Parchment & Pearls

7. Thanks For The Present...Even If I Wasn't Expecting It

Chapter 7

Thanks For The Present…Even If I Wasn’t Expecting It

 

 

“What is up with you, Hattie?” Stella asked, leaning over to bump my shoulder with hers. 

She held Darcy in her arms, feeding her a bottle.  Ash and Savannah were on my other side.  Emmy was opposite me, feeding Layla.  Jamie sat on one side of her, with Tory and Audrey beside her, and Elena on the other with Avery in her lap.  She watching Layla and playing with what little bit of blonde hair she had, telling her a story that barely made any sense. 

Our giant group took up most of the restaurant for breakfast the next morning.  We took up so much space that we had to be separated into three different tables, though they were all next to one another.  Emmy and John’s parents sat with Juliet and Theo at one table and all the guys were at another, including Sterling, Aiden, and Grant.  It was good to just have the girls, though.  It was something I missed. 

“Nothing,” I shrugged, answering Stella.  “I’m just tired.  I didn’t sleep very well last night.”

I didn’t have to see any of them to know what kind of look they were giving me. 

“You were right,” Elena said, looking over at Emmy.

“I told you,” she said.  “I know my Hattie.”

“What are you guys talking about?” I asked, looking between the two of them. 

“Come on, Hattie,” Jamie said, rolling her eyes.  “It’s not like we don’t know this is about Drake showing up.”

Audrey smiled slightly.  “I’ve never even met the guy before and I know.”

“And I’m still pissed at him for leaving without saying goodbye,” Emmy grumbling.  “Next time he calls, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind…”

“He should know not to mess with the pregnant woman,” Jamie snorted. 

“Yeah, and he thinks I won’t beat his ass because of it.”

Avery gasped, her mouth forming a perfect O.  “Auntie Emmy!  Bad word!”

Elena laughed, brushing her hair back.  “That’s right, baby.  Auntie Emmy did say a bad word.”

“Sorry, Aves,” Emmy grinned, leaning over to kiss Avery’s cheek. 

“No say again!” she said sternly, pointing a finger at her.  She looked so much like Elena in that moment, it was almost scary.   

“Got it.”

“It’s not about Drake,” I told them, then glanced over at Beau, who was laughing with all the guys and not paying any attention to our conversation.  “And don’t talk so loud.”

“Doesn’t Beau know about him?” Tory asked, looking confused.  “He looked like he was going to punch him when he showed up the other night.”

“Only because he made her upset at her family’s benefit when he came unexpected,” Savannah noted.  “We all wanted to hurt him because of it.”

“What?” everyone but Emmy and Ash asked. 

Emmy grimaced.  “I guess I forgot to tell you guys about him showing up in Atlanta last week, huh?”

“Oh, yeah, you forgot,” Jamie grumbled.  “Do you want me to beat him up for you, Hattie?”

“You know she could take care of that herself,” Elena snorted.