Against All Odds

Chapter Twenty

The bed is empty when I wake up, the stark coldness of the sheets causing me to flick open my eyes. Milo isn't next to me, something that is very strange. The clock on the bedside table reads a little after six in the morning, which has me groaning. I can't imagine why Milo is up this early, especially since he doesn't have to go to work today.

But then I remember what today is, and I am already forcing myself out of bed. Today is the court date, the one that we have been waiting months for. Hari, our lawyer, had been trying her hardest to settle this case out of the courtroom, but Aaron and his lawyer weren't budging. They didn't want Milo to have anything, so we had to drag them to court.

Milo has been worked up about this ever since we got the date, something that isn't good when he is pregnant. Add in the fact that he hasn't spoken to his brother ever since they had the fight and Milo has been a nervous wreck.

The hallway is silent, the only clue of where Milo might be is the light speaking out from under the door that opens to the nursery. Letting out a long sigh, already worried about what I might find, I force myself to open the door.

Milo is sitting in the rocking chair, methodically folding the many clothes that everyone- mostly my grandama- has gotten us. The room is already almost finished. Grandama had bought almost everything for us, not listening to our protests when we told her that she didn't have to buy everything for us, and certainly not some of the most expensive things on the market. But she wouldn't listen, going ahead and buying all of it anyway and threatening to only buy all the stuff again if we tried to return it.

"Love, what are you doing in here?" I whisper, watching as Milo startles slightly, his hand flying to his stomach, a protective action that he has taken on lately. It helps that he has a bump now, something that had started to grow significantly over the past few weeks. While it is still pretty small compared to other omegas, it looks bigger on Milo's small frame. "You should be sleeping."

He gives a small shake of his head, going back to the folding once he gets over being startled. "Couldn't sleep. Too worried."

"Do you think we won't win?" I ask, not angry, just curious. "We have some serious stuff we can use against Aaron. I don't think the judge will side with him."

"I-I don't know, Ollie, and that's why I'm so scared," he whispers. "Today I find out if I am going to lose practically everything. Aaron has always gotten what he wanted, and it doesn't help that my parents are siding with him."

"We'll get through this, love. There's no way that the judge can side with him," I say, finally pushing away from the door and kneeling in front of him. Taking his hands, I wait for him to meet my eyes. "Have you talked to Nico lately?"

He gives a small shake of his head, eyes falling away from me. "No. He's tried calling, but every time I think about answering, I just get upset all over again."

"He's worried about you," I say, giving his hands a squeeze when he tries to pull away.

"You've been talking to him?" His words are tinged with disbelief, blue eyes wide.

"Yes. I know what he did hurt you, but I think you should listen to him."

"He betrayed me, Ollie! How can you be siding with him?"

Steeling my eyes, I squeeze his hands again. "Stop that. I am always on your side, and you know that. I am always here to help you do what's best for you, and that's why I am talking to him. You and I both know that Nico has a soft spot for the omegas in his life, especially when it comes to your Oma. He has never been able to say no to either of you. So, it shouldn't be that surprising that she was able to pester him enough to get information about you out of him.