Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 39971 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 200(@200wpm)___ 160(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39971 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 200(@200wpm)___ 160(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
“What?!”
I laugh.
“Well, girls are named April and June… why not the month she was born in?”
“It’s definitely… unconventional,” he says. “I mean, something like Valentina would fit a lot better.”
I start laughing harder now.
“Oh, my God, that would have been perfect, but I didn’t even think of it!”
“Does she need a middle name still?” he asks.
“Yes. Felicity Valentina. I like it. Named by her dad and her uncle.”
“And you,” he insists.
“No. No February in there. Luckily for her, you talked some sense into me.”
“Well, I wouldn’t have thought of Valentina if you hadn’t mentioned February,” Derek reasons. “And Steve must have had a sixth sense, because at least Felicity starts with an ‘F’ as well.”
“True,” I agree. “I guess I did have a contribution.”
I sigh as my thoughts turn serious again. Originally, when I thought things might work out and my brother might come around, I’d considered naming the baby after him. But I’m still not sure things will totally work out or that he’ll completely come around.
“Do you think that it will really be possible to fix all these things between the three of us?" I ask.
"Yes, I think we should all at least try. Not only for the sake of all our friendships but also for my niece as well," Derek admits.
“Okay, well then, maybe we’ll name our next baby after you, depending on how things go,” I say with a laugh.
He mock-glares at me.
“Not so fast, little sis. As much as I appreciate the gesture of a namesake, you need to graduate college before you keep having siblings for little V!”
“Deal,” I tell him.
He pulls out his phone and calls Steve. I walk into the bedroom to check on the baby. From here, I can hear the voicemail he leaves.
"Hey Steve, it's Derek. When you have a minute, I really need to talk to you. I'm here with Bella and she just told me the news. All of it. I want to apologize for being such a bonehead and for acting the way I did with you. When you have some time, maybe we should get together and talk and see if we can fix what's wrong with our friendship," Derek says.
I'm proud of my brother for doing that. Felicity is still asleep, so I go and take a long-needed shower. When I walk back out to the living room, Derek is just hanging up the phone.
“Steve called me back,” he announces.
"Oh, okay. How did everything go?" I ask.
"Good. He’s actually on his way back here to talk about everything, so maybe that's for the best. We can get everything out in the open now," Derek says.
"Yes, that's true. Can I offer you something to drink while we wait?" I ask.
"No, I'll be fine. I just want to talk and fix everything," he answers.
We sit back down on the couch together. He leans over and gives me a one-armed hug before moving back to his side of it. Then we wait patiently for Steve to arrive.
I'm glad that now we're going to sort everything out. I want my family to be happy and complete and now it will be if Derek can be a part of it.
I get up to answer the front door and let Steve in once he arrives. He hugs me and then stands next to me as we look towards Derek.
I feel pretty good right now. I don't think this will cause a fight or any more drama like I’d feared at first when I thought about all of trying to talk.
Originally, I thought it would erupt into a shouting match, but after my talk with Derek, and hearing his call to Steve, I’m pretty sure things will be fine.
We’re all ready to let bygones be bygones and move forward together.
I take Steve by the hand and lead him over to the couch. The three of us sit down and look at each other as if we’re all wondering where to begin with this conversation.
Steve sits close to me and puts an arm over my shoulder. But Felicity wakes up right at this moment and starts to cry.
“She already has great timing,” I joke, and the guys laugh.
I excuse myself from the room and go to pick her up. Then I bring her back into the room, holding her over my shoulder.
I sit on the couch next to Steve and begin to feed the baby, hoping that the conversation will be productive and we can all be a happy family.
Chapter 19 – Steve
Once I hung up the phone with Derek, I’d immediately driven back to Janice’s parents’ vacation house. I wasn't that far away anyway.
I was shocked that he was here talking to Bella and that he wants to apologize. I guess I shouldn’t have been all that surprised, though. I mean, this is what both she and I had hoped for. We hoped that it could somehow work out between all of us and that our friendship would be fixed.