Chapter 25: Confessions
Iris sighed and rested her chin on her hand as she looked outside her bedroom window. She had confined herself to her room for the day as she felt a cold coming on and she didn't want the others to catch it. Sarai came in and handed Iris a blue mug. "I can't believe I allow myself to drink this disgusting crap," Iris grumbled. Sarai laughed. "It will make you better, my Queen," she said. Iris sighed and downed the contents, making a face. "This is actually better than the last one," she said. "This isn't whiskey, that's probably why," Sarai told her. "This one has tequila, chamomile, and honey." "Tell Martha to make this from now on," Iris ordered. Sarai nodded and took the mug back. "Martha says you need to take a hot shower with the eucalyptus oil and you should eat chicken soup for dinner," she told her mistress.
"That's fine," Iris replied, getting back into her bed. "Could you please bring me a book?" Sarai nodded. "Of course." She opened the door just as Ethan raised his hand to knock. Sarai looked startled for a moment, then gave him a curt nod and passed on. Ethan smiled in amusement and strode into the room. "My Queen," he said, bowing. Iris nodded at him in reply. "You're going to get sick if you stay in here," she warned. "I have news for you," he said teasingly, "but I can't tell you what it is if I leave." She stuck her tongue out at him. "Just tell me," she said. "A member of my tribe was a Mallrat," Ethan told her, crossing his arms.
Iris sat up quickly. "What?" "Bray. Do you remember him? He came here with the sick, pregnant girl, Taisan," Ethan reminded her. "He said he didn't have a tribe!" Iris said. Ethan nodded. "Yes. But he was not being truthful. It seems that the Mallrats have made more enemies than just the Technos." "Bray . . . that sounds familiar," Iris said quietly, her brows furrowing. "Baby Bray, Amber's son, is his child," Ethan told her. Iris' eyes widened. "My God!" she cried. "Are you sure?" "Yes," Ethan assured her. "Amber, Trudy, and their children are with him now. Brady is also related to Bray. She is his niece." "These Mallrats are very interrelated, aren't they?" Iris asked, still processing the information she had just learned.
"There's more," Ethan said smugly. "What now?" Iris cried. "Lex was the father of Taisan's baby. He never knew she was pregnant." Iris fell back onto her pillows. "More and more drama," she said glumly. "The Mallrats should have been a soap opera. They would have made millions." Ethan turned a chuckle into a cough. "They certainly are interesting," he said. "Why are you telling me this now?" Iris asked. "Because I am willing to bet that Trudy and Amber will tell Lex about his daughter the moment they return," said Ethan. Iris covered her face with her blankets. "Good. Then I can use the sick excuse to keep the explosion away for a while," she said. Ethan smiled at his queen's uncharacteristic behavior. "Yes," he told her. "I must go fetch Trudy and Amber now, my Queen. Feel better soon." He dodged a pillow as he exited the room.
Later . . .
Trudy, Brady, Amber, and Baby Bray entered the palace through a side door, not wanting to chance seeing any of the others. They hurried upstairs and went into Amber's room, shutting the door firmly behind them. After they put their children down for a nap, they sat down to discuss what had happened.
"What are we going to do?" Trudy asked after a long moment had passed. Amber laid her head down on the table. "I have to tell Jay about the baby," she said soberly. Trudy stared at her for a minute with wide eyes. "That . . . that wasn't what I meant, but . . ." Amber let out a funny little laugh and looked up with tears in her eyes. "I need to fix things, Trudy," she said. "I need to fix everything. Starting with Jay." Trudy looked at her friend sympathetically. "Then you want to be with Jay?" she asked. Amber took a deep breath. "I'm not sure what I want, Tru. All I know is that I need to tell Jay about his baby. From there . . . who knows." Trudy sighed a little and folded her hands in her lap. "Amber, before we left Bray's house, he asked me a question."
"What?" Amber asked, looking at her in alarm. "He asked me to move in with him," Trudy answered quietly. Amber blinked back tears. "Why?" Trudy examined her fingernails before answering. "He needs help with Skye. And he . . . and I . . . think it will be good for Brady to have him around for a while." "What about his own son?" Amber cried. "What about Baby Bray? He needs to be around his father. I could help with Skye!" Trudy stood up slowly. "Not everything is about you, Amber," she said. "Bray needs help. He can't take care of a baby and his other responsibilities as well. And he doesn't want you there, not yet. He's not ready. And for God's sake, Amber, you're carrying another man's child! A man that you are still technically in a relationship with!"
Amber slumped in her chair. "You're right, Trudy. I'm sorry." She wiped away tears from her eyes. "I can't be with Bray. Not now. I still don't know how I feel about him . . . or Jay for that matter." Trudy looked as if she wanted to say something, but she pressed her lips together instead and sat back down. "That's good you're going to help him," Amber continued. "And you're right. It will be good for Brady to be around her uncle." "Thank you, Amber," Trudy said, smiling faintly. "The question is now, when do we tell Lex about his daughter?" "It's not something we can wait to do," Amber said. "How about right now?"