This Isn't My Idea of Love

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Separation

Lionel sighed as he pulled to a stop outside the house were Viola was now living, he had insisted on her staying in one of the houses that he owed in the city; he hated that she had moved out of their home and wanted her to come home.

Lionel stared at the house for a moment before he climbed out of his Lexus, the house where Viola was staying had a wonderful view of the city; he had bought it when he had got his first pay check after falling in love with it.

Walking up to the door, Lionel briefly wondered if he would ever convince the brunette to return home with him; at first he had thought that maybe this would be over quickly, but as the weeks passed it was clear that this might be a permanently.

Viola had just turned twenty-seven weeks pregnant and the last five weeks had been stressful for Lionel, he had found himself torn between his wife and ex-girlfriend; he wished that he could go back in time and stop any of this from happening.

The footballer knocked on the door, he shifted nervously as he waited for Viola to answer the door; he hated that she wasn’t there when he came home from training, Antonella had all but moved in when the brunette had moved out.

Lionel had told her that nothing had changed but she didn't seem to listen to him, it was like she wasn’t listening to him and she thought that everything could go back to normal to before Viola had come into the picture.

Lionel smiled as Viola opened the front door to him, she smiled as she looked at him; she hadn't seen him in nearly a week; she knew that he still loved Antonella and she couldn't replace that.

“Hola,” the brunette said as she stepped aside to allow him inside, she knew that this would probably be the only visit that she would get for the next week.

“Hola, how have you been?” Lionel asked as he looked at his wife, it killed him that he was missing so much of her life and pregnancy; his team-mates were all a little annoyed with him that Viola had moved out while Antonella spent so much time with him.

“I’ve been good,” the brunette said as she nodded her head, she rested a hand on the swell of her stomach; she knew that he held hope that she would come home, but right now while Antonella was in the picture she couldn't bring herself to.

Lionel smiled at her, he would do anything to bring her back home; he didn't want to lose her and is scared him what would happen if it didn't happen before his son was born.

“So what have you been up to?” Viola said as the two of them entered the living room, she knew that the media were asking questions about their separation; they wanted to know why Viola had moved out and why Antonella seemed to be hanging around again.

“You know the usual… training’s been good and I finished the nursery back home,” Lionel said as he sat down.

Viola sighed as she looked at him; she didn't know if she could return to the home that she had once shared with him, all that she could see if the home that he had shared with Antonella now.

***

The two of them spent the afternoon together, Lionel was determined to prove to his wife that she was the one that he wanted; he hoped that he wasn’t the father of Antonella’s daughter so he could turn his full attention back to Viola and their son.

He smiled softly as he prepared to head home alone, he hated that she wasn’t changing her mind about coming home; he wanted them to be a family and he feared what the future held if she didn't come home.

“So I will see you soon,” Viola said not knowing when she would see her husband again, he looked at her sadly wishing that it hadn't come to this; he hated that he wasn’t able to come home to his wife anymore and he knew that it was his own fault.

“Maybe we could meet up for lunch tomorrow?” Lionel said hopefully as he prepared to head to his empty home; he had a feeling that Antonella would probably be waiting for him, she didn't understand that he wasn’t interested.

Viola knew better than to agree to his offer, they had tried this before but since Antonella had her claws firmly in their marriage; she wasn’t about to allow the couple any time lone together.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Viola said making Lionel look at her sadly, he knew that she didn't like spending time with Antonella; she was already un-nerved that her son could have a half-sister.

“Por favor… I swear just the two of us,” Lionel begged as he stepped towards his wife hopefully, he hated that there was so much distance between them; he wanted to go back to a time when they were happy.

Viola licked her lips as she looked at her husband, she knew what he wanted and she had to admit that she wanted it as well; however with Antonella’s presence in their lives, the brunette didn't feel comfortable to go back to the way they had been.

“Leo, I can’t,” Viola said shaking her head, she watched him for a moment knowing that she was probably pushing him back into Antonella’s arms; she was doing this to protect herself from the inevitability of losing Lionel to the other woman.

“Por favor Lala, I don’t want to lose you,” Lionel said as he stepped closer to the brunette, he wasn’t about to let her get away from him; he had made a mistake and now he was paying for it.

Viola looked into Lionel’s brown eyes, she sighed as she watched him for a moment.

“Okay,” the brunette agreed making the argentine smile, he knew that she was a little nervous about spending time with him in case he hurt her; it was the last thing that he wanted to do.

***

Antonella frowned as she opened her apartment, she didn't know what Gavin was doing here but she hoped that it didn't ruin her plan to trick Lionel.

“What are you doing here?” the brunette asked as she allowed him into the apartment, she knew that he didn't approve of what she was doing and she didn't care as long as in the end she got Lionel back.

“I came to see you, we need to talk Anto,” Gavin said annoyed with his former girlfriend, he didn't know what she was thinking and he hoped that he would be able to talk her out of this.

Antonella crossed her arms as she looked at him, she didn't know what it was but she hoped that he was coming back to her.

“I’m moving back to Argentina and I want you to come with me, we can raise our baby together,” Gavin said making the brunette stare at him.

While this was what she wanted, she had never expected him to tell her that he was leaving the country; she pursed her lips as she stared at the man that she had cheated on Lionel for.

“I can’t leave… my plan is going so well,” Antonella said shaking her head, she knew that he wasn’t going to let this go and if she didn't go with him then she was going to lose him for good.

“Then I hope you know what you are doing, when Messi discovers the truth then he’ll throw you to the curb; don’t expect me to be waiting for you,” Gavin said as he shook his head, he couldn't believe that she couldn't see how this was going to end.