an's

as warm as an arctic blizzard. I paused, asking myself who'd planned this family reunion from hell at precisely the moment my life was explodi

rimmer than a mortician with a toothache. "Stepmother, Father, I'm sort of in the midst of my life crashing

said in his CEO voice - the voice he used when firing people or ordering at ex

My father's laser-focus zeroed in on Kylie and Ethan on the couch, his eyebrows narr

king out a property about to lowball herself. My father trailed behind, eyes glued 

rline. "Kylie? What are you doing here, pour a pea? she snapped, her voice crisper than her stiletto

ery furniture seeming to cower. Kylie clenched in on herself, tears

a toddler caught coloring on the walls. Victoria squinted into

with venom. Kylie hesitated, her gaze bouncing between

ngly on backorder. Victoria's anger made

oning for "Intimidating Stepmother Monthly." The room was suddenly quiet,

ret. "Morgan? Tell me what is going on and what this is..." she pointed accusingly at Et

I just got home and found Kylie having an intimate Netflix and chill episode with my boyfriend. Th

outed, her voice likely triggering car alarms three blocks away. "This is why you don't wear out with family at all," wro

ts down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for this to happe

age. "Thought your sister's boyfriend seemed like a fun ride? Do you have the FIRST CLUE how sky hig

ped working by the time she was twelve. "It's not what it looks like,"

tell us what that looks like, Kylie. Because I'm so confused right now." She folded her arms across

n escape hatch. "I...I love you both, but...but..." she stammered, words h

n't pay good money for your education to act this way!'" He moved toward Kylie, his voice lowering

just listen to me," she insisted, her voice splintering like c

at plot twist could make this OK?" she said, sarcasm oozing on to my carpet. Sh

ught in headlights - if the deer had just been busted sleeping with her sister's boyfrie

round Victoria's finger. "Kylie, your behavior is simply disgusting,

her shoulders as if she was readying for battle. "Mother...I can't marry him. "I ca

confusion for one millisecond. "What do you mean you 'can't

dden. "I'm pregnant with Ethan's child," she decl

AS

r faces a master class in shock and horror. I felt sucker-punched by the universe, my lungs forgetting how to work. The man I believed loved me didn't jus

se. My fingers began to clutch at my heart, digging into my s

I staggered back, darkness closing in at the corners of my vision

e, no one gave so much as a "there, there." I

w and stretched, as if she w

are...p

, her eyes raking Kylie

her voice barely ab

d down her face, and her body

ored into Kylie

aimed, voice steady but laced with desp

head would fall off. "Yes," she sai

positive. And I took th

rd glanced at Victoria, who was looking as though she'd seen a ghost, in par

r nail-biting habit rearing its ugly head like a groundhog on

gent, Richard

something, fo

e were running an equation in her head about how much th

she paused chewing on her nail - the international sign that Victoria had devised a plan. Her eyes captured mine with tractor

ccup," she said, a smile working across her

at bag, leaning in with interest. "Really? What good plan

e. She stared at me as though she were choosing a sac

pped out. "Hold up...WHAT?! " I squeaked

ite as an executioner's axe. "Her chara

Fleming? Conversations with a man who had more syllables in his name than our entire relationship? This couldn't be hap

f the century, she added the finishing touch: "You'll be leaving for the Flem