Chapter 10

DELILAH

"Derek, if you're not ready to go in the next ten minutes, I'm leaving without you!" I holler down the hall to my best friend, who's still primping in his bedroom. The car is already packed, so we're just waiting for him to look ‘presentable'. We're getting on a damn plane for five hours to attend the wedding from hell, so I don't know why he's trying to look so good.

"I'm coming, babe. Relax, we'll get to the airport on time, I promise." He strolls into the living room looking done up to the nines, his tailored shirt hugging his torso just right, and his cologne leaving a trail of tantalizing scent in the air. He grabs my carry-on and his, then holds a hand out to me, helping me off the couch. I slowly waddle behind him out of the apartment and down to his car. We're driving to the airport and paying for parking while we're gone, so we don't have to worry about waiting for taxis or Ubers since I'm the size of a whale. My doctor cleared me to fly but still, I worry about being this far along and traveling such a distance. I swear if anything happens, and my mom is anywhere near me when this baby is born, I will strangle her with the umbilical cord.

I should just stay home and tell my mother to fuck off, I'm not coming, but the good person in me knows this will probably be the only wedding my mother will get. There's no way she will find someone else stupid enough to marry her if this marriage fails. My dad being absent my whole life pisses me off, but after growing up with Claudia, I can almost understand why someone would do it. However, there is this thing called custody. I'm sure as long as my sperm donor wasn't some serial killer, I would have bolted on Claudia as soon as I was of age. Growing up with her was like being raised by the mean girl brigade, but they never went home after school.

"It's gonna be fine, babe. We're gonna go live it up in a fancy resort for a week and then head back here to prepare for Little Boba." Derek grabs my hand and brings it to his lips for a gentle kiss, his eyes locking onto mine with a promise of support and love. I'm pumped to raise this baby with my best friend, who will be the best Uncle Derek ever, something I wish I had growing up.

"I'm trying to relax. This whole thing just makes me anxious," I tell him, blowing out a deep breath.

Pulling into the parking garage across from the airport, Derek whips his car into a spot and runs to find a trolley to put our luggage on. Thankfully, he's back within ten minutes. I send up a prayer of thanks that someone left one behind or that there was actually one in the trolley corral. I get out and head to the trunk, watching Derek throw our baggage on it before he grabs our carry-on from the backseat. I take mine from him even though I get the stink eye. I want to carry mine, so I feel helpful in some way. I'm with child, not helpless.

Derek pushes the trolley to the elevator as I follow behind him. We squeeze inside, riding it down to the lobby so we can catch the train that runs from the parking garage to the airport. As we get to the shuttle and step inside, I immediately sit on the bench in the back while Derek pushes the trolley and stands in front of me. "You alright, D?"

"Yeah, it's just fucking hot. Like, whoever decided to get pregnant in the desert is insane. I'm dying. Literally," I tell him, fanning myself with one hand.

He chuckles and shakes his head. Luckily, it's air-conditioned in here and it's only a couple minutes' ride to the airport. The train comes to a screeching stop and I stand, waddling my little ass behind Derek as he leads the way to the baggage counter, so we can ditch the trolley and just wait in the terminal for departure. Oh, and he's gonna have to get me snacks once we're through security. I want a big bag of chips and Skittles.

The baggage counter isn't busy, thank the lord, so we quickly drop our bags off, pay the extra fee for them being over the limit, and head off to security. Luck is on our side again because they're not doing pat downs and only so many people have to go through the metal detector. The rest of us just get sniffed as we wait in line by a guard's dog as they check our IDs to make sure we are who we say we are. Then we're home free and I already have to pee.

I hurry to find a bathroom while Derek hits the convenience store to get my overpriced snacks. He's leaning against the wall outside the ladies' room when I exit, a bag dangling from his fingertips. "God, I fucking love you," I squeal, causing a chuckle to leave his lips.

"You better. I just paid airport prices for these," he teases, handing over the goodies. As I munch on my chips, we find a place to sit near our gate. Derek is constantly checking his phone, and I can't help but notice the subtle tension in his posture.

"Everything okay?" I ask, nudging him with my elbow.

"Yeah, just making sure everything's in order for our trip. You know me, always the planner," he says, flashing a reassuring smile. But there's something in his eyes that makes me wonder if there's more on his mind.

The flight is uneventful, thankfully. Derek holds my hand as we take off, sensing my nervousness. His touch is comforting, and I find myself leaning into him more than I probably should, given our platonic relationship. But there's a safety in Derek that I can't deny, a feeling that everything will be okay as long as he's by my side.

When we finally land and make our way to the resort, I'm exhausted. The place is as luxurious as promised, with sprawling views of the ocean and lush gardens. Derek checks us in while I take a seat in the lobby, trying to soothe the persistent ache in my lower back.

"Ready to see our room?" he asks, returning with the room keys and a mischievous glint in his eye. I nod, too tired to respond verbally. He helps me up, and we make our way to the elevator.

"This is it, babe. A long weekend of relaxation and then we go home and prepare to start our life with Little Boba."

"Yeah," I whisper, leaning into him. "Thank you for being here with me, Derek. I don't know what I'd do without you.

He turns me around to face him, his eyes searching mine. "You'll never have to find out."

The room is nice as hell, which I expected because it's Claudia, but somehow I'm still impressed. We have a two-bedroom suite with a shared bathroom, but that's not an issue. I'm not a primper; Derek is, so I'll get in and out fast and he can ogle himself in the mirror while I sit on the couch watching trashy TV. The living room is massive, with hardwood flooring throughout and a huge black leather sectional sitting in the center, so you can look out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the ocean or watch the seventy-inch TV they have on the wall. The suite also has a kitchen, but minus sitting at the counter to eat, there will be no cooking happening.

I plan to order in whenever I can and rack up quite the room service bill for Claudia's ass to cover. A knock on our door pulls me from finishing checking out this place. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. On the other side of the door stands the bane of my existence; Claudia.

"Are you going to just stand there, or can I come in?" she quips. I step to the side to allow her entry into our suite.

"What can I do for you, Claudia? How did you know we were here?"

"We? Did you finally find that good for nothing man who got you pregnant?" she asks as her eyes rake over my body.

"Nope. I brought Derek as I told you I would. He's in his room unpacking."

"Not a good look for you. But what's done is done. Now, I had the front desk call our room when you checked in. I wanted to see your dress on in person and remind you that today is a free day for you, but tomorrow we have the rehearsal dinner." She moves to the couch and sits down. I sigh at the fact that she's obviously not going to leave until she sees me in the damn dress.

"Fine, but after the dress, I want to have an actual free day and that includes no mothers." I walk to my room and grab the garment bag my dress hangs in. Sliding my leggings and tank top off, I step into the dress and look in the mirror on the back of the door before heading out to the living room.

The dress is actually super sexy and flattering for being a maternity dress. It came from a store called Sexy Mommies. Floor length and all black, just as Claudia requested. However, I already can tell by the way she's eyeing me that she's not a fan of the top. It's all lace and a halter top with thick straps, but under the lace is only a bandeau bra-like top. The back is two criss-cross straps that show off my skin almost to my lower back. My bump is prominent and so is the skin between the bandeau and the skirt.

"I thought we agreed over the phone that you were going to see if the seamstress could add fabric, so there isn't a cutout that shows off your belly?"

"You wanted that. I think I look sexy and it's flattering. The seamstress and stylist agreed, so we outvoted you." I smile.

"This is my day, Delilah. You already are putting a dent in my reputation by being pregnant and single. Now, you come wearing this hussy of a dress? What is the matter with you?" She holds a hand to her forehead like she's feeling faint and I roll my eyes. Cue the dramatics.

"Mother, you're fifty and finally getting married. Plus, your fiancé knows you have a daughter and soon-to-be grandchild, so what's the big deal? Who are we trying to impress?"

She pulls her hand away from her head slowly and stares at me, lips pursed and eyes looking to the far left. She's hiding something and whatever it is, I'm not going to like it, I can already tell.

"He doesn't know about me, does he?" I spit at her. The writing is on the wall for this one. She's going to introduce me, her grown-ass child, to her fiancé and his family for the first time tomorrow.

"I plan to tell him tomorrow when he can't leave me because his stepdaughter is a trollop. I mean seriously, Delilah, how could someone marry me knowing that I have a daughter who has no respect for herself?"

"I fucking knew you would pull some shit like this. I should just go back to Vegas, but I'm rather looking forward to enjoying my vacation on your dime. Plus, seeing this shit blow up tomorrow when he and his family find out you've been lying to them is going to be amazing. Now, get out!" I point my finger at the door and she stands slowly. "Oh, and Claudia?" She turns halfway to the door and looks at me. "Don't think I'm getting ready with you on Friday. Send me my own team to get ready here or I'll show up in sweatpants and a t-shirt to the ceremony."

"You're a terror, Delilah. But fine; only so I don't have to worry about you ruining my day."

"I think you risk ruining your day all by yourself when, whoever this guy is, realizes you've been lying to him and hiding your grown child," I shout at her.

"Or I'll be giving him and his family everything they've ever wanted," she sneers, her lips curving up into a huge smile showing off her veneers.

"Get the hell out!" I yell. I don't know what she means by that, and honestly, I don't care to dissect it. I want to get out of this dress, order Mexican, and watch Bad Girls Club .

I strip off the dress, and can't help but feel a surge of defiance and excitement. There's something thrilling about standing up to Claudia, about embracing my body and my choices, even if they don't fit into her pristine image. The dress slips off easily, the lace caressing my skin as I pull it over my head. I hang it back in the garment bag and throw on a pair of shorts and a tank top.

Just as I'm about to call for room service, there's a knock on my bedroom door. I groan, hoping it's not Claudia again and she's just walked into the suite without permission. When I open it, I find Derek standing there, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Hey, I was thinking we should make the most of this suite," he says. "How about a little celebration of our own?"

I raise an eyebrow. "What kind of celebration?"

He holds up a bottle of sparkling juice he's somehow managed to procure. "A toast to freedom, to defying expectations, and to a weekend of living it up on Claudia's dime."

I laugh, feeling a warmth spread through me. "You're on. Let's make this the best damn free day ever." We pop the champagne and pour ourselves generous glasses. Settling onto the bed, the juice flowing and the TV blaring.