Hey Baby

Home? Isn't That Where The Heart Is Supposed To Be

My hormones intensified every emotion and I was an irritable, inconsolable mess the entire drive back to my childhood home. I had no desire to sit at a table full of successful adults when I was the furthest from it right now; a pregnant junior in college with no actual career plans in sight. I knew getting my business degree would give me the opportunity to have a broader pool of jobs to choose from. The moment I'd told my parents this, my mother had about lost her mind. She insisted that I follow in my sisters footsteps and go to med school, or at the very least, study Law. But it had never been of interest to me, or in the cards, and I hadn't spoke to her in over six months.

Lincoln was either unphased by the tension in the car or was pretending he was, because he just drove in silence, occasionally tapping his fingers along or humming to a song on the radio. Of course he wouldn't have any issues with this dinner; in everyone's eyes he was this incredible prodigy. Co-owner of a multi-million dollar business straight out of high school and had been on the front cover of Forbes and New York Times multiple times. My mother and father were sure to praise him the second we walked through the door, and if my sisters had decided to join the dinner, they'd likely ogle over the boy they'd once poked fun at and made fun of.

"Can you at least try to be pleasant?" Lincoln finally asked as he slowed the car to a stop along the curb of the house. I groaned seeing his parents own black Tesla parked behind my mom's minivan. "If any of them are going to buy this, you need to at least pretend to be happy for a couple hours of your life, El."

"They're going to freak." I gestured toward my protruding stomach. One of Lincoln's stylists had insisted on a body hugging burgundy dress for the photos we'd taken early this morning, as it emphasized my growing stomach and we hadn't had time to stop by the penthouse again before we'd made the trip out here. "You better have your phone ready to call 911. My mom is surely going to have a heart attack."

He rolled his eyes and turned the keys in the ignition. "Stop being so dramatic. Come on."

I mocked him under my breath, but climbed out of the car and slung my crossbody over my shoulder and took his hand when he offered it so he could help me up on to the sidewalk. As if they'd been awaiting our arrival, Mrs. Whitlock threw my front door open and stumbled out on to the patio with a wave. "There are our lovebirds!"

It was Lincoln's turn to finally be uncomfortable, as he averted his gaze from his mother and looked down at the stone path leading to where she was standing as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

"We've been waiting for you two!" Mrs. Whitlock continued, yanking Link into an embrace as soon as we were within reach and smoothing out his hair with a pointed look. "Would it kill you to run a comb through your hair once and a while?"

He opened his mouth, ready to make a sarcastic remark, but quickly shut his mouth and clenched his jaw instead. She hadn't noticed and quickly hugged me before ushering us into the house. I considered throwing my heels aside and making a run for it, but my sister's dramatic grasp was enough for the idea to momentarily escape me.

My parents hadn't changed much since I'd moved out. The walls were still a cool gray, the furniture black with white accents along the pillows, blinds, and palcemats on the coffee table. Miranda was currently perched on the arm of the sofa, her dyed blonde hair cascading in waves across her shoulders and down her back. She was in a black crop top and jeans that Mom no doubt had scolded her for. Upon stepping in her green eyes wide and one of her hands had flown over her mouth. Her shock over my stomach dissipated when her eyes shifted from me to Lincoln as his hand fell against the small of my back.

"Jesus Christ. Link, is that you?" she gasped, shooting to her feet suddenly. "You're like. . . hot now."

Not impressed with my sister's backhanded compliment, Link barely glanced in her direction. "Thanks for that, Mandy."