Chapter 13
NIC
“ C ome in. Come in.” Lorna’s mom greets us with a frantic smile, stepping aside so we can pass through the door. I notice the way she nudges her husband and gestures her eyes toward my car, but the 6ft brawn guy just frowns and looks far from impressed.
“It’s so good to see you, sweetheart.” She kisses her daughter before checking her over in the exact same way that Serena checks me if it’s been more than three days since she last saw me. “Wasn’t I just saying the other day how much I was missing seeing her, Kevin?” Her elbow digs into his ribs again, and I figure they must be hardened to it because he doesn’t flinch.
“You were, dear.” He steps forward to hug his stepdaughter, offering me a look of warning as he leans over her shoulder.
“Mom, college is only a forty-minute drive from here,” Lorna reminds her as we head into the living room.
“You know how I feel about driving into the city, sweetheart, and public transport gets me all paranoid, especially since I saw that movie. What was the movie, Kevin?”
“Speed.” Kevin scratches the back of his neck and shares a smirk with Lorna.
“That’s the one. Apparently, there's a sequel but I wouldn’t put myself through that again.” She shakes her head sternly.
“Mom, that movie is ancient, how have you only just watched it?” Lorna giggles.
“So, you’ve brought this nice, young man home to meet us.” She avoids the question and casts her eyes over me like she’s expecting some kind of announcement.
“I have. Mom this is Nic, you must remember my friend, Madalina… He’s her older brother,” Lorna explains, suddenly sounding very serious, and I feel the sweat on her palm when she takes my hand in hers.
“I remember you talking about her a lot.” Mrs James smiles sadly. “I think I only met her once or twice.”
That sounds right, Dad was always very particular about where he let Madalina go, it meant that if the girls wanted to hang out, it always had to be around our place. It makes me wonder how strict I would be with my own daughter. Madalina is convinced that Lorna is carrying a boy but we must be prepared for all eventualities.
“Mom, the reason we came here, is because we have some news.” That grip Lorna has on my hand gets much tighter.
“News? And here I was thinking that Nic was the news.” She giggles dramatically, causing Lorna to blush and get even more nervous.
“Actually, Nic and I…We’re…um…”
“Pregnant,” I say the word for her, then watch the couple in front of me drop their mouths open.
There’s a long awkward silence, which neither me nor Lorna break while they both take in what they just heard.
“Pregnant?” her mother repeats, trying her best not to hyperventilate.
“Yes, thirteen weeks today.” I take a copy of the latest sonogram photo out of my jacket pocket and hand it over so she can see for herself.
“Oh, wow. Ummm, Kevin, did you hear that, Lorna’s…” She can’t even say the word and when I start feeling Lorna’s hand tremble, I slide one arm around her back and rest the other proudly over her stomach.
“And we’re very happy about it, aren’t we, sweetheart?” I kiss her cheek and smile.
“We are.” Lorna’s eyes fix on mine, and she almost looks confused by the answer she gives. Then the smile she gives, just for me, convinces me that she really fucking means it. This girl really does like that she’s having my baby.
“I gotta get back to fixing the truck,” Kevin mumbles under his breath before heading straight out the front door and slamming it loudly behind him.
“Ignore him, I know he’s not her real daddy but he loves her like one, and he’s always been very protective of her.” Her mother focuses back on the photo in her hand and I wish I could read the expression on her face. Usually, I’m good at that.
“A baby. But, honey, you're just a baby yourself.” She shakes her head.
“Mom, I’m a year and a half older than you were when you had me. I’ll be fully graduated by the time the little one comes and…well, Nic is… He’s really got it together.” Lorna grips the hand I have resting on her stomach and looks up at me, adoringly. I don’t know if that's just for the benefit of her mother, but I like the way it feels.
“And this is what you want?” Her mom glares at her as if daring her to lie.
“Yeah, Mom, this is what I want.” Lorna’s eyes look down at our hands and she smiles.
“Well, then I guess I should be saying congratulations.” The woman shocks me when she throws her arms up in the air, then hugs her daughter so tight that I start to consider telling her to ease off. “And you….” My eyes stretch open when she twists and points her finger at me at the same time. “Welcome to the family, you…You big stud.”
“Mom!” Lorna’s cheeks flush pink as I smile, and endure one of her mom’s bone-shattering hugs.
“Come on, let's go to your old room and dig out some photos of you when you were a baby, I’m sure Nic would love to see them. She was so cute and chubby.”
“I don't think he would.” Lorna shakes her head.
“I’d love to see them, Mrs James,” I tell her.
“Mrs James?” She laughs at me. “Nic, we're family now, you're to call me Mom, or NeNe.” She opens her mouth so wide I see her tonsils.
“NeNe?” Lorna looks as confused as I am. “I’m far too young to be called Grandma, sweetheart.” She stares back at her daughter in outrage, before taking her hand and dragging her away to go in search of those photos.
I take them leaving me in the living room as an opportunity to do some digging. Neither Dario nor myself are any wiser into who Doyle is connected with, and as I scan the photo wall on the other side of the room I wonder if I might find some kind of clue from them.
“I hate it when Patsy does that.” I spin around and see Kevin in the kitchen door frame, gripping hold of a beer.
“Sorry, sir?” I frown and wonder what he’s talking about.
“I hate it when she tells people that I’m not that girl's real daddy.” He takes a long swig and wipes his mouth with the back of his greasy hand. “I’ve known Lorna since she was five years old. Stepped up for everything her coward cunt of a real father never bothered to,” he explains as he moves closer and starts looking over the photos with me. “That, there, is me and her winning the father-daughter sack race when she was in 6th grade.” His finger leaves an oily fingerprint on the glass when he touches it.
“This was the day she had her braces taken off.” He smiles fondly at the photo of him and her together, pulling wide, over-the-top smiles. “And this was the day of her high school graduation when that son of a bitch showed up like some kind of hero and put that sparkle, that I never can, in her eyes.” He takes a long frustrated breath.
“Does she see him often?” I check if what she’s telling me is true. I’m certain that she’s keeping something about him from me.
“Nah, he’s a deadbeat. Shows up whenever he wants to and makes her feel grateful for it. He’s always been able to tell a good story. Got away with it with Patsy for years. That man may have a way of making fuckers believe all the shit that comes out of his mouth, but he doesn’t care about her like I do.” Kevin takes another drink, then slams his bottle on the side unit. “Son, I have something to say to you.” He looks me dead in the eye. “I’m not a fool, that watch you're wearing is worth more than any house on this block. If Madalina is your sister, then I’m assuming Alfeo Conte was your father, and I know what that means. I’m sure you could put a bullet in the back of my skull before my sorry ass squats to dump my next crap, but I’ll tell you this first. If you hurt my girl. If you break her heart, or if you become another person in her life who lets her down. Just know that I’ll crawl my ass back from Hell to ensure you live to regret it. Do you understand me?” The creases in his forehead deepen.
“I hear you, sir.” I look at the photo on the wall of him and her in her high school graduation cap, it’s almost the same as the one I found in Jeremey Doyle’s top drawer.
I remember seeing Lorna that day. Madalina wasn’t allowed to go to the same public high school she did, but she still snuck out of the house to go to one of the post-graduation parties with her. I, of course, showed up and ruined all the fun by dragging my sister out and forcing her to come home. Lorna had been drinking, and she yelled at me. I remember her looking at me with those piercing eyes like she wanted me dead. I felt the true force of her hatred that night, and I liked it. To hate something makes it relevant. It was the first time I realized that I needed that.
I needed to be relevant to her.
“Sir, I have no intention of hurting Lorna. You seem to know enough about my family to know that we’re good on our word. You have mine.” I hold out my hand to seal that word.
“And do you love her?” he asks, right at the same time that she steps into the room carrying a box of photographs with her mom.
“Yes, sir. I do.” It’s her eyes I look into as I say the words, and what scares me most of all, is that I think I might mean them.
“Sorry about Kevin, Mom’s right, he can be very protective.” Lorna cringes as she looks out the car window and waves to them both, one final time.
“Can’t blame him, I was exactly the same with Madalina,” I admit, resting my hand on her thigh.
Why the fuck do I feel the constant need to have physical contact with her?
“He seems to really hate your dad,” I mention, hoping it might open up a conversation.
“Everyone hates my dad,” she sighs, and seeing how sad it makes her, makes me wish I’d said nothing at all.
“What’s got you looking so sad? I thought you’d be happy, we totally pulled that off. Your mom was actually excited about becoming a NeNe by the time we left.” I squeeze that thigh in the arch of my hand as I tease her.
“Only because she thinks I’m in a normal relationship with a realtor. I don’t think she’d have the same enthusiasm if she knew the truth.” She looks guilty, and I don’t know if it’s because she’s ashamed about lying to her folks or ashamed of who I really am. “But…” Her voice quickly picks up. “...whatever you said to my stepfather back there really sold the story, you did good.” She looks back up at me with a smile that doesn’t quite make it to her eyes. I should tell her that Kevin’s not a fool and knows who I am. I should probably also tell her that, as crazy as it sounds, I wasn’t selling anything but I’m not ready to admit that yet, not even to myself. If I did that, it would prove that I’m becoming weak.
Madalina was too young to remember our mom dying. But I remember seeing what it did to our father. It destroyed him. It’s why, from a very young age, I decided that I would never become a victim of love. Of course, I always knew it would become my duty to marry and have children someday, but in this world that doesn’t mean you have to love. Marriages are created from opportunity, they are built by power, not love and devotion.
“How about I cheer you up and take you for gelato?” I suggest, knowing it will turn that smile into a real one.
“How many scoops?” She looks as if she’s willing to negotiate.
“As many as you can eat.” I expect to see her face light up for me again but she pouts instead.
“Great… Just aid me in getting fatter.” She rolls her eyes like a brat.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I laugh to myself. If I can’t pull a pregnant woman out of a bad mood with food, it means I got nothing, and Dario’s advice isn’t worth shit.
“Come on, don’t tell me you haven’t noticed. That night after Serena’s when I noticed that my tummy popped out… Well, it hasn’t popped back in.” She looks embarrassed as she lifts up her tee and shows me the ever-so-slight curve of her stomach. “Were you not wondering why I’ve abandoned my jeans for yoga pants these past few days…? Nic, I was hoping I’d get to at least twenty weeks before I had to do that.” She’s still displaying that pout, and the neat, little bump that goes with it is making me want to pull over this car and fuck the brattiness right out of her.
“Well, I like it, and I’m glad it’s here to stay.” I slide my hand up from her thigh and rest it there, instead. “It doesn’t look like our baby wants to stick to your schedule.” I want to lean across the console and kiss her, but what she said as we left the apartment has me worrying that things are already getting out of hand. I’m already pushing my luck by waiting for her to fall asleep before getting into bed beside her, each night. I’m surprised she hasn’t mentioned that.
“Then I guess you better take me for that gelato,” she snarls at me, but I see the little shimmer that's back in her eyes. She doesn’t know it yet but I’m going to ensure she enjoys getting fat with my baby. She’s going to love how her body changes as much as I will.
I drive to the gelato shop and when I open the door for her she steps inside and takes a seat at one of the booths. I’m watching her excitement as she studies the menu when I feel my phone vibrate and see Dario’s name flash up on my screen.
“Excuse me just a second.” I head back out the doors to take the call and smile to myself when I look back through the window and catch her looking down and talking to her tummy.
“You got Lorna with you?” Dario asks, and I don’t like the concern I’m hearing in his voice.
“Yeah, she’s here, why?”
“Can she hear me?”
“No, I left her ordering gelato, what's up?”
“It’s Doyle. He’s packed up and fucked off. Something fucking spooked him and he’s gone without a trace.”
“Shit.” I lower the phone from my ear and clench my fists. Then when I see Lorna speaking to the waitress, I quickly lift it back to my ear.
“I’ve got no name for Alto and no fucking answers, Nic.” Dario sounds mad which is not what I need when I’m competing for a district.
“Leave it with me, I’ll see what I can find out,” I assure him.
“That fucker is going to make contact with his girl, sooner or later, don’t let her out of your fucking sight, Nic. That’s an order.”
“You got it, boss,” I tell him confidently before hanging up. At least I know that's a promise I can stick to.