I was deadly serious. I wasn’t weak little Ava anymore. Truth be told, being with Blaze was a choice, my choice. I didn’t need him, I wanted him, it was a want not a need. I did fine without him for years, we did fine.
Pushing my cover off, I pulled myself out of bed. I wonder if I called the hospital, they’d let me have today off? Could always blame it on the morning sickness but being stuck in the house all day wasn’t good for me either.
After showering and putting on some comfortable clothing I put my feet into my slippers and made my way downstairs. Surprise, surprise I had missed calls from Blaze. If I didn’t call him back, he’d show up here, we’d argue and then the sex would follow.
I didn’t want to give in, but my hormones were all over the place along with my emotions. Pressing his number, I put it on loudspeaker as I went about making some coffee.
“Did you go to work?”.
“Not yet”. I suppose I could make my way in and work the ER for my shift. “Was Everleigh okay this morning?”. I asked.
“I’ll see you soon”…
The line went dead….
Of course he would come home.
I was sat with a cup of coffee watching tv when I heard the roar of his engine. My stomach was playing up and I felt the need to be sick. Hearing the front door open and the heaviness of his boots on the wooden floor I turned the TV off.
I wasn’t arguing with him today. I didn’t have the energy for that.
“Still drinking coffee mama”. As he kissed the top of my head I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t changing my mind.
“Why are you here?”. I sighed while taking a sip of my coffee. It wasn’t until I noticed the glare, or the clenched teeth, that I realised he had spotted my ring was missing.
“The fucks your ring?”. He growled grabbing a hold of my hand causing the coffee to spill everywhere.
“Really?”. Pulling my hand out of his I got to my feet and headed for the kitchen.
“Where is it?”. He snapped hot on my tail.
“It’s upstairs”. Boiling the kettle I went about making myself a fresh cup. He could clean up the mess.
“Get it back on your fucking finger Ava”.
He was furious.
Chewing my bottom lip I bit back my smile. The ring wasn’t going back on my finger until he proved it meant something.
“No”.
“You twisted little witch”. Grabbing me around the waist he pulled me against him. “You not even gonna let me explain?”.
“I shouldn’t have to because it should never have happened”. Pushing his hands off me, I moved to the other side of the kitchen. I needed to stay out of arms reach.
“Babe I was wasted I can’t-….”
“Don’t you dare hit me with that one”. I glared. “You remembered her name and that she gave you a dance so don’t hit me with the wasted card”. Filling up my cup I stirred in half a sugar.
“Easy with the coffee Ava”. Pulling back his top lip he glared at me.
“Screw you and don’t try and tell me what to do. This isn’t my first pregnancy”.
“You really gonna burst my balls over this?”. As he took a step towards me, I took one back.
Clenching my teeth I shook my head. He still thought he did nothing wrong. Bursting his balls was the least of his worries. “I have to get to work, and you need to leave”.
“Just talk to me”. He pleaded, lighting up a smoke, he took a seat at the table.
“Talk to you I can’t even look at you without wanting to throttle you”. I was trying to keep my cool, but he was making it difficult.
“Then throttle me, get all the anger out, do your worst sweets because I’m not leaving until that ring is back on your finger”.
“It’s not going back on until you prove it means something. I’m not doing this I have to go”.
“Ava”. He growled slamming his fist off the worktop. “Don’t do this, don’t fucking do this”.
“Do what?”. Grabbing my keys and my bag, I slipped it over my shoulder. “It’s not going to go away this time with sex Blaze. We aren’t going to just brush it under the carpet and forget it happened. Don’t be here when I get home”. I promised myself I wouldn’t cry and yet the bastard got the better of me yet again.
Jumping in my car I locked my doors before angrily wiping my tears away. Starting my engine, I drove all the way to the hospital and only when I pulled up outside did, I realise I still had my slippers on.
Sending a quick message to Ally I drove out of the car park and ended up parked outside my mom’s. Sometimes a girl just needed a chat with her mom. Grabbing my bag, I made my way inside.
I already knew my dad was gone. His bike was missing from the driveway. I was relieved that he wasn’t here. I didn’t need him to put another bullet in him.
Opening the front door I was hit with the smell of cinnamon, soft music playing as my mom was standing in the kitchen a coffee in had staring out the window. Catching her attention, as I closed the door she smiled at me.
“Hey baby”.
A sigh fell from my lips, I felt the tears build behind my eyes. I didn’t want to be this emotional but these damn pregnancy hormones were driving me insane. I was angry at him; no, I was furious that I couldn’t control how I was feeling.
“A what’s wrong, come sit”. She frowned pulling out a chair for me. “Tell me what happened”.
“I’m so scunnered with this place”. I sighed.
“What’s he done?”. She asked, taking the seat across from me.
“How did you deal with dad cheating on you?”.
“He cheated on me once Ava and once only but that was years ago. I was still young and stupid and so was your dad. I had just found out I was pregnant with you”.
“What did you do?”. I asked.
“What didn’t I do”. She chuckled. “I set his bike on fire and burned my cut. Let’s just say the girl he cheated with wasn’t seen around here again”. She winked.
“You burned his bike?”. I grinned.
“I almost burned the full club down, but he never done it again. He was angrier about me burning my cut. Called me a crazy bitch but I was his crazy bitch. What has Blaze done now?”. She asked.
“He let a girl from his strip club give him a dance”. When I said it aloud it sounded ridiculous, made me think I was overreacting. “It may only be a dance mom but I’m not turning a blind eye”.
“Is that why your ring is missing?”. She asked nodding towards my hand.
“Please tell me I’m not overreacting. I mean am I not worth it, am I not enough for him?”.
“What’s he saying about it? You want a drink?”. Getting up she popped the kettle on.
“Tea please. I haven’t spoken to him; I won’t let him. I want it to be on my terms and I’m not letting him off easy. He let a girl grind on him what if I had done something like that?”.
“You do what you’ve got to do Ava but please be careful. You know what men like Blaze are like”.
“Yeah, well it’s time he learned a lesson. I won’t be messed about or treated like a mug. He knows what he has to do”. Taking the cup from her I caught her grin.
“You show him baby, show him you’re a Mendez”. She winked. “Does your dad know?”.
“He doesn’t and I would like to keep it that way please”.
“He’ll know soon enough when Blaze goes off the handle. You know what he’s like when you two aren’t talking”.
Shrugging my shoulders I brought the cup to my lips taking a sip. “Maybe he’ll disappear for a few days then”.
“Ava”. She sighed.
“I’ve already kicked him out of the house”…
“You didn’t”.
“Told him he wasn’t staying there”. He needed to know how serious I was about this. “And before you say it Everleigh will be fine”.
“Oh, he’s going to be in one fucker of a mood today. God help the boys at the club house”. She spoke.
“Yeah, well Jared better watch out because I haven’t even started on him yet”. He lied to me as well.
She laughed, shaking her head. “You been to see the doctor yet?”.
“No and even though we’re not on good terms I still want him to be there. I won’t take that away from him”.
“How far along do you think you are?”. She asked.
“Maybe 9 or 10 weeks”. I really needed to go and see my doctor.
“What you hoping for?”. She grinned just as my phone started to vibrate.
“As long as it’s healthy I don’t care”. I knew he wouldn’t give up so easily.
“Give me that”. She snatched it out of my hand putting it to her ear. “You listen to me Blaze. You fix this or so god help me it won’t be Franko you’ll need to watch out for it’ll be me. Now do something useful and meet Ava at the hospital”. As she ended the call I frowned.
Wait what?
“I want to make sure my grand baby is doing okay in there”.
Rolling my eyes I got to my feet. I wasn’t ready for this. “I haven’t even booked an appointment”.
“You work their A it can’t be that hard to see someone. Now go and call me as soon as you’re done”.