“Celeste is going to be so pissed at me. Look how we’re dressed? This is entirely your fault. What is our story? Why are we so late?” she pressed in an angry tone.
“We’re sticking with our original story. We were at the art museum and lost track of time, stop being so dramatic. Jesus, Alicia. What is your deal?” This wasn’t PMS. Alicia was pissing me off. She was a nervous wreck. What the hell?
I figured out real fast. Shit. Fuck. Shit. Fucking hell. “Alicia?” I questioned, seeing the cars.
“Drew did this. This is supposed to be your surprise birthday party. I am so dead.”
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”
“It was a surprise. Both Celeste and Drew forbade me to say one word. I didn’t know you were going to make us this late.”
“Shit, Alicia,” I blurted, seeing my husband waiting outside for me. He was beyond pissed.
“One time, Morgan. Just once, I spend months doing everything I can to put this together and you do this. Was the art more important?”
“Drew, I had no idea. How could I know?”
“Come on. You have a whole house full of people, waiting for you to appear at your party.
Drew led me to the formal dining room by my elbow. Thank god, I had worn decent clothing and was having a good hair day. That’s what I was thinking as we walked towards my surprise party.
My heart sank when I opened the door. Speechless, I looked to Drew, sporting a genuine smile. My mother reached for me with one arm while the other one hung over…Oh, my god. I couldn’t believe it.
“Justin?” I cried. This wasn’t real. My baby brother, it was him, it was truly him.
“You look just like I remember you,” he spoke with a deep man voice. He was so handsome. How did this happen? Drew did this? Justin wrapped his arms around me and I held him so tight and cried. I cried uncontrollably. My little Justin was here in my house. I think I cried for ten minutes before I could catch my breath and let him go.
“Are you kidding me?!?” I yelled when I let him go, catching Rebecca out of the corner of my eye.
Running to her, we embraced. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you,” she confessed. “But, seriously, we need to talk. You and Drew are together? I didn’t know what to think when he showed up at my house, begging me to come here.”
I held her hand, smiling at my mom covering her mouth, trying to keep it together. She was happy. I was happy, Justin was happy, and Drew was happy. He wasn’t wearing an angry look anymore. He really outdid himself, and I ruined it for him.
I’m not sure I have ever had a happier day in my entire life. No, I was sure that I hadn’t. Nicky absolutely loved his uncle Justin. I loved Justin’s mother and father, and for the first time since he was taken from me, I was happy that they had adopted him. They loved him so much and it showed. I think my mother was even happy about how things had turned out.
I spent a considerate amount of time explaining everything to Rebecca. She couldn’t believe that I was there with Drew and we had a baby together. She showed me pictures of her little girl. She was adorable and named after me. I loved her and couldn’t wait to meet her.
I talked, laughed, and cried with my little brother. He was quite the athlete, played the drums in his high school marching band. He wanted to be an architect and either design modern skyscrapers or super structure bridges. I told him he could do both.
Chapter 35
“I cannot believe you did this,” I said, finally getting my husband alone. What a long day, one that I will never forget.
“Are you happy,” Drew asked, closing our bedroom door and pulling me close.
“I am so happy, but I ruined it for you. I was too busy trying to defy your allotted time for me to be home.”
“You were purposely trying to defy me?”
“Sort of,” I confessed, pulling away from him.
“Don’t,” Drew ordered, taking my pack of pills from my hand. I didn’t want to fight over having a baby. I let him put them back in the medicine cabinet, thinking I’d just take one before I fell asleep. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why did you want to defy me?”
Turning to him, I smiled a defeated, weak smile. I couldn’t say it out loud. I couldn’t admit that I needed him to be an ass. I didn’t want him to. I needed him to. I was saving that one for Deidra.
“Because I didn’t like you giving me a time to be home,” I lied. I didn’t mind that at all. I would have been home long before had Clay been on time.
“I’m sorry. I have been trying not to do that. I just really needed you home tonight.”