Inferno Part 2

~126~ The Memory Continues

Ellie's POV

Alex chuckles as he squeezes my hand after Liam asks him what happened next.

Alex clears his throat and looks at Liam hard. "Well, Liam. I love you with everything that I have, but I'm sorry. Telling your grandpa that you were coming was the hardest thing I've ever done. Definitely didn't help that Jake beat the crap outta' me."

Liam flinches a little. He knew that Jake attacked him, but he doesn't know the details.

Jaxson climbs in my lap and snuggles in. He can sense the mood. I kiss his head, and he looks up and grins at me. Alex reaches over and picks him up, off my lap, cradling him close. Jaxson settles in as Alex starts bringing everyone back into our past.

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I'm six months pregnant and I'm having trouble hiding my stomach. Everything I own hardly fits.

I go into the kitchen to get some chips and a soda. As I'm eating, Jake comes into the kitchen.

"Man, Ellie, you're starting to get fat. Start eating a vegetable once in a while, you cow."

Alex stiffens next to me.

"What are you looking at?" Jake asks as he gets in Alex's face.

"Back up, Jake," I say as I shove him away from Alex.

"Need a girl to defend you? Maybe if you weren't such a princess your daddy wouldn't knock you around so much."

I promptly knee Jake in the balls.

"Ahhhhh," he yells as he grabs himself.

Dad comes in then and rolls his eyes.

"Did you just kick your brother?"

"Yup"

"Why?"

"Because he's evil."

Dad rolls his eyes again. "One day I'm going to die and it will just be the three of you. Start loving each other," he says as he goes in the other room.

After Jake quits dying, he glares at me. "I hate you so much."

I blow him a kiss and wink at him.

When he goes in the other room, Alex looks at me.

"We've got to tell your dad, El. People are starting to talk."

"What people?"

"School people. You've been wearing my sweatshirts a lot lately."

I sigh. I don't want to.

"How?" I finally ask.

He shakes his head. "I have absolutely no idea. Let's do it now."

"You sure we can't wait longer?"

"When?"

"I don't know. When the baby gets here?"

Alex chuckles. "Maybe we should tell him a little before then."

"You sure?"

"Ellie, come on. I don't want to do this either. We need to be the ones to tell him."

I just nod.

"I can't sneak a beer beforehand, right?!?"

Alex laughs. "No"

"Ok, lover. Let's do it."

Alex snorts and rolls his eyes, smacking my butt.

As we're about to walk into the living room, he grabs my hand and pulls me in close.