Baby on Board

BONUS CHAPTER: Family

I nod, although we both know that I'm less than impressed. "Yeah, it's great. Hi, Dad."

My father was never a touchy-feely kind of person so you can forgive my awkwardness when he threw his arms around me and patted my shoulder. "Good to see you, son," he said, flashing me a good-natured grin. "The girls are lagging behind somewhere."

Frowning, I look towards the door of the restaurant and see my sister, Alice, entering, quickly followed by Martha. Directly behind them was my youngest sister, May. Shock registered on my face when I set my eyes on her, disbelief setting in that she was actually here. She looked exactly as I remembered- blonde hair, blue eyes, innocent to the core.

"May!" I rushed towards her, my arms circling her waist as I picked her up off the ground and spun her. Finally settling her down, I ran the pads of my fingers over her cheeks and kissed the top of her head. "I've missed you so much."

Suddenly, my mood dropped when I noticed a man lingering possessively behind my sister. There was an apparent change in atmosphere as I glared at the shit bag that my youngest sister was planning to marry, Xavier Holland.

"Isaac," Xavier had the gall to greet me. Even worse than that was the fact that he extended a hand to me, expecting me to shake it. I was half tempted to swat it away and extend my fist to his face, but with May looking on and our relationship already fragile, I accepted his handshake and returned it was a firm one of my own. I regretted it instantly when Xavier's grin turned smarmy and his gaze fell on something over my shoulder. "Congratulations."

Staring him down, I felt someone's hand grasp mine, the warmth instantly untangling the knot that had formed in my stomach. I knew whose hand it was before I looked down to see Lottie politely smiling at everyone around us.

"Thank you," Lottie replied to Xavier. Her hand tightened around mine when she felt my body tense up. "We're thrilled with the news. Hi, Alice. Great to see you again."

Hugs were exchanged between Alice and Lottie, before Martha threw her arms around both women, too. When they all untangled themselves, I decided to introduce Lottie to the nicest person in my family, May, and watched as Lottie embraced her too. Thankfully, she knew better than to get too close to Xavier. Finally, she wrapped her hand around my bicep and forced me to turn to my parents. 

"Mum and Dad, meet Charlotte Delaney," I speak to them and motion towards Lottie. I sucked in a long breath and waited for some sort of emotion to register on Mum's face. Nothing. "Charlotte, this is my mum, Dita, and my dad, Darius."

Dad politely stepped forward and shook Lottie's hand. "Darius," he introduced himself. "It's nice to meet you, Charlotte."

Mum followed suit, extending a well-manicured hand. She didn't smile; she couldn't due to the facelift but I'm sure even without that hindrance, she wouldn't have smiled anyway. "Yes, Charlotte, it's lovely to meet you. We've heard very little about you."

Internally, I groaned. If that was Mum's first introduction to Charlotte, I couldn't help but wonder how the rest of the evening was going to go. Thankfully, Lottie laughed at Mum's comment, said something about me being like a vault and then asked all the ladies to sit. Watching as the women took their places around the table, I frowned at the seating arrangement. Lottie took the middle seat, opposite Mum. To Mum's left was Alice and to the right was May. Martha was opposite May and diagonal to Xavier. Dad sat one seat up from Lottie, likely leaving the empty space next to her for me. Then there was one empty chair next to Alice and another next to Martha.

"Why aren't you sitting opposite Xavier?" I queried, looking at Dad before taking my seat. He gave me a pointed look before reaching into his jacket pocket and taking out his glasses. Knowing that Dad wouldn't say anything more on the topic of May's fiancé, I turn to Alice. "Didn't Drew fancy coming with you?"