Page 128 of Secret Baby for My Brother's Best Friends

“Sure," I say, opening my door and then walking around to open hers. It's great that she lets me do this now. Before, when shewasn't used to us opening doors for her, she would reflexively attempt to do it herself.

But now she knows to wait, and she takes my hand and climbs out with a glow on her face.

"You think someone lives there?” she asks

I shrug.

She raises an eyebrow, and after I nod, she walks over to the door.

Once more, her eyes ask permission. I nod. This is a heavy moment for me, but I don’t mind the fact that she wants to see every part of me, know every part of me.

Before she can knock, the door opens next to us, revealing a woman.

I don’t recognize her at first. She’s a lot taller and curvier than I remember, and the tattoos crawling down her arms are new too. But the winged glasses and the shock of whitish blonde hair are a dead giveaway.

So is the recognition in her eyes when she stares at me.

“No way,” she says, a wide grin splitting her cheeks. “Sam?”

“Ella?” She drops the garbage bag she was holding and rushes over to throw her arms around my neck, squeezing tightly.

I stiffen instinctively. Ella was my foster sister, the only one in the group I could kind of tolerate. I was never into hugs, but she’s a big hugger, and I tolerate them for her.

“Oh my gosh." She grips my shoulder, backing up. “I should have known you would be coming over today. The cards told me."

“The cards?”

“Yeah, tarot cards." She beams. “Oh my gosh. You look great."

"Thank you. You too." I gesture for Chelsea to come closer and wrap my arm around her waist. "This is Chelsea, my–"

"Girlfriend, right?" Emma says. "Of course. She's so pretty."

"Thank you," Chelsea says.

"And she's pregnant too."

Chelsea's smile falters, and her eyes flare. "Woah. Those tarot cards are spooky."

"Oh no, dear," she says, with a loud laugh. "It's just that you glow. I'm Emma, by the way. Sam's kinda sorta sister and also a new home owner."

"She left you the house."

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure it's because I'm the only one who told her I wanted it. I'm sure if you had visited and told her you were interested, she would have made us split it. Just like old times." She grins, and the guilt punches straight into my chest.

"I'm sorry,” I say. “That I never came. That I never..." I take a deep breath, so much regret burning through me that it's like a furnace. "That she never knows how much she meant to me."

"OH, trust me, she knows," she says kindly. "She was so proud, and she knew why you stayed away. Said you would come at your own time. That's the only reason I didn't hunt you down."

I bite my lip. Her understanding nature only makes me feel worse. She thought I would come at some point, yet I never did. I let her down so many times, yet she still had faith in me.

"She also knows who the person is who paid off the house and kept the electricity on for years. And you donated millions so that she could take in as many kids as she wanted."

"You did that?" Chelsea asks.

My face turns red.

"I thought I did it through the anonymous charity."