You Don't Know Me

Chapter 10 - Love & Pain

"What?" I asked.

"I'm having another baby."

"Mia . . ."

"We're gonna have another baby." she repeated as the tears consistently fell.

"That's great and . . . have you told him?"

"I can't. How am I supposed to tell him when I feel him pulling away more and more every day?" she asked.

"He's not pulling away though, don't create space where it doesn't exist. I've been watching you both, and the sun shines in his eyes every time you look at him. He loves you Mia, you have to tell him." I insisted, hating to see her so unhappy.

"I will when I can figure out how to bring it up."

"Mia, he has to know and soon, before you start showing." I insisted.

"I really don't even know how to bring it up. I tried the other night, we talked a little and guess what he said. He doesn't miss the girls or even the cars, he misses the bullets and the adrenaline. This white picket fence life is boring to him, he's used to the action and adventure. I don't want him to resent me for taking that away from him." she sighed.

"He would never resent you because he chose to leave it all behind, remember that. You gotta give him the chance to enjoy his family, don't let fear take that from you. He loves you and he loves your growing family, don't ever let fear make you doubt that. The man goes gaga over you all the time."

"I want to tell him, I really do but I'm afraid that he'll stay because he feels obligated to do so and not because he really wants to."

"He's not that kind of man and you know it."

"We'll see how things go today."

I kept my eyes on her all afternoon. She was her normal bubbly self but only someone who knows her as I do would see the signs of stress; the tightness around the mouth, the sheen of tears that are being bravely kept in. Mia is a strong woman, she can take care of herself but I'm staying over tonight and maybe tomorrow as well depending on how I see her handling things.

"I want to sleep with nina tonight." Jack said after we finished dinner.

"You can't buddy." Mia told her son.

"Why not?" he pouted.

"Yeah, why not?" I pouted too.

"You're no help." she chuckled.

"You've got school tomorrow buddy, madrina isn't gonna wake up that early." Brian said.

"Yes, I will." I argued.

"See, nina won." Jack said as he pulled me out of the room much to everyone's laughter.

"Come on kiddo, it's a school night so to bed with you." I said, picking him up.

"Will you sing to me?"

"Of course, my darling."

After showers and tooth brushing, he laid in bed with me and I sang the same song that I've been singing to him since he was born and Jack was out in less than five minutes. I laid on the bed, just passing my hand over his hair. He is the best gift that I've ever been given in life and my biggest blessing. I started humming and then singing again when he started to wake up and he was out all over again.

"You'll make a great mom one day."

"Damn it, Dom, you scared the hell out of me." I said, pressing a hand to my heart.

"Sorry for interrupting." he chuckled.

"Anything specific I can do for you, Toretto?"

"Saturday is Race Wars." he smiled.