by Maya Banks
He walked to the front door and opened it, and a mere second later, Rusty entered the living room.
Rachel smiled and got up to hug the other woman.
“Rusty! I’m so glad to see you!” Rachel stepped back to examine the smiling girl. “You’re looking so gorgeous! How is school?”
Rusty dipped her head a little shyly but beamed at Rachel’s compliment. And it was true. Rusty had blossomed into a beautiful young lady. A long way from the scrawny, surly teenager with ragged, brightly dyed hair who’d stolen into Marlene and Frank Kelly’s house a few years earlier.
She could definitely still hold her own with the Kelly clan and could be plenty sassy when the occasion called for it, but Rusty had softened under the love and tutelage of Marlene and the rest of the Kellys.
“I heard you went back to work today,” Rusty said after offering Rachel her own enthusiastic hug. “How did it go?”
There was worry in the other girl’s eyes, and Rachel’s heart squeezed. She and Rusty hadn’t always had the best relationship. Rusty had entered the Kellys’ lives at the precise time when Rachel had been rescued and returned to her family. Rusty had feared that concern for Rachel would overshadow her own existence and that she’d be discarded and sent on her way.
“It was scary and wonderful at the same time,” Rachel said. “Hard to believe I can be intimidated by a bunch of junior high kids, but believe me, they’re pretty terrifying!”
Rusty laughed. “I remember me at that age so I can well understand why you’d be shaking in your shoes.”
“Where’s Ma?” Ethan asked. “I thought she was coming with you?”
Rusty turned to Ethan. “She said to tell you she’ll be here as soon as she can. Sophie was running late, and Marlene was keeping Charlotte for her.”
Ethan’s cell rang, and he made a grab for it, turning away from the two women as he answered.
Rachel took Rusty’s hand and dragged her toward the couch. “So how are you doing in your classes, and how are you liking college?”
Rusty’s eyes glowed with excitement. “I love it. It’s as you said. Scary and wonderful all at the same time. There are so many people. Everywhere. And from all over! I’d never been out of Dover my entire life so it was like culture shock. But it’s fun, and I’ve made so many good friends. There’s so much to do.”
“You’re keeping up with your studies, right?” Rachel asked.
Rusty grinned. “You sound just like Marlene. And yes, I’m doing very well. Better than I would have ever thought I was capable of. I have one B, but it’s a high B, so I think I can bring it up to an A before the semester is over. I have As in everything else. Who would have thought that I would ever be an honor student!”
“You’re smarter than all of us,” Rachel said dryly. “It was always just a matter of focusing your efforts in a positive direction.”
“Sorry to interrupt, girls, but I’m going to head over to round up a crew to help move furniture. Sam has a delivery truck he’s borrowed, and we’re going to bring it over here to load up as much stuff as we can this evening.”
Rachel smiled up at her husband. “Okay. We’ll work on packing some of the smaller boxes while we wait for Marlene. I should probably put in a pizza order for later. Everyone will be starving.”
Ethan dropped a kiss on her lips. “Let us worry about the food. If I know Ma, she’s already prepared a feast, and she’ll probably come over loaded for bear.”
“True,” Rachel said ruefully. “Okay, off with you. I’ll see you and your brothers in a bit.”
Rusty also stood and motioned toward the boxes. “Is there any particular place you want me to start?”
Rachel rose, setting her glass down beside Ethan’s on the end table. She’d only had a sip, but her stomach was roiling, and a clammy sweat had broken out on her forehead.
Without saying a word to Rusty, she hurried past her and to the guest bathroom down from the kitchen. She barely made it to the toilet before her stomach heaved and ejected the contents.
A soothing hand rubbed up and down her back as Rusty’s anxious question was issued. “Rachel, are you all right? Should I call Ethan back?”
Rachel shook her head as she wiped at her mouth with a towel. “N-no,” she said shakily. “I’m fine. Really.”
When she lifted her head, she saw Rusty frowning at her.
“You aren’t fine. You were puking your guts up. What’s going on?”
Rachel swallowed nervously and then went to the sink to wash out her mouth. She gargled with mouthwash, praying it wouldn’t send her back to the toilet to vomit again. She leaned against the sink, her hands braced on the countertop, as she stared at herself in the mirror.
It was time to stop discounting the possibility. Having the wine had been irresponsible. She knew she could be. Even if she’d thought it unlikely that it would happen this soon.
“Rusty?” she said faintly. “Is there any way you could do me a favor?”
Rusty came up behind her and put her hand on her shoulder. “Of course. Just tell me what you need.”
Rachel turned, taking Rusty’s hand in hers. “I don’t want you to tell anyone about this, okay? Promise me.”
Rusty frowned but nodded.
“If you leave now, you could get back before everyone gets over here. But you’ll have to hurry.”
Rusty cocked her head to the side. “What are you wanting?”
Rachel took a deep breath. “Is there any way you could run to the pharmacy and buy an over-the-counter pregnancy test for me?”
Chapter 3
Rachel paced the confines of the living room, the wait for Rusty to return an eternity. She checked her watch and then looked anxiously out the window. She didn’t expect Ethan for a while yet. The compound was across the lake, and he’d no doubt get sidetracked talking to his brothers before they made their way back over. But Marlene could show up at any time, and while Rachel loved her dearly, she wasn’t ready to tell anyone of her suspicion yet. The last thing she wanted was to build anyone’s hopes only for it to be a false alarm.
And she didn’t want the inevitable questions and concerns that would surely accompany the knowledge that she and Ethan were trying for a baby. For now it was their own precious secret. Only now Rusty knew, and Rachel hoped that Rusty would keep it in confidence.
Her pulse bounded when she heard a vehicle in the drive. Her gaze jerked to the window, and she sagged in relief when she saw it was Rusty’s Jeep.
A moment later, Rusty hurried in the door with a plain, brown paper sack in her hand.
“I bought two,” she said as she began pulling one out of the bag. “I figured it would be better to take two no matter what the first result is, just to make sure.”
Rachel smiled and hugged Rusty tight. “Thank you. I appreciate you doing this for me.”
Rusty pulled carefully away, her eyes dark with concern. “Is this a good thing or a bad thing, Rachel? I mean if you’re pregnant.”
“It would be a very good thing,” Rachel said in a low voice.
Rusty smiled. “Then I’ll cross fingers and toes the test is positive. You better hurry, though, if you don’t want the entire world to know. If Marlene shows up and finds you peeing on a stick, the entire family will be gathered in short order.”
Rachel laughed but took the box from Rusty and hurried toward the bathroom. “You be my lookout,” she called back.
“I’ll guard the door,” Rusty said in an amused voice from just outside the bathroom.
Rachel’s hands shook as she hastily tore into the box. They were shaking so badly that she nearly dropped the stick once she freed it from the packaging.
After reading the instructions twice to make sure she did everything accordingly, she forced herself to calm down and focus on the task at hand.
And then, so she wouldn’t drive herself crazy waiting for the first test’s results, she squeezed out just enough to go ahead and take the second test.
Sh
e straightened her clothing, washed her hands, and then checked her watch, all while avoiding the little indicator windows on the sticks lying on the counter.
Then she looked.
“Rachel?”
At first she didn’t respond.
“Rachel, is everything okay in there? It’s awfully quiet.”
“Y-you can come in,” Rachel managed to get out.
The door opened, and Rusty stuck her head in and then looked down at what Rachel was obviously staring at.
“They’re both positive,” Rachel murmured.
Then she looked up at Rusty, a rush of fear, excitement, and pure adrenaline pumping through her veins.
Rusty smiled. “That’s good, right?”
“It’s wonderful,” Rachel breathed.
Tears filled her eyes, and then Rusty was hugging her, holding on tight as Rachel fought the wave of emotion engulfing her.
“Congratulations,” Rusty said in a fierce voice. “I’m happy for you, Rachel.”
“Thank you,” Rachel said, giving her a watery smile as she pulled away.
Rusty shook her head and made a tsking sound. “You so better get rid of the watery, red eyes before Mama Kelly gets here. She’ll be on you faster than a duck on a junebug. I’m assuming you want to tell Ethan before the rest of the family.”
Rachel grabbed a washcloth and ran cold water over it. “Yes, of course I do. I appreciate you keeping it secret, Rusty. It’s such a shock. I mean, it’s not completely unexpected. I certainly knew it was possible. It’s just that I never imagined it would happen so fast. I figured with everything that’s happened, that it could be months or even years after we started trying before I got pregnant. I want some time to get used to it myself, and I want to be able to tell Ethan at the perfect moment before we tell everyone else.”
She wrung out the washcloth and pressed it to her eyes and face. When she pulled it down, she grimaced.
“There’s also the fact that I miscarried once before, so I don’t think it’s wise to bust out with the news until a little further along in the pregnancy.”
Rusty’s face wrinkled in sympathy. “I’m sure you’ll be just fine this time. You know the family will close ranks around you. You’ll be fortunate if they let you lift a finger at all.”
Rachel bunched up her nose. “Ugh. Ethan was already not happy about me going back to work. He’ll really flip out now.”
Rusty’s soft chuckle echoed through the bathroom. “I’m sure you’ll straighten him out in no time. It’s not like you don’t have him wrapped around your little finger.”
Rachel grinned, and then a giddy rush fizzled through her veins much like a shaken up soda.
“Oh my God, Rusty, I’m pregnant!”
She wanted to do something ridiculous like squeal and twirl around in circles.
“Yay!” Rusty shouted.
She grabbed Rachel’s hands, and they both jumped up and down like little girls skipping rope. Rachel dissolved into laughter, and then Rusty joined her.
“Hello? Rachel? Rusty? Are y’all here?”
“Oh crap, it’s Marlene!” Rachel whispered.
Rusty clamped her lips shut and made a show of zipping them and then winked at Rachel. Rachel impulsively hugged the other girl and squeezed her in gratitude.
“Thank you,” she whispered urgently in her ear.
“No problem,” Rusty whispered back. “Now let’s go see what Mama Kelly brought us to eat.”
* *
The evening was a flurry of activity. Marlene had come, and as Ethan had predicted, had brought enough food to feed an Army. Or at least the majority of the Kelly clan.
Ethan showed up not long after with all his brothers in tow, plus Swanny, a family friend and member of KGI, and Ethan’s dad, Frank Kelly, as well. Not that anyone was going to allow Frank to do anything, but he could organize and oversee at will.
He’d had a heart attack a few years earlier, and it was still very much on the minds of all the family members. The mere idea of losing him had them all in terror.
Though Rachel packed her share of boxes, Rusty always stepped in, making sure she never lifted anything too heavy. Rachel could hardly contain her smile. Rusty was already acting fiercely protective of Rachel, knowing she was pregnant, even though she never let on so much as a hint that she was objecting to Rachel carrying anything heavy.
“How was your first day, sweetness?” Garrett asked as he pulled Rachel into a hug.
She returned the hug and squeezed him tightly. Garrett had always been one of her favorites. He’d been there during her first miscarriage, and he’d been a steadfast friend and shoulder to lean on during her return and recovery.
“It was great. I was terrified and nervous, but it went so well. The kids were terrific. There were several teachers still there from when I taught before, and they all welcomed me back. It was really nice. I loved it.”
Garrett smiled and ruffled her hair. “That’s wonderful. Glad to hear you sounding so happy.”
“Hey Garrett, more working and less talking,” Sam called from across the room.
Garrett rolled his eyes but let his arm drop from Rachel’s shoulders and ambled toward his brothers.
Rachel smiled as she took in the big, noisy Kelly family. Ethan was right in the middle with three older brothers and two younger brothers. Sam was the oldest. Garrett was a year younger. Then there was Donovan, or Van as most of the family called him. Then Ethan and then the twins, Nathan and Joe.
Of the six, four were married. Only Donovan and Joe hadn’t settled down yet and were showing no signs of doing so. Rachel wasn’t even sure they had a steady woman in their lives. They were so busy with KGI that it didn’t leave them a whole lot of free time, and what time they did get was usually spent with the family.
She placed a hand over her belly, a flutter of excitement deep in her stomach. So far, Sam and his wife, Sophie, were the only ones who’d had a child. Charlotte. An adorable toddler who was doted on by every single member of the family.
Garrett and his wife, Sarah, had only just married as had Nathan and his wife, Shea, and neither couple had voiced any desire to start a family yet.
Of them all, she and Ethan had been together the longest. She often wondered if she hadn’t miscarried their first child how different their lives would be. Perhaps Ethan would have never left his SEAL team. Maybe he’d even now still be in the Navy. Maybe she wouldn’t have gone on the mercy mission to South America. At the time, she’d done it as much to escape the awful reality of her marriage as she had for the cause it supported.
Losing their baby had been the catalyst for so many things. It was foolish to play the what-if game, but she couldn’t help but wonder how different things might have been if only…
“Everything okay, Rachel?”
She blinked and looked up to see Joe standing in front of her, his eyes dark with concern. Then she glanced rapidly around, hoping that she hadn’t attracted attention from the others. To her relief they were too busy loading furniture onto the truck.
“Everything’s fine,” she said with a genuine smile.
And it wasn’t a lie. Everything was okay. More than okay. Maybe even perfect.
He smiled, relief edging out the worry on his face.
“Time for dinner break,” Marlene called from the kitchen she’d been packing up just moments earlier.
There was a whoop from her sons, and Rachel stood back, enjoying the very normal way of life in the Kelly family. Lots of love, unconditional support, always a helping hand, and plenty of food, thanks to Mama Kelly.
It was a family she’d bring a son or daughter into, and she couldn’t wait. How fortunate her child would be to grow up under the umbrella of so much love and loyalty.
Ethan walked up to her, sliding his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into him.
“Hey, you hungry? Let’s go grab something to eat before the hyenas get it all.”
Rachel laughed, allowing some o
f the bubbling joy to surge right out of her soul. She caught Rusty’s grin from across the room and shared a secret smile with the other girl.
She let Ethan lead her toward the kitchen as she dreamed of the perfect way to tell him he was going to be a father.
Chapter 4
It was late when the truck was unloaded at the new house and everything was set up. Oddly, Rachel had insisted that their bed be moved first so they could stay the night here instead of at their old home.
It felt strange to say old home. Ethan still hadn’t adjusted to the idea of a new house. Oh, he agreed with the idea that they should live behind the walls of the compound. He was on board with anything that assured him of his wife’s safety. Or at least gave her an added measure of protection.
But Rachel seemed… eager to move. She showed no outward signs of regret over leaving their old life.
He flopped down on the bed waiting for her to finish in the shower and join him. The thought shouldn’t nag him, but there was something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He wondered if everything was all right with Rachel and if she really was taking the move as well as she seemed to be.
He worried endlessly over causing her any upset. His brothers cautioned him not to go so overboard and to lighten up. Not to smother her. He knew they were right, but they’d never lived with the knowledge that the woman they loved beyond all measure had died. That they’d pushed her away. That they’d rejected her. Taken her love and thrown it in her face.
Ethan had done all of that. He’d lived it. He’d had the very heart of him taken away the day he was informed that Rachel had died in that plane crash.
To this day, he still woke in a cold sweat, reaching frantically beside him to reassure himself that she was here. Alive. Next to him.
So if he was a little overbearing, surely it was understandable. Not many people had lost and then miraculously regained a loved one. He damn well was going to make sure he didn’t ever lose her again.
The bathroom door opened, and Rachel stepped out, her skin rosy and glowing from the heat of the shower. Her hair was wet, and she was toweling it dry as she walked toward the bed.