Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 1609

Watching his parents get more and more excited, Keaton felt a knot form in his stomach. As much as he didn't want to hurt them, this couldn't go on forever. The bigger the hope, the bigger the disappointment. He couldn't think of a gentle way out, so maybe it was better to just rip the band-aid off. Keaton took a deep breath, ate another bite of kiwi, and looked up at Janelle and Richard, ready to lay his cards on the table. "Mom, Dad, calm down for a second. You need to listen to me…" Before he could continue, a knock sounded, and the door swung open. Two wealthy-looking women stood in the doorway, peering into the room. Janelle's face immediately soured. The women at the door were Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Sewell, both from her social circle, and Janelle couldn't stand either of them. They were always gossiping about Keaton, not just behind her back, but often right to her face. She could criticize her own son, but she wouldn't stand for anyone else doing it. The dislike was mutual. Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Sewell were jealous of Janelle, mostly because Janelle's husband actually loved her. Keaton might be a womanizer, but Richard was a faithful, doting husband. Their own husbands, on the other hand, had a string of mistresses. They were either catching their husbands cheating or on their way to do so. So, yes, they were jealous. They all knew they despised each other, but for various reasons, they hadn't yet reached the point of open warfare. Out of politeness, Janelle stood up and greeted them coolly. "Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Sewell. Are you here to see a doctor?" Mrs. Miller smiled. "We were just visiting a friend and heard Mr. Huber wasn't feeling well. We just wanted to pop in and see what's wrong." Mrs. Miller continued, her eyes scanning Keaton. "My, Keaton has lost a lot of weight. He loves his late nights, his drinking, and he's always surrounded by beautiful women. He really should be more careful. He might be young and resilient now, but that lifestyle will catch up to him when he's older." Janelle's face was ice. "My son is perfectly healthy!" Mrs. Miller pursed her lips, and Mrs. Sewell picked up the thread. "Why is it just you two here? Isn't Keaton's girlfriend with him?" Janelle replied, "A hospital is no place for her to be. Why would we have her come here?!" Mrs. Sewell pressed, "Isn't she worried that Keaton's sick?" Janelle glared at her. "That's precisely why we didn't tell her. We didn't want to worry her." Mrs. Sewell narrowed her eyes again. "I just don't understand what the Huber family is thinking. The girl is pregnant with your grandchild, but you won't say who she is? You won't even announce the happy news? Is there some secret you're hiding?! The rumors are flying, you know. Some say the pregnancy is a hoax, just a publicity stunt. Others say the girl had the baby by accident and doesn't want to keep it, and the Hubers are desperately trying to negotiate. And then there are those who say... you're actually using a surrogate!" "Janelle dear," she added with faux concern, "surrogacy is a legal minefield. You should be careful. You wouldn't want to get yourselves into a lawsuit just for the sake of a grandchild." Janelle frowned. "...Rumors die with the wise. Only fools gossip!" Mrs. Sewell put on a fake smile. "Oh, I don't believe the rumors, of course. But since there's a baby on the way, when's the wedding? We're all waiting for our invitations." Mrs. Miller immediately jumped in. "You really should get involved. Haven't you heard what happened with the old Watson family? Their daughter-in-law was pregnant, but after a small argument with her husband, the girl went straight to the clinic and had an abortion!" "Old Mr. and Mrs. Watson were heartbroken, but by then it was too late. The baby was gone!"