A few days later, when Arianna and the kids stepped off the plane at O'Hare airport, John and Roger were there to greet them. Arianna almost burst into tears right there as she was so happy to see John, but she knew she had to keep her emotions in check. They were in public, so there was a good chance that there were photographers about. But she still couldn't help hugging John really tight, and for a long time.
"Let's get your stuff and get out of here," John suggested, and Arianna agreed, taking Luc by the hand as John picked up Allegra.
They chatted lightly as they walked to baggage and collected the luggage, but as soon as they were all loaded into the limo, John's hand settled onto Arianna's baby belly.
"I can't believe you're pregnant with twins," he said as he nuzzled her ear.
"You can't believe it," she retorted as she looked at Roger and rolled her eyes, making him snicker.
"Well, you look beautiful," he told her, and she scoffed contemptuously.
"I look pregnant. If I'm this big already, I can't imagine how big I will be by May," she said, sounding utterly disgusted.
John cupped her face in his hands and gently kissed her to try to calm her. Instead, she pulled away and glared at him.
"Don't start that. That's how I got into this mess," she scolded.
John threw his hands into the air, already frustrated with her and her bad mood. After sitting in brooding silence for a few minutes, John turned to her again.
"Are you going to be cross like this for the entire remaining six months?" he quipped, and everyone in the car looked at him.
Except for Arianna. She continued to stare out of the car window, seemingly looking at the scenery, but she wasn't seeing anything at all. Her eyes were full of tears, blurring her vision.
"Maybe your coming out was a bad idea," John mumbled angrily, withdrawing from her and turning away from her.
Sophia and Dylan looked at each other and then quickly put in their iPod earphones, trying to block out the brewing storm. John looked at Roger and apologized with his eyes, but Roger just shook him off and pointed to Arianna. Allegra slid down from her seat next to Sophia and came over to John.
"Daddy okay?" she innocently asked as she put her little hands on his knees.
John reached down and picked her up, sitting her on his lap and giving her a little squeeze.
"I'm okay, baby," he told her as she looked up at him with her beautiful green eyes, just like Arianna's.
"Mommy sad," she said, and he nodded. "Mommy cry," she added.
John looked up at Roger, who gave him a confirming nod. Sophia then pulled out her earphones and slid closer to John.
"Mom's been crying in your room at night," she whispered, and John mouthed thank you.
"Don't talk about me as if I'm not sitting right here," Arianna snapped, her voice clouded with tears.
"Then tell me what's going on," John replied in exasperation.
She finally looked at him, and tears were indeed streaming down her face.
"Not here," she told him, motioning towards the kids with her eyes.
"Fine," he said with a loud sigh. "But once we get to our room, you had better talk," he warned.
She nodded in agreement as Allegra crawled from her father's lap to her mother's. The little girl wiped at her mother's tears, gave her one of her big, slobbery kisses, and wrapped her arms around Arianna's neck, squeezing tight.
YOU ARE READING
Unrequited
Fanfiction"Why do you allow me back into your life? You know I'm only going to push you away again," he said with all honestly, not to hurt her, but because he knew how he behaved with her. And a part of him doubted that he would change. Even for her. "Becaus...
