags or go on Twitter and see Olivia with Harry?”
Mason huffed. “You’d only need to take one look at our parents to know Twitter and gossip mags are not their thing.”
“Oh, okay,” Evan said. He didn’t look convinced.
“It really isn’t.” Lucas shrugged. “And I think they’d go for me and Mason sharing.”
“Aye, I think they will, too.” Mason said. “We’ve always shared everything else, why not a wife?”
“Mmm, that could work,” Harry said. “So we’ll go to Scotland first, then on to LA now Evan has those pills.”
“I don’t want to go to LA,” Evan said. “It’s a concrete jungle, gridlocked, too.”
“So where do you want to go?” Harry frowned.
“Somewhere with less bloody people around.”
“People get on your nerves now, do they?” Harry asked.
“Yeah, actually some do.” Evan flicked open his medical notes and turned his back on Harry.
Harry clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth and opened his letter.
“Ah, I am well and fit.” Raul grinned. “Perfection.”
Olivia laughed, enjoying releasing some of the tension that was mounting in her. “Yes, you are.”
“Open yours, mi niña hermosa. I am worried you need iron, more steak as you are so pale.”
She tore open the white envelope and pulled out two sheets of paper. They were typed and appeared to be lists of blood results. But she didn’t notice them, didn’t even read them.
Her attention had gone straight to a yellow square of paper stapled to the top right hand corner. On it was written…
Pregnancy test positive.
She read it again.
And again.
Pregnancy test positive.
Her vision blurred, and thoughts tumbled through her mind like a rockfall cascading down a cliff.
She was pregnant!
Quickly, she folded the piece of paper, hiding the words that would change her life forever. She walked past Mason and Lucas who were sitting on the sofa studying their reports.
Harry looked up from the table. “You okay, Liv?”
She didn’t answer him.
She stared out of the window, not seeing what was there. How could she be pregnant? She’d taken precautions, had the injection, it was supposed to last for months.
Yet now she had a baby in her womb.
Whose baby?
She swallowed. The strange metallic taste was back. So was the nausea.
Nausea!
Damn it. Of course. No bloody wonder she’d been feeling icky.
“Olivia.” Raul moved to her side and cupped her elbow. “What is it? Are you ill? Is your blood not right?”
“No, I’m not ill.” She turned to the room. She could feel the color running from her cheeks. Her knees were weak, and she had a strange floating sensation.
“What is it?” Mason asked, glancing at Lucas then sitting forward, his forearms on his knees as he studied her.
“Shit, babe, you’re scaring us.” Evan discarded his paperwork and pills and rammed his hands on his hips. “What is it?”
“It’s just…” The words were there, on her tongue, big, fat, and round, waiting to come into the open. But when they did, nothing would ever be the same again.
Chapter Eight
“It is just what?” Raul asked.
“It’s just…I’m pregnant.”
“What?” Harry stood fast, his chair tipping over and crashing to the hard floor.
“I’m pregnant,” she repeated and flapped the paper she was holding. “I’m having a baby.”
“Esta es una noticia maravillosa!” Raul exclaimed.
“You’re pleased?” she said.
He was grinning. “Si, very. It is perfect.” He hugged her.
Over Raul’s shoulder, she set her attention on Harry. His eyes were wide, and he ran his fingers through his carefully styled hair, messing it up. Like her, the color was draining from his face, his cheeks turning a pasty shade of white.
“I didn’t plan this,” she said when Raul released her. “I thought I had contraception covered.”
“No wonder you’ve been tired, hen,” Mason said, standing. He came over to the window and set his hand on her belly. “This wee fella in here explains it.”
“I guess.”
“I don’t know if I’m ready to be a father.” Harry paced to the left then the right. “This is too soon, don’t you think?”
“It is soon,” Evan said, switching his attention from Olivia to Harry. “But it’s happened, and I for one am pleased. Olivia will make a great mother.”
‘Olivia will make a great mother.’
She’d never considered herself in that role before. At least not for a few years yet.
“Just look how she was with Banna, Amal, and Darius,” Evan went on. “Brilliant.”
“Thank you.” She swallowed. Her eyes were a little tingly.
“Aye, you were.” Mason kissed her cheek. “You’re a natural.”
Evan walked up to her. “This is wonderful news.”
“It’s a surprise.” She knew it hadn’t sunk in properly. A baby!
“A lovely surprise.” Evan brushed his lips over hers.
“But I might be a terrible father,” Harry said. “What if I can’t do it?”
“Harry,” Lucas said. “You know damn well you were great with our kids on the boat.”
“Our kids. They weren’t our kids.” Harry held out his hands. “What I mean is…”
“Stop.” Olivia frowned at him. “Harry, you’ll make an amazing father, you all will. But right now, I’m trying to get my head around it, okay?”
“So am I,” Harry said. “I mean, how could this happen?”
“No contraception is one hundred percent,” Evan said. “And we have all been having a lot of fun together.”
She bit on her bottom lip. “The thing is… Whose baby is it?”
“All of ours,” Evan said quickly.
“No, not that.”
“Do you mean biologically?” Mason asked.
She nodded.
“Why does it matter?” Evan said. “We’ll all love your child, because it’s yours, Olivia, and it will become part of our family.”
She took his hand. “Thank you.” She turned to Mason then Raul. “But what if…?” Reluctant to say his name, she paused. “What if it’s not one of yours?”
“You are asking what if it is Paul’s baby?” Raul frowned.
“Yes.” She didn’t want that. A child with red-tinged hair would be loved, of course it would, but Paul was the one man she hoped hadn’t fathered the baby in her belly.
“I don’t think that is possible,” Raul said.
“Well it is because we…you know.” She knotted her fingers together. Every muscle in her body was tense. “We did it.”
“Si, but you have been feeling unwell, sick and tired, that does not happen straight away. I know from when my brother’s wife had her children. You have been pregnant for a while.”
“Before I went to Africa?”
“I would think so, si.” Raul nodded.
She went through what he’d said again. He was talking sense. She’d had sex with all the men in this room long before she’d gotten down and funky with Paul. Chances were high, very high, one of her husbands was the father.
Relief swept through her—even as her emotions were in a whirlwind, that knowledge was soothing.
“So do not worry.” Raul tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “You are carrying our baby, I am sure of it.”
“I think I need to sit down.” Her jelly knees were going to give up on her.
“Aye, you should.” Mason steered her to the sofa. “You need to take it easy.”
She sat, and Lucas took her hand. “This has made me very happy,” he said. “Unexpected and not planned, but that’s how life goes.” He stroked her stomach and kissed her. “And I am here for you, every minute of every day, you know that.”
“I do.”
She looked up at Harry. He was still pacing. All of her husbands, except him, seemed delighted with the news.
“Harry,” she said as Mason sat beside her, sandwiching her between himself and Lucas.
“I just…” Harry stopped and turned to her. “I guess I thought we’d plan this. You know, decide when it was going to happen.”
“Me, too.”
“And then make sure we had one each. Five kids, all of us a father.”
“Five kids!” She said it louder than planned. “Give me a chance, Harry, I’m trying to get used to the idea of one. And even then I don’t know if I want to do it five times.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” He rounded the table and kneeled on the floor in front of her. He rested his hands on her knees. “I am sorry.” Confusion danced in his eyes.
“About what?” She flattened a few strands of hair that were sticking out over his ear.
“For being shocked, surprised.” He smiled. “For not doing this.” He gently tugged up her t-shirt, then leaned forward and set a kiss on her stomach.
She continued to stroke his hair and enjoyed the brush of his lips on her warm skin.
“Harry,” she whispered. “You’ll be a wonderful father. You all will be.”
He looked up at her. “I promise to do my best. Not indulge him or her too much.”
The door opened. Riley stepped in. He came to an abrupt halt when he saw Harry on his knees holding Olivia’s t-shirt up above her navel. “Sorry, am I interrupting something?”
Harry grinned up at Olivia, “We were just…”
“No.” She shook her head. “Don’t.” There was no way she was ready to share their news. It hadn’t even found a place in her brain yet. It was still so fresh, her emotions raw and unexplored. There was joy and excitement, yes, but also apprehension and shock.
“Not yet,” Mason added.
“Okay.” Harry tugged her t-shirt down and stood. “You got our phones, Riley?”
“Sure thing. Here you are.” He set two brown paper bags on the table. “Phones in that one, chargers in the other. I put them all on to charge last night, so they should be full batteries.”
“Good thinking.” Harry tipped the bag of phones onto the table. They slid against each other. “Ah, there you are, come to Daddy.”
Evan laughed. “See, you’re already a parent, to a damn iPhone.”
Olivia glanced at Riley, wondering if he’d comment.
He didn’t.
Harry huffed. “I’ve missed it, that’s all.”
“I don’t think you have, not really.” Evan reached for his slightly battered Nokia.
Harry shrugged and fiddled with his gold iPhone.
“Any news on the kids’ aunt?” Mason asked.
“Not that I know of, but I’m taking a trip over there now to chase it up, make sure they’re okay.”
“Should we go, too?” Mason asked.
“Don’t you think that might upset them?” Olivia said. “To have to say goodbye again.” Much as she’d love to see her three stowaway children, saying goodbye had been painful. She wasn’t sure she had the strength to do it all over again. Not today anyway.
“Aye, you’re probably right.” Mason sank back on the sofa. He made no move toward his phone, neither did Lucas.
“This will be useful.” Raul pocketed his without even turning it on. “To stay in touch with Jose.”
“And I’ll call my parents later, and my friend Sandy.” Olivia paused. “I wonder if Anya still has her phone. It was old but it worked. I’d love to speak to her.”
“We can try it,” Lucas said.
“Jeez, I’ve got another hundred thousand Twitter followers while I’ve been phoneless.” Harry laughed. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder, huh.”
“I’ve never bothered with Twitter,” Lucas said.
“No, nor Facebook,” Mason added.
“Waste of life.” Evan shrugged. “GPS is the most useful thing on my phone.”
“Ah, you don’t live in the real world,” Harry said.
Olivia cleared her throat. “Excuse me, Mr Harrington Vidal, but didn’t you say a while ago that we were the real world and all that online stuff wasn’t?”
He paused and looked at her. “Yeah. I guess you’re right, I did say that.”
“You absolutely did, so don’t go getting obsessed with all that crap again.” She’d put on her sternest voice.
“I’ll try not to, ma’am.” He did a mock salute.
Evan’s phone trilled to life. “What?” he said, peering at the screen. “Someone’s ringing me. My mother.”
“You should answer it,” Raul said. “If it is tu madre.”
Evan frowned. “G’day.” He was quiet for a moment, then, “Yeah, I’m in Spain right now.” He stood and walked to the window with the phone pressed to his ear. He stared into the distance.
Olivia found herself twisting her hands in her lap. Evan didn’t speak much of his family, and only then if pushed. As an only child and a father he obviously had issues with, it was no wonder he’d been keen to be part of The Challenge.
“When?” Evan asked, his gaze fixed firmly outside, his back to the room. “How?”
His shoulders rose a little closer to his ears.
Olivia glanced at Harry. He’d stopped fiddling with his phone and was studying Evan.
Something is wrong.
“I see. Yes. Okay.” Evan paused. “I’ll do my best, Mam, and I’m sorry, okay.” He hung up.
Olivia stood. “Evan? Is everything all right back home?”
He turned and shook his head. “No. It’s not.”
“What’s happened, buddy?” Harry frowned.
“It’s my father.” Evan paused and tilted his chin. “He’s dead.”
His words sliced through Olivia. Not that she’d known the man, but because of the effect losing a parent would have on Evan.
“Oh no.” She shook her head. “When? How?”
Evan kind of shrugged. “A week ago. Heart attack.”
“I’m really sorry, mi amigo.” Raul stepped up to him and clasped his shoulder. “Really I am.”
“I hated the bastard,” Evan snapped. “I’m not sorry.”
Raul appeared a little shocked. “I don’t care for my father much, but I wouldn’t wish him dead.”
“Dead or alive makes no difference to me.” Evan scowled and stepped away. “He was a mean old bully who only thought of himself. My mother will be better off without him.”
“Shit, this is bad.” Mason stood. “To find out like that, on the phone.”
“How else was she going to tell me?”
“I guess.” Mason glanced at Lucas.
Lucas shrugged and downturned his mouth.
“Evan.” Olivia stepped up to him and took his hand. It was cool, but he squeezed her fingers and held on to her. “What can we do to help?”
He set his attention on her, then swung it around the room. “There’s nothing any of you can do to help.”
“When is the funeral?” Harry asked.
“They’ve had it. Done within days.” He laughed, but it was without humor. “Saves me making the decision whether to go to it or not, I guess.”
“You would have gone,” Olivia said. “He was your dad.”
“I don’t know if I would have,” Evan said. “I didn’t love him, and he certainly didn’t love me.”
“There must be something we can do?” Harry said.
Evan paused, then, “Yeah, actually there is?”
&nb
sp; “What?” Lucas rose from the sofa. “Count me in.”
“Si, all of us are in.”
Evan kind of smiled. “How good are you at sheep shearing?”
“Sheep shearing?” Olivia asked.
“Yeah, seems I’ve got a sheep station in South West Australia to go and manage.”
They were all silent.
“Manage?” Olivia asked.
“Yeah, run. My mother wants nothing to do with it. She’s going to live with her sister, in Perth.” He paused. “There’s only me left to do anything with it. The property and the animals.”
“And do you want to do anything with it?” she asked.
He was quiet for a moment, then, “It’s a beautiful place, but it was made ugly by him. Perhaps it won’t be so bad now he’s gone, especially if…”
“If what?” Harry asked.
Evan pulled in a deep breath. “If you all come with me.”
Chapter Nine
Go with Evan, to Australia? Help run a sheep station?
Olivia had never been to that part of the world. She’d always wanted to go. But this sounded like a more permanent challenge than their previous ones. Evan had inherited a huge amount of land, animals, and a homestead.
“I thought you were from Melbourne; that’s a city, right?” Mason said. “Where’s the sheep station fit in?”
“Yeah, it is a city. I lived there for six months before The Challenge, stayed with a mate and got my sailing qualifications.” Evan shrugged. “When I got to America, it made sense to say I was from a place people there had heard of, that’s all. My family are from Western Australia, it’s where I grew up. A small town no one except the people who rely on it have ever heard of.”
“Go to Australia?” Raul said, raising his arms. “But we have just arrived here, in Spain.”
“I know. I’m sorry, mate. My mother has paid the ranchers until the end of the month, then they’ll be gone. That only gives me a week to get my arse over there.”
Raul nodded and stepped up to the window. He stared out with his hands on his hips.
“I reckon we could learn how to shear?” Mason said. “Don’t you think, Lucas?”
“Aye.” Lucas shrugged.
Harry clasped Evan’s shoulder. “Wasn’t on my to-do list, to look after sheep, but I’ll give it a go, buddy.”
