Chloe

Chloe raced to the ladies room, finding Margot doubled over in a stall. She quickly locked the door and ran to her sister. “Margot? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. I think I ate something bad. One minute I was dancing with Owen the next . . .” She paused her story to wretch into the toilet again. “Oh my God. What if I have food poisoning? Will that hurt the baby?”

Chloe grabbed a paper towel and ran it under the sink, handing it to Margot so she could wipe her mouth. “I don’t think it’s food poisoning, Go-Go.”

“You don’t?”

“It’s probably morning sickness.”

“But it’s the middle of the night.”

Chloe smiled. “It can happen at any time.”

“What? How do you know that?”

“Because Aunt Chloe is going to be a nurse,” she said, proudly.

Margot’s eyes bulged and she wretched again. When she turned back she had tears in her eyes. They left streaks of mascara down her cheeks. “I’m going to be a terrible mother, Co-Co. I don’t know anything about babies.”

Chloe pulled her sister into her arms and rubbed her back. “You’ll learn. And I’m pretty sure every first-time mother says that.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Chloe spent the rest of the night holding Margot’s hair back while she got sick. Luckily, she got her back to the house between bouts of nausea so Margot at least could get comfortable. After checking all her sister’s vitals and asking her what she’d eaten, Chloe was positive it was nothing more serious than morning sickness.

She gave her sister a jug of water and a packet of saltines. Once Margot fell asleep, Chloe felt her mind wander back to Ethan. The last she’d seen of him he’d been watching her rush off. He’d looked so confused. Chloe hated that she was making this awful time of year even more confusing for him. That wasn’t her intention at all. In fact, if he felt the way she did, and she suspected he did, she planned to make his holiday a whole lot better. She just needed a solid uninterrupted evening with him.

An idea sparked to life and Chloe grabbed her phone. She quickly fired off a text to Ethan.

Her: Hi. Sorry I had to rush out earlier.

Him: That’s okay. Is everything okay with Margot?

Her: It will be.

Him: Where are you?

Her: In my room with Margot. Where are you?

Him: Still at the party. Should I come home?

Her: Stay, enjoy yourself.

Him: Kinda hard without you.

Chloe smiled like a fool.

Him: Want me to come home?

Her: No. I’m still taking care of Margot.

Him: What’s wrong with her?

Chloe thought about that for a moment. The last thing she wanted to do was lie to Ethan, but it wasn’t her place to share Margot’s news. Chloe decided on a half truth.

Her: Female issues.

Him: Enough said.

Her: There’s something I want to say to you but it needs to be in person. Can we continue our conversation tonight?

Him: Same time, same place?

Her: You read my mind.

Chloe added a smiley face.

Him: Looking forward to it.

Ethan sent back a winking face.

Chloe giggled. She loved that his emoji was smiling. It meant there was hope for him. Maybe she’d found a way to make him smile on the inside. That was progress. And with any luck, after tonight, they’d both be smiling.

Margot stirred in bed. She opened her eyes and looked at Chloe. “What are you so smiley about?”

“I think I just set a date with Ethan.”

Margot grinned. “So are you going to tell him how you feel?”

Chloe felt her cheeks heat. “Is it that obvious?”

“To me it is. But you’re my favorite sister.”

Chloe laughed. “I’m going to talk to him tonight and tell him how I feel.” She pulled Margot’s phone off the nightstand and handed it to her. “And you’re going to do the same with Owen. No more excuses. Tonight we lay it all on the line.”

Margot sat up and took the phone hesitantly. She glanced up at Chloe. “Together?”

Chloe nodded. “Together.”