“But I wasn’t brave like you, brother. I didn’t completely walk away from our family, no matter how badly I wanted to. I can’t tell you how many times I thought about just going off-grid and running. You know, disappearing from this life with no trace for father to follow. But even the smallest breadcrumb would be enough for him to find me. He’d be able to track me and he wouldn’t let my disobedience slide. He’d find a way to make me pay for my disgracing the family’s name, one way or another. My last name or family lineage wouldn’t matter to Alek Tirana. His pound of flesh was all he ever cared about.”
“And now, he’s coming after me to take his pound of flesh for disobeying him. Is that it?” Llir asked.
“He’s told me that he won’t hurt you if you agree to this meeting. He’s given me his word that you will walk out of the meeting on your own accord—he just wants to talk to you,” Altin said. Llir wanted to call bullshit, but he needed to at least hear his brother out first.
“I’d love to say that I believe him, Altin, but I don’t. You and I both know that father won’t let me just walk out of there if I don’t agree to everything he demands of me. He won’t let me keep Elira and losing her isn’t an option now. I won’t lose her or Tarek—I’m in love with them. We’re going to have a baby—Elira’s pregnant,” Llir whispered as if he was sharing a secret.
“A baby?” he asked. “I’m going to be an uncle?”
“Yep,” Llir said. “And I will be a father. I can tell you that my son or daughter isn’t even here yet, and I would do just about anything to protect him or her. I don’t understand why that seems to be so hard for our father. We’re his blood, Altin. How can he turn his back on us as he has?” He didn’t expect his brother to answer him. It was more of a rhetorical question.
“I don’t remember a time when Ma was around, but Grandmother said that he was a different man when she was alive. Maybe losing her made him the man he is today.” Llir knew that if he lost Elira or Tarek, he wouldn’t be the same man he was now. But he couldn’t imagine turning on his child. It just didn’t seem right to him.
“Will you meet him?” Altin asked.
“You never told me who’s side your on, brother. You told me that you wanted to leave the family, but that’s not the same thing,” Llir said.
“You’re right, it’s not. I’m on your side, Llir. I won’t let father take you back to Albania or split up your new family. I’ll die before I let that happen,” Altin admitted. It was good to know that they were on the same page because Llir felt the same way about his family. He’d die before letting his father lay one finger on Tarek or Elira.
Keeping his unborn child safe needed to start with meeting his father. That would be the only way that they’d ever be able to truly be free. “I’ll meet with him,” Llir agreed. “But it has to be today. Is he in the states?”
“Yes,” Altin said. “Why the hurry though?” he asked.
“I want this over with today. I’m going to have to lie to the two people I love most in this world to sneak off to meet him. I know that I can get away today because we need a few things from the grocery store. I’ll tell Tarek and Elira that I’m heading into town to pick up the things we need, but instead, I’ll drive down to the city to meet father. Will you keep my secret?” he asked.
Altin smiled and nodded. “Just like when we were in high school,” he teased. “You go off and do something to break the rules and I covered for you. Feels like old times,” his brother teased.
“Just promise me that if things go south, you’ll take care of them,” Llir said. “Elira and Tarek will need your help and your protection. Father can’t ever know about the baby—promise me,” Llir demanded.
“Promise,” Altin breathed. “You have my word. They will have my protection, no matter what.”
Thanks, man,” Llir whispered. “I appreciate that.” Altin stood and pulled his brother in for a quick hug. I’ll set up the meeting time and place for later today, and text you the information. In the meantime, you get your story ready—I have a feeling you’ll need it.” Altin left out of the side door and Llir watched as he drove off and down the secluded gravel road.
“Was someone here?” Elira asked. She stood in the doorway, stretching and yawning. He let his eyes roam her body, loving the way she usually chose to wear one of their t-shirts, which were a few sizes too big for her, and a pair of skimpy panties.
“No—no one was here. Just looking outside, watching the sun come up,” he lied. She joined him at the window and looked outside.
Her stomach growled and she covered it with her hands. “I’m starving,” she mumbled. “I’m always hungry. I’m going to get so fat with this baby.” Llir pulled her into his arms and covered her hands with his own, letting them rest on her little belly.
“Not fat,” he corrected, “pregnant. And from everything I’ve learned online, being hungry is a good thing. It means that your body is craving what it needs to feed our baby. So, what can I make you for breakfast?” he asked.
“Um,” she hummed, seeming to think about all the possibilities.
“Keep in mind that I need to run to the grocery store today because our cupboards are bare,” he reminded. Lying to her felt wrong but if his meeting went well, they’d finally be free.
“Okay, what are my options?” she asked.
“Bacon,” he said.
“Yes, please,” she squeaked.
“Eggs,” Llir offered.
Elira wrinkled up her cute little nose, making him chuckle. “No,” she insisted. “I haven’t been able to stomach eggs for weeks now.”
“How about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?” he asked. “I have the strawberry jelly that you like.”
She smiled up at him and enthusiastically nodded. “Yes, please,” she agreed. “With bacon on it too.” Now it was his turn to make a face, causing her to giggle. She grabbed a coffee mug and poured herself a cup of coffee. He shot her a look and she shrugged.
“The doctor said that I can have one cup a day,” she defended. “If you’re going into town today for groceries, will you pick me up my prenatal vitamins?” she asked.
“Of course,” he agreed. “Make me a list of what you would like for me to pick up,” he offered. If all went according to plan, he’d stop by the grocery store on his way home. Then, he’d explain why he lied to them both and pray that they forgive him for deceiving them. Hopefully, they’d have something to celebrate tonight and a future to plan—one where the three of them would be free to live their lives. ****
Llir pulled up to the building at the address his brother had forwarded him. He hated lying to both Tarek and Elira about where he was going, but Altin told him that he had to come to the meeting alone, or his father would refuse to talk to him. He had no choice but to obey his father’s instructions if he wanted any chance of making things right with his family. He just hoped that his father would grant him his freedom, otherwise, he’d be walking into an ambush and he’d never see the two people he loved most again.