RAGE (BWWM)

28

We pulled up to this beautiful home in this very upscale suburban neighborhood. Rowan parked in the driveway, and I took my seatbelt off once the car came to a complete stop.

"Why do you look so nervous?" He asked, turning the car off. I immediately relaxed my face. I didn't realize I was wearing my emotions so openly.

"New things make me nervous," I uttered, shaking my head.

"You'll be fine." He then took his seatbelt off and got out. I slowly did the same thing, and Rowan pulled me to him once I got to the driver's side. We just barely made it to the front steps before the door was promptly yanked open. A loud squeal then erupted from a woman standing on the other side. And I just stared as she struggled to contain her excitement.

I wasn't sure what Rowan was thinking, but I couldn't take my eyes off her. Not only was she super pretty and tall, but she was also very pregnant and very far along.

"I was waiting by the door, so I heard you pull up," she smiled, moving to the side. Rowan then ushered me up the remaining steps, and he closed the door once we were inside.

"You must be Amira."

"Yes." I shook her extended hand, noticing how her smile beamed with joy.

"I'm Nina...Adrian's wife."

"Oh." My eyes snapped to Rowan. I didn't know that Adrian had a wife let alone a pregnant one, but I guess it wasn't my business to know.

"It's nice to meet you," she said to me. I just smiled as I nodded in return. Nina then welcomed Rowan as well, but their greeting wasn't so formal. She went in for a full hug, but her stomach made it somewhat awkward, so she opted for a side one instead.

"I was barely showing the last time I saw you. Now I'm as big as a house."

"How's my nephew?" He asked, lightly touching her stomach.

"Oh," she gasped. "He's great."

"And you?" Rowan made sure to include her.

"I'm good too. But between the mood swings, the pregnancy cravings, and the full-body aches, Adrian thinks I've gone mad," she giggled.

"Speaking of Adrian, where is my brother?"

"He's in the kitchen. I'll show you to him," she stated, rushing off. And I couldn't help but laugh as I watched her hobble away. She was surprisingly fast.

"Is she always like that?"

"Energetic? Yes. My brother has a hard time keeping up with her." Rowan shook his head as he guided me down the hall. We weren't in as big of a rush as Nina, so she beckoned us forward with her hand. She then waited until we were near to start speaking.

"Babe?" She called out to Adrian. His back was to us, but he also couldn't hear Nina over the loud vent above the stove.

"Babe!" She called again. I snorted when he spun around with a beer in his hand. The look on his face coupled with his bedazzled apron had me damn near crying on the floor.

"Well shit." He moved the skillet from the burner.

"Are my eyes deceiving me?" Adrian sat his beer on the counter and made his way over to us, blinking multiple times in shock. He stopped maybe a foot away and sized Rowan up.

"I told you I was coming," Rowan said.

"Yes, only after I threatened to call your mother and complain about how much you hate me."

"I don't hate you."

"But you don't like me either," Adrian jested, causing Rowan to sigh. "I'm joking, brother. Relax. It's nice to see your rude ass." There was some tension between the two of them, and it seemed like it was mostly coming from Rowan. Adrian was doing his best to lighten the mood despite Rowan's closed-off demeanor. His sense of humor was definitely lacking, but something was telling me that there was more to the story.