The Story of my Life

Chapter 26

Emily's POV

Riley turned around, looking both shocked and furious to see me standing there. She whipped her head around to glare at Michelle. "What is going on?" She demanded. Michelle shifted nervously.
"Sometimes I take Halston to see her aunt and grandmother." Michelle admitted. Riley's face turned to pure fury.
"How long have you been doing this behind my back?!" She snapped. Michelle sighed.
"4 years."
"4 years?!" Riley exclaimed. "Halston's only been alive for 4 years!"
"I thought she should know her family, but you were never going to take her there." Michelle defended herself. Riley crossed her arms, shaking her head angrily.
"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked her daughter, who had been sitting quietly, watching her mother yell.
"Michelle told me it was a secret." Halston stated matter of factly. Riley exhaled, looking pissed.
"Were you sneaking her off to see James too?" She inquired, an eyebrow raised.
"No." Michelle answered.
"How many people know about her?" Riley questioned, looking between Michelle and I.
"A lot." I admitted, watching Michelle shoot me a confused look. "Most of the old A troupe actually. When she was born I kinda showed her off. They promised not to tell James though." I shrugged. Riley put her head in her hands, looking dishevelled.
"Don't worry about hiding it from him anymore, John took care of that." She mumbled.
"If it's any consolation, they all loved her and thought she was adorable." I said.
"I'm going to kill the both of you." Riley stated, lifting her head to glare at us.
"Halsey, let's go to the car, okay?" Michelle suggested.
"Okay!" Halston replied, grabbing Michelle's hand and walking out with her. Riley sat in the chair Michelle had vacated, while I sat where I had been before getting up to use the washroom.
"Michelle said Halston has met her grandmother. What about dad?" Riley inquired. I sighed.
"The 'business trip' dad left on the day you moved out turned out to be a week away with his mistress. Mom divorced him before you were even pregnant." I answered. "Why didn't you come home on your 17th birthday?" I asked my sister sadly. She gave me a confused look.
"I did go home. The lights were off and everyone was asleep." She replied. I felt my heart stop. She had come back, she was just too late.
"I'm sorry." I said, reaching over to hug her.
"Me too." She sighed, hugging me back. "I'm still mad at you for telling everyone though." She added. I laughed, pulling out of our hug. "So what did you do when Michelle told you I was pregnant?" Riley asked me. I let out a small chuckle, telling her the story.
"How's the plan going?" I asked Michelle. We were sitting with Hunter, Chloe, Giselle, and West, talking about Riley. Michelle had told this group when Riley turned up on her doorstep and we'd made a plan for Michelle to convince Riley to come home, and afterwards back to A troupe. It was going well too, Riley was getting her life together before coming home. Or at least that's what she'd told Michelle.
"I miss her. A troupe isn't the same without her." Giselle sighed.
"She's coming back soon. Right Michelle?" Hunter asked. Michelle bit her lip, looking to the floor. Everyone exchanged confused glances.
"Mitchie?" I asked. What's going on with my sister?
"We need a minute." Michelle announced, standing and dragging me away from the group.
"What? What's wrong?" I questioned, feeling worried. Am I not getting my sister back?!
"Remember how I told you she'd slept with James?" She asked me. I nodded. While everyone had been shocked, at least it was James. That seems to be a step in the right direction. "She's pregnant. She's too scared to go home." Michelle sighed. My eyes widened.
"When did she find out?" I asked.
"A few hours ago. She was going to go home today." She answered. I looked to the floor sadly.
"Michelle!" I heard Eldon yell. I lifted my head, quickly wiping my eyes so he wouldn't see my tears. "Miss Kate wants us in studio A. She wants to see our solos." She said. Michelle nodded, glancing at me. I motioned that she could leave, and she followed Eldon out of Culture Shock. I swallowed the lump in my throat, walking to sit with my friends again.
"Riley's not coming back." I announced, watching all of their faces. "She's pregnant."
"And Michelle never found out you told them?" Riley questioned. I shook my head.
"I guess not." I replied.
"Do you watch the videos I post?" She inquired. I nodded.
"Every one." She sent me a small smile. She didn't have to say anything, the look on her face said it all. She was happy to have me back in her life.