“Then what?”
She paused. “Let’s talk about it a different day. After your honeymoon.”
“Honeymoon?” Bree grinned. “I’m living in Hawaii, in my dream job, with the man I love! I’ll be on honeymoon for the rest of my life!”
“I’m so happy for you,” Josie repeated, ignoring the ache in her throat. Resisting the urge to wipe her eyes, she looked down at the wet, soft grass beneath her feet. “After years of taking care of me, you deserve a lifetime of love and joy.”
“Hey.” Bree lifted her chin gently. “So do you. And I can’t be happy until I know what’s going on.”
Josie blinked back tears, trying to smile. “You’ve always been a mother hen.”
“Always.” Her older sister looked into her eyes. “So you might as well tell me what’s going on, or I’ll be pecking at you all night.”
Josie took a deep breath.
“I’m… I’m pregnant,” she whispered.
Her sister gasped. “Pregnant? Are you sure?”
She nodded.
Bree took a deep breath, then visibly gained control of herself. “It’s Kasimir’s.” It was a statement, not a question.
“He doesn’t know.” Josie looked away, blinking back tears. “And I don’t know if I should tell him.”
“Are you going to keep the baby?”
Josie whirled to face her. “Of course I am!”
“You could consider adoption…”
“I’m not giving up my baby!”
“You’re just so young.” Bree’s hazel eyes were full of emotion. “You have no idea how hard it is. What you’re in for.”
“I know.” Josie swallowed. “You were only six when Mom died, and eighteen when we lost Dad. All these hard years, you’ve taken care of me…”
“I loved every minute.”
Josie looked at her skeptically.
“All right,” Bree allowed with a grin, “maybe not every single minute.” She paused. “I was so scared at times for you.”
“Because I was always screwing up,” Josie said sadly.
“You?” Her sister’s lips parted, then she shook her head fiercely beneath the colored lights of the wooden gazebo. “I was scared I would fail you. Scared I’d never be the respectable, honest, careful mother you deserved, no matter how hard I tried.”
Something cracked in Josie’s heart.
“That’s why you hovered over me?” she whispered. “I thought I was a burden to you, forcing you to give up ten years to look after me.”
“I felt like the luckiest big sister in the world to have a sweet kid like you to look after.” Bree took a deep breath. “But you don’t know what it’s like to raise a child. To fear for them every moment.” She looked down at the wet hem of her white dress. “To pray that your own stupid mistakes won’t hurt the sweet, innocent one you love so, so much.”
“You worried you might make a mistake?” Josie said in amazement. Shaking her head, she patted her sister’s shoulder. “You gave me a wonderful childhood that I’ll never forget.” Josie bit her lip, and forced herself to say what she’d been too afraid to say before. “But I’m all grown up now. You don’t need to be my mother any more. Just be my sister. My friend.” She looked at her. “Just be my baby’s aunt.”
Bree stared at her. Then, bursting into tears, she pulled Josie into her arms, hugging her tightly.
“You’ll be a wonderful mother,” she choked out, wiping her eyes. “You’re the strongest person I know. You’ve always been so fearless. You’ve never been afraid of anything.”