Read Online What Family Means by Geri Krotow - Free Book Online Page B

are giving you a lot to think about, and before we know it, Blair and Stella will be adding to our family, as well.”
    “I’m fine,” I said. “Thrilled. Happy.” I put down my spoon and covered our two hands with my right.
    “Really?”
    Will wasn’t buying my cool composure. Neither was I, for that matter.
    I let out a breath.
    “Okay, I’m worried as hell. Angie’s lucky to be living such a great life. I don’t understand why she hasn’t told her husband she’s pregnant or why she didn’t tell him she wants to stay here.”
    Will sighed. “Aw, honey, Angie’s a big girl. We can’t control the kids anymore.”
    “We never could, could we?”
    “No, we couldn’t, but something tells me you’re just figuring that out now.” His gaze said it all. “You do realize you’ve got to let this go and focus on your career?”
    “I thought she’d listen to me—”
    “I don’t think this means she isn’t listening, Deb. She’s weighed the risks and doesn’t want to tell Jesse she’s pregnant while he’s out in Iraq. I must admit I’d feel better if she told him, but still, it’s none of our business.”
    “She’s always been the most stubborn.”
    “Deb, you’ve got to stay out of this. It’s Angie’s life, Angie’s baby. We’re just the future grandparents.”
    Will’s expression yielded that rare view into his emotions, a view I’d only seen a few times over our life together. It was a raw, tortured glimpse into his real self.
    His most emotional self.
    I remembered seeing this look when we were at Crystal Beach, right after his father died. I saw this same side of Will moments before he kissed me for the first time, when we were teenagers.
    And again when the twins were born.
    The most painful occasion for me to recall waswhen he met Angie, when he learned he had a child—a daughter.
    I still felt responsible for the hurt he’d suffered when he’d discovered he’d missed the birth of his own daughter. A hurt he recognized fully when the twins were born and he realized how much he’d missed.
    So each time Will gave me this look, I knew it was an important moment. I was not always sure why, but I knew it was. It symbolized another milestone in our life together.
    I wasn’t ready for any more milestones. Not tonight.
    “You’re upset with me, aren’t you?” I struggled to keep the agitation out of my voice.
    “You have no idea.” Will’s annoyance with me was loud and clear.
    “Why didn’t you tell me?”
    “It’s not something I could articulate. Besides, it’s not like I’ve never mentioned it. I have. You just happen to be listening this time.”
    “Listening to what, Will?”
    “I’ve told you before. You’re always apologizing for who you are.”
    “Who I am?”
    “Who we are. Who we are together.”
    “Bull—”
    He held up his hands, and not just to shove away his half-finished plate of lamb curry.
    “No, it’s not bull, Deb. You’ve spent our entire marriage making sure everyone else is happy, that everyone understands you don’t hold their prejudice against them.”
    “That’s not fair.” Tears welled up. Why had Will picked a public place to stage such a personal discussion?
    “You’re right. It’s not fair, Deb. It’s not fair that you risked shortchanging our children, deny them the ability to deal with their heritage. Or that you’ve cheated yourself. You’ve cheated us.”
    “Us?”
    His face had a drawn, resigned look.
    “Yes. For once, Deb, it would be so nice to know you didn’t give a damn about what that couple over there—” he motioned behind his shoulder “—thinks. Or these people.” He pointed to the right of our table.
    “I don’t care what anyone else thinks! And in case you haven’t noticed, our kids have turned out pretty darned well.”
    “No, on the surface you don’t care. But deep down you’ve always felt we placed a burden on our kids. Did it ever occur to you that our family and what we’ve dealt with