Chapter 30

Aurora

As I approached the little bistro, I couldn't help but reflect on how similar Calypso and Amy looked as they chatted together on the patio. Amy's long raven hair was braided over one shoulder, and little gems sparkled in the afternoon sun. Calypso's hair was in loose dark waves, and she was the first to see me. She waved.

"There's our girl!"

Amy turned to look behind her and grinned when she caught sight of me. "Well, don't you look positively radiant!"

I chuckled, not feeling altogether radiant. It had been a rough morning as far as morning sickness was concerned, but I was looking forward to getting some food in me.

I took the seat between them and ordered a water from the waitress who zoomed over. Once she was gone, I let out a long sigh and took in the sight of my two friends.

"I'm glad to see you guys," I said. "It's been awhile. I've got a lot to share."

"Is that so?" said Calypso. "Would this be a conversation better served over a couple mimosas?"

"You think any conversation is best served over a couple mimosas," Amy drawled.

I laughed. "Like you're any better."

"Of course not." Amy grinned evilly. "I'm worse."

Calypso blew air through her teeth. "Not even close, girly. Nice try, though."

I grinned at the exchange and took a sip of the water that appeared in front of me while I waited for them to finish. A couple minutes of ego touting later, there was a big enough break in the conversation for me to speak.

"I told Nolan that I'm not going home with him," I announced.

Amy's eyes widened. "And how did he take that?"

"Not the greatest at first.” My mind flew back to the broken glass on the floor in my apartment. Brendon hadn't even given me time to clean it up before he swept me out of there. The place had been sitting untouched since.

"He came around in the end, though?" Calypso inquired.

Amy shook her head. "Nolan doesn't 'come around' to anything. He either backs down or forces his will. He thinks a compromise is when you give in without complaining too much."

"You stood up for yourself though." Calypso smiled approvingly. "That's the most we could ask, really."

"It was the most I could do," I said with a shrug. "I wasn't willing to go back so it was either stand up for myself or disappear off the face of the earth and hope that he'd never find me. I mean, this could all be a moot point. I still don't know whose baby it is."

"It's yours and Brendon's," Calypso said, resting her hand over mine. "No matter what that silly DNA test says."

I appreciated the tender gesture but was only able to offer a weak smile in return. Thankfully, the waitress came back around to take our orders, though I still hadn't had a chance to look at the menu. Amy was getting a chicken club with salad so I just sided with her. Despite our differences, we'd always had similar tastes.

The waitress disappeared back inside, and Amy asked how things were going with Brendon. It was like somebody had lit a torch in my ribcage, and I found myself smiling like a maniac as I tried to sum up the amazingness that was the current state of my relationship.

"I feel like we're finally on the same page. All the things that had gotten so wound up and complicated are ironed out now, and I can honestly say I've never been happier in my life."

Calypso's eyes brightened and she pulled her lips back into a dazzling smile. "I must say, I am absolutely delighted at just how spectacularly this whole situation has turned out. It had the potential to be quite the disaster." She chuckled lowly. "In fact, I was sure at first that it was going to be bad. I would have never guessed that you two would get along quite so well."

"Right?" I laughed lightly. "What are the chances? Brendon only went to the Fox in the first place on the recommendation of his...uh...eccentric friend Peter. I was only there because I had the good fortune to run into Amy back in Bridgefield. I've never seen a stronger argument for fate."

"Peter?" Amy's eyebrows rose. "Peter Vasiliev?"

I frowned. "Yeah? You know him?"

Her and Calypso exchanged a look, then both burst out laughing.

"Oh, we know him," Calypso said.

"In the biblical sense," added Amy.

They both descended into giggles again.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

Calypso recovered first and answered. "Nothing, darling. Just that I always knew that man was going to be trouble."

"With a capital T," added Amy, a far-off expression on her face.

I didn't particularly care to know what it was exactly that had them in stitches, so I didn't probe further.

My phone binged in my purse and my hand shot out for it before I even had time to think.

"Sorry," I said, glancing down at the screen. "It's a work email that I should probably get."

Calypso and Amy exchanged an amused glance.

"Aren't we just the little workaholic now?" Amy teased.

"Give her a break," said Calypso. "She's always been a workaholic. I've never had a more efficient cleaner. Do consider coming back, darling, won't you?"

I was still looking down at the screen, thumbs already tapping out a response. "Give up my amazing office job to pick up didoes and anal beads all day? No thanks."

Calypso sighed theatrically. "Ah, well. A woman can try. Maybe we should try you out on cleaning duty, Tatiana."

"Not a chance," Amy scoffed. "This ass is much too valuable for manual labor."

"Hmm. I think I'd like that on a t-shirt," Calypso said thoughtfully.

I glanced up from my email just so I could capture the moment in my mind. I loved watching the two of them banter like this, especially when it involved casual references to the fact that they both worked in a brothel.

"And how's your job going, Aurora?" Amy asked. "Still enjoying it?"

I settled into chair and laid a hand on my belly. As it always did, the feel of the little bump under my palm made me smile.

"I can honestly say I've found my passion," I told them.

"It's gotta help that the man of your dreams is your boss though, right?"

There wasn't any malicious intent in Amy's question, just curiosity. And hell, it was something I'd thought about a few times. It seemed too good to be true that I'd basically stumbled into the career that I'd always wanted, and I kept expecting the honeymoon period to wear off and for it to start feeling like work. It never did. Day in, day out, I always enjoyed going into work. I liked the people, I liked the stuff I did, the responsibilities I had. I felt like I was making an impact both in the company and in the stores.

"It fulfills me," I said after a measured, contemplative silence. "Brendon being there certainly helps, but mostly just because he's a great boss. I can't imagine working for anyone better, and I know most of the people there feel the same."

"Shame." Calypso grinned. "You would've made a great whore."

I raised my eyebrows and stared at her, then we all burst into laughter.

"I think my one-time appearance on the menu is enough for me, thanks," I said, wiping the tears from under my eyes.

"Yeah," agreed Amy. "Besides, look at her." She gestured to me demonstratively. "The rest of us would never get any work if she started going at it full-time."

"It's the pregnancy," Calypso agreed. "You look radiant darling, simply radiant. I wish I could bottle up whatever it is that's shimmering under your skin and keep it for myself."

The waitress came back with our food and all attention diverted to that. I was absolutely starving, and Calypso and Amy weren't holding back either. I practically dove into my sandwich face first, and when I heard my phone chime with another email I let out a groan.

"Just don't get it," said Amy. "You're at lunch with your ladies."

"You know me though. I at least have to look at it."

Her mouth tipped up into a knowing smile. "Yeah, yeah. Go on then, Miss Congeniality."

I stuck my tongue out at her and fished the phone from my purse. "I'll turn it onto silent, how about that? If I don't know that the emails are coming in, I can't stress about what they might say."

I flicked the silent button on my phone before I even looked at the email. It wasn't from work.

"Oh my god." I dropped my phone onto the table in front of me and clapped my hands over my mouth.

"What is it?" Both Amy and Calypso swung their gazes to me, curiosity written all over their faces. "Is it Brendon? Is he okay?"

I shook my head. "It's not that. It's...it's the test."

"The test?" Amy questioned. Then her eyes widened with comprehension. "The DNA test?"

I nodded, gulping down a chunk of sandwich in a throat drier than the desert. "The DNA test," I confirmed. "The results are in."