Feel My Love

Chapter Twenty-Four: Meant to Be

“You’re having a baby,” Irene whispered surprised staring at her youngest daughter, she hadn’t been expecting Aoife to announce that she had fallen pregnant; she had hoped to talk about a family gathering.

Aoife nodded her head smiling, it had been a couple of days since the doctor had confirmed to the couple that they were expecting; the baby was healthy and Aoife had the rest of the week of school to relax.

“We are,” Aoife replied brushing her fingers against her stomach, she carried such a small bump that she was surprised that she was sixteen weeks pregnant.

Aoife had come to her parents’ home to break the news that she was expecting, she wanted it to come from her instead of the papers telling her family; Marco was thrilled and had already picked a room for the nursery.

Irene sat silently, she didn’t know what to say and her stomach turned at the thought that Belle and Aoife could both be carrying Marco’s child; this wasn’t how it was meant to be and it would only get worse.

Aoife stared at her mother, she frowned a little at the lack of reaction that Irene gave; she had no idea what was wrong since she had thought her mother would be thrilled.

The sound of the doorbell made Irene jump, she blinked at the sound before getting up and hurrying to the door; Aoife watched her go and wondered what her mother was up to, she listened as she heard a familiar voice in the hallway.

Aoife held her breath, she knew that voice anywhere and she prayed her mother hadn’t done what she thought she had; she didn’t think that she would be able to forgive her mother if that was Belle.

“What is she doing here?” Aoife hissed furiously when Belle stepped into the living room with their mother, she couldn’t believe that Irene had done this to her; not when she had broken the news that she was expecting her first child with Marco.

Belle blinked surprised at the tone that Aoife had used, she had been expecting a bit of a warmer welcome since they were in their parents’ home; she wanted things to be normal again between them.

“She is your sister Aoife… I want you two to talk,” Irene murmured knowing that her daughter had every right to be mad, she didn’t want her daughters fighting anymore since she couldn’t decide between them and she didn’t want to lose either of them.

Aoife gritted her teeth, she had no idea why her mother that that this would change anything; she wanted nothing to do with Belle who was getting away with everything, she would happily cut her sister from her life.

“So what are we talking about?” Belle asked moving to sit down, she wasn’t about to let anything come between her and her parents.

Irene smiled glad that one of her daughters was being reasonable, she couldn’t see why Aoife was so upset about all of this; she wasn’t the one who had been wronged and Irene was willing to forgive and forget for the sake of Belle’s unborn baby.

“Aoife had some wonderful news,” Irene replied sitting down a tight smile on her face wondering what was going to happen when Belle found out that Marco had fathered a child with her sister; she had a feeling that Belle still held feelings for the man that she had dumped at the altar.

Belle blinked watching her mother, she could tell her mother wasn’t happy about Aoife’s news and she wondered what it could be; she thought for a moment that maybe her sister’s marriage had fallen apart since she had last seen her.

Belle knew it was wrong but she prayed that she wouldn’t have to live forever with Marco as her brother-in-law, it was cruel and she knew that.

“I’m pregnant,” Aoife announced smiling, she didn’t care what Belle thought only that she was having a baby and she was happy; she had little interest in anything that her sister had to say about that fact.

Belle stared at Aoife, this wasn’t meant to be happening and she feared what it would mean now; she had never thought that Marco would have a baby with her sister so soon.

“With Marco’s baby?” Belle asked without thinking, she had always thought that she would be the woman to give Marco his first child and there was a chance that she still might.

Irene blinked at what Belle was suggesting, she knew that Aoife wouldn’t cheat on Marco; she wished that they wouldn’t start any trouble now that they were actually talking.

“Of course… I’m not you Belle, I know who the father of my child is,” Aoife sniped looking at her sister, she couldn’t help herself since she had been nothing but loyal to Marco while her sister had cheated; she wasn’t going to be tarnished with the same brush.

Belle glared at Aoife, she couldn’t believe that Aoife had talked to her like that, she hadn’t meant for this situation to happen and she wished Aoife would stop being so mean; she was happy and that’s what should matter to her sister.

“Aoife apologise to your sister,” Irene chastened she wanted their family to do better and she wished that they could get along; she wanted to be a part of both of her daughter’s lives.

Aoife rolled her eyes, she had no idea what her mother thought was going to happen after what Belle had done; she wasn’t ever going to forgive her sister for the mess that she had caused until she paid their parents back every penny that she had lost or taken from them.

“Not until she pays you back,” Aoife snapped growing tired of her mother’s passiveness, she wanted Irene to see that Belle couldn’t keep getting away with everything.

Irene opened and closed her mouth, she was surprised that Aoife was talking back to her; she had never thought that this would happen and it worried her.

“How could you talk like that I’m your sister?” Belle asked shocked at how dismissive Aoife was being, she had no idea what was going to happen but she had a feeling that this was it.

Aoife snorted fed up with her sister, she didn’t know why Irene couldn’t see that Belle was using her and she wished that their parents would open their eyes and see that this wasn’t going to help.

“You’re no sister of mine and you haven’t been for months,” Aoife hissed not recalling an actual moment that her sister had been happy for her since she had married Marco.

Aoife could only guess that somewhere inside of Belle there were strong feelings for Marco, it scared Aoife just how much Belle could still care for Marco and if her husband felt the same in some small way.

“How can I be happy for you when you took what was mine?” Belle hissed getting to her feet, she rested her hand on her bump staring at her sister knowing that she couldn’t pretend if Aoife wasn’t going to play nice anymore.

Irene looked between her two daughters, this wasn’t how she had wanted things to happen and she wished they wouldn’t fight; she wanted to be able to support them both and wanted Aoife to talk to her sister.

“He isn’t yours… you choose David,” Aoife snapped getting to her own feet, she couldn’t believe that Belle was trying to blame all of this on her; she had stepped up and now loved Marco so much, it clearly didn’t matter to her sister.

Irene was silent, she closed her eyes wanting the fighting to stop before they said something stupid; she didn’t see the look that Aoife gave her.

“I can’t do this… you’ve clearly chosen the daughter you prefer,” Aoife spat furious that her mother couldn’t see that Belle wasn’t going to change, she shook her head before she stormed out of the house she had once called home.