Chapter 101: Carrying my grandbaby
WILLA
I stared dazedly at the woman. She wore almost no makeup and still looked drop-dead gorgeous.
"Is that you, Elyse?" Her warm voice snapped me out of my trance.
I blinked, trying to place her, when Kol let out an irritated sigh.
"Mom!"
"M-mom?!" I stuttered.
This was his mom?!
I didn’t think. I planted my palm on his chest and shoved as hard as I could. The force sent Kol flying off me and toward the door.
"Whoa!" he and his mother said at the same time.
He was headed straight for the wall. He’d hit his head—maybe even knock himself out!
I shot off the bed with my hands stretched out, desperate to stop him. I caught him in time. Unfortunately, I’d used too much force.
I teetered, balance gone, and started falling backward. There was no saving it. Even if I could, I was still about to slam into the hard floor. I let go of Kol’s hand at the last second so he wouldn’t go down with me.
"Catch her!" his mother screamed, voice pitched high.
Kol cursed under his breath and lunged for me just as my eyes squeezed shut. I held my breath, stomach tightening.
Strong arms wrapped tight around my waist and yanked me back, then we both crashed to the floor.
The impact jolted through my bones. Even though he’d cushioned most of it, the hit still rattled me.
What about him?
I pushed up and looked at Kol. His eyes were closed. He wasn’t moving. Panic slammed into me. My heart skittered wildly.
I gently shifted in his arms, still locked tight around me, and brushed the hair out of his face before pressing my fingers to his neck.
His pulse beat steady and strong under my fingertips. His skin looked fine—no blood, no obvious injury. But that didn’t calm me.
He could still be hurt internally. The thought sent another wave of panic surging through my veins.
I gripped his shoulders and shook him. "Kol," I whispered.
He didn’t move.
"Please... Kol," I whimpered, tears gathering in my eyes.
God, why does disaster follow me everywhere? I should’ve just gone straight home when I had the chance.
"I’m sorry," I murmured. The first tears slipped down my cheeks. I looked up through blurry vision at his mother, who was still standing there.
"We need to take him to the hospital," I cried. "I think something’s really wrong with him!"
"CPR," his mother stated calmly.
I blinked twice to clear my eyes. "What?"
"He only needs to feel your lips on his to wake up," she added in a light tone.
This was no time for jokes. She barely looked worried. In fact, she bent down, picked up her Gucci purse from the floor, and dusted it off.
Then she extended her hand toward me with a warm smile. "Come give me a hug, sweetheart. I’ve missed you."
I stared at her in dismay. What kind of mother was this?
"If we don’t call the hospital right now, we won’t know what he’s suffering from," I stammered, frantically looking around for a phone. It didn’t look like she planned to do anything.
His mother sighed and glared down at him.
"If you don’t stand up right now and stop making the poor girl cry and worry about you, I’m going to tell her every single one of your dirty little secrets."
I wanted to tell her he wasn’t joking at all. That I really had felt the pain when I heard his voice.
"You wouldn’t dare," Kol said.
I whipped my head around to stare at him, shocked.
"You see?" His mother laughed. "My son is strong. That little fall won’t kill him. He’s just embarrassed his mother caught him trying to act all manly and—"
"Enough, Mom," Kol snapped. He rose slowly from the floor, not wincing, barely sparing me a glance.
He stood up fully. "First Becca, and now you. How much unpleasantness am I supposed to deal with in one fucking day?"
I swallowed hard, watching as he stalked toward the corner and disappeared into the bathroom.
I had convinced myself I’d seriously hurt him and was losing my mind. The least he could’ve done was acknowledge me and say he was fine.
"It’s okay," his mother said, waving it off like it was nothing. "It’s that time of the month again. When he’s done PMSing, he’ll come back to his senses."
I didn’t know whether to smile or feel bad. I nodded anyway.
My first impression of her had completely shifted. She was nothing like Becca. I could see the family resemblance now—Kol definitely got his looks from her. Those proud, strong jawlines, the striking green eyes, the nose... everything except the mannerisms.
She radiated warmth.
Kol and Becca were cut from the same cloth. Maybe they took after their father, or some distant relative.
She extended her hand again. I let her help me up from the floor, and she pulled me into a gentle hug.
"I hope my son didn’t hurt you with his words or actions?" she murmured, rubbing soothing circles on my back.
"No," I said, still wondering why she’d even asked.
When she pulled away, her eyes trailed down my figure. I braced for the same condescending look Becca had given me earlier, but instead she smiled—slow, secretive, like she knew something I didn’t.
I felt Kol’s presence behind me before he even spoke.
"Is Dad also coming here?" he asked, voice thick with sarcasm. "I can already see the party, maids running around in this cramped space."
"It’s not a crime to want to see my baby after so long—"
"We saw each other a few months ago!" he argued.
"Does it matter?" she muttered.
"Yes!" Kol said. "I don’t like people invading my personal space—"
"But you don’t mind Elyse getting in it?" She raised a slender brow.
What does that have to do with me?
His mouth snapped shut. He placed a hand on my shoulder and turned me around, scowling.
"I don’t mind," his mother added lightly. "I’m just a little curious if she’s already carrying my grandbaby."
"Mom!" Kol shouted, cheeks flushing red.