“I’m sorry Molly. I’m sorry I’m the one who gave you the news and it’s threatened the baby.”
“Do you know, before today I wasn’t sure how I felt about being a mother,” I admitted. “I was doing everything right, just like my app said I was to do. I took the responsibility seriously.”
“You’re going to be a great mother.” He kissed my temple as my own tears brimmed.
“But I hadn’t fell in love with the idea. I had no feelings toward what was growing inside of me. And it scared me. But seeing that tiny pulsing dot on the ultrasound monitor made everything so real. This baby has a heartbeat.” My bottom lip trembled as I rubbed my stomach.
“And there could be two of them,” Matt added, as a commotion sounded along the corridor outside my cubicle.
My curtain was pulled back with a flourish and the pale faces of my family stared back at me.
Danny held the curtain as mum rushed towards me, her eyes puffy. She dabbed her red nose with a handkerchief and peered at the monitor.
“What does all this mean?” she cried.
“Everything is okay, Mrs Fuller,” Matt reassured her as Grandma Mabel pushed Danny aside and moved to stand next to mum. Before I had a chance to protest, my cubicle was full. Andrew stood patiently behind dad, as Lizzie maneuvered herself past Danny.
“Is that baby okay?” Danny choked, elbowing her for pole position alongside me.
“Yes. Well, one of them is. We’re not sure what’s happening with the second one.”
“Second one?” squeaked Mum.
“The ultrasound showed there could be two of them.” Matt hurriedly explained the situation. Once he’d finished silence descended around us.
It was only broken as Grandma whispered, “Well I’ll be buggered.”
Danny grinned and nudged Matt in the ribs. “Way to go,” he muttered.
Mum gasped. “I’m going to have to knit more jumpers.”
Dad ground his jaw. “Does that mean you need two change tables, because I could easily do that. I’ve nearly finished the first one and it would be no trouble for me to whip up a second.”
“Did the ultrasound show if it’s a boy or a girl?” Mum asked. “Or maybe it’s one of each!” She was way more excited about the prospect of twins than I was. “Did they tell you, love?”
“The baby is the size of a pearl,” I advised her.
“That’s tiny!” squealed Danny.
Grandma swished her teeth and pursed her lips. “Geez, if it’s a boy can you imagine the size of its pe...”
“I don’t think it has one,” I hurriedly interrupted.
“So, it’s a girl?” Mum queried, her eyes filling with tears.
“No.”
“So, it’s a boy without its bits?” Grandma swished her teeth so fast they nearly popped out of her mouth. She caught them just in time.
Matt’s wide-eyed gaze flipped between them.
“We’re confused Molly,” added Danny, his hip jutting sideways. “Is it a girl, or a eunuch?”
“It is not a eunuch!” I yelled through gritted teeth. So much for keeping calm and no stress. “What I meant is that I think it is far too early in the pregnancy for the baby, or babies, to have genitals.”
A collective Ahhh, sounded around the cubicle.
“Well it doesn’t matter what you have Molly,” said Lizzie. “We’ll love them just the same.”
I released the tension and smiled at her. At least one of my family was sane.
“How’s Riley?” I asked her.
“He’s doing okay. His wound isn’t looking as good as the doctors expected so they’re keeping him in for an extra night.”
“We were hoping to take some snacks up to him,” added mum, tapping her oversized cooler bag that doubled as a handbag. “We’ve missed Sunday dinner for a couple of weeks now and I thought it would be nice. I’ve even baked him his favorite carrot cake.”
“Carrot cake isn’t his favorite,” stated Lizzie.
“Of course, it is! I made it for him for his birthday.”
“I know you did, but carrot cake is your favorite. Riley loves your mud cake.”
Mum blushed, realizing her mistake.
“Carrot cake is better for a man recovering,” added Grandma. “It’s the healthy choice.”
“There’s nothing healthy about the amount of sugar she put in it,” Dad piped up.
“Yes, but it has cheese frosting. That’s dairy, which is good for your bones,” said grandma, defending mum.
“It’s cream cheese, and technically it may be dairy, but it’s still not a healthy cake.” Dad crossed his arms over his chest, adamant that he was right.
“That’s fine, Bill,” said Mum. “Then you won’t want any, right? I’m sure one of the kids will love your share.”
Dad dropped his arms and started to splutter. “Now let’s not be hasty. Just because I don’t agree with the health benefits, doesn’t mean that I can’t indulge a little bit.”
Andrew grinned from the back of the pack as the nurse pushed her way into the area. “I’m sorry,” she announced as we all turned to face her. “But we can’t have you all in here at once. Molly needs her rest.”
I loved my family, but I loved the quiet that prevailed once they had all departed.
Matt slumped in the hard chair, the rings beneath his eyes dark from exhaustion.
“Why don’t you head home?”
“Because I need to be here for you.”
“I’m fine. They’ll move me to a ward shortly and then all I’ll do is sleep.” I felt the way he looked.
He was about to respond, but hesitated. “I could do with getting an early night. Try to catch up on some sleep I’ve been missing.”
“You haven’t been sleeping well?”
“No. I’ve been too worried about telling you what I’d learnt.”
I nodded. “Fair enough. But I know now.”
“You didn’t tell your family.”
“Yeah. I just didn’t know what to say. Plus, between Lizzie and now this, they’ve had enough shocks to last a lifetime. For dad to learn he has a half-brother may just push him over the edge. Apart from that, it feels like Grannie Carol’s story to tell.”
Matt nodded his understanding. “I really want to track Darryl down. Hopefully he lives in town and I can get to know him.”
I smiled at the hope in Matt’s eyes.
“Provided he wants to know me that is,” he added, the light dimming.
“Why wouldn’t he want to know you? You’re an amazing person. He should be proud of the way you’ve turned out despite him not being a part of your life.”
His eyes were soft as he looked into mine. “Thanks, but...never mind. It doesn’t matter.”
“What is it?”
“Nothing.” He waved his hand dismissively.
“Matt, I know you well enough to know it’s clearly something.”
He sighed. “I’m worried. I never had a dad. I never had anyone to teach me how to be a dad as mum never had a man in her life long enough. How am I going to know what to do when our creation arrives into this world? What if I’m a terrible father?” He blinked rapidly as his shoulders tightened, and his leg started to jiggle against the bed.
I reached across to him and took his hand in mine, holding it as tight as I could. “You’re going to be an incredible father. This baby is going to be very lucky.”
Our eyes connected and a silent communication passed between us.
“But what if there are two?”
“We’re not outnumbered, so we’ll be fine.” I grinned. It felt good to be this close to Matt, to hold his hand and feel like a team. Until I remembered he was my cousin. Was it something I could live with?
“You’re really good for me, Molly. Have I ever told you that?” He didn’t wait for a response. Instead he hovered over me and his lips touched mine in a delicate kiss. It was a kiss I thought about until the early hours of the morning.
I’d dr
ifted in and out of sleep, but a deep sleep had eluded me. Probably because every time I managed to doze, a nurse would appear to take my blood pressure, waking me back up. Just as I was finally drifting into a contented sleep, my phone beeped alerting me to a message.
Sleepily I reached for it wondering if Matt was still awake and sending me a message. Swiping it unlocked a photo appeared on my screen.
I blinked to clear my vision and sat up as an image of Matt, his arms around another woman shone back at me. His eyes were dancing with joy as his lips touched her forehead. The message read: This is what he’s really been up to.
Chapter Ten
“Do you mind if we stop at Café by the River?” I asked Matt as he indicated and pulled away from the hospital. We were on our way home, but I was craving a coffee. Anxiety gnawed in the pit of my stomach as my mind raced over the confrontation Matt and I were still to have over the photo, but even though coffee would only heighten that anxiety, I couldn’t do it without it.
“Sure. Are you allowed caffeine?”
“Lara never said I couldn’t.”
“Maybe you should switch to decaf just in case.”
I sighed. “As if morning sickness wasn’t bad enough, do you know how many things I can no longer eat?”
“It’s not forever though.” Matt released the gear lever long enough to give my hand an encouraging squeeze. “And the reward is pretty incredible.”
Easy for him to say. He hadn’t been relieving his breakfast.
We travelled in silence as he crossed town towards the river. I wanted to bring up the photo but needed to get my timing right. And overtaking a truck didn’t feel like the right moment.
By the time Matt pulled into the carpark outside the café I’d worked myself into a state.
He killed the motor and looked at me anxiously. “If you want caffeine that badly, I’m sure one won’t hurt the baby.”
To be honest, caffeine was probably the last thing I needed. I was wired enough.
Stepping out of the car, the gravel gave a familiar crunch beneath my feet and the sunshine warmed my skin, making me calmer as I walked through the carpark. But then that could have been the aroma of the coffee wafting towards me on the light breeze.
We stepped past the twenty or so bicycles stacked against the railings and pushed our way between the Lycra clad cyclists who took their morning ride seriously. The glass doors of the café were pulled back allowing the morning heat to permeate the air conditioning, and the atmosphere was filled with chatter from the morning crowd. I bypassed it all and found an empty table under the flowering frangipani tree as Matt walked inside to place our order.
I was just enjoying watching the sunlight dance on the river, the ripples caused by the tide pulling it out to sea, when a voice spoke up behind me.
“Morning Molly.”
I looked over my shoulder as Tom wiped a nearby table, his smile outshining the sun.
“Hey Tom. It’s busy here today.”
“Mondays always are. Our regular group of cyclists will be here for at least another hour. I don’t normally see you here this early though. It’s a lovely surprise.”
“Awwww, that’s sweet. Thanks Tom.” His smile really was enchanting.
“Have you ordered?”
“Matt’s just in there now.”
I noticed the subtle tightening of his jaw, but Tom’s smile remained in place.
“So, he’s back in town?”
“Ahuh. He got back yesterday.”
Tom’s smile faded. “It’s none of my business, but did you sort out what happened with the photo you were worried about?”
Remembering the picture, I’d spoken to Tom about, I shook my head. It felt so much longer than a week ago.
“Only Matt’s adamant he was out of town.” A weight sunk to the depths of my belly.
Tom nodded, but I got the impression he wasn’t agreeing with the explanation.
“Well, as long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters,” he finished, his smile back in place.
“Thanks. I am happy.” When I didn’t think about those photos or the fact I was closely related to the father of my baby, that was. A little voice in my head did mention the fact I would have to deal with it all at some point, but I shushed it as Matt sauntered towards me, his long legs covering the ground effortlessly.
He nodded as Tom waved and made his way back into the café.
“So, I really didn’t know what to get so I ordered you one decaf and one regular cappuccino,” Matt explained. He pulled the chair out opposite me and sat, his forehead a bunch of adorable crinkles.
“Thanks. I’ll let you know which I decide on.”
The clock hadn’t yet struck nine a.m., but the day was already sweltering. Matt pulled his sunglasses from his cap and shielded his eyes, his long fingers swiping his hair aside. Today he’d dressed in navy blue capri shorts and a wrinkled white linen shirt he’d kept untucked and lose. He looked completely edible, and as his knee gently rubbed against mine desire flashed through me taking my breath with it. Oh boy. I was in so much trouble.
A woman bumped my chair as she pushed past me, dropping her oversized bag alongside mine. As her contents spilled across the timber decking, she hurriedly sank to her knees, pushing everything back into it.
“Do you need a hand?” I asked, as she pushed her sunglasses up the bridge of her nose and tightened her cap, tucking her blondie grey hair behind her ear. Matt jumped up to help her, but she waved him away.
“No. I’m fine. So sorry. So so sorry.”
“It’s no problem.”
As she took her seat, I retrieved my phone, found the photo that had me miffed, and showed it to Matt, carefully monitoring his response.
“Do you know anything about this?” I asked as he took the phone from me and zoomed in on it.
“Where do you keep getting these from?” He rubbed his chin as he studied it.
“I have no idea. This one came early hours this morning. Who’s the girl?”
He shrugged. “Dunno. Sorry.”
Bugger. I was hoping he was going to say it was an old photo taken long before he met me.
“But that is you, right?” I leaned across and tapped the screen.
“It looks like me, but I have no memory of this.” He didn’t appear to be lying. At least he had none of the tell-tale signals I’d learnt to pick up on.
“This doesn’t make sense. You must know. Were you drunk and just have no memory of it? Were you drugged against your will by this gorgeous woman? Abducted by aliens?”
“I’m sorry, Molly. But I don’t know who she is.”
“What about the location? Anything there that will jog your memory?”
“There’s not a lot to go on really.” The photo was taken at the beach. The sun was bright, and the photo was overexposed which bleached most of the detail. “You’re the photographer. Is there any way you can work your magic and pull some of the detail out of it?”
“Maybe. I’ll give it a try later.” I stared at him as he handed the phone back to me. A vertical line appeared between his brows, and his mouth was pinched.
“What worries me is who is sending them and why,” he mused.
“You’re not at all worried about the fact they show you with another woman?”
“No. I know that bit’s not true.”
It was my turn to frown.
“Come on Molly. You’re a whizz at photoshop. You know how easily this photo can be manipulated.”
He had me there. “So, you believe someone is framing you?”
“It sure looks that way.”
“Why would they do that?”
“No idea.”
“For a smart man you don’t have a lot of ideas.”
Matt’s grin exploded. “I’m having one right now.”
He reached across the table and took my hand in his. As his thumb traced small circles on my wrist, tingles travelled all the way to my...well you get my drift.
“I’ve really missed you too,” I commented, licking my lips, all thoughts of our touchy relationship fleeing my mind. “What are we doing after our coffee?”
“We were visiting your grannie Carol.”
“Ahuh. Do we have time to duck home first?” I asked, my breathing becoming ragged as his fingers danced up my arm.
“You read my mind.” His grin was delicious. “But is it okay for the baby?” he asked, uncertainly.
I shrugged. To be honest, as heat flashed to areas not suitable to mention with a stranger sitting only a few feet away, I didn’t really give two hoots.
“I’ll check my app.”
****
We had a quick stop at my place before continuing our day. Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones, or maybe it was just because I’d really missed him, but as Matt lowered me on the bed before smothering me in kisses, I didn’t question it.
Well, not until my conscience screamed in my ear.
“Matt. Matt,” I called, pushing his shoulders back. “This isn’t right.”
“It sure feels right,” he mumbled against my navel.
“But we’re related, remember?”
“So?”
“So, it’s not right. We shouldn’t be doing this.”
He sat up straight and looked at me, as I pushed up on my elbows.
“It’s a bit late for that, isn’t it?”
“We didn’t know then, did we? But we do now.”
“Does it matter?”
I bit my lip and looked into his deep brown eyes, quietly reassessing my moral compass.
“No.”
His smile was slow as his lips dropped to my neck. Butterflies erupted in my belly and I moaned with pleasure. Until an image of Grannie Carol popped into my mind.
“Yes!” I cried, once again pushing him away. “It matters. I shouldn’t be feeling this way about you anymore.”
He released a drawn-out breath and rolled onto his back. Seeing him lying there, the soft hair on his toned chest rising and falling with his breath, I started to question my resolve.
“Maybe we can rethink this after today,” he suggested, rolling onto his side and propping himself on his elbow, his fingers tickling my inner thigh. “I mean, we didn’t know when we made our baby, so we could just kind of push it from our minds for like five minutes?”
Wicked Little Lies- Molly Page 9