Two days later, Lydia broke the news about her pregnancy to Mom and Dad over Skype.

Not surprisingly, our fam meeting quickly disintegrated into digital mayhem.

Mom burst into tears on the laptop screen. Dad fell into a heavy, disparaging silence. His scowl looked like an upside down U the entire time.

"Have you given any thought to your future, Lydia?" Mom wailed in distress. "You've worked so hard in school and gotten so far. Are you ready to throw it all away? How can you focus on your career with a newborn attached to your hip?"

Lydia sighed. "I think it's possible to have a family and a career, nanay."

"A baby is going to require much more time and attention than you think!"

"Gracie promised to help out whenever I get too busy at the hospital."

Mom shot my sister a disapproving glare. "The baby is your responsibility, Lydia. Don't drag your sister into this mess. She has a full-time job, and her own life to live!"

"It's okay, nanay. I want to help out," I interjected in a small voice.

Mom thundered on as though I hadn't said a word. Her voice shook with anguish. "Wala nang disenteng lalaki ang magpapakasal sa iyo niyan! No decent man will marry you!"

I cringed for Lydia's sake. Mom only switched to Filipino when one of us really messed up, and I knew exactly what had triggered her so badly. Single moms in the US certainly faced their fair share of struggles and discrimination, but, back in the Philippines, a husbandless female with a kid was a recipe for a big fucking scandal.

My sister grumbled, "Has it occured to you that maybe I don't care about getting married?"

Mom looked flabbergasted. "What are you talking about? You're almost thirty, Lydia. You need to get married once you meet the right man."

My sister frowned. "Once I become a surgeon, I'm going to be making enough money to do whatever I want. Marriage doesn't have to be in my future. And, if a guy is really 'the right man' for me, then I'm sure he's going to love my baby, too."

Mom scoffed, "You're too young to know what you're talking about, Lydia! That's not how the real world works."

"No, you're the one who has no idea what's going on! This isn't the 1800's where women need to be virginal and pristine and rely on a man for everything. Jeez, nanay. You're such a dinosaur sometimes."

Lydia's 'dinosaur' comment sent Mom into another round of hysterics.

"Don't talk to your mother like that, Lydia," Dad grunted warningly.

Lydia offered Mom an apology in half-hearted tones.

Awkwardly, I sat there and watched the drama continue to spiral. The sky-high tensions between Lydia, Mom, and Dad were starting to give me a migraine.

It didn't take long for the three of them to become locked in a stalemate. My sister was pissed at our parents for not being more supportive. Mom was 100% convinced that Lydia was flushing her personal and professional life down the toilet. Dad kept trying to extract the father's name from Lydia. He wanted my sister to marry the guy.

By the end of the call, for the first time ever, I saw disappointment in Mom and Dad's eyes when they looked at my sister.

I think Lydia sensed it, too, because—despite Dad's incessant prying—she had chosen to keep Gray's identity a secret. Both of our parents were aware of my past with Gray. If Mom and Dad found out their younger daughter's high school sweetheart had been the one who recently knocked up their older daughter, then they would probably lose their shit on an even more spectacular level.

Still, I had to hand it to Lydia.

Even after her explosive confrontation with Mom and Dad, my sister remained steadfast in her decision. She didn't question her worth as a woman, a surgeon, or a mother-to-be. Mom's legitimate fears about her future didn't seem to faze Lydia. Dad's concerns about the baby growing up without a father figure didn't appear to bother her, either.

This was, perhaps, Lydia's most captivating quality: Her unwavering sense of self made her selfish as hell at times, but she was definitely one of those fiercely independent women who I genuinely admired. My sister stood by her choices even when they were going to be uphill battles.

On the other hand, I also felt sad for my parents. They were definitely very old school and conservative in their views, but I understood, deep down, they loved Lydia and only wanted what was best for her. They were probably worried out of their minds right now.

I felt so stuck between them. I hated having to choose sides, but I did it, anyway.

For now, my sister and her baby needed me more.

✦

This chapter is again dedicated to , hahaha. Thank you so much, sis, for helping me sort through all the Filipino language and culture points in this chapter! You're the absolute best! I hope I have done it justice. Let me know if there's anything that can be improved upon.

Be sure to check out her brand new story, "Silver Sinners," which I'm so excited to read! It's going to be a romance shrouded in suspense, murder, and mystery featuring a FL and ML that are full of secrets and sins. Medea and Maverick will keep you guessing until the very end. ;)