My Pretty Sweetheart (Arianna)

After lunch, since we were heading into the new year, Valerie and Nerissa spontaneously decided to have a barbecue together in the yard in the afternoon. We had plenty of food to go around, thanks to Hendrix and my grocery haul from the supermarket.

When we were setting up the barbecue stand, Nerissa pulled me aside. "Leave this to the men and come with me. Let's talk!"

I got up and followed her to the backyard, a little stunned by her sudden invitation to talk. She definitely had something to say to me.

Fiona had planted some fruits in the backyard, but the soil had just been loosened, so there was nothing to see.

Nerissa sat on the swing in the pavilion and looked at me, "Are you planning to hold another wedding ceremony with Hendrix?"

I shook my head in astonishment. "No!"

She pursed her lips. "Then he..." She trailed off, glancing at me.

She paused for a moment before decidedly asking, "Have you guys been taking pregnancy precautions lately?"

This topic...

immediately flushed with embarrassment,

want one more, I can

silent for a moment, not knowing

married to Yohannes for a decade, so it's no surprise that I feel for

there are some things that I can talk about, and things that I can't. If I start mentioning the Granger Group, things

my request would sound different to him. The two of them had been going

some barbecued chicken

smiled,

He nodded. "Try them!"

a bite. Hendrix definitely knew his way around a barbecue pit; these were delicious! Thinking of the hot pot we made this morning, I

very nicely, and with Nerissa's

"I'll get Evan

tonight!"

help but smile. "Are you the only one celebrating the New Year? Since the company is on holiday