Free Duality by Heather Atkinson

the bell rang again. He lifted his head out of Rachel‘s neck. “Bugger off,” he called.
    There followed the sound of the door opening and a voice called, “hello, anyone home?”
    They both froze.
    “Is that…no, it can’t be,” said Rachel. “She would have warned us.”
    “She wouldn’t,” muttered Ryan, releasing her, jaw set, eyes flashing.
    Jules walked into the lounge towing a suitcase on wheels and grinned. “I’m here.”
    “So you are,” said Ryan flatly.
    “Oh dear, did I interrupt something?” she said with a saucy smile, noting how flushed and breathless they both were.
    “Yes,” said Ryan. As he looked at his younger sister he softened to her slightly, recalling the time only three months ago when he’d thought she was dead, shot to death by Jared Slattery. But that had been a set-up to make her family think she was gone. Before that he’d thought of her as a bit of a pain in the arse but after coming so close to losing her he’d determined to get to know his younger sister properly and now was the perfect time.
    Rachel watched in amazement as Ryan enveloped Jules in an awkward hug.
    “It’s good to have you here,” he said.
    Jules, equally surprised, looked up at him in amazement. “Big brother, I hope you’re not getting soft in your old age?”
    “Me? Never.”
    “And a smile too. Bloody hell, this is too weird, I’m off back up to Manchester.”
    “No you’re not,” said Rachel. “You’re staying with us for a while.” She embraced her too. “And you’re so welcome.”
    “Even though I interrupted you when you were about to shag?” she said with a mischievous grin.
    “Yes, even because of that.”
    “Great. Where are the kids? I want to get to know my niece and nephews.”
    “Leah and Ethan are at school and Aaron’s at nursery.”
    “Oh well, never mind, I’ll see them later. Now, do you want to show me to my room or do you want me to go to the pictures until you’ve finished?”
    “You’re staying here?” said Ryan.
    “Yeah.” Jules’s smile faltered. “Is that okay?”
    “Of course it is,” said Rachel. “The granny flat is still being built but we have plenty of spare rooms.”
    Jules’s grin returned. “Thanks. To be honest, I need a bit of peace and quiet to get my head together.”
    “After being kidnapped by Jared Slattery?” said Rachel.
    “Oh no, I’m well over that,” she replied with a dismissive wave. “But I did get another shock recently.”
    “What’s happened?” said Ryan, feeling both concerned and wary at the same time.
    “Do you want the long version or the short?”
    “Short.”
    “Okay, you asked for it. Well, I’m pregnant to Jared Slattery but he can’t find out because his mum is insane and would try to take the baby off me. So Jax has offered to marry me but I don’t know if I should accept, even though I love him because I’m worried that he’ll end up hating me and that I’ll destroy him. Mikey and Jez know and Mikey is pretty okay with it but Jez is spitting feathers. Mikey has said I can’t work until after I’ve had the baby. So I’ve come here to get my head around everything and hopefully make a decision.”
    Rachel and Ryan blinked at her in amazement.
    “You’re joking?” said Ryan.
    “I wish I was. Life would be so much simpler.”
    “You’re actually pregnant with Jared Slattery’s child?”
    “Yep, there’s no doubt. I’ve had a scan and everything,” she said, producing it from her jacket pocket and holding it out.
    Rachel was the first to take it and smiled. “Wow, beautiful but I thought you couldn’t have children?”
    “Me too. Turns out Alice told me the doctor said I couldn’t all those years ago out of spite.”
    Rachel’s eyes turned black. “The bitch.”
    “Don’t worry. I’ve let her know how displeased I am.”
    Rachel thought how much like Ryan she sounded sometimes. “Is she still alive?”
    “If you can call the half-life she has living.”
    “And