I thought about my mother’s voice messages. All about how Sophie needed support. How blessed they were. How I needed to move on. About Jaime’s hand on my sister’s stomach at the restaurant, the same hand that used to hold mine.
“No,” I said. “It’s not enough.”
That night, I drove past their current apartment. The lights were on, shadows moving behind curtains. They looked happy, normal, like they had not shattered someone else’s life to build their own.
My phone rang. Elelliana.
“Before you say no,” she said when I answered, “hear me out. Family brunch Sunday. Just you and me. And okay, yes, Sophie and your mom will be there. But so will I. Running interference. Please. I hate being stuck between everyone.”
I sighed. “Fine. One hour.”
Sunday arrived too quickly. I walked into the café to find Sophie already crying.
“These hormones,” she sniffled as I sat down. “I’m just so happy you came.”
My mother beamed. “See? This is what family does. We come together.”
Elelliana caught my eye and mouthed, Sorry.
“So…” Sophie wiped her eyes. “The new house is perfect. The owners accepted our offer right away. Jaime says it’s meant to be.”
“When do you move in?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
“Three weeks. Just in time to set up the nursery before I get too big.” She pulled out her phone. “Want to see the photos? The previous owners are doing some renovations before we move in.”
I looked at the pictures. My house. My renovations.
“Lovely.”
“We’re thinking of calling her Ivy,” Sophie said suddenly. “After you. To show there are no hard feelings.”
The café went silent. Even my mother looked uncomfortable.
“No,” I said quietly. “You don’t get to do that.”
“But—”
“You don’t get to take my life and then name your baby after me like it makes everything okay.”
Sophie’s lower lip trembled. “I thought you’d be honored.”
“Honored?” I stood up, my chair scraping loudly. “You want to honor me? Try not sleeping with my fiancé next time.”
“Ivy,” my mother hissed. “People are staring.”
“Let them stare.” I grabbed my purse. “I’m done pretending everything’s fine.”
Elelliana followed me outside. “That was intense.”
I showed her the contractor’s schedule on my phone. “It’s about to get more intense. They start tomorrow.”
She studied me for a long moment. “You know this won’t make you feel better, right?”
“Maybe not.” I looked back through the window as Sophie cried on our mother’s shoulder. “But it’ll make them feel worse. And right now, that’s all that matters.”
Elelliana’s birthday party felt like walking into a minefield. The backyard was filled with familiar faces, all pretending not to watch me as I moved through the crowd.
Eric squeezed my hand reassuringly. “We can leave anytime.”
“Not yet.”
I spotted Jaime by the drinks table, checking his phone with a worried expression.
“This is getting interesting,” I murmured.
Sophie waved from her seat of honor, surrounded by gift bags full of baby items. Trust her to hijack someone else’s birthday party.
“Ivy, come feel the baby kick.”
“I’m good.”
I grabbed a glass of wine, watching Jaime slip away to make another phone call. Elelliana appeared beside me.
“He’s been doing that all afternoon. Sophie thinks he’s handling work stuff.”
“More likely money problems,” I muttered.
“What?”
“Nothing.” I forced a smile as my mother approached.
“Ivy, darling, Sophie’s about to open the presents. Come sit with us.”