Free Who's Your Daddy? by Lauren Gallagher Page A

nose. “I feel sorry for whatever creature died for this.”
    My stomach tried to leap up into my throat. Stopping in my tracks, I put a hand to my mouth and closed my eyes, fighting to keep from throwing up or passing out.
    She touched my shoulder. “Sorry, sorry. You okay?”
    After two very slow, deep breaths, I nodded. “I’m fine.”
    “You sure?” Her eyebrows knitted together. “You know you can always just tell Mom you’re not feeling well. We don’t have to do this.”
    I waved my hand. “No. If I say I’m sick, she’ll ask questions.”
    “And she won’t ask questions if you walk into her house when you’re that pale?”
    “Good point.” I gritted my teeth. “I’ll be fine.”
    “You sure?”
    “I’ll just play the ‘I’ve been working too much and haven’t been sleeping’ card.”
    Rose snorted. “Oh, sure, that always goes over well.”
    “Yeah, but it’s a perfect smokescreen, don’t you think?”
    “Good point.”
    We arrived at our parents’ door. My sister raised a loose fist, but paused, closing her eyes and taking a breath. I thought she whispered a soft prayer—undoubtedly to the effect of God, grant me the serenity…— as she knocked.
    A moment later, the door opened, and our sister Eileen greeted us. Our brother had wisely moved out of state a few years ago, so he only endured these dinners during vacations and holidays, but Eileen was stuck with twice-or-more-monthly dinners just like we were.
    After she let us in, we took off our shoes and hung up our coats and purses.
    “Thank God you two are here,” she said quietly. “Another hour holding down the fort by myself, and I was going to lose it.”
    I laughed. “You’ve never heard of being fashionably late?”
    She threw me a playful glare.
    Rose looked around. “Just you tonight?” she asked Eileen.
    “Yes,” Eileen said. “I needed a break, so Tim and the kids stayed home.”
    I raised an eyebrow and lowered my voice. “You needed a break, and you came here ?”
    “Trust me, this is the lesser of two evils.” Eileen clicked her tongue and shook her head. “The kids have been driving me insane. If one isn’t crying about something, the other is getting into something else.”
    Rose glanced at me but masked her concern with a laugh and turned back to Eileen. “I don’t know how you juggle four of them, hon.”
    Eileen grinned. “I just remind myself that in about twenty years, I’ll have the ultimate revenge.”
    Rose and I glanced at each other, then turned to Eileen.
    “The ultimate revenge?” I asked.
    “Yeah.” She laughed. “Grandkids.”
    Any other day, that probably would’ve made me laugh out loud. Instead, it just tightened the knot beneath my rib cage.
    And as if it needed a reason to tighten any more, our mother’s singsong voice came from the kitchen. “Rose? Carmen? Do I hear you two in there?”
    “Guess we’d better go say hello,” I said.
    Rose and I exchanged “here goes nothing” looks, and went into the kitchen with Eileen hot on our heels.
    As soon as we stepped into the kitchen, the smell went from eye-watering to overpowering. I clenched my jaw, silently willing my stomach and its contents to stay put.
    I can do this. I’ve been sick enough today.
    I can—
    Nope. Can’t .
    “Excuse me for a minute.” I nearly knocked Eileen aside as I hightailed it out of the kitchen to the bathroom down the hall.
    Once the porcelain god had been duly worshipped, I flushed the toilet and carefully stood, moving slowly to make sure I didn’t get light-headed. I cupped my hands under the faucet and rinsed my mouth a few times. Then I dried my hands, rested them on the sides of the sink and stared at my reflection. Familiar surroundings framed an unfamiliar face; of course I recognized myself, but…I didn’t. I didn’t recognize the woman who was keeping a secret like this from her parents.
    I can’t do this. I can’t be pregnant around them without telling them.
    I can’t