Nebulous || Evan Buckley [1]

chapter nine

"Because I care. Your captain even agreed since he expressed how distracted you've been during these past shifts." Athena argued. "Look, you said it yourself that you need clarity and to sort things out. Besides, tonight is a full moon- you have enough on your plate rather than working on the field of chaos."

She let out a scoff when Athena left like any teenage girl being dismissed by their mother. Except, Athena wasn't her mom- well, became a second mom to her. She harshly cut a slice of pancake drenched in syrup. Meanwhile, Michael amusingly looked at the brunette before landing a cup of coffee in front of her.

"Athena always looks out for your best interest, Josie." He stated. "You should take some time for yourself because we both know it's hurting you inside. As a man who recently came out of the closet after my entire life, suppressing those feelings isn't easy."

"I don't know if I'll be screaming or saying to Bryan's face. I've lost my best friend and the love of my life in one night." Josephine raked her fingers into her hair.

Michael nodded, "At the end of the day, remember you'll be okay. This journey will be hard but you'll survive. Take this day to be selfish. And, when you see him- I'm sure whatever you'll say will be from the heart."

"You won't ever break my heart, huh?" Josephine sat on the living room floor of Vanessa and Calvin's home with her nephew propped on her lap, gripping onto the crayon to color in one of the pages in the book with him. Vanessa went out to a doctor's appointment as she was thankful for her younger sister's day off to watch her son.

The three-year-old nodded while he carelessly scribbled his blue crayon into the page. She smiled brightly for the first time in the last few days. "Good, because I don't know what to do if you'll break my heart." She pouted then blew a raspberry into his cheek causing him to squeal in delight.

In the midst of attacking her nephew with the tickle monster and kisses, the front door burst open with Vanessa emerging. Josephine pressed one last kiss onto Diego's cheek before rising from the floor to greet her sister. "Hey Vanessa, how was the appointment?" She questioned.

Vanessa weakly smiled, "Went well, I need a drink." She rushed off to the kitchen, earning an eyebrow raise from her sister.

"Why don't you finish this page for me? I'm going to talk to your mommy." Josephine told Diego, lifting him from her lap and pressing a sweet kiss onto his temple.

Walking into the kitchen, Josephine saw her older sister taking a deep breath with both hands gripping onto the counter. By the wary expression spread upon her face, concerned the younger Santiago sibling.

"So, are you going to tell me what's going on or..."

Vanessa perked up, blurting out. "I'm pregnant."

Josephine parted her lips in shock of the news, though elicited into a wide smile. "Oh my god, that's amazing news, Vanessa." She charged around the counter to engulf her older sister, suddenly fulfilled with joy.

"Is it, Josie? Calvin and I planned to have another baby when Diego turned five." Vanessa reminded as the sisters pulled away. "Diego is three. I-I can't grasp the idea of handling two kids under five."

"Well, it's better than under two." Josephine hummed out. "Heard that's worse, and on the plus side, Diego surpassed his terrible twos."

Vanessa scoffed, folding her arms. "Barely."

"Look, you were scared around the first time. Three years later, you've become the best mom to Diego. He completely adores you like this new baby will. I'm sure Calvin will be ecstatic considering how cautious and attentive he was during your pregnancy." She amused at the times he smothered her sister for those nine months. Surely, handled those atrocious mood swings when she assumed Vanessa as a bridezilla was worse. "Raising two kids might be a challenge but you got this. Plus, I'll be here to smother these babies whenever you need a break." She happily obliged.