“Well, let’s take things one step at a time, shall we?” She grabs my hand and tugs me toward the bathroom. “First step, peeing on a stick.”

Five minutes later, I’m sitting on the edge of the porcelain tub while Solana peers down at the stick resting on the sink.

“Good news or bad news?” she asks.

“Both,” I answer in amusement.

“The good news is I’m going to be the best freaking godmother this kid could ever ask for,” she says proudly. “And the bad news is anyone who ever even thinks of hurting him or her will have to reckon with me.”

I can’t help laughing even as a few tears spill free, and I press my hands to my belly. I already knew it was real, but this confirms it.

“She’s not lying,” I whisper to the baby growing inside me. “But I think you’ll love your crazy aunt Solana.”

“Damn straight they will.” Solana comes to kneel before me, wiping my tears away. “It’s going to be okay. You know that, don’t you? You’ve got me, and you’ve got Georgie, no matter what, always. We are your motherfucking family.”

“I know you are.” I pull her in for a hug, and she squeezes me for a long time.

Finally, after a prolonged pause to let the official news sink in, she comes to sit beside me on the tub. “Are you going to tell him?”

“No.” I shake my head quickly. “He doesn’t want kids. This was my decision, not his. He won’t be happy when he finds out, but I want nothing from him. I won’t ask him for anything. I just want this baby, and he can go on with his life, forgetting either of us exist.”

By the tense silence next to me, I probably shouldn’t have been so honest. Because Solana really will cut a motherfucker for me or anyone else she loves. I know and love this about her. But I don’t want her protection. I just want her friendship. I want to tell her everything about my life because I’m so fucking tired of shouldering it on my own.

“You want me to poison him?” she asks, her voice dead serious.

Again, I can’t help laughing. “No. But thank you.” I turn to her and take her hands in mine. “What I want is to tell you about my world, Solana. I think it’s time I finally did.”

She releases a breath, nods, and listens to all of it. Every single secret that spills from my lips.