The Pawns that Gleam [Bk 3]

ch.27 Crazy kids

Danny sat down next to me, but kept a slight distance, like I had some kind of disease. I touched my stomach gently: I have a baby.

"Angie, I'm sorry about whatever Gemma and Becky tried to pull, but I'm sure they weren't doing it to hurt you" Danny patted my shoulder. "Especially not Gemma" he added confidently.

I sighed. Of course he didn't think his precious Gem tried to sell me off. The big softie was head over heels in love with her and he seemed to be forever stuck at that "admiration" stage where you see absolutely no flaw in the other person and everything they do is Godly. 

I wondered if me and Harry were also at that stage...

No, we were further on than that. We were at the level where everything the other person did was so imperfect that it was flawless. Everything that other person thought or felt was out of love or pain or suffering and you did everything you could to help them. You told them your secrets and your fears and your hopes because you knew they understood and accepted your them. There was nothing to hide. That's the stage me and Harry are at. 

Danny smiled. I wanted him and Gemma to get further in their relationship, hell, I wanted them to get married, too. Then, Danny could have his one family and he'd be too busy to be on my back about everything.

Danny looked down at my stomach again.

"The last thing you said" he cleared his throat.

I patted my stomach gently. 

"Am I gonna be an uncle?" he blurted.

I looked up at him. His dark eyes were wide and eager, slightly terrified but nonetheless hopeful. His fists clenched and he held his breath.

"Yes" I nodded.

The brightest, utterly overjoyed smiled etched onto Danny's hard jaw. I held my breath for a moment, unsure who was sitting in front of me and what he had done to Danny.

"My baby sister is having a baby" he shook his head and smiled. His hard jaw seemed to soften to jell-o and his eyes light up.  

"So-so you're not mad?" I whispered, in case the real Danny would barge in and take back his body and yell at me.

Danny's grin literally slipped right off his face and he looked horrified for a moment.

"Mad? Why would I be mad?" he gasped.

I stared at him.

"Did-didn't you say that you'd cut Harry's- um-"

Danny shook his head and laughed.

"You guys weren't even engaged back then. Now you're married and you're in school and Harry's not in jail" he explained.

I nodded. It was the ring that secured everything, as well as Harry's presence. I can't imagine how I could deal with being pregnant with Harry in jail, or if our child only saw him through bars.

I shook my head, clearing my quickly depressing train of thoughts.

"This is almost better than when Gem came back" he smiled.

"Almost?" I teased.

"Almost" he grinned.

I leaned my head against Danny's hard shoulder and he wound his hulkish arms around my waist - delicately- so as not to disturb the seed of a baby inside me.

"Now I have to be twice as careful with you" he shook his head and looked down at my stomach.

I laughed.