Dawn of the Lions

Chapter 3

Aiden's POV

I stood up as quickly as I could, and stood between uncle Marc and the babies on the floor.

"I said, What the hell is he doing here, Stella?! " Uncle Marc screamed as he walked over to Aunt Stella's bedside.

Without attracting much attention, she presses her help button summoning the nurse. The nurse was almost in the room, when I whispered "We need security. " At the point, Uncle Marc is screaming, and Jasper starts to cry. He walked over and tried to pick up my son. I pushed him and handed Jasper to Alayna. Just as I begin to turn around, Uncle Marc punches me in the left side of my chest. I fell to my knees, then down on my side. He started kicking me and kicking me, while aunt Lucy screamed and tried to get him to stop. Finally security showed up and ripped him from the room with no ease.

Alayna put Jasper back on the floor, and ran to my aid. Aunt Lucy had already helped me sit up.

"Aiden, are you okay?!" Alayna asked hugging me.

"I'm fine." I answered a little out of breath.

I stood up and sat down in the chair that was once occupied by Alayna. By the time I caught my breath, the same nurse had arrived to check on me. she asked me to pull up my shirt so she could check my ribs. They were severely bruised, But none of them were broken.

I picked up Jasper, and held him as tight as I could. I don't ever want him in the hands of Uncle Marc. I handed my son to Aunt Stella, and for another half an hour, talked about how school and work are balancing out, and if I needed any financial help-Which I did, but I would never ask them to support my son for me, or even Emma.

"Well we better get going. It's Saturday, which means it's food shopping day." I said picking up Emma and putting her in her car seat.

Then Aunt Lucy picked up Jasper from Aunt Stella and put him in his seat. I hugged them both goodbye and told them to call me if anything should happen. I picked up both of the babies' seats and asked Alayna to grab the bags. We walked out to the car in silence. The babies were placed in the back, then Alayna and I got in. Instead of starting the car, I placed my head down on the steering wheel, and became to sob. Alayna put her hand on my shoulder as gently as she could could.

"Hey. Your aunts seem wonderful. Im sorry about what your uncle did. Are you sure your okay?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah, Im fine." I sat up, wiped my face dry, and started the car.

When we got home, we brought the kids inside, and greeted Claire in the living room. I thanked Alayna for coming with me and told her I would call her when I get the chance. I kissed her just before she closed the door. Claire asked how it went and I told her what uncle Marc had done, just before I showed her. After convincing her I was fine, we got ready to go shopping.

*********

We finished all of our shopping with an hour and returned to the house. I took Emma and Jasper and put them down for a nap. Emma was easy, but Jasper, not so much. Finally, he was out, so I went to the kitchen and helped Claire put all the groceries away. We put on a movie and tried to relax while the babies sleep.

A couple hours later, I get a text from a co-worker asked if I can cover his shift. Emma just woke up and I was currently feeding her. I told her I could because I needed the hours.

After both babies were fed, I went and got ready for work.

"Its a short shift, I will be home before late." I said to Claire before kissing the kids goodbye and walking out the door.

************

I'm about to drive home from work, and I get a call from Aunt Lucy saying that Aunt Stella had a stroke and they aren't sure if she is gonna make it thru the night. Right away I went over the hospital, after leaving a text for Claire. When I got there my Aunt Lucy was pacing in the waiting room.

"What's happening?!" I rushed grabbing her arms gently.

"They said she is gonna to be okay, and she is stable. But Marc is in there now. I didn't want them alone but the nurse wanted them to have some spousal privacy." She replied sounding very worried.

After Uncle Marc left, we went in to see Aunt Stella. She looked very weak, and sounded horrible. The doctor pulled us aside and said that she wasn't doing well. Then said they weren't sure how long she had left. We talked and showed her our love, and most importantly kept her occupied to distract her from the fact that she was dying.

Soon after, I said my goodbyes and went home to my son and sister.

I returned home talked to Claire about what had happened, went to bed. Even tho it was already 11:30pm and I had an exhausting day, I couldn't calm my thoughts enough to sleep. So I took a couple of sleeping pills and the next thing I knew the sun was out. I heard a soft knock on the door to which I answered with a whisper. Claire walked in with Jasper in her arms.

"I'm getting ready to leave so you need to get out of bed." She states firmly.

"Where are you going again?" I asked rubbing my eyes and flipping off my blankets.

"It's Sunday Aiden, I have church. I know its not really your thing, but it is a part of my life and now that you are living here you need to work around that."

"Oh, yeah. Actually I think maybe it is time I go with you....." I said in a shy tone.

I got dressed in a pair of jeans and plain black T-shirt. I dressed Emma and Jasper, and returned to the kitchen for a quick breakfast.I made a couple of bottles to put in the diaper bag just in case one of the babies got hungry. Claire helped me put the kids in their seats and we rushed out the door.

"COME ON AIDEN!" WE ARE RUNNING LATE!" She yells jogging to the car with a smile.

After the service was over, and everyone was done obsessing over the cutest of the Emma and Jasper, we all went home to relax before another long week quickly approached.

************

Emma was asleep on the couch and Jasper in my arms, when the phone rang. Claire ran to the kitchen and picked up. It was an usually short conversation because she returned to the living room without a couple minutes.

"Aiden, you need to go to the hospital right now. Stella had another stroke, they don't think she's gonna make it. She asked to see you." She said in a rush as she took jasper.

I grabbed the car keys and ran out the door as fast as I could. I probably should have got a speeding ticket, but I didn't care. I slammed the car door and ran to the hall where my Aunt was laying. Just as I was almost at the door, the nurse stopped me with both hands, pushing me back. We stood there a few seconds as I calmed down.
She looked me dead in the eye...

"I'm sorry." She says sincerely.