I pull her body into mine. "He's right, Princess, but don't worry, mom and I are going to be fine." They're not going to be the way they were before but I'll be civil to her just as I used to be to dad. "Do you want to stay here for a bit longer or do you want to go to bed?"
She smiles. "Stay here. Also, I'm hungry."
Dad chuckles. "As am I. Boy, what are you making us?"
I shake my head, damn these two are as thick as thieves. "I'm ordering take-out." I leave them to talk, knowing that they're both hurting right now. There's only one person that can put a smile on my dad's face and that's Tina, or talking about her. My cell rings and I see it’s Colby.
“Hey man, what’s up?”
“How’s Mia?” He asks, and I bite back my smile. She’s wormed her way into everyone’s hearts.
“She’s okay.” I don’t think she’ll be out of my sight ever again.
“That’s good. I found Martin’s laptop, the fucker hacked Mia’s medical records, it’s how he found out she was pregnant.”
Mom was telling the truth, fuck. “Did you find anything else?”
“So much fucking shit on your dad and Tina, but nothing on you. Thank fuck he’s dead.”
“A-fucking-men to that.”
“I’m still combing through his shit, if I find anything else, I’ll let you know.” He tells me and I don’t envy his job at all. Martin was a sick fuck and I can just imagine all the shit he’s going to have to look through.
“Thanks.” I say and end the call.
I hear laughter from the sitting room and the pain in my chest eases. They’re safe, that’s the most important thing, that fucker can’t hurt her anymore.
Eighteen
Mia
Twelve weeks later
"Mia," he murmurs, as his hand rests on my bump. He's waiting for the baby to move. Our little boy is like clockwork, nine am and he'll start dancing. "I know that you have a name in mind. Every time I suggest one you act disinterested."
"I'm not disinterested, I just want to meet him first." I do have a name in mind but I'm not sure what Hudson will think of it. So until our son is born, I'm not saying a word.
"Okay, he's having a lazy morning," he comments when the baby doesn't move. "Want some breakfast?"
I nod. "I can make it," I tell him sitting up.
"No, I'll make it, go have a shower and it'll be ready when you're ready." He gets off the bed and reaches for the sweatpants that are lying on the floor.
I smile at him. "That sounds heavenly, thank you."
He winks at me. "Don't thank me Mia, you're my wife, I look after you."
Since I've been home from the hospital, he's been so attentive. He's delegated a lot more of his work so that he's home most of the time. I know that's because he's worried about the both of us, but also because he's able to breathe now that Martin's gone.
We've been lucky, the tear wasn't as bad as I had thought and I've had bed rest since I've been home. It's boring and I've gone stir crazy but I've done it because it gave my baby the best chance of coming to full term which is three weeks away although the doctor said if he was born soon, he'd be okay, as I'm thirty-seven weeks. We're almost there and I'm grateful that we've got this far, each day that passes gives him more chance of survival. My
nerves are kicking in now, I'm scared for the labor. It's the fear of the pain that's going to come.
I slowly get out of bed, Hudson's cell is ringing in the background somewhere. It's weird, now when his cell rings I'm not fearful for what's about to come. Walking to the bathroom, my hand reaches out and I hold onto the wall as a twinge of pain hits my stomach. It hits me hard and takes my breath away. Just as quick as it comes, it passes again.
Gingerly getting into the shower, I can hear Hudson on the phone, it's probably his mom. She calls him every day, it took a while for him to forgive her, and even longer for Harrison but they've done so and their relationships are stronger than ever before. Marline and Harrison have been getting along and I'm curious if something has happened between them. The loving glances that she gives him are a far cry from how she would have looked at him only a few months ago.
I cry out as pain hits me once again. Shit, the baby hasn't moved and I'm getting pains. Does that mean I'm in labor? It's too early, I shouldn't be. I should call Sarah, she'd know what this feels like. I wait until the pain passes before climbing out of the shower. I've never had a pain take my breath away so quickly, the fear I had about the labor has intensified. Wrapping a towel around me, I go into my bedroom and sit down on the bed. Reaching for my phone, I dial Sarah's number.