“When your parents died, I took you in.” Astrid’s smile is tight, ready to shatter at the smallest word. “Technically, I was your godmother, too. You were Ben’s little girl; I could never turn my back on you.”
Callie’s mouth snaps shuts and then reopens. And then shuts again, before she says, “Were you having an affair with my dad?”
“No.” Her answer is firm. “Ben was my friend. He and Molly—they were like my brother and sister.”
Now Callie is shaking. “You told me you didn’t personally know my parents! That you just knew of them!”
“I know,” Astrid murmurs. “I’m sorry. I just . . . I thought it would be better. Molly and I knew the difficulties your parents had been going through, so we . . . we thought, in an effort to stave off the problems already associated with your birth, this was the best.”
Callie stares at her mother for a long moment. Then she stomps over to where I’m clutching the tequila and yanks it straight out of my hand. Will oh-so-helpfully passes her my shot glass from the table. She waves it off and chugs directly from the bottle.
Oh. My. Gods. I’m standing next to a track in which two trains are heading straight at each other going full steam and the weirdest thing of all is that, for once, I’m not one of said trains.
“Let me guess,” Will sneers, swinging the shot glass in between Cameron and Astrid. “You two are the ones who had an affair.”
And the unthinkable happens. Silence is his answer.
This is not happening. This is not—
“Are you bloody serious?!” he growls when the rest of us can’t seem to pick our jaws up off the floor. His anger reemerges with a vengeance. “You cheated on my mum?”
“No.” Cameron takes a step closer to where Will and I are standing. “Astrid and I were over before your mother and I got together.”
Holy effing hell. I SO did not see that one coming.
Neither did Callie or Will, who are staring at their parents like they’re strangers. And, honestly, I don’t blame them one iota.
Finally, voice close to cracking—“This is shite, Dad.”
Cameron nods slowly. “I know you’re angry, son—”
“Angry doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel,” Will spits back. To me, he says, “Can you believe this? Who the fuck are these people, Chloe? Why are they here?”
“They’re . . .” I try to swallow the lump in my throat, but it’s way too big.
“I’m Jonah and Kellan’s mother,” Astrid supplies, “And Callie and I are here because we wanted to welcome Chloe home and let her know we missed her and love her.”
“Their mother?” Cameron asks quietly. He’s shocked. And . . . angry?
“They’re not biologically mine.” There’s anguish on her face. “But they’re mine all the same.” She pauses. “They’re Lucia’s boys.”
Hold on. Cameron not only knows (and I guess dated?) Astrid, but knew the twins’ mom? I need a notepad to keep track of all of this.
“And Ewan?” he asks, and now, Kellan and Jonah wade into our complex circle that’s been intertwined for a long time without anyone knowing it. My fingers itch to touch Jonah when he comes closer, but he and Kellan position themselves across from where I’m standing with Will and Callie.
“He’s here in Annar,” Astrid is saying while Kellan asks just how Cameron knows their dad. And my eyes meet Jonah’s once more, but there isn’t a question there. Just sadness.
Cameron sighs. “Molly and I lived in Annar for a very brief time when we first were married. She knew your parents, and I through her.”
A pair of tears trickles down Astrid’s cheeks. She hastily wipes them away. “Now, you. How did you come to be here with Chloe? Because Cameron, this is . . .” She chuckles quietly. “Talk about a small world.”
Kellan gives me a look that basically says: now that’s an excellent question. When he turns and looks at Jonah, I immediately know they’re talking their way. And as much as I used to complain about them doing it for years, now I find this action comforting.
I’ve missed them both so much.
I take a deep breath, trying to recall all the words I’ve practiced for hours, but Cameron beats me to the punch. “It’s ironic, isn’t it? You, taking in Ben and Lucia’s children—knowing they’re your family, even though your blood doesn’t run through their veins? It’s the same with this hen here.” His arm drops across my shoulders, and despite everything that’s just gone down, love for this man fills me up. “She’s my girl. She’s our family. It was clear from day one that she needed us and we needed her. And we’re here to give her the support she deserves as well as give Will a go at getting to know his mum’s past.”
I sniffle and loop my arms around him into a hug. What I see in Jonah’s eyes now: I did NOT see that one coming. Kellan’s expression is identical.