She blinked tears away. He pulled her into his arms. “It doesn’t answer the question of what happened to their teenagers,” she said.
“It doesn’t.” He nodded toward Lobo. “Maybe the FBI can get that out of them.” He looked at her, lingering longer than he should have. “I wish I didn’t have to leave.”
“It’s important. Go. I’ll be fine until you get back.”
He waved Kelan forward. “Stay with Remi.”
Kelan nodded. “You got it.”
*
Mandy’s stomach tightened and a cold sweat broke out on her face and arms. She looked around the room at the women who had become her friends, along with the Jacksons and Doc Beck. She was breathing too fast. She crossed her arms over her stomach and tried to calm herself, but the moment she’d been dreading had come, as it had to sooner or later.
“Mandy? You okay?” Ivy asked, frowning at her.
Mandy stood, then felt faint. The room got wobbly. She ran out of the living room, past confused and worried faces. She tried to make it to her room, but her stomach only let her get as far as the hall powder room on her way.
She bent over the toilet and lost her lunch. Someone came in with her. She didn’t look over that way, couldn’t face whoever it was. When her stomach quit fighting her, Mandy took the cool wet towel she was handed, then looked up.
Ivy was leaning against the sink. Mandy flushed and washed her hands, splashing cold water over her hands and face. She took a dry towel and mopped her face.
“Hey.” Ivy put an arm around Mandy’s shoulders. And then the tears came. Foolish, useless tears. “What’s going on, Em?”
“I can’t get the shot.”
“Why?”
Mandy looked over at her friend as she tried to draw enough air to tell her.
“Oh, God. You’re pregnant.”
Mandy squeezed her eyes shut and held the towel to her face with shaking hands.
“Does Rocco know?”
Mandy shook her head. “I’ve tried to tell him half a dozen times. I can’t tell him when he’s stressed. And I don’t have the heart to tell him when he’s happy. Those moments are so few.”
“Maybe this will be good news.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. How can I know?”
“You have to tell him.”
“I’m scared, Ivy. I’m such a coward.”
“I can be there with you, if you want.”
“I didn’t do this on purpose.”
“I never thought you did. But honey, what happened? I thought you were on birth control.”
Mandy shook her head. “I was, but it was making me sick. I kept spotting. I’ve tried several different doses and brands—since long before Rocco. When none of them worked without problems, Rocco and I decided to just use condoms.” She met Ivy’s eyes. “One of them broke.”
Ivy didn’t even try to fight her smile. “This the best news ever. I’m so happy for you both. I know it’s stressful now, but it will work out. Trust Rocco. Trust yourself.” Ivy rubbed her arm, dispelling the persistent chill Mandy had been feeling.
“You think it will?”
“I know it will.”
“But Rocco still has issues…”
“That man loves you. He’ll pull it together.” Ivy’s smiled widened. “And you aren’t the only one who can’t get vaccinated.”
Mandy’s eyes widened. “Are you pregnant, too?”
“I don’t know for sure, but we’ve been trying, and I’m a few days late. I can’t risk the shot right now, until I know for sure I’m not.”
Mandy laughed. She hugged Ivy. “I would so love to be pregnant with you!”
“We’ll get through this. I promise you. Should we go break the news?”
Mandy shook her head. “I don’t want to tell anyone before Rocco.”
“Don’t think that can be avoided now. We’ll make them take a vow of silence until you and Rocco talk. Same for me with Kit. He doesn’t know either.”
Mandy took a fistful of tissues, then faced Ivy and nodded. “Let’s go.”
Max stood in the hallway right outside the bathroom, his arms crossed, his legs spread. “S’up, ladies?”
Ivy giggled and Mandy started crying. “We can’t have the vaccine right now,” Ivy told him.
His brows lowered. “And why would that be?”
Ivy wrapped her arm around Mandy. “We’re pregnant.”
Max’s brows shot up. “You’re fucking with me, right?”
Mandy shook her head, looking at him over the wadded tissue she held to her nose.
“Aw, hell. Do the guys know?”
Again Mandy shook her head.
Max sighed. “Fuck. Me. All. To. Hell. You know I gotta tell Kit.”
“No, don’t! I want him to hear it from me first,” Ivy said.
“We don’t have that luxury now. I don’t know what his plans are, but he needs to know I couldn’t get the entire household vaccinated.”
“Then let me talk to him when you’re finished.”
Max dialed Kit. There was a pause. He looked at Ivy. “We got a situation here at the house. There’s two people I can’t get vaccinated. Seems one’s pregnant and the other’s sorta pregnant and their men don’t yet know.” He grinned. “Yeah… Basically my reaction. Who? Uh. Well. The confirmed pregnant one is Mandy… Yeah… I’ll let you talk to the other.”
Ivy took the phone Max handed her. “Kit?”
There was a long silence. “Oh, hell. I gotta sit down, Iv. Hold on.”
She could hear him walking somewhere. She gave a shaky laugh. “Look I didn’t mean for you to learn this way.” Ivy drew a jagged sob. Mandy rubbed her back. Max shook his head and folded his arms. “I-I had a whole fun reveal planned. I just wanted to make sure I really was pregnant first—”
“Baby, I was hoping it was you.”
“You were? Kit, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. We’re ready for this, feel me?”
“But now, with the smallpox—”
“Just means we take extra care of you. It’ll work out, Ivy mine. Tell me, though, what makes you think you’re pregnant?”