The weight of secrets

Chapter 8

It was a crisp autumn morning when Lily showed up at the Bellingham house unannounced. Her face was pale, her hands trembling as she knocked on the door. Denise answered, surprised to see her, and immediately noticed the strain in the young woman's expression.

"Lily," Denise said kindly, though a hint of concern colored her tone. "Come in, dear. Is everything all right?"

"I need to talk to Jude and Jobe," Lily said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's... important."

Denise nodded, ushering her inside. "They're both here. Let me get them."

Jude and Jobe were sitting in the living room, Jude scrolling through his phone while Jobe flipped through a magazine. When their mum entered the room with Lily trailing behind her, both brothers immediately stiffened. Neither of them had seen or spoken to her since the fallout, and her sudden appearance set their nerves on edge.

"Lily," Jude said, standing up. His tone was cautious, unsure of what to expect.

Jobe followed suit, his heart racing. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice shaky.

Lily sat down on the edge of the couch, wringing her hands together. "I... I didn't want to come here," she admitted. "But I didn't know what else to do. I have something to tell you both."

Denise hovered in the doorway, her maternal instincts urging her to stay, but sensing this was a conversation the three of them needed to have alone, she reluctantly left the room.

Jude crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What is it?"

Lily took a deep breath, her eyes darting between them. "I'm pregnant," she said, the words tumbling out in a rush. "And... I don't know which one of you is the father."

The room fell deathly silent.

Jude's expression froze, his brain scrambling to process what she'd just said. "What?" he finally managed, his voice low and sharp.

Jobe's face drained of color, his stomach churning. "Are you serious?" he whispered.

Lily nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. "I know how this sounds. I know it's the worst possible thing I could say right now. But it's the truth. I'm about ten weeks along, and the timing... it matches up with everything that happened."

Jude clenched his fists, his emotions swirling between anger, disbelief, and a deep sense of betrayal that resurfaced all over again. "You're telling me that this child could be mine—or his?" he asked, his voice rising.

Lily flinched. "I don't want it to be this way, Jude. I wish I could give you a clear answer, but I can't. Not yet."

Jobe sat down heavily, burying his face in his hands. The weight of the revelation was crushing. "This can't be happening," he muttered.

"It is happening," Jude snapped, turning on him. "And it's happening because of you. Because you couldn't keep your—" He stopped himself, his jaw tightening as he struggled to rein in his anger.

"I know," Jobe said, his voice muffled. "I know it's my fault. But yelling at me isn't going to solve anything."

"Enough!" Lily said suddenly, her voice breaking. "I didn't come here for you two to fight. I came here because you deserve to know the truth. And because I need your help. I can't do this alone."

Jude turned to her, his expression softening slightly. "What do you want from us, Lily? What do you expect us to do?"

"I want to find out the truth," she said firmly. "I'll take a paternity test as soon as it's safe, and then we'll know for sure. But until then... I need to know where we all stand."

Jobe lifted his head, his eyes red. "I'll take responsibility if it's mine," he said quietly. "Whatever that means, I'll do it."

Jude's jaw clenched again, but he nodded. "Same here. If it's mine... I'll step up."

Lily looked between them, her heart breaking at the tension that hung in the air. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "For everything. For what I did to both of you."

Jude sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's not just on you, Lily. We all made mistakes. But this—" He gestured vaguely at her stomach. "This is bigger than any of us now. We need to figure it out."

Jobe nodded, his expression grim. "For the baby's sake."