"Emily, I'm home!" Cal announced his arrive to his daughter while entering his front door.
Gillian followed him inside the house but stopped right after the door closed behind her. She took an anxious breath anticipating Emily's reaction to the news. She loved Emily like she was her own daughter. That wasn't a question. Actually, she always felt protective around the young women. She allowed her the type of mother vibration she constantly wanted to feel.
"Gillian, are you alright? You look a bit pale…" Cal asked her when he looked over his shoulder and took in she wasn't following him.
Gillian nodded and gave him a fuzzy smile. "I'm fine!" She almost whispered like she didn't want to disturb the silence inside the house. "She probably isn't here anyway." He said encouraging her to come closer, pulling her into a half embrace and kissing her forehead. "She loves you and she's going to love a little brother." Cal said squeezing her hand in his. "I know." Gillian said taking one last deep breath.
For Gillian this was so much more than giving good news to Emily. This was about becoming a member of the Lightman family. She was a very close friend but not that close. She had come to visit them and have dinner but never to stay a night in the house. It felt new and she wanted to stay but everything was happening so fast that she almost could feel the walls spinning around her. "Cal, can I have a glass of water? Please." She asked him sitting in the kitchen. "What is it, love?" Cal asked with a concerned tone of voice. "My head it's pounding a bit again. I figured I should take my pain medication."
"You shouldn't be taking pills with an empty stomach." Gillian agreed but secretly whished she could roll her eyes. "I suppose you don't have a chocolate pudding." She said instead. Cal was this pain in the ass when it came to her food choices. But she always loved the way he would treat her, like a child, because of that. "I'll start making dinner." He dismissed her question and started looking for the ingredients. He opened a few doors looking for it. And out of nowhere he said: "Perhaps you would like a cookie?" He offered her. Incapable of controlling himself and almost certain about her answer he started laughing. "I guess we would like it!"
"Don't you mean 'you would like it'?" Emily pointed coming from behind her. Gillian startled and moved up to her feet instantly. Her shoulders tensed and she flushed. "I… I guess now it's 'we'." Emily moved nearer and placed a hand in Gillian's abdomen and another one in her left shoulder. Gillian felt comfortable with that. "I know Gillian. I'm just not sure you wanted me to know. I didn't mean to startle you. I was outside in the backyard and heard voices inside the house then I went in to check." Gillian smiled and hugged the young woman in front of her.
Cal had been watching the scene expand in front of him without a word. Something so out of character for him, but he loved to watch them interact and he was enjoying the moment to read them. At first he could read concern in his daughter face while Gillian was a bit apprehensive. But when Gillian hugged Emily all the concern disappears from her face and an aura of love installed in the room. He felt this was the perfect moment to intrude.
Cal came in last and pulled them all into a hug. Then they separated and moved to their seats at the table. Cal moved to the stove where water was already boiling inside a pot. "I'll do pasta, what do you say?" The girls both answered in unison "Yes!" Then they laughed. "Do you want some help with that?" Gillian asked him. "No, but maybe you could do a salad while Emily sets the table." They started to move around the kitchen and half an hour later everything was done and they could eat. "Hmmm… Dad, this pasta smells so good. I'm starving can we start?" Cal gave his daughter a smile. "Yes, bon appetite!" He said and gently squeezed Gillian's hand, which she reciprocated with her beautiful smile. Emily didn't miss those actions but made a good job hiding her enthusiasm.
"Gillian, I want you to know that you could count with me to help with the baby. I guess it will be like having a little brother or sister. When do you know the sex?" Emily brought the subject back to the table. She had so many questions she wanted to ask. Her father looked more close to Gillian, and he didn't sleep last night in the house. She really wanted them to be happy but this baby was something new and she needed to explore more. "Oh, thank you Emily! I guess we'll know the sex in the next ultrasound." Cal thought this was enough and saw here the perfect timing to announce to Emily he was the father of the baby.
"Well, Emily I guess you could really say that your having a little baby bother or sister." Emily stopped her fork half way to her mouth and her chin almost dropped to the plate. She looked at him with wide eyes and her voice was barely a murmur "I…The baby… Is… Is it yours?" She alternated her eyes between Gillian and her father. The question hang in the air for a few seconds and then Gillian spoke "It's enough Cal. Don't make her suffer more, please." Gillian smiled and nodded to Emily "Yes, the baby it's mine!" Cal finally admitted. Emily almost screamed of happiness, she moved in her father's direction and hugged him and kissed him. Then she moved to Gillian and kissed her and the baby "Oh my God, I can't believe this. It's like Christmas in July. Thank you both, I'm so happy for you guys and for me and for this baby." If they looked close enough they could see fireworks behind her eyes. She was truly happy.
"But, how could this be happening?" Cal looked to Gillian and back to his daughter and then he rolled his eyes "Do you want the short version?" Gillian started to laugh and smacked him in his shoulder. "I guess it was the usual way, but…" Gillian started to explain but Emily stopped her "I didn't mean that, I mean that I didn't even knew that you guys were together and now you're having a baby?" Gillian nodded understanding her surprise "Were together now, I guess that's enough honey!" Cal ended up the subject before they needed to give more details. Emily got her clue to stop that topic but she couldn't resist and without noticing brought up an even harder "Are you moving in, Gillian?"