AJ knows

Mallory

Mam had made way too much pasta again. Something about "growing teenagers" and "you can bring it into school tomorrow in your lunchbox," but I knew the real reason—Serena was over, and Mam loved nothing more than playing hostess when we had people in.

"Tell your mam she's basically feeding the whole GAA squad," Serena muttered through a mouthful of penne, shoving another forkful in.

"She probably thinks you are the squad," I grinned, sprawled on the couch beside her. "You eat like Dean."

She kicked my leg, smirking. "At least I don't eat like AJ. Lads just inhale food like it's a challenge."

I rolled my eyes. "He better not eat my garlic bread."

Serena shot me a look then—one of those squinty, all-knowing ones she does when she's about to change the subject.

"So," she said casually, "have you decided when you're telling everyone else?"

I stiffened.

She didn't mean everyone—she meant people beyond Kian and our families. The wider circle. Our friends. School.

I shook my head. "No. I just... I dunno. Part of me wants to wait. Part of me feels like I'm going to explode if I don't say something."

Serena leaned forward, serious now. "You don't have to do anything you're not ready for, Mal. But you shouldn't hide, either. You're having a baby, not committing a crime."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I know. It's just—"

The front door slammed.

And like some twisted bit of sitcom timing, I heard AJ's voice call out, loud and too full of energy for a Friday evening.

"Mal! Mam said there's leftovers!"

And then another voice—Luke's.

Of course.

Of course the one time I start talking about my pregnancy in my living room, my brother and Serena's brother both walk in.

Serena's eyes went wide. "Shit."

"Shit," I echoed.

They were already halfway through the hallway, trainers squeaking against the tiles, laughter echoing off the walls.

I didn't even have time to move before AJ and Luke came barreling into the kitchen.

"You better not have eaten all the—"

AJ stopped. Mid-sentence. Mouth half open.

Luke stopped too, sensing the weird tension in the room instantly.

I didn't have to look up to know what AJ had heard. The word baby must've floated loud and clear through the air before he made it all the way in.

He blinked. "Wait. What?"

My heart sank to my toes.

"Shit," Serena whispered again under her breath.

"Wait..what baby?" AJ asked, properly now, his whole face scrunched like his brain was trying to keep up with what just hit it.

I stood up too quickly. "AJ—"

"No, Mal, don't. Did you say you're—are you pregnant?" His voice cracked halfway through the sentence.

Luke looked between all of us, eyebrows raised, staying quiet but very much listening.

I swallowed hard, heat rushing to my cheeks. "Yeah. I am."

The room went silent for a full beat. You could've heard a pin drop.

"Are you joking?" AJ said, stepping forward. His expression was flickering wildly between confusion and concern and straight-up panic. "Like actually—?"

"I'm not joking."

His jaw dropped. "Does Da know?"

"Yes."

"And Mam?"

"Yes."

He blinked like that was somehow even more shocking.

I glanced at Luke, who still hadn't said a word. He looked stunned, but not mad. Just... surprised.

AJ shook his head, rubbing his face. "Jesus, Mal."

I crossed my arms. "I didn't exactly plan this."

"I didn't say you did!"

Serena stood up beside me, always ready to jump in like a guard dog. "Can you not shout at her like she's done something wrong?"

AJ looked at her, then at me again. His voice dropped a little. "I'm not mad, okay? I'm just... I don't know. Shocked. You're my little sister."

"I'm only two years younger than you," I said quietly.

He looked down, biting the inside of his cheek. "Yeah, but still."

And then Luke—quiet, calm Luke—finally spoke.

"You okay, though?"

I looked at him, surprised. "What?"

He shrugged. "Are you okay?"

And just like that, the tension cracked.

I exhaled, nodded. "Yeah. I think I am."

AJ scratched the back of his head. "So Kian, then?"

"Yeah."

Another pause.

Then, to my complete surprise, AJ sighed, stepped forward, and pulled me into a quick, clumsy hug. "Alright. Guess I'm gonna be an uncle."

I let out a laugh against his shoulder. "Guess so."

Luke just grinned and said, "Dean's gonna lose it."

And honestly?

That made me feel weirdly better.

"Why do you care what Dean thinks?" Serena raises her eyebrow and folds her arms over her chest. "He already knows, ya weirdo. He's Mal and Ki's friend."

Luke blinked, looking a bit caught out.

"I didn't mean it like that," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Just... I know Dean's close with them. Thought he'd have a reaction, that's all."

Serena narrowed her eyes. "Since when do you care about Dean's reactions to anything?"

I could see it—feel it—something shifting between them. That familiar spark of sibling bickering, but with a sharper edge. Serena wasn't just winding him up. She was... curious. Testing.

Luke looked at her for a second, then shrugged. "I don't. I was just saying."

"Sure you were," she muttered, leaning back on the couch again, clearly not buying it.

AJ was still recovering from the "your sister's having a baby" bombshell and wisely stayed quiet, shoveling leftover pasta into his mouth like it might help him make sense of everything.

I glanced at Serena and Luke again, and the silence between them was louder than AJ's fork scraping the plate.

Luke finally broke it, eyes flicking toward her. "You don't think he'd be weird about it, do you?"

Serena tilted her head. "Dean? No. He's weird about other things. Not this."

There was something unreadable in Luke's face. Almost like... disappointment? Or maybe something else, but he didn't say more. Just nodded slowly and got up to grab a drink from the fridge.

Serena watched him like she was trying to solve a puzzle she didn't even realise she'd started.

I nudged her with my foot, lowering my voice. "What was that?"

She shook her head, quiet now. "No clue."

But I wasn't so sure.

Because Luke Dempsey definitely cared more about Dean than he was letting on.