I roll my eyes, he’s being a fucking pussy not wanting to be around Mom. “We’ll be down in a few minutes.” I end the call and walk back inside Mom’s room.
“Did you find your father?” Mom asks.
“Yeah, he’s waiting outside for us.”
Mom laughs. “Yeah, I think your father is a bit jittery around me. I don’t understand why, it’s not like I was the one to betray him. I was faithful in our marriage.”
Christ. “Now isn’t the time Mom.”
She shrugs. “It’s the truth, the man is a coward. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself.”
I glance at Mia, she’s looking down at her hands, her lips pulled into a thin line. She’s trying her best to keep quiet. “Mom, now isn’t the damn time,” I say through gritted teeth.
Mom realizes what she’s said and looks sheepishly at Mia, “Sorry.”
Mia shrugs, “No need to apologize.”
“Come on, we’d better go and find Dad. Don’t want him to have something to complain about.” I reach out and take Mia’s hand. “Mom, I’ll stop by tomorrow, try not to annoy any of the nursing staff.”
She looks insulted. “I wouldn’t dare, I’ll be the best patient they’ll ever have.”
“Of course you will be.”
“Bye, Marline.” Mia says softly and I think she’s upset about what Mom was saying but she won’t say anything. She’s just not like that. As soon as we’re out of Mom’s room she asks me about Dad. “Is he okay?”
No he isn’t, I can tell by his voice and the way he’s acting. He’s distracted, his mind is elsewhere. “I’d say he’s as okay as you are.”
She makes a weird noise in the back of her throat. “That good huh?”
“You’ll both get there, Princess.”
She stops and turns to face me. “I know we will. You’ll get us there, just like you did when Lacey died and after he raped me.”
Fuck me. “Mia…” my voice cracks, what the fuck is this girl doing to me? “You’re incredible, Princess, there’s no other way to describe you.”
She presses her lips together. “I’m not going to cry.” Her nostrils flare as she tries not to cry. “I love you. When we get home, we’ll talk, okay?”
“Sounds ominous. Love you too though, Princess, that’s never going to change.” I pull her toward me, her head resting against my shoulder. “Let’s go get Dad.”
Walking outside, Dad’s waiting for us, and just like Mom he opens his arms and Mia willingly walks into them, they whisper to one another, whatever Mia says to Dad has his eyes closed in pain. They pull away from each other, and Mia wipes tears from her eyes as she walks back toward me, her arms sliding around my waist.
“I’ll leave you two alone tonight, I’ll swing by tomorrow.” That’s his way of saying he wants his space. I can’t even begin to imagine what he’s going through, I’d lose my shit if Mia died, I’d go on a rampage, I’d kill everyone in sight. I wouldn’t give a shit who I took down. Dad’s being calm and I’m waiting until his anger hits, because that’s when the shit’s going to hit the fan.
We say our goodbyes and Mia and I go back to the car, she’s gone quiet again and I know she’s thinking about whatever Dad said to her. Mia and her mom had a rough end to their relationship, and I’m partly responsible, if I hadn't met Mia again, none of this would have happened but at the same time, I wouldn’t change it all, she’s fucking amazing.
The drive to our house is quiet and I’m starting to get on edge, I’m wondering what Mia wants to talk about. Whatever has happened, it sure as fuck has me on edge. I’ve had every scenario running through my mind, and yet I can’t think of anything that could have happened. If it has to do with Martin, I’ll lose the damn plot. She’s staring out the window, the entire journey, her mind elsewhere.
“I’m going to get changed, I won’t be long,” she says as I open the door, she pushes past me and rushes to our bedroom. I leave her be, knowing that she won’t say anything, not just yet. Let her come to me, it’ll be the best way for her to open up to me. Walking into the kitchen, I grab a beer and wait for Mia in the sitting room.
She walks into the sitting room, dressed in my t-shirt, it’s hanging off her. She sits on the sofa that’s opposite me, I see that she’s not wearing panties and my mind instantly transports back to the day I found her on that filthy fucking mattress. “So,” she begins, and I look at her. “I haven’t been feeling well lately.”
I frown, “What?”
She shrugs, “I’ve been more tired than usual, I’ve been getting heartburn, and I’ve been feeling nauseous.”
“Okay?” I’m still confused, why didn’t she tell me.
“I thought it was stress, everything that I’d been through, I presumed it was that.” She sounds so worried.
“Mia, tell me what’s going on?”
“I realized that I was late, or that I couldn’t remember the last time I had one.”
“Mia, Princess, you’re going to have to break it down for me.”
“Hudson, I bought a pregnancy test and I took it this morning.” A tear slowly slides down her face, I follow it as it drops to her cheek and onto her lip.
My breath leaves me in a whoosh, my eyes widen as I realize just what she’s saying. “Mia, are you pregnant?”
She nods. “Yes, I’m pregnant.”
I blink. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
She glances at her hands, wringing them together. “Because I wasn’t sure who the father was.” More tears fall from her, I don’t watch them this time, instead I get up off the sofa and walk over to her. Crouching down in front of her, I wipe the tears away. “I didn’t want to tell you, I didn’t want you to know.”
“That it could be his?” She nods, the tears falling faster. “Princess, do you think I give a shit? You’re mine and that means any baby you have is mine too.”
She sobs. “I didn’t know if I could raise his baby. I didn’t know if I would be strong enough.” She wipes her tears and looks at me. “I wasn’t sure if I could overlook what he did to me and see the beautifulness of the baby.” She shakes her head. “I was scared.” She confesses quietly
“Whatever you want to do, I’m behind you every step of the way.” I say without hesitation.
She nods. “I don’t think I could get rid of the baby.”
I guess it’s something that she has to decide for herself. “What about when you fainted? Are you both okay?”
She reaches her hand out and her fingers intertwine with mine. “Yes, we’re both fine.”
I bring her hands to my lips and kiss them. “Whatever happens, we’ll get through it. I meant what I said princess, if it’s his, I don’t give a shit, your kid, is mine too.” I’ll make sure that Martin has no fucking idea that Mia’s pregnant, he’ll never get to see my child. Ever.
Her lips part, and her tears are soaking her eyelashes but she smiles so brightly. “It’s not his Hudson,” she whispers and it’s like a punch in the gut, the wind is taken from me. “I love you, I love that you would have raised this baby with me if it wasn’t yours. But it is.”