Chapter 6

　　Marcus's voice cracked like thunder as he slammed open her bedroom door, his frame a shadow of fury against the hallway light. Rain dripped from his coat, pooling onto the floor, his shoes tracking in wet streaks with every step. Behind him, Daniel and Steven followed, their expressions tense, worried, but not surprised.

　　The Green family is a family of five. Marcus, the eldest, Steve, Daniel, Valentina and their grandma.

　　Valentina shot upright on her bed, her heart climbing into her throat. Her breath caught as she stared at her brother, her worst fear realized in flesh and fury.

　　"Is it true?" Marcus demanded, his eyes wild.

　　She swallowed hard."W-what?"

　　"Don't play dumb," he snapped, his voice slicing through the air."Are you pregnant?"

　　Her lips trembled, the words catching on the sobs already gathering in her throat."Yes."

　　Marcus stared at her, his jaw clenching so tightly a vein throbbed in his temple. Then he let out a bitter, humorless laugh."You're not the Virgin Mary, Valentina. Jesus has already been born...we don't need another one."

　　"Marcus..." Daniel stepped in, tone firm but quiet, trying to be the voice of reason.

　　But Marcus wasn't hearing it. His rage was too loud. He yanked his phone from his coat pocket, his fingers trembling with the weight of it."I'm calling Dr. Harrow. I want a test. Blood. Urine. Hell, run a full-body scan if he has to. We'll see how real this is."

　　Valentina stood now, eyes wide, her body trembling."I'm not lying!" she cried."I did five tests. Five, Marcus. They all said the same thing. I'm pregnant."

　　The words seemed to hang in the room like smoke.

　　"Who is he?" Marcus barked, voice booming."Who the hell did this to you?"

　　"Marcus, that's enough," Daniel said again, stepping in front of him now."You need to calm down."

　　But Marcus's hands were already balling into fists."You need to shut up, Daniel. I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to her."

　　Then, out of nowhere, he exploded, his voice raw and wild, stripped of reason.

　　"Did you have sex?!"

　　Everywhere went silent,

　　Valentina's face went pale, like the blood had drained out of her all at once. Her lips parted, but no sound came out. She looked between her brothers, stunned.

　　"Jesus, Marcus," Steven muttered from the doorway, dragging a hand down his face."What the hell kind of question is that?"

　　But Marcus didn't flinch. His chest was heaving. His eyes were locked on Valentina like the answer might break him, or he already was broken.

　　"Well?" he said, more quietly this time, but no less dangerous."Did you?"

　　Valentina clenched her fists at her sides. Her breath was uneven, her cheeks soaked with tears. But when she spoke, it was with a bite of anger through the fear."Of course I did! How else do you think this happened? Magic?!"

　　Marcus flinched as if she'd struck him.

　　That broke whatever was holding him together. "Well, it could be not consenting."

　　He turned away, dragging both hands through his wet hair, pacing like a caged animal."I can't believe this. I can't f**king believe this."

　　"Marcus..." Daniel tried again, but this time with a gentler tone."Yelling isn't going to change what's already done."

　　Steven stepped closer to Valentina, hovering protectively."She's scared, Marcus. This isn't helping."

　　But Marcus wasn't listening. His rage had turned inward now, twisting through his expression like smoke through glass."She's eighteen," he muttered, to no one in particular."She's barely out of school. What the hell was she thinking? What the hell was he thinking?"

　　Then Daniel stepped closer to Valentina, trying to cut through the chaos with a calm, anchoring voice.

　　"Val... who's the father?"

　　All three brothers watched her then.

　　Valentina stared down at the floor, her hands pressed protectively over her lower stomach. Her lips moved, barely, but no sound came out.