Illegal Moves

Chapter 27

Aleks' POV

I just stare at her for a moment. The first thing I notice is her belly. She wears a tank top with a jacket on that is hanging open. She looks huge to me but that's just because the last time I saw her she was still super skinny. Her hair is longer and a lighter blond. Then I notice the look on her face. Pure fear. She keeps looking over her shoulder. When she looks back at me there are tears in her eyes. I don't know what's going on but I can tell she needs a place to stay.

"Ok I don't know what's going on but Iona you're scaring me so you're going to have to explain," 

I say moving out of the doorway so her and the kids can come in. She removes her shoes and tells the kids to do the same and walks into the kitchen. She puts the diaper bag and bag full of toys on the counter and sits in a chair with Adeline on her lap. Suddenly I remember I'm still in my underwear. "I'll be right back," I tell her. Once I have on sweatpants and a white cotton t-shirt I sit down at the table with Iona

"I just got home today and Jim and Maria left so I was watching the kids and Jason showed up saying he was ready for round two," She bites her lip to stop it from trembling. I know she's trying not to cry. I want to hug her and comfort her but this is the first time I've spoken to her in like three months, things were just different now.

She continues her story. "I pretended I was going to change into something...better, so I left him on the porch and got in the car and like I said I had nowhere else to go." Adeline starts to fuss in her lap so Iona gets up to fetch her bottle so I don't say anything. Jack and Megan just stand by the table staring at us, taking in every word.

I reach for the toy bag on the table. "Jack, Megan, do you guys want to come in the living room and play with your toys and watch TV?" They seem to be either scared of the situation or shy of me because they just nod and slowly follow me into the living room. "Here ya go," I say spreading their toys around the floor in front of the coffee table that is in front of the black leather couch. "How bout some TV?" I ask them flipping the TV on. "Ok, Southpark, Family Guy, or American Dad?" I ask them right when Iona walks into the room, with Adeline in her arms, feeding her. She gives me a warning look that makes me chuckle. "Oooor we have Max and Ruby, Dora the Explorer or Sesame Street," I suggest.

"I think Max and Ruby will be just fine," Iona says sitting at the left end of the couch.

"Max and Ruby it is," I say tuning into that show. I sit in the black leather recliner that sits at the opposite end of the couch that Iona is at. We sit and watch the show in silence with just a couple words from Jack and Megan talking to each other with their toys. After a while Jack stands up and walks over to Iona. Jack whispers something to her. Iona then looks over at me. "Jason showed up just as we were going to have supper, they are hungry, can I make them something?" She asks it like she's afraid I'm going to say no.

"You rest, I'll make them something," I give her a weak smile. "Let's go guys," The kids jump up to follow me to the kitchen. They settle into the chairs at the island while I make them Mac'n'cheese. "How's come you don't come to our house anymore?" Jack asks me. I was about to come up with a lie that he would understand but then I knew Iona could hear me from in here so I told him what I should have told her from the very beginning.

"Well Jack, I said something that was very mean and selfish and I wasn't even thinking how awful it was going to be for Iona and I didn't mean any of it, I was just caught in the heat of the moment and it was a mistake. Probably the biggest mistake I've ever made in my life. So Jack, whenever you are all grown up and handsome like me and you meet the love of your life, treat her with the most respect ever. Never let her down. Always be there for her, and most of all, love her with all your heart. Don't do what I did, and mess things up beyond repair," I didn't care if Jack didn't know what I meant, all I know is that Iona heard every word and I'm glad.

After they finish their food, which was a long time because they are slow eaters, we go back to the living room. Iona is asleep with Adeline asleep on her chest. The sight is breathtaking. I just stand and stare, smiling. After a second my smile fades into a frown. Poor Iona, having a baby on you was no way to sleep. I walk to the couch and hover over her and the baby. Ok, I was going to do this. I can do this. I have to get over the fear sometime. I reach down and gently pick Adeline off of Iona's chest. Instantly I know I have to man up and be the guardian Adeline needs right now. I hold her against my chest, with her head snuggled on my shoulder. I walk into the kitchen to get her pink blanket out of the diaper bag. I drape it over her small body and walk back to the living room. I don't want her to wake up so I just continue to stand and rock her at the same time.

Iona's POV

I had fallen asleep to Aleks' beautiful words to Jack. The only thing I disagreed with in his words were 'messed up beyond repair'. I think there is certainly room for mending.

A faint cry wakes me. There is a lightness to my chest and I realize there isn't a baby on me anymore. I look up to see Aleks feeding Adeline. Instantly a huge smile spreads across my face. He finally got over his fear of holding infants. I don't think I have ever been this proud of someone.

Aleks is so focused on Adeline that he doesn't even see me walk up behind him in the recliner. I put my hands on his shoulder and lean down to whisper in his ear, "You are amazing," and then I walk up the stairs to the bathroom, not waiting to see his response. I go to wash my face in the sink and catch a glimpse of the cup that had his toothbrush in it. A smile creeps up on my face, mine was still there too. I take it out of the cup and use it. When I am done I go back downstairs.

Aleks is asleep in his recliner with Adeline also asleep. Jack and Megan are still playing. "Hey let's go to bed now, you guys can both sleep on the couch," I say turning the TV off and getting two blanket from the closet. I tuck them in and then walk over to Aleks at his chair. I kiss him on the cheek, "Goodnight Aleks," And I go into his bedroom to sleep.

Aleks' POV

I wake up at like three in the morning. The lights are off and so is the TV. Jack and Megan are asleep on the couch and Adeline asleep on me. I get up, still holding Adeline, and go to my room to see if Iona is in there. I crack open the door. She was huddled under all the sheets. God I wished I was huddled against her. Adeline starts to move against me. Then I remember something, all the nursery stuff I had for Angie and our baby was still all put together in the storage room. I lay Adeline in between Jack and Megan on the couch and head upstairs. I move the white crib from the storage room and move it into the empty bedroom. I grab the baby monitor too. I go back down stairs and grab Adeline. I tuck her into the crib. "ALEKS!" I hear Iona scream frantically. Luckily Adeline stays asleep so I run downstairs. As I run to my bedroom, I expect to see Jason or something like that but when bust through the door the lights are on and Iona has the covers off of her and she sits in a pool of blood. I rush over to her. "Oh god! Uh what happened?" I ask in a panic.

Iona is on the verge of tears. "I don't know. I just woke up and I was having cramps really badly so I reached over to turn the lamp on and I threw back the covers and it was everywhere," "Oh god, what if there's something wrong with the baby," She starts to panic and cry at the same time. I sit down where there isn't blood and pull her into a hug. After a minute I pull away, "I need to get you to the hospital," I say standing up. I reach for her hand. "Can you stand?" I help her off the bed.

"I don't want to bleed all over your truck," She says sniffling. I turn and hold her face in my hands.

"The truck is the least of my worries right now. You are all that matters. Besides, I'll just get a bunch of towels." She just nods and continues to walk out of the room. She stops against.

"What about the kids? We can't leave them and they can't come!" She panics even more.

"I'll call my mom and if she doesn't answer I'll call my sister," I tell her. After getting many towels I call my mother.

Iona is standing by the couch. "Let's go, my mom is on her way," I take her hand and lead her out to the truck. I drape the towels over the seat and help her in. As I am getting in my mom pulls in. She pulls her car up beside mine and rolls the window down so that I can speak to her. "Jack and Megan are on the couch and there is a baby, Adeline, upstairs in the old nursery," I inform my mother.

"Okay I can handle it, you just get her to the hospital. Don't worry about us," She smiles and I back out of the driveway.