Page 83 of Night Songs

“I understand. I really do. But it will be different this time. We won’t be just you and me, hiding in my bedroom at Clayton’s. I want to be a family. A real family. Like you wanted.”

“What do you mean? How can we be a real family?”

“I’m pregnant.”

Hess whipped back toward me. “What?”

“I’m going to have a baby, and I want it to be yours. I mean, it is yours. Already. He’s your baby.”

Her eyes were shining, but it wasn’t just sorrow now. “He?”

“It’s a little boy, and you’re his mama. I just know it.”

Her expression hardened. “Now, wait a minute. How did you get pregnant? Who is the father?”

My breath hitched. I wasn’t prepared to talk about Tate. I’d forgotten he was a part of this at all. “The father is a man named Tate Larsen. We were sort of together for the last few years.”

Hess narrowed her eyes. “I’ve heard. Won’t he be upset if you take his baby away from him?” Her voice had returned to its icy tone.

“You don’t have to worry about him.”

Her face reddened. “So you’re still treating people like dirt, huh? No thank you, I don’t want any part in this. You need to leave now.”

“Stop. Just listen. You don’t have to worry about him because he’s dead. Overdosed. A few weeks ago.”

Hess paled. “Good Jesus. I didn’t know.” We sat there in silence for a few beats. She had avoided making eye contact since I’d arrived, but now she really looked at me, her gaze reaching deep inside to my little demon child heart.

She got on her knees with her wedding dress pooling around her, and she pulled me into her arms. I laid my head on her chest, and the glorious feeling rang through me once again.

“He was a complicated man, but I loved him. Not like I love you, but like a real friend who truly knew me.” I paused, imagining if Tate had been able to meet Hess. “I think he’d be happy for his baby to have a mama like you.” Hess’s chest contracted against my cheek, and I held her tighter.

When I finally pulled back, she deflated a bit and looked in the mirror. Even with mascara running down her cheeks, she was still a goddess. “Good lord, Lou. I’m supposed to get married in an hour. Daddy had two hundred lobsters flown in from Maine.”

“Fuck ’em.”

She laughed. “That’s not very nice. You know, the rat bastard isn’t such a rat bastard. He’s a perfectly fine person.”

“I’m sure he’s not a total devil if you decided to spend eternity with him.” I tried to get real serious. “But this is bigger than other people, and bigger than lobsters. This is us, Hess. This is everything.”

A knock came from the door, and then an older woman’s elegant voice trilled, “Hestia, darling? It’s time to go to the church. Are you ready?” The door started to open, but Hess flew across the room and slammed it shut. She turned the lock.

“What on earth? What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing, Mother! I need a couple more minutes to myself. I’ll be down in just a few!”

“Young lady, you open this door right now. What has gotten into you?”

Hess locked eyes with me and whispered, “What are we going to do?”

“Is someone in there with you? Let me in this instant!” the mother crowed.

“We can leave the way I came.” I flashed a wily grin at Hess and gestured toward the terrace.

“But you’re pregnant!”

“I was pregnant when I came up just a minute ago. And besides, it ain’t much of a baby yet. He’ll be fine.”

A deeper voice came from behind the door. “Hestia Walker. Open this door at once. It’s time to go to the church.”