Atlas

ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ-ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ

I'm married...and I just found out my wife is pregnant with our daughter.

Today can't get any more surprising.

I mean, I knew I was going to get married today. I've known for good a month. But it's still...somewhat odd.

I have a wife. I know Sierra thinks it's all platonic and for the sake of this baby...but it's really not.

Everyone is still clapping their hands, being awfully joyful about finding out Sierra is going to give birth to our daughter. Even I'm happy, on the inside. But Sierra...she's like a brick, tense and stiff, basically my usual self. Surely that can't be because she'd rather have a boy, right?

I look at Sierra, following her eyes to find out what, or who, she is looking at. There's nothing odd anywhere here, nothing that could potentially throw her off like that.

Sierra is staring towards the entrance door, her eyes being focused on the very last of my siblings. The one that always misses everything, most definitely missed my wedding too. But what's even stranger, he is staring back at her.

It's not his usual "I'm checking a girl out" kinda look, he looks just as thrown off as Sierra does. Though, maybe not as pale and tense. But he doesn't move, doesn't even take a step closer. Nico just continues to stand by the door.

"Sierra, are you alright?" I ask, turning my attention back to her. I lay my hands down onto her shoulders, trying to make her look at me, but her eyes remain on my brother.

Now I'm certain they've met before. Nico is the same age as Sierra, so perhaps they've met in school. No, that can't be. Cody said she was home-schooled. But she perhaps went to school at some point?

"Sierra?" I try again, but she still doesn't react. I turn to look at Cody, maybe he's noticed Sierra just staring blankly ahead towards my brother. And it seems he has. Though, he stares at Nico with the same look Sierra does.

What the heck?

Seriously, what has Nico done to have two siblings stare at him like he's.....

Oh fuck me.

If Nico has done what I think he did, he'll be lucky if he's alive by the end of the day.

I take a step towards him, but just as I do, Sierra's hand wraps around my wrist, holding me back. As much as I'd love to kill my brother right about now, being there for my wife is the only thing I should be doing.

My head snaps towards her, finding her eyes immediately.

"There are too many knives around, Atlas," she speaks quietly, fearful. I really don't like this look on her. The one that says she's scared, that she's about to cry and probably vomit as well. That she wants to run away, bury herself under the ground just so she doesn't have to be here right now.