A Thing From the Past

TWO

If there was a good time to scream and vomit at the same time, it would be now. Nadine’s stomach felt like it was about to implode by the amount of nervousness coursing through her veins.

She sat in the living room, contemplating if it was too late to chicken out.

‘Jesus, Mary, Joseph! You’re twenty-six years old, Nadine. Grow a pair, please.’ She says to herself.

She wasn’t too thrilled about the cookout tonight, and she was sure everyone would want her to be there. And being there would probably mean she was going to be the center of attention.

While she continued to chastise herself, the sound of the door opening made her jolt and a pair of footsteps echoed from the corridor. She remained seated as the image of her heavily pregnant sister along with her fiancé entered.

“Angel?” Thomas grins. “Well, this is a nifty surprise, ain’t it?”

Thomas walks to her and hugs her.

“Hi, Tommy.” She says and looked at Katherine. “Hi, Kat and Thomas Jr.”

Nadine leans down and waved her hand at Katherine’s belly. In reality, no one knew what the baby will be when it comes and pop out. She hoped it would be a boy but Thomas was strictly adamant about having a little princess first.

Katherine puffed her cheeks and leaned closer to give her sister a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“How was the travel?” Her sister asks.

“Dreadful, but it was worth it now that you’re here.” She nodded.

“Sorry, sweetie. Which reminds me, where’s James?” Katherine furrowed her brows.

“Yeah. Where is your little man? I’ve missed him, you know. Been fixin’ to see him again since the last time I saw him.” Thomas chimed in.

Nadine shriveled in her place. It wasn’t so ideal to leave her son behind, but she figured she needed time.

“With aunt Vivian and George in Bora bora.” She admitted, looking at her feet.

She heard the both of them sigh in a defeated manner.

Her son was one of the reasons she was second-guessing her return home. It wasn’t like she was ashamed of her baby’s existence. She was proud to be his mama and would fight tooth and nail for him. But keeping him a secret and keeping her life on a lower key was meant to protect him.

Nadine remembered her little boy’s upset face when she told him he couldn’t go with her. It broke her heart completely.

“That’s bull!” Katherine exclaimed. “You know how excited we were to see him again. If he’s not here a week before the wedding, then he’s not gonna be the ring bearer.”

She grimaced. “Yeah, I know.”

“Don’t be too hard on her. But promise us, Nadine. Better tell everyone before it’s too late. We don’t anyone fix a hissy fit when your boy suddenly appears out of nowhere.” Thomas flattened his lips.

And by anyone, he meant her parents. Her father would probably cock his Winchester and shoot at her baby’s father if he found out who he was of course, and then there was her mother.

Though her mother was the most reasonable one between her parents, she was also a terrifying woman when angered.

“I know,” she lowered her shoulders. Keeping herself mentally fit was only possible because of Katherine and Thomas. She owed them a lot. “I don’t want to mess up your wedding. I promise I’ll tell everyone by then.”