Friction [Book 2]

-over-

"Pete, what are you talking about? Is something wrong with Bronx? Is he sick?"

Despite wanting to never spill a word of the tale, I knew I had to. This was one of the most important things that had ever happened and even though nobody wanted this situation, we were presented right into it.

I stared at Ellianah. Her hair was light and loosely tied up. Her nails were painted a shimmering navy blue colour and her eyes were still as bright as always. She was sat upright, back against the pile of pillows, and her hands were intently gripping onto my own, which were violently shaking. She was petrified and so was I.

How was I supposed to break the news? This wasn't just an 'I slept with someone', it was an 'I slept with someone and I have another kid and he's coming to live with us'.

There was no way around it, I had to tell her. I had to.

"Ellianah, you know when I screwed up that one time? But you knew that I love you and you forgave me for being such a dick because I realised what I'd done and that I was stupid because I have a beautiful girl all to myself, right?"

Feebly, she nodded.

"Well, I, uh, there's been some complications with the girl and-"

"Pete what do you mean? What kind of complications? What are you trying to tell me here?"

Her voice shadowed a range of emotions but I could only pick out fear, anger and worry. I hated myself. I hated the girl I slept with and I wanted to hate Jacob. But I couldn't hate him. He was my son and I had to deal with it.

"Ellianah I have another son."

Her face fell. Her lips dropped into a straight line and one by one, her fingers let go of my hand. I saw her chest rise and fall, I watched as she didn't even make eye contact with me, as she stared at the white washed wall dead ahead.

She parted her lips and let out a shaky breath, squeezing her eyes shut. When she opened them, tear droplets trickled down her pale skin.

"I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"I know."

She silence me with her voice. It was monotone and unreadable but I got the message. She didn't want me to justify myself at all, not one word, not one more 'I'm sorry'. She didn't want to hear it, she'd heard enough of those from me.

"And is he okay?"

She spoke again, not looking at me.

"H-he's okay. He's in intensive care but, he's okay, yeah."

As she nodded her head, I realised what an amazing woman I was in the presence of. I had just dropped, perhaps, the biggest bomb onto our relationship and the only thing she commented on was the health and safety of Jacob.

She didn't care for a second about herself. She always put other people first.

"I got a call from management, the guys said that, um, that she, the girl, couldn't afford to look after the baby. She said she wanted $200,000 in return for him and her not saying anything to anybody."

"I'm hoping you said yes."

"I did, of course I did."

"Good, because there's going to be a lot of extra space in the house, in your house."

Her words hit me like a pile of bricks. Reading between the lines here was easy. She was out. She was gone. She didn't want anything to do with me and I didn't expect anything less. I had lost her again.

"Ellianah I know that this is a lot to take in but you have to understand that-"

"I do understand, Pete. I understand fully. I admire you for taking responsibility for your son but this couldn't have happens at a worse time. I'll move out for a while, until you sort stuff out."