Serenity (Inevitable #5)(137)

"It's okay, Dad. Besides, if I hadn't been living with Mom, I would never have overheard her and Hayley talking. So I guess it's all working out for the best."

"Seems that way, huh?" agreed Matthew as he deposited a load of bags in Casey's room. Someone from the building staff would be delivering the rest of their things any minute now since they hadn't been able to carry everything in one trip.

"Hey, Dad?" asked Casey timidly.

Matthew smiled at his son reassuringly. "What is it, buddy?"

"When are you going to let Sasha know? I mean, that you've moved back here. And about Hayley and everything."

Matthew's smile froze on his face. "I don't know, Casey," he admitted quietly. "I'm not even sure how to begin a conversation like that. And I'm sort of terrified that she won't want to have anything to do with me again. I wouldn't blame her, frankly."

"Nah." Casey waved a hand dismissively. "She'll come around, I know she will. She's not the sort of person who holds grudges, you know?"

"Yeah, I know." Matthew sighed. "But it's more complicated than that, buddy. I promised myself that I wouldn't get in touch with her again until I had those signed divorce papers in hand. It isn't fair to Sasha otherwise. So let's hope that your mother's greed outweighs her vindictiveness."

Casey's eyes, so like his father's, twinkled mischievously. "You could always change the terms of the settlement again, make it a million dollars a day she loses out on if she doesn't sign."

Matthew whooped with laughter, clapping his son on the back. "I think maybe you should re-think becoming a computer engineer, Casey. You'd make a hell of a divorce attorney instead."





Chapter Twenty-Two




"When people talk about the glow pregnant women get, I'm very sure they were referring to you, Tessa. I don't think I've ever seen you look so beautiful."



       
         
       
        

Tessa was indeed glowing as she smiled with pleasure at Sasha's compliment. "I feel like I'm glowing from the inside out," she agreed. "And everything I read about morning sickness and having no energy and all the other symptoms just haven't materialized yet. Julia says I'm a freak of nature, and that it isn't normal to be two months pregnant and not feel even a little bit awful."

Sasha shook her head. "Nonsense. No two women will experience the same symptoms when they're pregnant, so it's not surprising that you're feeling so much different than Julia did." She winked teasingly. "And knowing Julia, she's probably just jealous that you seem to be sailing through these early weeks so easily, while she had a tough time of it."

Tessa's blue eyes twinkled mischievously. "Julia can be a bit of a drama queen at times," she acknowledged. "But I think she's right that I might be something of a freak by feeling so wonderful."

"Enjoy this special time in your life," replied Sasha encouragingly. "But even though you feel good, you need to be careful not to overdo it, hmm? I'm glad to see that you were hydrating all during class, and taking things a little easy. You're strong and fit and should easily be able to keep doing this class up through your final trimester. But listen to your body, Tessa. And if it's telling you to back off, then do so. Morgana teaches a wonderful pre-natal yoga class here, and by your seventh month that's something you might want to consider."

Tessa sighed. "Careful, or you'll start to sound like Ian. He's already so overprotective of me I feel like I'm living in a glass bubble at times. And I know the further along I get in this pregnancy the worse he's going to get."

Sasha gave her friend a little squeeze on the shoulder. "Enjoy it," she advised. "Your husband is so devoted to you, Tessa, that it almost brings a tear to my eye to watch him around you. He'll be the same with your child."

"I know." Tessa nodded. "Especially if the baby is a girl. And Ian has made his wishes very well known - he really wants this first one to be a little girl."

"Well, your husband does seem to get whatever he wants," teased Sasha. "He wanted you for a long time from what you've told me, and his patience was finally rewarded. So if Ian wants a daughter, I'm thinking he'll get one."

Tessa smiled. "I know it's too early to tell, but, well - what do your vibes tell you? About the gender of the baby, that is."

"Hmm." Sasha studied Tessa carefully, then placed her palm gently over Tessa's tummy. "You don't have even the tiniest baby bump yet, so there's no way to predict how you'll be carrying. And while I usually can't pick up anything about the baby's aura until at least the fourth month, I am feeling some distinctly feminine vibes already. So I would say the chances are quite high that you're going to have a girl. Does that make you happy?"