Slow Agony (Assassins, #2)(57)

I buried my face in his chest, and we just stayed like that, holding each other, for what seemed like a very long time.

*

“Where have you guys been?” Christa demanded as we walked back into the waiting room, arm in arm. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

“We were, um...” Griffin paused. “We have some news.”

She glared at us. “Did you guys go make out in the bathroom or something?”

“No,” I said, maybe a little too quickly.

“Whatever,” she said. “Just come on. Mom’s awake.”

“She is?” said Griffin, dropping his grip on me and starting forward.

“I already talked to her,” said Christa. “You guys go ahead.”

He grabbed his sister in a big hug and planted a kiss on top of her head. “She’s awake.”

Christa smiled up at him. “She’s talking and everything. She’s asking for you.”

He reached back for me.

I put my hand in his and he tugged me along with him.

“Oh,” said Griffin, looking back at Christa, “we’re having a baby.”

“What?” she said.

Griffin and I walked into the hallway. He hit the button to be allowed into intensive care.

Christa had followed us out there. “When did you find this out?”

I took the pregnancy test out of my pocket. “A few minutes ago.”

“Holy crap,” she said. “I’m going to be an aunt.”

The door opened. Griffin and I went through it.

“Congratulations!” she called after us.

*

“I’m so sorry, Ma,” said Griffin, squeezing Beverly’s hand.

She was sitting up in bed, her eyes bright. She was smiling. “Oh, hell, Griffin. I’m glad to be out of that basement, even if I did have to get shot to do it.”

“Don’t joke about it,” he said. “We were so worried.”

“Takes a lot more than that to hurt me,” she said. “But, Griffin, your sister’s right. It’s time we went to the authorities with this.”

“We can talk about that later,” he said. “You’re safe for now, and that’s all that matters.”

Suddenly, I had a horrible thought. Was she safe? Could Marcel get into the hospital and hurt her if he wanted? I hoped he would stay clear. The man was a monster, an unpredictable, evil, horrible man. There was no way to be sure what he would do next.

“What’s the news on my impending grandchild?” she said, eyes twinkling.

“Can’t you worry about yourself for a few minutes?” said Griffin.

“No,” she said. “Let me know the news. Are you pregnant or not? Don’t tell me you haven’t taken the test yet.”

“Um, I am,” I said quietly. I could tell she was excited about it. I was too, but I felt overwhelmed by all of it at the same time.

“Really?” A smile burst onto her face. “Oh, that’s wonderful. I’m so pleased.” She eyed me. “You two are going to have to have that wedding soon if you don’t want to be showing.”

“Oh,” I said. I hadn’t thought about that. “I don’t think so.”

Griffin raised his eyebrows. “You don’t want to get married anymore, doll?”

“Of course I do,” I said. “But not while I’m pregnant. That’s tacky.”

Griffin laughed. So did Beverly.

“What?” I said. “Like every woman on earth, I have dreamed of my wedding since I was a very little girl, and I’m not going to rush it, and I’m also not going to be fat in my wedding photos either. Those last forever.”

“That doesn’t leave you many options,” said Beverly, still chuckling at me.

“We can wait,” I said. “We can wait until after the baby is born, and I’ve exercised off all the baby fat. Then the baby can be in the wedding pictures.”

“Actually, I like that,” said Griffin. “Because when I was a kid, I always wanted to be in the pictures at my parents’ wedding.”

“Well, it’s not traditional,” said Beverly.  “We’re not traditional,” said Griffin.

“But if that’s what you want,” said Beverly. “Besides, it will give me time to recover from this gunshot. I’m in favor.”

I smiled. That was settled, then.

It felt like things were moving awfully fast.

Beverly and Griffin talked for a while longer. She tried to convince us to go home and leave her here in the hospital by herself, but Griffin wouldn’t hear of it. He said they weren’t leaving her alone. Besides, he figured we were all safer in the hospital anyway. So, there would be no leaving.

Eventually, it became clear that she was getting tired, so we left her to rest.

Christa was back in the waiting room.

She wanted to know all about the baby. “What do you want, a boy or a girl?”

I settled down next to her. “I, um, I hadn’t thought about it. A girl would be fun, I guess. But little boys are neat too.” I tried to picture them. Both the little girl and the little boy had Griffin’s dark hair and grey eyes. They were beautiful.

“What about you?” Christa asked Griffin.