by Tia Siren
“Bianca, this has to stop,” he told her in a broken voice. “It’s been going on for years now and I can’t take it. It’s not just about us anymore.” He touched her face and took a deep breath. “I am calling a center tomorrow for you, and if you don’t go, this marriage is over. Your ties to this family will be gone.”
Mom started to sob as I looked at my dad with surprise. Dad never defended me. I watched as he took Mom into his arms and carried her to their bedroom. I followed and helped him tuck her in, looking at her plastic face with sadness, before he gestured for me to follow him.
Dad organized the takeout, which had been left at the door while we’d been fighting. We sat down at the kitchen counter with plates and water as he took a deep breath.
“That was a long time coming, Son.” Dad looked at me, and I noticed the lines in his face. “I pushed her problems aside for so long because I work so much. She functioned when she was out at events, and I thought we had the perfect life. I thought we could keep faking it, but she’s gotten much worse over the last few months.”
He took a bite of the noodles on his plate and looked thoughtful for a moment. “I have to apologize for the day at the doctor and ever since. I don’t know why… I guess I imagined a woman like your mother taking control of the business. My reaction shocked even me, and I have been doing a lot of thinking. A lot.” He sipped his water and shook his head for a moment.
“I don’t know Brea well, but I can see that she is a gentle woman with a kind soul. I read between the lines and recognized that her father suffered from alcoholism as well, and that hit me somewhere deep inside. I went into defense mode when I was really just worried about the same thing happening to your mother. With a baby coming, everything seems a lot more surreal now. I need things to change. I want my wife back.”
He gave me a sad look. “She wasn’t always this way. She lost her parents, and I suppose it hit her hard when she still had a son to raise. I was working all the time, of course. I was oblivious, and I just thought she had some wine with dinner like her friends. I thought she was just like everybody else.”
“I didn’t want to see it either, Dad. I wanted to believe she was just enjoying a drink, but it was so obvious by my senior year. I knew then.”
“The year she got arrested for driving drunk to get more alcohol,” he said with a slow nod. “I managed to cover that up and somehow still hide her problem from the public. She stopped coming to a lot of things, and I would blame a cold or the flu. I thought she did fine at the events she did attend, but it was exhausting to watch her all night. That took a toll on me and you. I know it did.”
I nodded.
“I know I started to pressure you about the bank back then, and I regret that. I just wanted some control in my life and you were the victim.”
“I understand. She’s your wife and my mom. We just want to see her get better, but she’s only getting worse.” I thought about the things she’d said tonight and a sharp pain overcame me.
I’d never tell Brea about this, not in detail. This talk with Dad seemed to be going pretty well, and I expected to have good news for her tonight.
“I just can’t let her talk about Brea like that. I can’t, Dad. I’ll keep her away from the baby if it doesn’t stop.”
“I understand, Son. It all became known when I came home to see that tonight. I knew I had to do something. I didn’t want to threaten her like that, but using divorce in the past has never worked. She needs to know that she’ll lose the only family she has left in this world.”
Mom was an only child like me, and when she lost both of her parents to homicide, she broke.
“She’ll lose you and her granddaughter now. I don’t want that to happen, but she needs to go along with my plan. I have a wonderful center in Syracuse to take her to. It’s far, but I think she needs the distance. I know I do.”
“She’ll do this, Dad. I know she will,” I assured him as pain crossed his face.
“I can’t wait to meet the baby, Ryan. I think about her a lot, and the fact that she’s a girl means nothing. If she has the mix of Brea and you, she’ll be just fine.” He looked at me. “I did a little homework on her. She’s been through so much and still has that degree. It’s impressive.”
I smiled in agreement.
“You’re going to go far too, family business or not. Your gram always told me you were born for so much more and that was why she left you that money. I was a stubborn fool to hold you to these conditions this long, but we’re all getting a baby out of it. There is that.”
“I thought you were crazy when I was younger and you set these conditions. I didn’t want a girlfriend, much less a wife or a baby. I was angry for years, and I really thought I hated you. Then I got older, met Brea, and knew I could settle down.”
“Are you going to settle with her?” Dad asked. I smiled slowly.
“We’re going to move in together soon. We want to live together when the baby arrives.” I glanced at him. “Her name is Elle Marie Hall.”
Dad’s face softened as he twisted some noodles onto his fork. “Marie,” he repeated as he thought about his mother. “She’d love that.”
“I know. We hadn’t talked about names too much, but that combination hit me the day of the ultrasound.” I watched him wince. “Brea loves the name Elle, and I thought about Gram. I was always so close to her, and she left me all that money to build something with.”
“It’s a shame she won’t meet her great-grandparents as well as her grandpa. Will Brea’s mom come to see her?”
“I think she’s warming up to the idea. She keeps sending things in the mail and FaceTiming with Brea. We’ll see.” I laughed and glanced at him. “Lucy is claiming aunt of the year already. She’s going to be great at it.”
“I went to some of the galleries to see her work. It’s beautiful.” I looked at Dad in surprise. “It’s easy to keep up with things with technology. Your aunt tells me stuff as well. She sounds like a good girl.”
Apart from her still dating Lewis, I agreed. She was going to be a good friend and aunt, someone Brea would need.
“Yes, she is.”
“Seeing how things are later, toward the holidays, I was thinking of having Christmas here with the whole family. It’s been a long time, and it might be nice, assuming your mother has made a decision by then.” I grinned at the idea, thinking it over.
“That sounds nice, Dad.”
“I’m going to hire that chef again if I can find her. Nancy. If not her, someone else. I don’t cook well, and your mom needs to take care of a few things before she settles back into it. I am getting tired of takeout,” Dad admitted, and I laughed. “Does Brea cook?”
“I’ve been too busy spoiling her to find out, to be honest. We’ll see. If not, I’ll teach her or we can learn together.” I remembered making the suggestion to her before. I smiled and he nodded.
“That sounds wonderful, Son. When do you plan to move in together?” he asked.
“I might need a little help with that.” I leaned in as I started to talk, seeing his grin widen on his face. We cleaned up after dinner, and Dad tossed the rest of the food, claiming he was calling Nancy in the morning. There were enough basics in the fridge to get by until next week. I hugged him tightly when we were finished.
He walked me to his office and we sat down as he pulled a folder from his desk drawer. Dad turned it around in his hands, careful not to spill the papers inside.
“I’ve called the lawyer and set everything up. The money is yours. You’ll have to go into the office for a visit to make it official, but you can take it and make all your dreams come true. You can set up a house for Elle.”
“Thank you,” I said as I hugged him again. “If you need any help with Mom or anything else, call me. I’ll be here.”
“I will, Son. I’m hoping that she sees my side of things and fixes herself. She is a good woman underneath it all.” I nodded and glanced at the stairs. I wanted to see her, but I
knew Mom was sleeping. I’d talk to her later.
I made my way out to the car and looked at my childhood home. I hoped it would be a place of happiness from now on, somewhere I’d be proud to bring my daughter down the line. It used to be good here, before Mom lost her parents. I just hoped it could be again.
I started the car and thought about how strange life was. It had only been a matter of months, but I was having a baby in a few weeks and fixing things with my family. Sometimes, the oddest of circumstances gave you the best results. Had I settled, I wouldn’t have been with Brea. I would have been with a gold digger from my social circle and Mom’s accusation tonight would have been true.
She didn’t see people clearly in her state of mind, but she would see Brea for what she was soon enough. I pulled out of the long driveway and headed toward the penthouse.
Brea had worked a double to cover someone’s shift tonight, against my wishes, and I wanted to throw her over my shoulder and take her home. The idea made me laugh a little as I pulled onto the main road and headed toward Manhattan. Now that I was getting the money, she could pay off her loans and relax. We’d move in together and get ready for our baby, and she’d have her baby shower next weekend at Lucy’s.
Life was going to be good. I glanced at the folder beside me at a red light. This was really happening. I was getting my dream and my family back. I kept going down the road and got onto the freeway before I saw the screen on my car light up, telling me that Lucy was calling.
CHAPTER 18
Brea
I seriously considered quitting after I decided to work a double. I always had trouble saying no to people, and Rita had begged me when she couldn’t find someone else.
She had tickets to a concert with her boyfriend, and I had said yes because I felt bad for her. I never got a chance to do those things, so I knew how special they could be. The shift wouldn’t be that bad, I had told myself confidently.
It was that bad. My feet hurt and I’d been having some weird cramps today. They were sporadic and it was way too early for Elle to make her appearance, so I just went home and pulled on some pajamas after a shower.
I wanted to sleep, and if Ryan wanted to come over, he had a key. I was exhausted.
Lucy called to check on me and to talk about Ryan’s visit with his parents tonight. He was going to try to work things out with them before the baby came. I’d been nervous for him all day. Maybe that was why my stomach hurt.
“How are you feeling?” Lucy asked as I settled back against the pillows.
“I worked a double today. Do you know how hard that is when you’re in the last trimester of a pregnancy? Why did I say yes?” I asked her as I rubbed my stomach through the cotton shirt.
“Ryan is going to make you quit the second he gets that money. You know that, right?” Lucy teased me. I sighed because I knew she was right.
“I might do it myself, but I think for now I’ll just stop working doubles.” I had a month left and a good night’s sleep would fix everything. I felt another cramp and let out a breath.
“I think I’m having those Braxton Hicks or something.”
“Are you sure?” Lucy asked with concern as I reached for my water. I wondered when we were going to move as I sipped it and felt another cramp.
“Yeah. Pregnancy is full of aches and pains, and she has a month before she’s supposed to move out. Although, earlier wouldn’t be terrible,” I joked as Lucy laughed.
“When can you have her without worrying?” Lucy asked.
“I guess after a couple of weeks or so. She’s growing a lot, but I am going to the doctor every week for a while. They’re going to keep an eye on me.”
I settled into my mattress and craved sleep, but I could talk to Lucy for a little while. I kind of wanted to see Ryan tonight too. I wanted to snuggle with him.
“Ouch. I’ve felt these all day long.”
“How far apart are they?” Lucy asked. I looked at the clock. “Want me to come over?” I stared at the clock. One cramp…two cramps…suddenly it was six in fifteen minutes, and I gasped.
“I just had six in fifteen minutes, Lucy. I’m not ready.” I sat up and felt a panic attack kicking in. “I need to get a bag ready to go.” I stood up, and a sharp pain made me lean on the bed as I felt liquid gush down my thighs. “Lucy, I think that my water just broke.”
“Oh, shit. Shit. I’m coming over and calling Ryan. We’ll get to the hospital just fine.” Lucy tried to sound calm, but I knew she was freaking out too. “Try to get some stuff together. I’ll be there in five minutes.” I dropped the phone and stumbled around the house, throwing things into a backpack.
“Damn it. Why are you doing this, Elle? I’m not ready. I haven’t even bought the big stuff. Where are you going to sleep?” I gave up and dropped the backpack before reaching for an oversized sweatshirt. I found my flip-flops as I started to cry.
I didn’t even know what I needed to bring. It was too early. I stumbled toward the door and heard Lucy calling my name as I opened it. She hugged me and grabbed my purse as she led me by the hand to a cab.
“Shouldn’t I take an ambulance or something? I’m leaking everywhere.” Lucy handed me a towel and kept pulling me to the car as I cried harder. The cabbie gave me a strange look as Lucy took the towel and placed it on the seat.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “She’s not due for a month. This is scaring me.”
Lucy shot me a look as she pushed me into the car. “Brea, women have babies every day. This isn’t the first time doing this. We’re going to make it to the hospital.” She buckled my seat belt and did the same to hers before barking at the driver to get to Mercy General, safely and quickly. I reached for her hand and held on tightly as I prayed for the first time in years. I wasn’t ready for my daughter to be here. I wasn’t ready to be a mom yet. I needed Ryan, a crib, and diapers. I needed everything.
“Lucy, I’m not ready for this.”
“It seems like Elle is. Don’t worry. You don’t need anything right now. We can deal with that later,” Lucy told me as she peered forward. “We’re almost there.”
I looked up as the car stopped in front of the main entrance and Lucy slid out. She tossed the cabbie a bill and pulled me out, calling for help as we walked. Everything moved quickly as a nurse came forward with a wheelchair and eased me into it. I was taken to an elevator and then the third floor where they brought me into a room. I moved to the bed with the help of Lucy and a nurse.
They checked me as I stared at the ceiling, telling me that I was dilated to two centimeters. This was it and they were going to get me set up in here. Lucy helped me change into a gown. They hooked me up to an IV and told me to relax as Lucy sat down and stared at me.
“Is she ready?” I asked. Lucy nodded.
“They said that she might have to stay here for a while after she’s born, but that everything should be fine. This will be fine,” Lucy assured me as we heard someone in the hallway. Ryan walked into the room and raced over to me as he took the seat opposite Lucy.
“What is happening?” he asked as he took my hand. “You’re not working any more doubles. You’re not working at all.” I laughed and took a deep breath.
“I was having cramps all day today, but they weren’t that bad. I came home, and they were stronger and Lucy told me to time them.” I babbled as he looked at me. “I realized that I’d had six in fifteen minutes and they might not be Braxton Hicks like I thought. I told her to come over and then stood up to pack a bag and my water broke.” I gave him a hopeless look, and he leaned in to kiss me.
“She wants out,” he told me as I sniffled. “She wants out and we want to meet her. My dad wants to meet her.” I gasped as Ryan nodded. “Some shit went down tonight and we talked. Things are going to be good again.”
“I’m so glad,” I told him. He smiled brightly. I’d seen the worry in his eyes, and I wanted him to be peaceful again. I wanted to have more than just me and Elle. I wanted her to have a family. The
y checked on me over the next few hours, and I dilated slowly.
The doctor mentioned Pitocin to get the process moving faster. Ryan quizzed her on everything before we decided to do it since I might be in labor all week otherwise. It would be nice for Elle to keep cooking, but once the water broke that was that. I had to give birth to her. The drug made the contractions ten times worse, and I cried for an epidural as Lucy went to find a nurse. Ryan held my hand as they inserted the needle into my back. I held still as I felt another contraction coming.
I was numb after that and calm. That pain was more pressure and I felt like I could enjoy this experience now. I didn’t even know how I wanted to do this yet since it was so early. I hadn’t done the tour or seen the options. I was just here. Lucy and Ryan stayed with me, of course.
I called my mom, and she cried for me when she found out I was early. I talked to her for a while as Ryan paced the room, calling his dad as Lucy stroked my hair back. In a couple hours, they told me I was at seven centimeters and only had a little while to go.
“I think I waited too long for the Pitocin. Elle is changing her mind,” I told them as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I never got to sleep after my double shift and I was so tired. I dozed off for a little while, dreaming of a baby with dark blond hair and bright blue eyes like Ryan’s. I murmured her name as I looked at her and called out for Ryan as I looked around.
“I’m right here, baby.” I opened my eyes with a start to see him sitting beside me, looking as tired as I felt.
“I dreamed about her. She was so beautiful,” I told him. He kissed my hair. The color had faded after a few weeks, and Ryan had insisted that I do it again since he loved it so much. He told me that he liked the vibrancy of the colors and the way it made me feel free.
We were free. Ryan told me he was going to get the inheritance soon. His dad gave him the information tonight. My bills would be paid off and Ryan could start his company. We could move in together and take Elle with us.
Oh, God. Elle was coming, and we weren’t even living in the same house. We didn’t have a crib or anything yet. I wasn’t ready.