Chapter Thirty Four
Chase
I walk up to Aubrey’s apartment, and knock on the door. When there is no answer, I put out my key and open it myself. I bought Aubrey this apartment when we were dating. Layla doesn’t know that, and I’m surprised Aubrey hasn’t thrown it in her face by now. The truth is, I kept Aubrey like a mistress. Placed in an apartment I provided, bought pretty things, and expected to give me what I needed, when I needed it. But I was also free to do as I please, and I never had to answer to her. As I walk towards her room, I hear the unmistakable sounds of people having sex. Well, fuck. I definitely came at a bad time. I leave my key on her kitchen table; I don’t even know why I still had it. I’m about to leave, when Aubrey walks out, naked, giggling. A man trails behind her, also naked.
“Fuck!” I exclaim when I see just who the bastard is. Aubrey can fuck whoever she wants, I couldn’t care less. But this, I have a huge fucking problem with.
“Why the fuck would you want me to marry her when you are obviously fucking her?” I spit at my father.
Aubrey screams when she finally sees me, and runs to the room. My father actually looks ashamed but I could care less. “We are done, father. Fuck you, don’t contact me, pretend you don’t even fucking know me anymore,” I yell, walking out before I hit my own father.
“It just happened Chase,” he says softly, like it makes it any better. “One thing led to another and...”
I keep walking towards the door. “Son!” he calls out.
“I am not your fucking son,” I retort.
I stop, and turn around, remembering the reason I was here. I walk back to Aubrey’s door and knock. She opens it, now wearing a robe, looking a mixture of smug and embarrassed. “I just need to know the fucking truth. Who was her father?” I demand, wanting to shake her. She frowns, her face slipping.
“It wasn’t you, Chase,” she says softly.
“If you are fucking lying to me, Aubrey, I will make your life a living fucking hell!” I hiss at her.
“I swear, it wasn’t. But Lilly would have looked like you, because...” She trails off looking behind her. I follow her gaze, straight onto my father’s guilty looking face.
“Lilly? You were her father?” I bark at my father, the violence in my voice causes him to take a step back. “You wanted me to marry Aubrey, why then? Because you were never going to marry her? This is so fucked up!”
“I’m sorry...” he says.
“Fuck your sorry,” I interrupt, the vehemence in my voice surprising even me. “I’m done; the both of you live a happy life, because you fucking deserve each other. Oh and Aubrey, get my dad to buy you a new house. This house is in my name, and I’ll give you a month to move out.”
With that I walk out, leaving both my ex, and my own father in the dust.
An hour later I walk into my house, where Layla is having a nap on our bed. “Hey Chase,” she says in a sleepy voice, as the rouses. Fuck but she’s sexy. And she is honest, and real. She is a breath of fresh air. “How did it go with Aubrey?” she asks in a soft voice, whilst tying her hair in a bun on the top of her head.
“Lilly wasn’t mine,” is all I tell her. No, she wasn’t mine, but she was my baby sister. I will always love Lilly.
“I’m sorry. Come here, I’ll take care of you,” she says, reaching for me.
I don’t tell Layla about my father and Aubrey. I’m not tarnishing her with that shit. She is now in my arms, and I feel a sense of peace.
Layla is all I need, to breathe, to live, to thrive.
Layla
Okay, so I’m a coward.
I decided to tell my mother on the phone about my pregnancy. I’ve picked up the phone about ten times in the last thirty minutes, only to chicken out at the very last minute. I exhale hard, and finally gather enough courage to dial the number.
Thirty minutes later, I’m still getting lectured. After a while though, she calms down.
“When is the wedding?” She demands.
“Mum, I want to get married after; I don’t want to get married whilst being pregnant!” I whine.
“You should have thought about that before, don’t you think?” she spits out. Ugh.
She puts my father on, and he actually seems happy to be a grandfather. I promise to come and visit them soon.
Chase called his mother, who was off in Italy somewhere. She was so happy for us, and I ended up chatting with her for over an hour. She said she will be here for the wedding and the birth of her first grandchild. Chase and I are both thrilled.
Everything was finally going right.
******
Layla
“You aren’t going to that fucking animal shelter. I’ve already called up and said you can’t volunteer anymore!” Chase explodes.
“You did what?” I gape.
“You are pregnant, those dogs could jump on you, or bite you for fuck sake, Layla!” he’s yelling now.
I sigh. Chase has been so over protective. “Okay, fine,” I concede. I guess it wouldn’t be safe, really. First he called my work and quit for me, and now this. But I know he’s just worried about the baby.
“Okay?” he asks, suspicious.
“Yes, okay,” I repeat softly.
He sighs in relief. I had to take time off from University too. My life is taking a different turn, but I’m not upset about it. My family comes first.
“Can we have make up sex now?” he asks frankly.
I roll my eyes.
“Get in the room Mr. Jackson!” I demand.
Chase grins, picks me up into his arms, and heads for the room.