Little Secrets--Holiday Baby Bombshell

by Karen Booth

  “Maybe she’s doing something with her family.”

  “We still have big issues to deal with once she finally talks to me. What about a baby? What if I ruin everything? What if I’ve inherited Dad’s parenting skills? I’m just as competitive. I’m just as much of a perfectionist. I don’t want to do to my child what he did to us.”

  “Hey. You need to cut that out, now. Neither of us is Dad.”

  “You didn’t see me yesterday. I just couldn’t let go of the fact that she’d deceived me. I was so hung up on her being wrong and me being right that I couldn’t see straight. It was right out of Dad’s playbook.”

  Chris shook his head. “And what’s going on right here? This conversation? This is definitely not something Dad would ever do. He never questioned his actions. You’re not him, Michael. You just aren’t.”

  Was that really true? Michael wanted to believe it. He did. “I need to figure out a way to fix this.” It always stung to admit defeat, but Michael found that he felt better when he committed himself to making things better.

  “Any ideas?”

  He picked up his phone and again tormented himself with the unanswered texts. “I need to talk to her. That’s still my first step.” He might be scared out of his wits and totally unsure of himself, but he had to do right by Charlotte. He had to go back to the way he’d felt before he found out about the pregnancy. The moment when he’d been ready to tell her he loved her. “I’m going back down to her apartment again.”

  “Good idea. I’ll hold down the fort.”

  Michael got up and headed straight down the hall, hoping the second time would be the charm. He wanted to try to make this work. He wanted to take on the challenge ahead, however daunting. It was funny to think that every other big challenge he’d ever tackled had at least come after unbelievable amounts of preparation. Not today. He was flying as blind as could be. Or maybe all those years of suffering at his father’s hand had prepared him, but not in the way one normally does that sort of thing.

  He reached Charlotte’s door and knocked. He waited, tapping his foot, looking down at the floor, up at the ceiling, back at the door again. There was no answer. He leaned closer and held his ear to the door. Not a sound came from her apartment. He knocked a second time, this time a bit more forcefully. Not even a yip from Thor came in response. He had to redouble his efforts. He dug his phone out of his back pocket and sent her yet another text.

  You home? I’m in the hall. Hoping we can talk.

  He stared at his phone. The silence and the nonanswer began to eat at him. He wasn’t sure where Charlotte was—on the other side of that door or off somewhere celebrating the holiday. But no matter what, he was quite certain she was mad as hell.

  As he made his way down the hall, his brain went into work mode. If Charlotte was going to be stubborn and ignore him, he was going to have to get creative. He was going to have to get her attention. He was going to have to call Sawyer.

  * * *

  Charlotte didn’t want to spend Christmas in utter despair, but it seemed that things were going to be that way. After the breakup to end all breakups the day before, she had zero confidence this would be a merry Christmas. Ho ho ho and deck the halls, my butt. Maybe next year. Next year could be merry. A baby. A career. An apartment, exact location to be determined. She could live with that. However imperfect, it would be a hell of a lot better than things had been before she met Michael.

  Sawyer had invited Charlotte, Fran and Noah over for an early dinner. That left Charlotte to spend Christmas morning in bed, sleeping, even after she’d turned in very early the night before. She’d turned off her phone. She’d put earplugs in her ears. No rushing to the tree and opening gifts with loved ones while sipping hot cocoa or eggnog. It was just her and Thor curled up into a pathetic ball, a good deal of crying and a few fits of anger. She’d not only managed to lose Michael, the man she had an inexplicable weakness for, but she’d also managed to lose the father of her child. In a life littered with tragic mistakes, this one went to Number One with a bullet on the top-ten list of self-made disasters. It would undoubtedly stay there for eternity.

  Going to Sawyer’s place might’ve seemed like nothing more complicated than a friendly family gathering, but it was, in truth, a day of reckoning, when Charlotte had just lived through one. Charlotte hadn’t spoken to Sawyer since the day after the wedding, when they’d all had breakfast before he and Kendall escaped to Miami for a few days. He would expect a sales update today, and although the report wasn’t terrible, she hadn’t reached her goal, either. She’d boasted that she would sell her apartments first, but she’d fallen behind Michael. He had one unit left, she had two. It didn’t sound like much, but they weren’t selling lollipops or I Love NY T-shirts. They were selling multimillion-dollar pieces of real estate. Two wealthy buyers were unlikely to suddenly appear in Charlotte’s life.

  Fran and Charlotte took a car together for the short ride up to Sawyer’s apartment on the Upper West Side. Fran had let Charlotte bend her ear about Michael yesterday, and although she was glad Charlotte had stood up for herself, she was also very clear about two things—first, she needed to cool off for a few days, and second, she needed to finally just tell her family about the baby. No more waiting until she finished her sales. It was Christmas Day, and if anything was welcome today, it was good news. A baby certainly fell into the category of good news.

  Noah was already there when they got up to Sawyer’s. He took Charlotte’s and Fran’s coats, then everyone settled in the living room for predinner drinks.

  “I love what you’ve done with the apartment,” Charlotte said to Kendall. “It’s much homier now.”

  “Was it not homey before?” Sawyer asked, seeming a bit insulted.

  “It was always nice. Don’t get me wrong. But it’s nicer now with the new throw pillows on the couch and the candles on the coffee table.”

  Sawyer shrugged. “Sorry, but it never really occurred to me that I needed more pillows.”

  “See? That’s why you needed Kendall.” Charlotte smiled at her new sister-in-law, whom she officially adored. It was nice not to be the only girl, and Fran would be going back to England soon, so Kendall might end up being Charlotte’s only real ally. With two babies between them, they’d probably have a lot to talk about.

  “So, what can I get everyone to drink?” Sawyer asked, rubbing his hands together. “I’m thinking a Manhattan.”

  “Yes, please.” Fran thrust her hand up into the air. Sawyer was speaking her language.

  “Sounds good to me,” Noah said.

  “Water for me,” Kendall said.

  “Charlotte?”

  She’d known her turn at her brother’s question was coming, but the words were stuck in her throat. Something was apparently also stuck in Fran’s throat—she cleared it in a way that could only suggest she was thinking, Charlotte, just come out with it.

  “I will have the same as Kendall. Just water, please.”

  “It’s not like you to pass up cocktail hour, Charlotte.”

  No, it wasn’t. “That’s because I have some news.” She sat straighter in her seat and looked at each member of her family, one by one. Noah, Sawyer, Fran, Kendall. This was her support system. This was the extent of it. Every person she could absolutely count on was in this room. Michael was now strictly in the category of people she could not count on. “I’m pregnant.”

  What came next was a squeal from Kendall, a nervous and somewhat unwarranted laugh from Noah, enthusiastic clapping from Fran and a dumbfounded “wow” from Sawyer. She wasn’t sure what to make of her family’s response and she wasn’t about to go around the room and ask each individual for their opinion. “I’m about to start my second trimester. Things are going well, and I’m very excited about what the future holds for me.”

  Kendall got up from her chair an
d took the empty seat on the sofa between Charlotte and Fran. She pulled Charlotte’s hand into her lap and looked into her eyes sweetly. “I think it’s wonderful. There will be two baby Lockes running around. They can play together and grow up together. Cousins. It will be amazing.”

  A picture materialized before Charlotte’s eyes, one that she hadn’t thought about—the baby as a toddler, a cousin, an actual person. She’d been so wrapped up in the notion of a little bundle, swaddled in a baby blanket. She’d thought only of cribs and diapers and sleepless nights. It hit her like a ton of bricks, exactly what was at stake. She would be responsible for a human for the rest of her life. It would be her job not to screw it up. Charlotte, the perpetual screwup herself. And then there was the most damning detail—this baby would be a Locke. He or she would not be a Kelly.

  The tears started to flow and Charlotte couldn’t have stopped them if she’d wanted to. It was surprising to say the least. She’d spent her whole morning crying. How could she possibly have any tears left? Maybe it was because she had been under so much stress with work or maybe it was as simple as what had prompted it—a glimpse of the future.

  Kendall plaintively looked up at Sawyer. “I don’t know what I said, but I’m so sorry.”

  Charlotte dropped her head onto Kendall’s shoulder. “No. No. It’s fine. I’m just still coming to terms with everything and trying to sort stuff out.” Good God, this was exactly like the speech Charlotte had delivered every other time in her life that she’d messed up. How was it that she was still repeating this pattern? “And I should let you guys know that I’ve known for a while now. That’s why I went to England to see Fran. I needed some time to regroup and figure out what my next step would be.”

  Sawyer walked across the room and dropped to his knee next to Charlotte. “Why wouldn’t you tell us, Charlotte? We’re your family. This is a big deal.”

  Noah stood directly behind Sawyer, his face full of concern. Things like this were difficult for Noah. He’d never been much for drama. Fran, Charlotte’s fairy godmother, wore a reassuring smile that held an edge of “I told you so.”

  “I’ve spent my whole life as the member of the family who’s constantly messing things up. I didn’t want to be that person anymore. Getting pregnant seemed too much like classic Charlotte. I really wanted the chance to prove myself first by selling my units at the Grand Legacy, then I was going to tell you all.”

  “Prove yourself?” Sawyer asked. “Charlotte, you’re my sister. I love you. You don’t have to prove a thing to me.”

  “That’s not true and you know it. I saw the hesitation on your face that morning I came in and asked for the listings. You weren’t convinced I could do it. You still aren’t convinced.”

  “If I had any hesitation at all, it was only because I could see you doubting yourself. I never want you to doubt yourself, Charlotte. You’re far more resilient than me or Noah.”

  Charlotte let out an unflattering snort. “Yeah, right. Resilient is the last thing I am. Look at me. I’m a mess.”

  Sawyer shook his head. “I’m not kidding. You roll with the punches and you’ve had some doozies to deal with. You always had a harder time when we were growing up. You always manage to find your way through everything, and you make everyone love you while you’re doing it. You might be the only member of the Locke family who doesn’t have an enemy.”

  Charlotte laughed quietly, wiping tears from her cheeks with the back of her hands. “Yeah, I guess.”

  “No, he’s right,” Noah insisted. “As awful as Dad has been to us, he was worse with you. He ignored you like crazy. I’m sure that had to sting.”

  Just then Charlotte realized perhaps why it had hurt so deeply when Michael ignored her or didn’t give her the attention she wanted. It wasn’t just because she was a bottomless vessel for love and affection. Michael was just a continuation of a persistent theme in her life. She loved him and he didn’t love her back.

  “Do you want to tell us who the dad is?” Sawyer asked. “I mean, you don’t have to if you don’t want to. I guess I just want to know what your plans are.” He turned back to Noah. “I think both of us want to know what you need from us. If someone needs to fill in.”

  “Yes. Of course,” Noah agreed.

  Charlotte examined Sawyer’s face. He was such a sweet guy. She was a lucky girl to have him as her brother. Noah, too. “It’s Michael Kelly, Sawyer. I got pregnant when we were still a couple. I know this makes it one hundred times more complicated, but I assure you that I have everything in hand. I’m working on it.” Even if it ends up being nothing.

  Sawyer closed his eyes for a moment. “You do not skimp on the surprise factor, do you?”

  Charlotte managed a small grin. “I try not to. Makes life more exciting.”

  “Wait a minute. Is that why he gave you the listing on his one unsold unit?” Sawyer asked.

  “What are you talking about?” Charlotte wasn’t sure she’d heard her brother correctly.

  “Michael. He called me around noon today and said he was giving his one remaining listing to you. He said he would work it out with you once he got a hold of you. He told me he’d been trying to reach you by text, but you weren’t answering.”

  Crap. Charlotte dug her phone out of her bag and powered it up. She’d been running behind when Fran came to her apartment before the car arrived. She hadn’t looked at her phone at all. There on the screen was a whole string of texts and missed calls from him. What did this mean? Did he want to talk because he wanted to reconcile? Giving up the listing made no sense. Unless he was simply taking pity on her.

  “Excuse me. I need to freshen up.” Charlotte tucked her phone back into her purse and made her way to the hall powder room. Her stomach felt all kinds of uneasy. She couldn’t figure out what her response to Michael should be. Did he have something up his sleeve? Or should she stop being so paranoid? With that thought came a sharp pain. When she wiped, she found an unwanted surprise—blood on the tissue. She tried not to panic, but her heart was beating as fast as it could. She washed her hands, but they were trembling under the steady stream of water. She could hardly rub them together to work up a lather. She had to call the doctor. She might have to go in.

  She rushed out of the bathroom and back to the living room. Getting in touch with Michael would have to wait. “Fran, Kendall, can I talk to you for a minute?” One thing was certain. Charlotte might have a knack for making life more exciting, but this might go down as the most disastrous Christmas yet.

  Thirteen

  Michael’s cell phone rang and he jumped. Charlotte? He flipped his phone over, disappointment sinking into his belly for what felt like the hundredth time today. It wasn’t Charlotte, but he didn’t recognize the number, either. That wasn’t entirely unusual. He received cold calls all the time, but it was late on Christmas day, not a typical time for real-estate inquiries from strangers.

  “Hey, Chris. I’m going to take this.” Michael and his brother were watching a movie. It was supposed to be a distraction from the Charlotte situation, even if Michael’s mind kept wandering. His brain insisted on ruminating, dragging every misstep he’d made into plain view.

  “You want me to pause it?” Chris asked.

  “No. It’s okay.” He got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen. “Hello?”

  “Michael. This is Charlotte’s aunt, Fran. I need to speak with you.” She was practically whispering. Whatever she was calling about, something was wrong. He could hear it in her voice.

  “Yes. Of course. What’s going on?”

  “I’m at the hospital. With Charlotte.”

  Forget how grave and serious everything had seemed when he’d discovered Charlotte was pregnant with his child. The hospital? Had she been in an accident? “What happened?”

  “She started bleeding. The doctors asked for
one of us to bring her in so she could be checked. We were over at Sawyer’s for dinner when it started.”

  Michael felt as though everything in his body had just gone cold. He couldn’t believe he’d spent even a minute today moping around, feeling sorry for himself. “Is she okay?” He wasn’t even sure what to ask about the baby. It was still such an abstract idea. Charlotte was hardly showing. If he hadn’t seen the vitamins on the bathroom counter, he might not even know right now. Charlotte had been that good at keeping the secret from him.

  “Charlotte seems very worried. She could be losing the baby. It’s still early in the pregnancy. It wouldn’t be uncommon.”

  Michael felt his body go incredibly still, his breathing slowed and his pulse felt like it was fading. How did it feel to have something go from an abstract idea to a reality in the blink of an eye? Michael was feeling exactly that right now. “Tell me where you are. I have to be there if anything happens.”

  “Oh, thank God. I’m so happy to hear you say that.”

  There was no telling what Charlotte had said about him to Fran, but he had a strong inkling now. “I care about Charlotte very much. But I am a little concerned about whether or not she wants me there. I don’t want to come down if it’s going to upset her. I’m no doctor, but I’m guessing it’s probably best for her and the baby if she stays calm.”

  “You’ll have to trust me when I say that it will be much worse if you don’t come.”

  Michael wasn’t sure what that even meant, but he didn’t want to discuss it further. “I’m on my way out the door right now. Can you text me the address?”

  He and Fran said their goodbyes, he grabbed his fleece jacket and hat, then poked his head into the living room. “I’d love to stick around and try to explain this, but I have to go. Charlotte’s in the hospital. There’s a chance she might lose the baby.” He headed for the door.

  “Michael, wait. Do you want me to come with you?”