Spotlight

e i g h t e e n ;

Tiffany

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The sound of water splashing and the boat engine roaring soothes me as I lay on the bow of Elio's boat, "Hey bug." I hear his voice and turn around to see my beautiful husband in his swim trunks and a Corona in his hand, "Hey baby." I smile and he sits at my feet, "Nice weather, eh?" He takes a sip of his beer and I nod, adjusting my sunglasses. My father drives the boat as Lainey holds Rafael in her lap, sitting on the opposite side of the bow.

"How is he doing?" I ask, "Good, really relaxed." Lainey smiles. I didn't know how she did it, pushed a human being out of her body. I heard her screams of pain in the hallway, it sounded awful. I watched as she struggled to get comfortable in the hospital bed with her big round belly and hardcore contractions.

It was a beautiful moment though. Elio was worried sick about the mother of his baby and so was I but she did it. I heard the crying and walked in as the doctor was cleaning Lainey up and cringed but turned my focus away from that and saw Elio and Lainey admiring their little boy. We didn't know the sex, Lainey wanted a surprise.

Although they were both hoping for a girl, they immediately fell in love with Rafael. I watched as they shed tears of happiness and welcomed their son to the world. It hurt a little, knowing my husband's first child didn't come from me but that was drowned with happiness. I loved that little boy. He looked just like Lainey but with Elio's nose and chin. It was amazing.

"Wanna hold him?" Lainey snaps me out of daydreaming back to that day, "Oh, uhm," I nervously sit up, "C'mon babe, he's two months old now and you still haven't held him." Elio pats my bare knee, since I was wearing a bikini, and Lainey stands up with Rafael slightly squirming in her arms.

I cradle my arms and she hands him to me, "Uh-oh, is someone getting baby fever?" My father teases and I chuckle, looking down at Raf. He was blessed with grey eyes from Lainey's side. Her grandfather had one gray eye and one blue one. His pictures are beautiful.

"Hey buddy, I'm your step-mommy." I smile and the baby opens his eyes, "Hi." I rub his nose with my own, "One day." I hear my husband whisper and smile to myself. One day for sure. It's been almost a year since we ran and we couldn't be more happier. Frankie got all the connections and everything else he wanted and we ran after warning Elio's family and he got to finalize his divorce. His family came along with us to Brazil and Elio bought them a house. I love his family. They treat as if I was their own, it feels good.

My father met a woman here and he's now a married man. Their wedding was amazing. I was Karina's maid of honor and I gotta say, I liked wearing a dress. Of course, Elio ripped it off and we made love in our kitchen that night. I liked that too. We haven't had much trouble anymore. No one has come looking for us or anything so it feels good not having to watch every move I make.

Rafael makes a babble and I smile, "He's saying Dad pulls all the hot ones." Elio smirks and I smile as I roll my eyes and Lainey laughs, "I was forced." Lainey teases and lays back, trying to catch a tan, "What's your excuse?" Elio nudges me as I stare at the baby in my arms, "Huh? Oh, uh," I begin to think and he smiles, "Baby fever, huh?" He kisses my cheek and I blush.

"Little bit." I admit and kiss Rafael's head, "This little guy changed a lot on all of us." I say and everyone agrees, even my father. My dad loved Raf, he thought of him as his grandson even though he's not biologically mine but he thinks of Elio as his son. When Elio went to my father to ask for my hand in marriage, my dad lit up. Even made a bet with Karina and won. Do I wanna know what she paid? Nope.

I play with Rafael a little before handing him to Elio and watching them two together. It was obvious, they would have the typical father-son relationship but Rafael would also be a hardcore Momma's boy at heart to Lainey and I hope to be his best friend, not just his step mom. I want him to come to me when he feels like Elio or Lainey wouldn't understand and he would talk to me.

I hear my father take a call and turn to look at him. My face drops when I see a stone, cold look on his face, "Let her go." He growls and I stand up, catching everyone else's attention. I walk over to him and he puts the phone on speaker, turning off the boat as well.

"We will after you give us what we want." The voice says and Elio hands Rafael to Lainey before walking over to us too, "What the hell do you want?" My father snaps, "Your daughter and her step-baby. Either you give us them or we all get to know your lovely wife a little better before dropping her in the river. Your choice." They hang up and my father grunts, slamming his hand against the side of the boat.

"Son of a bitch." Elio snarls, "What? Who is it?" I ask, he must've recognized the voice, "The only motherfucker that knows anything about us running, the only sick son of a bitch that knows about Rafael, the only fucking bitch that knows about you. My old manager, Derek. He was always crooked but I'm gonna put him straight. Let's go." My husband starts the boat up and begins to head back to shore.

And when I was beginning to think we were done with our old ways.