Chapter 16
Bryce and I just got done packing our things. He grabbed out luggage claiming I shouldn't over exert myself because I'm pregnant. Bryce waited on me hand and foot. For the first few weeks I loved it, now its getting annoying.
We walked together downstairs and when we turned and I froze.
There was my eldest sister Jessica arguing with Trevor.
"Hide me," I whispered ducking behind Bryce.
"MARIA!!!" Jessica yelled.
"Damn," I sighed and eased out from behind Bryce.
Jessica was glaring daggers at me. I smiled and tried to act all innocent
"Jessica, what are you doing here?" I said innocently.
"Don't play the innocent card, I know you too well for that," she snapped.
I dropped my innocent smile and looked at her seriously.
"Get your stuff, we are leaving back home now." Jessica commanded.
"No," I said crossing my arms.
"Maria, I'm not playing with you, mom and dad are worried, lets go," Jessica said steely.
"No, they didn't give Bryce a chance, so I am not giving them a chance."
"Maria..." she stared at me puzzled. "You are bigger than I remember."
I wrapped my arms around Bryce's waist and he put his arm around my shoulder. I put my hand to my stomach and look straight at Jessica.
"Oh God," she whispered. "You're pregnant."
"Bingo, honey," I said.
"Wow, I'm going to be an aunt," Jessica said smiling.
I narrowed my eyes suspicious.
"Don't look at me like that, I'm serious." Jessica said walking up to me.
She gave me a hug.
"Okay," I said speechless patting her back.
I noticed that Trevor was staring at her strangely.
Jessica suddenly hugged Bryce, which shocked me and him.
"I know you will take care of her," Jessica said emotionally.
Bryce patted her back awkwardly.
"Jessica, why don't you stay here we have plenty of room for you."
"Really, I don't want to impose at all," Jessica said
"Not at all," Trevor said leading her to a room.
"I think Trevor likes Jessica," I said sitting down suddenly exhausted.
Bryce sat down next to me and sighed.
"So is she who you smelled the other day?" I asked.
"Yep," he said and he kissed my temple.
There was a knock on the door.
"I'll go and get that," I said getting up.
I opened the door and was stunned to see who was at the door.
"Grandma Willa?" I asked.
"Hello, dear," she said.
~~*~~
I was nervous as Willa called Bryce into a private room. I wasn't entirely sure if I was allowed in. Actually, I am pretty confident that Old Willa wouldn't mind, but too afraid to enter. I knew what they were talking about... but the subject made me anxious when it came to Bryce's family.
I wonder... I wonder what Bryce is saying-what he's thinking-anything. If only he was a mindreading vampire. But, those don't exist. So I guess that I'll have to sit here, wondering curiously about the conversation until Bryce tells me later.
Bryce POV
"Hello Grandmother. I trust that you're not going to leave here on the same note as my parents." Bryce sat across from Willa in a wooden chair. He leaned a little and fiddled with his fingers.
Willa shook her head. "Oh, no, no, no!" She fixed the pillow next to her. "My, my such a nice room. Though, I've been to Japan many times before, the rooming certainly has upgraded in the last hundred years."
Bryce nodded not really knowing what to say. He wanted Willa to state her business but also did not want to be too forward with his grandmother. He watched as she sipped out of a cup of ice water Maria had brought in for them. The look on her face was happy and clam, almost as if she had no bad news. But to Bryce this was impossible. How could any member of his family not be ashamed of him? There was no way. Especially since the family's history was of powerful vampires.
"Alright, I can see that you're thinking too much, and you don't need to be. What you need me to do is to hurry up and speak so you can tend to lovely Maria and the baby."
"What do you mean--"
"Are you forgetting how old I am?" Willa ran her fingers though her hair before tilting her head. "I know when a girl is with child."
Bryce smiled in relief when a giggle escaped Willa.
"So, I'm here to tell you that I too know what you are going through." Her voice lowered. "I...," She trailed. "A long time ago I was just like you. My love was with a human, but we could not be together. My father said, and I will never forget these words, rich girls do not marry poor boys. My lover wasn't 'poor' he was middle class. But even with that he was still human, so I would have lost anyway."
"Is that why you are here?"
"I'm here to tell you that I agree what you are doing, and if Maria wants a wedding I would be glad to help plan. You followed your heart... something that I should have done."
Willa stood and hugged Bryce.
"Grandmother, you can be with him now? Right?"
"He's dead child... something that I could have prevented but was to afraid to." She shook her head. "Anyway, move out of the way, I want to talk to Maria about babies. She looks petrified of me!"
Willa laughed and Bryce guided her out of the room.
