One month! I have been an uncle for one month and I love it. Those two little perfect princesses, Ruby and Sadie, have made me totally envious of my brother. Maybe not the changing diapers and the exploding poo part, that was definitely a horrifying experience, or even when both of them are crying or screaming at the same time. Who knew babies could scream that loudly for long periods of time. Also, Christian looking like a zombie from getting up with the girls at all hours of the night, yeah that bit looks painful, but all the other stuff seems pretty awesome. I just need to put a wedding ring on her finger and then we can talk about babies. I know she is just as clucky as I am, I see the way she looks at the babies. Watching Olivia hold the twins I know she’s a natural. I know she wants to wait at least a year before we have kids, but I don’t know if I can, when you know it’s right you just know.
Now it’s Sienna’s turn, she’s just given birth to a healthy baby boy, little Levi, and I am off to the hospital with the rest of the crew to see her. Liv is upset that she’s missed the birth but she had to get back to England to work, even though Penny has been stepping up to the plate. I have a bouquet of flowers for Sienna and a little rock star teddy bear for Levi and when I arrive at the hospital room everyone is there cooing over the baby.
“Congratulations, man.” I see Evan first, he looks exhausted but elated.
“Thanks, mate, another boy.” He smiles proudly. I hand him the bear and make my way over to Sienna, placing the flowers on the table. She looks amazing just hours after giving birth. I give her a kiss on both cheeks and congratulate her. I look over into the little blue crib and see the perfect little baby. God, he is cute. Shit, seriously, can someone catch baby fever, because I kind of feel like you can and it’s happening to me. Moving away from the little bundle I notice Finn standing in the corner.
"Finn, it's been a while, man." I’ve missed the big guy since he’s been in New York.
“I know. I’ve missed y’all too.” Those pearly whites smile at me.
“How’s New York been treating you?”
“The New York office has been so busy, man. There’s so much talent coming through the doors.” I nod in agreement. I’ve listened to some of the bands he’s sent through to us and he’s right, so much talent.
“We need to catch up for a beer while you’re in town. Maybe one night down at California Bros. or something.”
“Yeah, that would be great, get the boys together again. I can’t remember the last time we have been all together.”
I want to say that we are all together, all the time and it’s only him missing, but I keep my mouth shut.
“What the fuck?” Finn curses beside me, his face has turned pale, his attention is drawn over my shoulder. I turn around and see Sebastien and Isla arm in arm. She’s dressed in some weird muumuu type dress, the total opposite to the stylish Isla that left us all those months ago, but she does look glowing, radiant even.
“Holy shit, you’re pregnant,” Derrick calls out, silencing the room. Isla looks like she is about to throw up and Finn looks like he is going to join her.
“You’re pregnant?” Oscar yells, adding extra tension to the room as he strolls in. Isla looks like a deer caught in headlights.
“You seriously thought you could disguise yourself in that hideous outfit,” Derrick adds, oblivious to everyone else.
“Sienna, Evan, congratulations,” Sebastien says loudly, handing over a large bouquet of flowers. Evan and Sienna distract themselves showing off Levi to Sebastien. Isla, Finn and Oscar are in a silent stare off with each other.
“Issy, are you pregnant?” Oscar asks calmly.
“Yes,” she whispers, a single tear falls down her cheek, her eyes darting between Finn and Oscar.
“Excuse me.” Finn bolts from the room. Shit. I should really go after him but my feet are kind of rooted to the floor.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Oscar sounds hurt and confused.
“Because…” Isla pauses for a moment to catch her breath. “Because I was ashamed. It was a one-night stand, a mistake.”
“But I’m still your brother,” Oscar adds.
“I know, I just…”
“Do Mom and Dad know?” Isla shakes her head. “So you have kept this from all of us for what, the past four or five months?” He sounds pissed.
“It was just easier.”
“Easier for who?” You can hear the hurt in his voice and the silence in the room.
“It was a shock. It wasn’t planned…I just…”
“Were you ever going to tell us? Or would you have just turned up one day saying, oh by the way, Oscar, here is your niece or nephew?”
“Nephew, it’s a boy.” Isla quickly adds. Oscar looks stunned. You can see the heart ache across his face.
“You’re having a boy?” Isla nods and tears are pouring down her cheeks. “Shit, Issy.” Oscar pulls her against him and she wraps herself as far as she can around the hulking Viking.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you,” she mumbles into his shirt.
He brushes her hair from her face. “Shh, it’s going to be okay. You’re home and it’s going to be all okay.” Isla stiffens.
“I’m not staying, my life is in Europe, not here.”
“What? Are you seriously going back to Europe when you are about to pop out a child?”
“I’ve just gone five months, Oscar. I am only half way.” Oscar frowns at her.
“Oh shit, it was a wedding baby,” Derrick adds. Isla shoots daggers at him. “Sorry.” Derrick holds up his hands.
“Is this true?” Oscar asks.
Isla waves her hand at him. “I’m not answering that, it doesn’t matter. What matters now is that we are here to celebrate Evan and Sienna, not me and my drama.” She turns and looks at the new parents, walking over and hugging them both. “Sorry about this,” she whispers to them. They both shake their heads at Isla indicating that it is fine.
***
“Holy shit, Isla’s pregnant,” I yell down the phone to Olivia. The other end remains quiet and I check my phone screen and it’s still connected. “Liv, did you hear what I said?”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Why are you not shocked by this news?” Then it dawns on me. “Seriously, you knew, you knew Isla was pregnant and didn’t tell me?” I don’t know if I should be happy that my fiancée can keep secrets and is loyal to her friends and family or if I should be pissed that she so easily can keep a secret from me.
“Ax, it wasn’t my story to tell.”
“I know, I just feel blindsided again that you’ve kept something from me.”
“But you have to understand why I couldn’t tell you. I’m sorry, I hate keeping secrets from you. I don’t like not being able to tell you everything, but it’s not my fault these truth bombs keep dropping in my lap.”
“I know, babe, I know. I just miss you and hate being apart from you. I’m just shocked that Isla is pregnant. Do you think the father is Finn? She said it was some random hook up.”
Silence fills the end of the phone.
“Okay, seeing as you know she’s pregnant, I’ll talk about it, but you have to promise me, babe, it’s in the fiancée cone of silence, yeah?”
“Of course.”
Silence again as she debates what to say.
“It’s Finn’s.”
“Shit! Oscar is going to be pissed. He is already on the war path trying to find out who the bastard was that knocked up his sister. Derrick kind of worked out that she got knocked up during Chris and Ness’ wedding.”
“Oh shit. He is such a trouble maker.”
“I mean, we all know that Finn and Isla have been a thing on and off for years, just not sure if Oscar knows it. Shit, he is going to lose it when he finds out his best friend knocked up his baby sister.”
“What did Finn do when he saw her?”
“He ran out of the room when she confirmed she was pregnant.”
“Do you think he knows it’s his?” she asks.
“I think the possibility is going through his mind.”
“Poor guy, that must have been a shock.”
“Hell yeah, it would be. Especially when Isla came into the room hand in hand with Sebastien.”
“Oh no she didn’t?” Liv gasps.
“Yeah, she sure did. I’m thinking Finn thinks the baby is Sebastien’s.”
“Oh no.”
“I need to find him, babe.”
“Yeah, I think you better. Love you and good luck. Let me know how you go.”
“Will do. Love you.” I hang up the phone and dial Finn, of course it goes directly to voice mail.