by Mia Knight
“I’m sure Phil will enjoy that,” Lyla said and patted Blade’s shoulder. “Thanks for helping.”
Blade shrugged and didn’t reply. He parked and they walked into the store. Carmen grabbed a hand basket and disappeared while Lyla went to the deli and found a pasta salad. She grabbed fresh bread and some spreads while Blade grabbed something for himself. Carmen appeared and insisted on paying for everything. Lyla grabbed one of three shopping bags.
“What did you buy?” she asked.
“Odds and ends. I’ll eat at your place and one of the guys can take me home later,” Carmen said.
Lyla was too busy eating her salad and ripping off a chunk of bread to care. Carmen handed her chilled green tea. Lyla was puzzled, but obliged and enjoyed the cool refreshment. They carried everything into the house and ate at the table.
“Come on, you have to finish your drink,” Carmen said. “You’re dehydrated.”
Lyla finished the drink to satisfy her cousin so she would stop fussing. Carmen chatted about the different dogs she met and their needs. Lyla was happy that Carmen enjoyed herself and wanted to go back. Lyla agreed, Beau on her mind. Pit bulls had such a bad rep, but Beau was a sweetheart. While Blade and Carmen chatted, Lyla went upstairs to pee. She was startled when Carmen pounded on the door.
“What are you doing?” Carmen shouted.
Lyla stared at the door. “Um, I'm using the bathroom.”
“Number one or number two?”
Seriously? “Why do you care?”
“Because I have to pee too.”
“Go to another bathroom!”
“Why? You said you're doing number one. Just don't flush.”
“What?”
“You’re wasting water and we live in the desert!” Carmen slapped her hand on the door for emphasis. “We need to conserve as much water as possible!”
Lyla was used to Carmen’s outbursts and eccentricities. She opened the door to her cousin who clapped her on the back like a bro and shut the door in her face. Lyla went downstairs and found the cook in the kitchen.
“How are you today, Mrs. Pyre?” she asked.
“I’m okay,” Lyla said and backed away when she caught a whiff of steamed broccoli.
“Is something wrong?”
Lyla waved a hand in front of her face. “I don't know.”
The cook stared at her. “You like broccoli, right?”
“I do normally, but... maybe I'm coming down with some kind of weird bug.”
“A bug,” the cook repeated flatly. “You know that I can prepare anything you want. I can cook based on what you're craving. In the past, Mr. Pyre preferred that I make meals at home and deliver, but I'm not opposed to coming here if you want to request something special.”
“Oh, no, I'm fine. I'm sure it'll pass.”
There was a bloodcurdling scream from the top of the stairs. Lyla took off towards the staircase with Blade on her heels. Lyla ran into the master bathroom and found Carmen on the floor, holding something to her chest with her head bowed, rocking back and forth. What the hell? Wondering if her cousin was having a grieving episode, Lyla got down on her knees and wrapped her arms around Carmen.
“Are you hurt?” Lyla asked.
Carmen shook her head. Blade closed the door to give them privacy.
“What’s going on?” Lyla asked.
Carmen mumbled something incoherent.
“What? Carmen, you're scaring me.”
Carmen raised her tear-streaked face. Lyla was startled by the broad grin on her face.
“You’re pregnant,” Carmen said.
Lyla’s arms fell away. “What? What are you talking about?”
“I did a pregnancy test using the pee you left in the toilet.”
It took a moment for Lyla to register what Carmen was saying. When it penetrated, Lyla fell on her ass. Her cousin held up a white wand with the word ‘pregnant’ on it. Lyla snatched the test and shook it as if it was an eight ball and the words would change.
“I can't be. I just had my period two weeks ago.”
“I looked it up on my phone. In the beginning, you can still spot when you're pregnant.”
Lyla couldn't describe the feelings rushing through her. She leapt to her feet and jabbed the wand at her cousin. “You had no right to do this!”
Carmen stared at her. “Don’t you want to know?”
Lyla paced around the bathroom, blindsided by the news. She was still trying to overcome panic attacks, bad dreams and depression and now she was pregnant? Lyla stopped and shook her head. “I want to take another test.”
Carmen got to her feet, watching her cautiously. “Lyla, you can't fake this kind of stuff.”
“B-but I'm not ready,” Lyla stammered.
Carmen held up both hands. “Wait, do you want to be pregnant?”
“Yes. No. Not right now.”
“But you haven’t been on any type of birth control. You must have known this was a possibility.”
Lyla ignored that. “You bought a test at the store?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have another one?”
“Yes. Can you pee again?”
“That's why you gave me that green tea, isn't it?” Lyla asked.
Carmen nodded.
Lyla didn't have to pee so she tossed the wand in the trash and hurried downstairs with Carmen on her heels. Blade was nowhere to be found, which was a good thing, considering Lyla wouldn't have been able to conceal that something was wrong. She downed two bottles of water while Carmen pulled a bouquet of flowers out of her shopping bag and arranged them on the dining table.
Lyla couldn't stay still. She went outside to get some fresh air and paced around the pool, arms wrapped around herself. She couldn't be pregnant, could she? Yes, she hadn’t taken the pills, which left her open to pregnancy, but they had been married less than four months. What were the chances that Gavin had super sperm? Oh, God, Gavin would be ecstatic. Lyla covered her face with both hands. Gavin Pyre, former crime lord, CEO of Pyre Casinos, husband and maybe baby daddy. Pregnant... Lyla felt a surge of protectiveness, joy and terror when she thought about the being that could be growing in her tummy.
When she was ready for the next test, she rushed into the house, interrupting Carmen and the cook who were deep in conversation. The second pregnancy test was on the vanity. Lyla was trying to read the directions when Carmen barged in.
“Here.”
Carmen took the wand out of the box, uncapped it and shushed her over to the toilet. “You have to pee on here,” she instructed.
Carmen obviously wasn't going anywhere and Lyla was feeling strangely vulnerable so she didn't say anything. After she peed on the stick, Carmen recapped it and set it on the counter.
“Now we wait ten minutes,” Carmen said.
Lyla sat on the edge of the tub and clasped her hands together. “Oh my God.”
Carmen sat beside her. “Aren't you excited?”
“I don't know. I knew this was a possibility but I never thought I would ever get pregnant.” She couldn't take her eyes off the innocent looking wand that would change her life.
“Have you talked about kids?”
“Yes. He wants them badly.”
“Well, he is older than you.”
“Yes.” She hesitated and then confided, “When he was in jail, he had a dream about a little girl named Nora. He said the dream was so real he could smell her, feel her weight against his chest. She gave him hope.”
“Nora,” Carmen said quietly. “I like it. His mother's name, right?”
Lyla nodded. “I wanted to go on birth control, but after he told that story, I couldn’t. I didn't want to take that away from him. He believes our kids will be his redemption.”
“You might be making his dreams come true, but what about yours?”
“It’s kind of too late, isn't it?” Lyla asked with a hollow laugh, gesturing to the pregnancy test.
“You have choices, Lyla.”
/> “Like what?”
Carmen pinched her. “You know how I feel about Gavin.”
“Actually, I'm not sure what you think about him anymore.”
Carmen straightened her shoulders. “I didn't really know Gavin when you started dating him. I just liked the fact that we were cousins dating cousins. I thought that was cool. I knew Gavin loved you and Vinny loved me. In my mind, that's all we needed. I didn't care what they did on the side as long as they came home to us. I had no idea that Gavin would cheat on you. I think I felt just as betrayed as you did. I trusted Gavin to take care of you, to love you as your father never had and he failed. Then, he killed that man in your basement and you begged me to help you leave. That's one of the hardest things I ever had to do—help you escape, knowing I may never see you again.” Carmen let out a ragged breath. “Gavin never stopped looking for you. I didn't know if you were better off without him. I'm not going to lie. When he brought you back, I would do almost anything to make you want to stay. I'm glad Manny got involved. You've always had a strong connection with him, almost as strong as your connection with Gavin.”
Lyla brushed away tears. Manny would never see his grandchild. Her child never knowing its paternal grandfather made her heart ache with grief, bitterness and anger. Life was so unfair... and his killer was still out there. Lyla shivered.
“Manny made Gavin see reason and Gavin began to treat you like the queen you are. Then, Vinny died.”
Carmen's voice was flat and emotionless. Lyla put an arm around her cousin to comfort her.
“Everything started to fall apart. Manny was murdered and I almost lost you again.” Carmen sniffled. “I'm glad you asked me to get you out of Vegas again. It's what I was planning for myself and I was glad to have a partner, even though I suspected Gavin would look for you. I was right.” Carmen let out a watery laugh. “God, he is one stubborn son of a bitch.”
Lyla laughed with her and felt some of her anxiety slip away. If they could get through the murders of loved ones, they could handle this.
“When he came for you in Montana, I couldn't read him and that scared the crap out of me. I didn't know if he would punish you for leaving. When he forced you to marry him, I was even more alarmed. In the jet, he nearly hit me.” When Lyla tried to explain, Carmen patted her hand. “I know Gavin's been through the wringer. I know he carries a lot of guilt on his shoulders. We’re all scarred by what happened and Gavin doesn't know how to deal with losing his father and best friend. I get it. We’re women and we have each other. Gavin? He only has you left. When I saw you at the funeral, I knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That he had let you in all the way. His shields were down. He wasn't a cold-blooded robot, he was just... Gavin. You make him human. He needs you.” Carmen let out a choked sob and leaned forward, hands over her chest. “It's the way Vinny needed me. I miss him so much.”
Lyla rested her head on her cousin’s shoulder. They cried together, their sobs echoing in the bathroom.
“I'm happy for you and Gavin even though I think he's a shit head.”
Lyla chuckled. Carmen rose and helped Lyla to her feet. With tears trickling down her cheeks, Carmen clasped Lyla’s hands and squeezed.
“Life moves on, which means we have to as well. I am so happy for you. I'm going to be here for you every step of the way. Everything is going to be fine. You know that, right?”
Lyla nodded, too overcome to speak.
“You ready?” Carmen asked.
Lyla took a deep breath and still holding hands, they walked to the vanity and peered down at the wand.
Pregnant.
Lyla’s head spun. “Oh my god.”
Carmen squealed. “I'm going to be an aunty!”
“And I'm going to be a mom,” Lyla said and felt her world tilt sideways.
Carmen pushed Lyla on a bench and clapped her hands together like a cheerleader. “Okay, so I already talked to your cook. She's going to come daily to prepare meals since you're sensitive to certain foods right now. She's preparing something extra special for tonight.”
“What? Why?”
“Because you're going to tell Gavin, right?”
Lyla took a deep breath. “Yes.”
“How do you want to tell him?”
“What do you mean?”
Carmen fetched her phone and sat beside Lyla. “So on the ride home I went on YouTube and there's all these ways women have told their husbands they're pregnant. Here, watch this one, it's so cute!”
Lyla watched a woman send her husband on a scavenger hunt, which really was cute. Carmen proceeded to show her at least eight videos of women telling their husbands that they were pregnant in creative ways. Instead of being inspired, Lyla felt more nervous.
“Can’t I just tell him?” Lyla asked.
Carmen's face dropped. “Well, yeah, but this is your first. Don't you want it to be extra special?”
“I can't imagine telling Gavin to get a bun out of the oven or giving him a crossword that he has to figure out. That's just not us.”
“Okay.” Carmen pocketed her phone, clearly disappointed and then she lit up again. “Oh my gosh. You will not believe what I found at the store! It's going to be perfect!”
Carmen ran out of the bathroom. Lyla listened to the sound of her thundering downstairs while she stared at the positive pregnancy test. Her life would never be the same. Carmen came back with a pink onesie in her hands. She held it up and Lyla saw that it said, “Daddy's Princess.” Lyla clapped a hand over her chest because it felt as if her heart was breaking.
“They didn’t have a boy outfit so I guess this is meant to be.”
“It's perfect,” Lyla choked and hugged her cousin. “What would I do without you?”
“You'll never have to know.”
“Will you be her godmother?”
Carmen burst into tears.
***
When Gavin walked through the front door, Lyla was relieved. Carmen had been going Pinterest crazy for hours. Lyla was so wound up that she wanted to blurt it out the second she saw him. Instead, she ran and threw herself into his arms. Gavin gave her a deep kiss.
“You all right, baby girl?” he asked.
“I am now.”
Gavin looked past her and noticed Carmen. “What happened to you?”
“This is what you look like after you give ten dogs a bath,” Carmen said with a hand on her hip.
“How’s your mother?” Gavin asked.
Surprised and pleased that he was making the effort to be social and considerate towards Carmen, Lyla patted his chest.
“She cleans a lot,” Carmen said with a shrug, “but her friends signed her up for salsa classes so she’s been going out more.”
“Have you made any plans?”
“Like?”
“If you want to buy a house or if you’re going to stay here?”
Carmen glanced at Lyla with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “I’m not planning to leave anytime soon.”
Gavin relaxed slightly. “The RV is in a safe place. I didn’t get rid of it.”
“Good to know,” Carmen said and eyed him. “What are your plans?”
“Excuse me?”
“What’s your plan for the future?”
“To keep Lyla happy and safe,” Gavin said.
Lyla glanced between the two people she loved most and wanted to shake her head. They glared at one another as if they were adversaries.
“Bye, Carmen!” she said deliberately.
Carmen sniffed. “One of your guys is taking me home. Lyla, call me later.”
Lyla waved and looked up at Gavin. “You want to shower before we eat?”
“Yeah.” He cupped her face. “You sure you're okay?”
“Yes.” How would he react to her news? He made it clear that he wanted her pregnant but... How would he be after he got her pregnant? Lyla’s enthusiasm dimmed as old insecurities crept in.
“I’ll be quick,” he said and
kissed her. He paused and dropped his nose to her neck and inhaled. “You smell good.”
“Pomegranate body wash.”
“Yum.”
He slapped her ass and went upstairs. Lyla paced and chewed her nails. She wouldn’t be able to calm down until Gavin knew. She felt as if there was an expanding balloon in her chest. It kept growing until she couldn’t breathe properly. She grabbed her wine glass, which held apple cider. Lyla imagined it was wine and downed it in one gulp. The dining table was set with Carmen’s flowers and candles. Because she had to do something, Lyla made both of their plates and placed them on the table. When Gavin appeared he took in the table setting.
“What’s the occasion?” he asked.
“Your cook wanted to do something nice for us,” she said and had to make an effort not to look at the gift bag on one of the chairs.
Gavin fingered the petals of a flower. “Nice.”
They sat and he immediately dug into the meal. Lyla examined him furtively. He wasn’t the same man she fell in love with as a teenager. At eighteen, how could she have prepared herself for a life with him? They had their highs and lows and now, here they were, expectant parents. She tried to imagine Gavin holding a baby and the image tugged at her heartstrings. He was such an alpha. If he loved their baby as much as he loved her, their daughter would never want to leave home. It might not be a girl, she reminded herself.
“How was the dog shelter?” Gavin asked.
“Um, it was great,” Lyla said and forced herself to eat. “I want to volunteer there regularly. Carmen does too. She bathed dogs and I took them out of their kennels and walked them on this path. There was this cute Pit bull, Beau, that I walked—”
“A what?”
Lyla frowned. “A Pit bull.”
“Pit bull’s are one of the most aggressive dog breeds in the world.”
“He’s not aggressive. He’s a sweetheart. When I fainted, he just stayed with me until someone found me—” She broke off when Gavin dropped his fork. “What?”
“Did you just say you fainted?” he asked in a quiet, icy voice.
Oh, shit. “Oh, um, I felt a little dizzy and I had a spell, but I’m fine now.”
