No Regrets

Chapter Sixty-Eight - War Amongst Ourselves

DOMINICK'S POV

"People say one of the hardest parts of losing a child is the time spent in the hospital." Aria says, she reaches into her bag and pulls out a white rose. She rests it on the bottom of the stone. "Not true, the hardest part is leaving the hospital without your baby."

My mind fails to come up with words to say. All I can do is look from the gravestone to Aria. I was dating Nikki during the time Aria would have been pregnant and afterwards. I can even recall seeing Aria a few times when Nikki would sneak me in, she never looked pregnant or looked to be anywhere near grieving. Nikki wasn't cold hearted, she would have been clearly upset. You blind, fool.

"How?" The question comes out of my mouth before my mind locks away the word bank.

"Are you asking how did he die?" Aria asks. F*ck you brain! I silently curse. That was one of the most insensitive things to say!  "Or, how did we hide it?" Aria asks. She doesn't turn around to face me. I see her shoulders rise a bit and then fall as she lets out a sigh. "No one could know, my parents made it clear that my 'failure as a woman and my failure as a daughter' would not be made public. It was a battle for them to even allow this gravestone to be made... and there were of course restrictions and conditions." Aria runs her fingers along the name. She stands up, her back still facing me.

"That's beyond cruel. None of this was your fault." I say unable to hide my disgust. I go to reach for her hand but stop myself and pull back. "Why... why stay there? Why not leave? Why let them force you into secrecy?" The questions come flooding out.

Aria wraps her arms around herself. "I got emancipated." She says. "I am emancipated from them, I lived on my own for a while at a center." She continues to look up at the sky. "You must think me to be a horrible mother or a weak woman, and you're right. I hide the very existence of my son, all because I was afraid of my parents."

"Aria, I do not and could not ever think that lowly of you." I say taking a step forward. "And you're not a bad-" Aria holds a hand up cutting me off. She slowly turns around to where only one side of her face sees me, there is a sad curl of her lip.

"You asked why I stay with my parents, the answer is, for Nikki. I came back in when Nikki got pregnant... and when she died..." Aria clenches her fists, "..and my parents started fighting for custody, I knew. I had to stay and do everything I could for Mollie." Aria turns her head a bit more, our eyes meet, her eyes are filling with tears. She places her forearm over her eyes. She takes a deep breath. "But I soon discovered, I couldn't do the one thing, the whole reason I stayed. I can't protect her, I can't go against my parents or stand up to them, all I can do is run away."

My mind locks up on me again, Aria turns back around and lowers her arm. "Stay here as long as you wish, I have to go." she says. She walks away, leaving me standing in between her son and Nikki's graves. I reach my hand out but I quickly drop it. I turn back around and walk back to  Nikki's grave.

No words are said. No movements towards it are made. I start walking back to my car, I stop to take one last look at Nikki's grave. This feels like it may be the last time I come here, at least for a while.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Turning onto our street, I recognize Linkon's car parked on the side of the street in front of the house. I forgot I'd asked him to come over today, there is a lot to discuss with the custody hearing date fast approaching. When getting closer to the driveway, I spot Linkon near Dad's car, quickly after spotting him I take note of his expression. He's not happy, his mouth is moving, he's talking to someone who I can't see. They must be on the other side of the car or near the hood. I park my car in the driveway and put it in park.