The next morning started peacefully enough, but I knew it wouldn't last, not with my imminent exposure on the horizon. But as the sunlight streaming through the open window beside me caressed the bare patches of skin that Kellan and I showed as we lounged in our tangled, tousled sheets, that future concern seemed a far-distant event, one I didn't need to worry over just yet. Wanting to purr with contentment, like the fluffy cat I used to own as a child, I shut out the world and focused on the man in front of me. He was all that mattered anyway.
Kellan seemed equally content as he traced the tender rectangle covering my wounded wrist. I knew we both had things we needed to do today, and we would eventually have to get up and deal with the gossip explosion that was probably already happening, but a few more minutes of quality time wouldn't hurt anything. And I had a feeling this might be the last peaceful moment we had for a while.
That thought was confirmed for me about ten minutes later. Like reality was throwing a wet blanket over our serenity, my cell phone started going off, and Kellan's went off a few second later. I inhaled a deep breath as I locked gazes with Kellan. We both ignored the ringing for a moment, then Kellan whispered, "Why did we get cell phones, again?"
Laughing, I kissed his nose. "I suppose we should answer those. The photos must be out by now. People are probably worried." I cringed, wondering if my parents had seen the pictures yet. Dad was going to flip if he saw a picture of his daughter being called a whore.
Kellan sighed, then nodded. He started to turn away, but I cupped his cheek. Ignoring the incessant ringing in the room, I looked deep into his eyes. "Whatever happens from here on out, I want you to know that I don't regret anything. Being with you, loving you, experiencing this with you . . . it's all been worth it, and we'll get through this together." I smiled. "We're a team. It's us against the world."
Clearly moved by my declaration, Kellan murmured, "Us against the world? That sounds like wonderful odds." Our phones were silent a second then started ringing again.
I chuckled as I placed a light kiss on his lips. "It's better than no odds at all."
It took a minute for Kellan and me to disentangle ourselves. Somehow, we'd wrapped the sheet over us and under us. We were giggling when we finally got the mess sorted out. It made me happy that even though this chaos was being shoved down our throats, we could still find tiny pockets of levity. I quickly tossed on some fresh clothes while Kellan pulled on his boxers. Before hurrying to my phone, I took five seconds to fully appreciate the sight of Kellan's tight abs and lean legs showcased by the silky black material. He was perfect, inside and out, and I really couldn't blame the world for being obsessed with him.
Wondering which concerned loved one would get a hold of me first, I glanced down at the screen before picking up. I smiled when I saw Denny's name. No matter what, Denny would always be on my side.
"Hey, Denny," I said, bringing the phone to my ear. Kellan was across the room, also on his cell phone now.
"Kiera, you okay?" His accent around my name was just as warm, sweet, and caring as the first day I'd heard it. "Have you seen the news? Your face is everywhere. They know about you. They're all calling you Kellan's mistress."
I sighed as I sat on the edge of the bed. "I haven't seen it yet, but I knew it was coming. That creeper ambushed us yesterday when we thought we were alone." Cringing, I asked, "So, how much do the Kell-Sex fanatics hate me?"
Denny let out a long sigh that said it all. "Well, let's just say that some of them are very . . . passionate. And inventive. Just hope you don't ever find yourself in any dark alleys with them." I laughed at that, and Denny sighed again. "I hate to sound like a broken record, mate, but you could always come back home if it gets too rough." Laughing a little, he added, "Abby even said she'd hide you in our closet if things got too bad."
I let out an unladylike snort. "Yeah, fleeing back home and hiding out with my ex and his girlfriend-that wouldn't be awkward at all." Having heard my comment, Kellan smirked at me.
After a long stretch of silence, Denny quietly told me, "Fiancee. I asked Abby to marry me, and she said yes."
Even though I'd been expecting it, my stomach dropped. This must have been how he felt when Kellan and I "got married" right in front of him. Swallowing, I pushed down the microscopic amount of hurt in my belly and fully embraced the epic amount of joy I felt for my best friend. "Denny, that's . . . Congratulations. I'm so happy for you, for the both of you. You deserve a wonderful life, and I know Abby will give it to you."
He exhaled, relief in his voice. "Thank you. I was . . . nervous to tell you."
"Don't be nervous to tell me good news. You and I are past that point in our relationship. I hope we are, anyway."
"We are," he agreed.
The second I disconnected with Denny, my phone rang again. I had a feeling I would be fielding a lot of phone calls today. I was really sick and tired of fielding phone calls. I grimaced as I glanced at the screen. Hitting the connect button, I brought the phone to my ear. "Hi, Daddy."
I kept my voice as carefree as possible, but it didn't work. My dad's response was, "You need to come home now!"
Making myself comfortable on the bed, I spent the next twenty minutes convincing my father that I was fine, and Kellan was fine, and everything was peachy keen, so he had absolutely nothing to worry about. I hoped I wasn't lying.
Kellan let Jenny and Rachel into the room while I was frantically trying to get off of the phone with my father; he was three seconds away from coming to Philly to collect me. Once I successfully disconnected, Jenny gave me a hug. "Hey, Rachel and I are heading to the airport now. I just wanted to say goodbye before we left."
When Jenny and I pulled apart, I noticed that her normally bright face wasn't as chipper as it usually was. Beside her, Rachel looked equally distressed. "I hate what the media is doing to you. They're making you out to be some two-bit hussy."
Kellan's phone rang again, and sighing, he turned away as he answered it; he was still in his boxers. Rachel was purposely keeping her eyes averted from Kellan's sculpted body; Jenny didn't even seem to notice.
Sighing at Jenny's comment, I peeked over at the bed. Kellan had brought me my laptop last night, as well as my overnight bag. While I'd been busy convincing my dad that there was nothing to worry about, I'd hopped online to find the story about me. It hadn't been hard. The news page that the web opened up on was showcasing the drama in their "Top Story" section. There was something really weird about a couple of rock stars' dating woes being splashed all over a reputable news site.
There were three shots of Kellan and me highlighted in the article. One of the photos was a close-up of our faces, snapped while we were kissing. Kellan was grieving in that picture, and the distress on his face was as clear as my lips upon his. The second was a moment later, when we'd noticed that we were being filmed. We were both looking directly at the photographer, shock on our faces; even surprised, Kellan looked pained. The shots were so zoomed in that the graveyard was nowhere to be seen. Thanks to the emotion on Kellan's face, it really did look like he was cheating on Sienna, and was torn up about it. I'd been comforting him at the time, but in the photo I came across as a stone cold adulteress, seducing him into being unfaithful to the woman he loved.
The last photo, the money shot, was Kellan standing above the photographer after knocking him to the ground. Looking thoroughly pissed off, Kellan seemed like he wanted to continue pummeling the man-a guilty adulterer furious about being caught red-handed. It was a gossip goldmine, and it was all very misleading and very incriminating.
Following my gaze, Jenny pointed at the computer. "I feel so bad for having to leave you in the middle of this circus."
Watching Kellan run his hand through his hair while he talked with someone on his cell phone, I told her, "Being with him is always going to be a circus." Smiling, I looked back at her. "He's worth it, though."
Jenny gave me another hug. "We have to go, but call me whenever you need to. Okay?" We separated, and her hand rubbed my arm. "And have faith."
Swallowing back sudden tears, I told her I did. Faith was one of the few things I had right now. Rachel and I exchanged a brief hug next, and then my two friends disappeared from my life again. A brief surge of loneliness swelled in me; I'd really enjoyed my girl time. I quickly reminded myself that I'd get to see them again at my wedding, and in the meantime I had my sister to keep me company. I wondered if she'd seen this yet.
Kellan looked around the room when he finally got off his phone. "The girls leave?"
"Yeah."
Kellan nodded and lifted the phone in his fingers. Grim amusement on his lips, he told me, "My dad and Hailey called. They're both concerned about you. Hailey is worried that you'll be lynched by the fans before this is all cleared up." He frowned, like he kind of thought that too.
Running my arms around his neck, I told him,"We'll sort this out, but right now, you have that private performance to get ready for." I lifted my brow as I reminded him that he still had a job to do in all of this madness.
Kellan dropped his head back. "God, I'd forgotten all about that." Looking like he really wanted to call in sick, he said, "I was hoping to sit down with someone this afternoon, make a formal statement about that picture, but I'm not going to have time."
Placing my palm on the tattoo of my name over his heart, I leaned up and kissed him. As if to punctuate just what he'd said, both of our cell phones started ringing again and Tory pounded on our door. "Ten minutes, Kyle!"
I was done hiding our relationship. So, when the dark SUV the label hired dropped us off at the venue, I held hands with Kellan as we walked inside. The swarm of paparazzi waiting on the other side of the security fence was massive; I'd never seen so many cameras in all my life. They immediately reacted when they saw the two of us together. Flashbulbs blinked on and off in rhythmic, random patterns. The crowd clamoring for the best shot of Kellan and I looked like a wide, chaotic Christmas tree, its lights struggling to outshine the sun on this crisp fall afternoon. The tall man in the middle only needed an angel on his head to complete the effect. I was grateful for the warmth and strength emanating from Kellan's hand as he squeezed mine tight-I felt like my entire body was falling apart, I was shaking so much.
This was so far outside of my comfort zone that I was pretty sure I was bumping into someone else's comfort zone. But instead of cowering and hiding, I lifted my head and straightened my back. I wasn't doing anything wrong, and I had nothing to be ashamed or afraid of. The fans in the crowd took my resolve as arrogance. Words drifted over the lot. Hurtful words-whore, slut, home wrecker, bitch, and several others that I couldn't even repeat in my own head. Kellan was squeezing my palm painfully hard by the time we were safely behind closed doors. I shook my hand so he'd let some blood flow back into my fingers.
"Sorry," he murmured. "I had to hold on to you to stop myself from smacking a few heads."
I smiled up at him. "Considering that most of the bodies attached to those heads are young, female fans of yours, I'd say it's a very good thing that you didn't punch any of them."
He wrapped his arms around my waist. "Well, don't think I didn't want to."
"Don't think I didn't want to either," I joked. Well, half-joked.
Kellan and I found our way to the D-Bags' dressing room. The rest of the D-Bags were already there when we entered. Anna was too. Standing next to a small table overflowing with snacks, she was pouring a bag of M&Ms into a gigantic bowl of freshly popped popcorn. Plodding over to a chair, she eased herself down and balanced the bowl on her belly. As Kellan walked over to Matt and Evan, I sat beside her.
"Hey," I muttered, watching the bowl shift a little as Maximus moved beneath it.
Anna shoved a handful of popcorn and chocolate into her mouth. "Hey, heard you're a bitch whore for stealing Sienna's man."
Leaning my head back on the chair, I smiled over at my sister. "Yep. I officially, globally suck."
Anna chewed her food for a minute, then smiled. "Well, cunt or not, I still love you."
"Thanks, Mrs. Hancock, I love you too." Laughing, I reached over for some popcorn. Anna smacked my hand away.
"Loving you doesn't mean I'm sharing my popcorn." She pointed over to the table. "Grab your own goodies . . . bitch whore."
Exaggerating a grieved groan, I prepared myself to stand up. I paused when I noticed Anna cringing and pressing a knuckle into her back. "You okay, sis?"
She nodded. "Yeah, just a backache. It comes and goes . . . I'm fine."
She seemed pale to me, her face wan and weary. Maybe it was just because she wasn't wearing her usual expertly applied eye shadow and mascara. I was used to seeing my sister all done up. It used to drive my dad crazy that she rarely went anywhere without makeup. He'd often say, "Why do you need mascara if you're just going to sit in a dark movie theater?" Her answer was always the same, "Because I have to walk through the lobby to get there, Dad." Just the fact that she hadn't decorated her eyes today spoke volumes on how tired she was.
"Anna, maybe you should go back to the bus and lie down."
She shook her head; even her hair seemed a little lackluster today. "I want to listen to the show. Griff's going to do a little solo for me." Her smile, while still clearly pained, was full of love for her husband. God, I still couldn't get used to that word being connected with Griffin.
Tory came in a bit later to grab the guys for their meet-and-greet. Not wanting to disrupt Kellan's job by unnecessarily riling up his fans, I decided to stay in the dressing room. Anna looked too comfortable to follow Griffin, so she stayed behind with me. Or maybe she wasn't comfortable at all. I couldn't tell. She seemed fine on the surface, but every few minutes she would get a weird, focused look on her face, and she'd start inhaling and exhaling in a slow, controlled way. Then she'd be fine and she'd resume munching her popcorn. It was strange.
"Are you sure you're okay, Anna?"
Squishing an M&M between her fingers, she frowned. "No, actually." Tilting her head to examine her bowl of snacks, she complained, "All of the chocolate shifted to the bottom of the bowl."
Giving her a not-amused expression, I pointed to her back. "I meant physically. Everything all right?"
Anna waved away my concern. "It's just a backache. It happens when you're carrying around a hundred pound bowling ball. It will go away if I keep my feet up." To emphasize her point, she wriggled her toes, which were stretched out on a chair in front of her.
"I don't know, Anna, maybe you should see a doctor. When was the last time you saw one?" Anna hadn't exactly been keeping up on her checkups since leaving Seattle. I wasn't sure what they did at all of those doctor's appointments, but they probably had advice on backaches.
Anna rolled her eyes at me. "For a backache? What are they going to do at a hospital? Have me sit down, that's what. And I'm doing that, so . . . I'm following my doctor's orders before even receiving them." She smiled at me. "Because I'm that good."
I was about to answer her sarcastic comment when she whimpered and hissed in a sharp breath. The bowl of popcorn rolled off her stomach and crashed to the floor, scattering everywhere. Both of her hands clamped onto her back, frantically massaging the muscles around her hips. Seeing the pain on her face, I turned her and moved behind her. Pressing my thumbs deep into her lower back, I watched my sister lean forward and struggle to breathe calmly without groaning in pain. My heart began to race as I quickly started realizing that this was so much more than a backache. This was my nephew knocking, and he wanted out.
"Anna, you have to go to a hospital. You're in labor."
She shook her head. Voice strained, she reiterated, "It's just a backache, Kiera. I'm not due until next week."
I wanted to smack my sister over the head like Kellan sometimes smacked Griffin, but I couldn't bring myself to stop massaging her while she was in so much pain. "Hardly anybody actually gives birth on their due date, Anna."
Groaning, she muttered, "Then why the hell is it called a due date? It should be called an estimated date of delivery."
Controlling my smile, I told her, "Well, no matter what it's called, the baby decides when to arrive, and regardless of what you have to say on the matter, it looks like Maximus wants to be born today."
Anna simpered and pointed at the colorful sea of M&Ms resting at the edge of the toppled bowl. "But my chocolate . . ."
Massaging her with one hand, I grabbed my bag and rooted around for my phone. "Your snack will just have to wait, Anna."
I found my phone once again hiding inside the book I was only halfway through. Yanking it free of the pages, I scrolled through my numbers and dialed Kellan. He didn't pick up. I tried Griffin next. He didn't pick up either. Not expecting anything different, I tried Evan and Matt, then Kellan again. Nobody picked up. I wasn't too surprised. Tory had a strict no-cell policy when it was time to meet with fans. Deacon had answered his once during a greeting, and Tory had ripped him a new one once all the fans had left. She may place rock stars higher on the priority list than the general public, but she understood just who it was who bought the CDs.
"Damn, I'm going to have to go get them." Which also meant I was going to have to barge into a room full of Kell-Sex supporters. I really didn't have a choice, though.
Anna nodded, a groan escaping her. "Get Griffin . . . I want Griffin." She sounded like a little girl, lost and afraid.
I patted her back, then stood up to go find her husband. Her voice made me pause at the door. "Kiera!" she shrieked.
When I turned back to her, she was looking at me with panic clear on her face. "I think I just peed my pants."
I shot back over to her. Her black stretchy pants were soaked, and the chair beneath her was wet. My mouth dropped open. "No, I think your water just broke."
My sister officially started to freak out. "No, no, no! I am not giving birth backstage at a rock concert. I need to be in a hospital, pumped full of every drug that they can legally give me!"
I was so shocked, my only response was, "Well, he was conceived backstage at a concert, so it's sort of fitting for him to be born at one."
Anna smacked my arm, and not gently. I was going to be bruised tomorrow. "Get me to a fucking hospital, Kiera!"
Not wanting to endanger myself any further, I turned and fled the room. For the first time since this tour began, I couldn't find a single person. Not a damn roadie in sight. There were usually people running around, doing something, but nobody was backstage. It was like a ghost town. Cursing my bad luck, I ran to the one spot I knew held people . . . lots of people. It was where I needed to go anyway, since Griffin was in that room.
I could hear squeaks and squeals as I approached the room, and figured the parade past the rock stars had just begun. The doors were wide open when I got there, and a few excited fans were just starting to trickle out. Some had red cheeks, like they'd been crying. Needing to get to Griffin, I breezed past them. One gasped and exclaimed, "Is that Kellan's whore?" Another replied, "Yeah, I think it is. I can't believe her nerve. What is she doing here?"
I gritted my jaw and ignored them. I had much more important things on my plate right now than gossip. When I burst into the room, my eyes instantly locked on Kellan. His went wide when he saw me. Alarm spread over his features as clear as day. He knew I wouldn't come in here unless it was absolutely necessary. I knew the fans would take his alarm as panic-Oh no, my mistress is in the same room as my girlfriend-but I knew that Kellan sensed something was wrong, very wrong.
Standing beside Sienna, he tried to step forward to get to me, but the crowd of fans wasn't letting him move. He wasn't who I needed to see, though.
Ignoring him, I cut through the twisting lines of fans to get to Griffin. That got me a lot of unwanted attention. A silence fell around me that quickly turned into harsh whispers. I made out a lot of "It's her! She's here! What a bitch!" As people started realizing who I was, people started reacting. At first, they just wouldn't let me get through them. I asked politely, I nudged, but it was like the wall of fans had suddenly turned to stone; they all had questions, and they weren't moving until they got some answers. Panic set in. My sister was going to have a baby. She needed her husband. I needed to get through. That's all I could think about. In my haste, I started shoving through them. None too thrilled with me, they shoved right back. While the area around me started turning into a mosh pit, I did start making some progress . . . especially when they started shoving me from behind. Hey, whatever it took to get me to Griffin.
Just as I was almost to him, I was shoved up against some tough-looking girl sporting a bright pink fauxhawk. She also was wearing a Kell-Sex shirt. I wanted to sigh when the recognition flashed in her eyes. She didn't even give me a chance to politely excuse myself so I could move around her. No, much to the delight of everyone around her, she full on slapped me. I'd never been slapped before, and I had a newfound appreciation for how much it sucked. I vowed to never hit a human being again, even if they deserved it.
My left ear was ringing, but I clearly heard Kellan shout, "Hey!" There was commotion behind me, but I took the fans' moment of distraction to finally make my way to Griffin. His eyes were just as wide as Kellan's had been. "Holy shit, she actually hit you. You okay?"
Anger clouded Griffin's face as he glared at the fauxhawked fan. Not needing him to defend my honor right now, I grabbed his hand. "Anna's in labor. Her water broke. We have to get her to a hospital . . . now!"
His mouth dropped. "She's . . ." His eyes flashed to the door blocked by hundreds of fans no longer waiting patiently in organized lines. I could hear Tory trying to calm them down, and I could hear Kellan calling my name. I ignored it all as I focused on Griffin. His eyes came back to mine, concerned. "She okay?"
I shook my head and pulled on his arm. "No . . . she's freaking out, and I had to leave her alone to come find you."
Griffin nodded, then started shoving his way forward. He wasn't as nice or as polite as I'd been. "Get the fuck out of my way!" Still holding my hand, he pulled me through the sea of startled fans. Matt and Evan tried to follow, but they were swallowed up by the crowd closing in behind our wake. When I passed by Kellan, I yelled over the din, "Anna! Hospital!"
Kellan understood immediately and turned to Sienna. The poor, frazzled fans in the room had absolutely no clue what was going on, but they took the chaos I'd created as an opportunity to bypass social politeness and swarm their beloved stars. Kellan was crushed back into the wall by eager people wanting his attention. The fans not close enough to love on him hated on me. I was cursed at, tripped, and I'm pretty sure someone spat in my hair. Griffin pulled me through the mayhem and out into the relative safety of the hallway. Things 1 and 2 rushed into the room after we left. I hoped they took the time to free Kellan as well as Sienna. I quickly prayed his fans wouldn't hurt him, then rushed after Griffin toward my sister.
Anna was pacing the room when we got there, rubbing her back and exhaling loudly. Sweat beaded her brow as she glanced at the door. The pain in her face eased to relief when she saw Griffin. "Griff? This is starting to really fucking hurt."
Griffin ran his hands back through his hair. "Okay, no problem. We'll get you to a hospital, and they'll knock you out." He rushed over to her and supported her arm as he helped her from the room.
I didn't want to burst Anna's bubble that it was probably too late for drugs, but I did feel like I should mention one tiny little detail that they both seemed to be forgetting about. "What about tonight's show?"
Griffin immediately remembered where he was. "Fuck!" His eyes bored into mine. "You know our songs. You play for me."
"I can barely strum a guitar!"
Griffin patted me on the back as he walked past me. "You'll do fine. Good luck!"
I watched him walk away, wondering if I'd really just become the replacement bassist for the D-Bags. Shaking my head, I ran after Griffin. "No, I'm coming to the hospital with you guys. I'd probably get egged on stage anyway."
Griffin was beyond caring about his band's fate as he rubbed Anna's back. "Matt will handle it. He handles everything." I silently prayed Matt didn't have an aneurism tonight.
As we opened the rear exit, I wondered if I should call a cab or an ambulance. But it turned out that I didn't need to call either. A car from the label pulled up as Anna huffed and puffed her way down the stairs. The young driver looked startled at the sight before him, but swiftly opened the door for Anna and Griffin. As I climbed in, I remembered Kellan turning to talk to Sienna before they were mobbed. He must have asked for her to get a car here. I made a mental note to thank Sienna later.
As the driver hurried us along the streets of Philadelphia, the phone still clutched in my hand rang. It was Kellan. Grateful that he hadn't been crushed to death, I answered, "Hey, you're okay."
Kellan let out a long exhale. "I was going to say the same thing. I can't believe that bitch hit you."
"I'm fine." My cheek was still warm from the slap, and it wouldn't surprise me if I had finger marks on my skin, but I was doing considerably better than my sister. She was breathing hard, tears pricking the corners of her eyes as she clenched her jaw and struggled to contain the pain.
"How's Anna?" Kellan asked while I watched her from the front seat.
"She's . . . okay." Anna closed her eyes as a pained noise escaped her. More tenderly than I ever would have thought possible, Griffin held her in his arms and whispered words of encouragement in her ear. They were a heartwarming sight, and suddenly the idea of Griffin beside my family on Christmas morning didn't sound quite so odd.
In my ear, Kellan told me, "I wish I could be there with you, but Matt's freaking out about the show. David is going to fill in for Griffin, and we're having an emergency practice session to get him up to speed. But I'll tell Sienna I'm skipping the encore tonight and come after our set. I'm sure she'll understand."
I wasn't sure if she would, but I also knew she'd have to chain Kellan up if she wanted him to stay put. "Okay, I'll see you then. Good luck."
"Yeah, you too." He laughed dryly.
When we pulled up to the emergency room of one the many hospitals in the city, I quickly texted Denny. We had a plethora of friends back home who would want to know Anna was having her baby tonight, so I asked him to relay the message. Griffin was helping Anna out of the car so I hopped out and ran around to help him. Between the two of us, we got her to the emergency room doors. She kept trying to squat, like she had to pee. Hoping she wasn't doing what I think she was doing, I urgently told her, "Don't push yet, Anna, we're almost there."
Her eyes flashed over to mine. "It's not exactly something I can control. You have no idea what this feels like!"
"I know, just try," I nodded.
Heads looked up when the three of us entered the peaceful room; thankfully it was a slow night. Griffin met eyes with a nurse at the desk. "We need help! My wife's about to pop."
A small bit of relief washed through me that Griffin had managed to state what he needed without cursing. The nurse hopped up and grabbed a wheelchair for Anna. She handed Griffin a clipboard of paperwork. "I'll need you to fill out these while I admit her."
Griffin looked at the stack of papers like they were written in a foreign language. "I'm not filling out fucking forms while my wife gives birth. Are you fucking crazy, lady?"
Exhaling in exasperation, I snatched the clipboard from Griffin. So much for him not swearing. "I'll fill them out. You go with Anna." To the nurse, I added, "We think her water already broke."
The nurse nodded and started wheeling Anna through the double doors. Griffin was right on her heels. Before he disappeared, he tossed over his shoulder, "Thanks, Kiera."
I sighed and sat down, knowing that my nephew was most likely going to be born while I was filling out the damn paperwork. But Anna and Griffin doing this alone seemed appropriate.
When I finished with the clipboard, I handed it to the nurse who'd admitted my sister. She told me where Anna had been taken. I passed by a gift shop on the way there and stopped to buy my sister a blue teddy bear. Feeling the silky blue ribbon wrapped around the bear's neck, I made my way up to the birthing rooms.
Walking over to the nurse's station, I started to ask for Anna's room when I spotted Griffin. He was walking down the hall in a daze. A stream of fear washed through me at the look on his face. Walking past me, he slumped into a chair in the waiting room. Torn between talking to him and rushing to my sister's side, I tentatively sat beside him. "Griffin? You . . . okay?"
His face still blank, he looked over at me. His pale eyes were wider than I'd ever seen. "That . . . was . . . the most . . . disgusting thing . . . I've ever seen."
My fear vanished. She was okay. I patted his knee and his expression changed. Peace filled his face. "And the most incredible." His eyes filled to the brim and I felt my throat tightening. "You should have seen Anna, Kiera. She was so brave." I nodded and had the oddest desire to hug him. Before I could he added, "You can see her now. She's absolutely beautiful . . . perfect, just like her mom."
It took a minute for what he'd said to register. "She? Anna had a girl?"
Griffin nodded as a tear rolled down his cheek. "Damn tech was wrong. Anna was right . . . She usually is." My hands flew to my mouth as a sob escaped me. Then I tossed my arms around Griffin and held him tight. He laughed and cried in my arms, and I felt something for Griffin that I had never felt before-a deep, familial love.
Drying my cheeks, I hopped up out of the chair. "What room?"
Standing, Griffin pointed down the hall he'd just come from. "There. I'll take you."
My sister looked drained and radiant as we walked into the room. She was holding a tiny bundle wrapped in pink blankets and wearing a pastel striped hat. I started crying again. When Anna looked up at me, her cheeks were wet. "I did it, Kiera."
I leaned down to hug her, overwhelmed. "I knew you would do great." She adjusted the tiny person resting on her chest so I could see the baby's face. She was plump, pink perfection, with pudgy cheeks that begged to be kissed. Like she knew I was watching, she opened her slate blue eyes and gazed at me. Her mouth opened, like she was already trying to smile. Griffin was right, she was absolutely breathtaking, quite possibly the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. No, she definitely was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.
One small hand was free of the blankets encasing her, and I gently reached out to touch her. Her fingers instinctively wrapped around my pinky, and I sobbed again. Lifting the blue bear in my other hand, I told Anna, "I guess I need to go exchange this for a pink one."
Anna nodded. "I told that cow I was having a girl."
As I stroked the baby's fingers, I asked them both, "So . . . Myrtle, huh?"
Anna scoffed. "No. There was no way I was naming my baby Myrtle. We picked something better."
I looked between the two of them. When had they picked out another girl name? They'd been dead set on Maximus for months. Griffin smirked, and I started to worry about just what they'd named my niece.
"Her name's Gibson." He gestured in the air like he was playing a guitar, and I understood the reference. Gibson was a brand of guitars. It was kind of a strange name for a baby, especially a baby girl, but it was the perfect name for a rock star's child. I immediately fell in love with it.
Smiling, I kissed her cheek. "Hello, Gibson, it's so nice to finally meet you."
A thought struck me, and I glanced up at my beaming sister. My mom had been calling my sister nonstop for the last two weeks, trying to fly out to Seattle so she wouldn't miss the birth. Anna had been delaying her, telling her it was too soon to fly out. Honestly, I think she just didn't want to tell her that she wasn't in Seattle like Mom and Dad thought. Mom was going to be furious that she'd missed her first grandchild being born.
"Anna," I piped up. "Mom's going to kill us."