The Big Secret In The Lounge
1225 Words
~ Alyssa ~
Three weeks.
That’s how long it’s been since Hope arrived — three weeks of sleepless nights, lullabies, and the kind of exhaustion that still somehow feels like bliss.
Our little family’s rhythm has started to settle.
Greyson makes breakfast; I work from home between naps and feeds; Quinn and Poppy argue over whose turn it is to hold the baby; and every evening ends the same — all of us piled on the sofa, Hope asleep on my chest while Grey’s Anatomy hums softly in the background.
But today… today is going to be chaos.
Everyone’s coming over for dinner.
Triston, Kelsi, Bailey, Savannah, Charlie, and Lillian.
And none of them — none — know about the baby.
Except Winston, Elle, Markus… and Triston. My brother’s been sitting on this secret for weeks, and I’m genuinely shocked he hasn’t let it slip yet.
“Alright,” I say, scanning the living room like a general before inspection. “Bottles hidden?”
Melissa nods. “Gone. Not a drop of milk in sight.”
“Burp cloths?”
“In the laundry.”
“Bassinet?”
“Guest room,” she says proudly.
“Perfect.” I sigh, looking around. “Now it just needs to look like I haven’t been living on caffeine and two hours of sleep.”
Melissa smirks. “You’ve pulled off bigger miracles.”
By the time everything’s spotless, Hope’s snoozing against my chest in her soft pink sleepsuit and dinner’s ready — something simple. Pasta, salad, and garlic bread.
Because, let’s face it, once everyone realises what’s going on, no one’s going to eat.
~ Greyson ~
The doorbell rings at 4 p.m. sharp.
I glance at Alyssa. She smirks. “Showtime.”
Triston’s the first through the door, grinning, a bottle of whiskey in hand like it’s a peace offering.
Kelsi and Bailey follow, Bailey already demanding snacks.
Savannah and Charlie come next — elegant, poised, and already suspicious — followed by Lillian, looking runway-ready as ever, phone in one hand, drama in the other.
“Alright,” she says, glancing around. “Where’s Alyssa? Don’t tell me she’s made us dress up for another collaboration reveal.”
“Not quite,” I say, trying not to grin.
Savannah narrows her eyes. “Greyson, you have that look again.”
“Which one?”
“The one that means you’re hiding something,” Charlie answers for her, already amused.
Winston and Elle exchange knowing glances; Markus just sips his drink, silent, smug. Triston keeps his face neutral — a miracle in itself.
“Everyone to the kitchen,” I announce, ushering them in. “Then follow me.”
“If this is about the koi pond idea again,” Triston warns, “I’m not helping dig it this time.”
“It’s not the koi pond,” I laugh, pushing open the lounge door. “Trust me — you’ll want to see this.”
~ Alyssa ~
The moment the door opens, silence.
Every single one of them freezes.
I’m sitting on the sofa in my Bring Me The Horizon cropped tee, flared trousers, and UGG slippers — relaxed, casual, perfectly normal.
Except for the tiny, wide-eyed newborn nestled in my arms.
Quinn and Poppy sit proudly beside me, grinning like they’ve been keeping the world’s best secret.
Savannah gasps first. “Oh. My. God.”
Kelsi’s jaw drops. “Is that—?”
Lillian shrieks. “ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?!” She turns to Greyson and smacks his arm repeatedly. “YOU KEPT AN ENTIRE BABY FROM US?!”
Triston bursts out laughing so hard he nearly drops his whiskey. “You have no idea how hard that secret was to keep.”
Kelsi whirls on him. “YOU KNEW?!”
He throws up his hands. “Hey, she’s my sister! What was I supposed to do, live-stream her labour?”
Bailey’s eyes are huge. “Aunt Lyssa… that’s your baby?”
“Sure is,” I grin.
He squints at me. “So that’s why you kept hanging up on me?”
“Sweetheart, you called twelve times a day,” I tease. “I needed to eat sometime.”
“Still rude,” he mutters, folding his arms.
Meanwhile, Savannah’s already crying, Charlie’s doubled over laughing, and Markus — the traitor — is leaning on the doorframe with Elle and Winston, all of them smirking like they’ve been waiting for this exact chaos.
“Oh, you three knew too, didn’t you?” Lillian accuses, pointing her perfectly manicured finger.
Elle tries to look innocent. “Define knew.”
Winston grins. “We were practically counting down the days.”
“Traitors!” Lillian exclaims. “All of you!”
Savannah doesn’t even hear her — she’s kneeling beside me, tears streaming. “She’s beautiful, Alyssa. Absolutely beautiful.”
I smile, brushing a curl from my face. “Meet Hope.”
The name lands softly, settling over the room like sunlight.
“Hope,” Savannah repeats, voice trembling. “Perfect.”
~ Greyson ~
The next few minutes are pure chaos.
Lillian alternates between crying and smacking my arm. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!”
Triston’s teasing Alyssa about “recruiting another girl into the Rose-Riley fashion empire.”
Charlie’s still wheezing with laughter, muttering something about karma for keeping teenage secrets.
Savannah can’t stop taking photos from every angle.
Across the room, Elle’s holding Hope like she was born to, smiling down with a tenderness that softens the whole scene.
Winston stands beside her, proud, protective — the picture of a man who knows his family just grew again.
Markus joins me, chuckling. “You realise this is your life now, right?”
“What, being outnumbered?”
“That, and never winning another argument.”
“Already accepted it,” I admit.
~ Alyssa ~
Eventually, the laughter settles into warm chatter.
Everyone wants a turn holding Hope.
Savannah hums lullabies, Charlie snaps photos, Kelsi fusses with the baby blanket.
Even Triston — pretending he’s too cool for sentimentality — melts the second Hope curls her tiny fist around his finger.
“I still can’t believe you pulled this off,” Lillian says, shaking her head. “Three weeks, Alyssa. You kept a whole human secret for three weeks!”
I grin. “You were all distracted. Plus, I had help.”
“Elle,” she says immediately.
“Obviously,” Elle replies sweetly, sipping her wine. “I’m a professional secret-keeper now.”
“I’m starting to think you two are a dangerous combination,” Markus mutters.
“Dangerous,” Winston agrees, “but unstoppable.”
Laughter fills the room again, rich and warm.
Greyson slides an arm around my shoulders, pressing a kiss to my temple. “They’re happy,” he murmurs.
I glance up at him. “We all are.”
Savannah spots the kiss and rolls her eyes. “Greyson, it’s to soon to start on the next baby. Hands off her”
The whole room erupts into laughter once again. Greyson winks at me and Savannah, she just sighs at her son.
I look around — at my family, my friends, the people who carried me through every storm — and feel it deep in my chest.
Peace.
Love.
And Hope.
- Writer
