TIFFIN 3

77

As days went on, my backside ached like nothing else. Hero had been right when he'd described the coloring. It had been purple and raised a few concerns, but really what would I have told doctors? 

That my husband and I had gotten frisky in the bedroom and I'd liked that he'd bruised me to completion? 

Hell to the no. It would be a fresh day in hell before I did that! 

Visiting Diedre still wasn't negotiable, so I took the following week tending to my poor bottom. A few bubble baths (though it stung the first day) and soothing cream and the marks were nothing but a faraway memory.

Much to my glee, now that it was clear me and Hero had been- quote on quote- taking a break, the rumors seemed to have settled.

Eli accepted that his chances were shot to hell, but Cole didn't seem to quite to get the memo.
 
He didn't seek me out or anything, but he always had this challenging glance in his eyes. This didn't bother Hero one bit. In fact, he seemed to have fun with keeping Cole around just to tease him. 

Perhaps he really was a masochist. 

I wasn't surprised by the amount of requests we recieved for television interviews. I wanted to keep quiet because of the pregnancy and the danger we had just survived from. 

Unfortunately I couldn't keep everyone at bay. Somehow all our parents that had been rightfully pissed at Evengot and Diedre, were even more so when they caught wind of my intentions.

Emma grew into some uncontrollable beast of which I'd never seen before. She practically salivated as she growled out her demands: 

"I'm the first one to get in that bitches face! I warned her and now she's getting what's coming to her!" 

Thank god Archie had been there. He'd managed to calm her down, but it didn't change her mind. In the end, all the parents were scheduled to come along to the station with us.

When the day finally came for the visit, the tension on the ride over was palpable. I was sure our parents had been rehearsing some choice words and Hero and I had been doing much the same.

I felt for my man. I hated Diedre in every way possible, and while he may have stated that she was nothing to him, she was all he'd known for years. 
Mixed in with all the abuse and manipulation, she had been his grandmother. I had to accept that this wouldn't be easy for him. 

I sagged in relief with the guards at the front said that only I could see Diedre. They only had so many places to sit and they didn't want a riot to commence. 

This would keep any threats at bay and Hero wouldn't have to front as much. 

It was just her and I. 

It felt oddly normal as I was led back to the familiar glass barriers. I had been here so many times it started to feel like a routine in my life. 

How sad was that? 

I was shocked when I saw Diedre on the other end. I supposed she'd been expecting Hero when she heard she'd gained a visitor but when she saw me, she grimaced. 

Good. I wasn't glad to see her either. 

She didn't look like she'd been faring well. Prison clearly didn't agree with her. Her once immaculate hair and skin, was now barren and ragged, making her look her actual age. 

Well, she was human after all. 

As I picked up my phone, she followed the action in unison. 

"Hello," I greeted, "Diedre. I see we have much to settle." 

With one dark look at my belly, she grinned coldly. 

"So we do. Where shall I begin?"