The Bursting Heat (Book 2) ✓

27 - Surprise

Ralph

When Andy talked about his fiancé, I could feel it was hard on Ali, but she didn't show it, she was smiling and asking question after question, wanting to get a little bit more information about the woman who stole her brother's heart.

"So, are I going to meet her today? Will she be at home?" Andy looked briefly at me and I knew what he was thinking...silently questioning if Ali was ready for the news...but there was no point in lying or keeping it a secret for any longer, she had to know.

"Umm, yeah, she's at home with mom and dad right now."

"Okay, so let's go now. I want to meet her." Andy reluctantly stood up from the table. He opened his mouth, ready to say something, but he thought better of it and stopped himself. It wasn't the place for the news and he knew it... too many people were watching and listening... it needed to be done in private. So we went to our cars, Andy went alone in his, me and Ali went to my brother's and we drove to her parent's place.

We were the first to arrive. Raul parked his car on our parent's driveway, and we were going to the Baker's place when Andy parked his car next to his father's. He was barely out of it when the front door of the house opened.

"Dada, dada, dada..." I immediately looked at Ali, watching her reaction after seeing her niece for the first time...this wasn't the plan, but I guess this little bug was too quick for everyone in the house and managed to escaped them. My suspicions were correct when seconds after the little girl was out and running towards Andy, her mother showed at the front door running in horror after her.

"Lucy! Get back here. I told you to wait..." The little girl was already in Andy's hands, giggling that she managed to slip out of her mother's hands. She was her daddy's girl, and Sophie had no chance to make her listen to her. Whatever Lucy wanted; she got it.

Ali was watching the scene in front of us, trying to comprehend what was happening. When I saw the tears gathering in her eyes, I decided to call it a stop.

"C'mon, Ali, let's get in our house for a second." I didn't wait for her confirmation or denial, I just unlocked the front door and ushered her inside, away from her family...at least for a moment. I took a quick look at Andy before closing the door. The regret and the pain were written all over his face.

"How...umm...how old..." She was trying to formulate her questions, but I knew right now there was a mess in her head. So, I just took her in my arms and held her closer to me. Her body started to shake from her emotions that were boiling inside her. Soon, the tears came, soaking the front of my shirt. But I just stayed there and held her...that was all I was able to do at the moment. No one could do anything else except mourn the loss of time and missed events.

Minutes passed by, and I was happy no one tried to come to us and check Ali. She needed this time to comprehend the news she just got. I knew her family was hurting, I knew Andy's heart was breaking at the moment, but my Tulie had all my attention and we were going to stay in my parent's house as much as she needed it.

"How... how old is she?" The tears slowed down and let her ask the questions I was sure were filling her head.

"Almost two."

"Um...was she...um...planned?"

"I think so, I've never asked, but they knew each other for more than a year and a half when he told us Sophie was pregnant. He proposed to her before knowing, so it wasn't the other way around, they are not engaged because she got pregnant. He loves Sophie."

"Then...why are they still just engaged? Why not marry?" I knew the answer to that question was going to break a little piece inside her, just like the other missed things were, but I hoped it was going to heal something too.