Ch. 171..175: Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Dad Chapter 171-175

Chapter 171

"Do you take this woman?" the justice asks, smiling kindly at Daniel, "to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Daniel beams down at me and I can't but smile back at him, laughing a little at the joy on his face.

"I do," Daniel says, and I wrinkle my nose at him. We're putting on an act, of course, but honestly? Honestly, a lot of it is real. I love my best friend. I'd marry him and live in a sexless marriage of convenience to raise this baby as his child instead of his brother any Of course, I have other plans.

day.

But this? It's not a bad backup.

"And do you," the justice turns to me now, looking at me like the fond mother I never had. "Take this man to be your husband?"

"Yup," I say, laughing a little as I do so, and then I take a step closer to him, squeezing his hands with my own. Daniel rolls his eyes at me and looks at me incredulously, mouthing the word "yup?!" like he can't believe I just said that and I laugh and correct myself. "Yes!" I say, laughing outright now, "yes, sorry, yes. Yes, I take him, I do." "Then I pronounce you man and wife!"

A small cheer goes up from our gathered loved ones as Daniel wraps an arm around my waist and pulling me lightly against him. Then he kisses me, gently, sealing the deal. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back - just a small, chaste kiss. Because even though Daniel is my best friend...

Well, I don't really allow myself to consider what I'm really feeling at this moment. What it does to me to marry Daniel, when what I really want...

He pulls away from me, smiling and turning towards our little crowd, raising our joined hands for everyone to see.

Janeen and my dad, standing with Jerome, whoop and holler with joy, while Natalia and Alessi, sit on the other side of the tiny aisle with my father. All three clap politely, my father and Alessi beaming at us. My father, to my shock, wipes a tear from his eye. I smile and blow him a kiss, knowing I need him on my side.

Daniel and I complete some quick paperwork and then scurry down the aisle, our family coming happily with us. Outside of City Hall Natalia, Alessi, and my father give us a series of kisses and well-wishes, knowing that it's time for them to go.

"Are you sure, daughter," my father says, looking mournfully down at me. "That you will not come to dinner? Tristan and I will take you somewhere wonderful, truly celebrate the day -"

"No," I say, pitching my eyes down and pretending to regret it. But then - as I've been doing too much lately, though it's so effective that I don't know if I'll ever stop - I slide a hand over my belly. "I - I don't think I can keep any of it down. The morning sickness has gotten really bad..."

It's a lie, of course. I'm thoroughly pregnant - we had a doctor confirm everything a few days ago - but I still haven't felt any different in my body.

"Ah," my father says, leaning forward to kiss me on the forehead. "Your mother was just the same. But, soon, yes? We will celebrate."

"Of course, papa," I say, smiling fondly up at him. His eyes get a little wet as he gazes down at me, but then he pats my cheek and turns away, heading for his car.

"And we," Natalia says, standing on her tiptoes to kiss Daniel on both cheeks. "Will see you tomorrow!"

Alessi sighs a little to have it brought up again - he likes peace in his family, I know, and wishes to avoid awkward subjects like his nephew's paternity test - but Natalia pays no mind.

"Yes, Natalia," Daniel says, laughing and kissing her back. "Tomorrow morning. I'll bring you coffee."

"Please, don't," she sighs. "Your American coffee..." she shudders as if it's the worst thing on earth.

Not missing that Natalia doesn't say a damn word to me, I wrap an arm around Daniel's waist as we wave goodbye to them.

"Well, husband?" I say, grinning up at him. "What's next?"

"Well, I'd say we should do the heteronormative thing and go get you knocked up," he says, sighing, "but you already did that."

I grin up at him, laughing as Jerome, Janeen, and my dad join us.

"They're some real pieces of work, aren't they," my dad murmurs, watching the Italians go.

"You have nooo idea," Daniel sighs, turning to smile at him.

"Let's get out of here," Janeen groans, tugging at my arm. "This is so boring - this is the worst wedding I've ever been to, there's not even any booze!"

"Groom's hot though," Jerome says, smiling at Daniel and taking his arm when Janeen pulls me away and down the stairs towards our car.

I laugh, pleased at our bizarre little family. "Where are we going?" I ask, grinning at Janeen. I know she's got something planned - she's been too sneaky for days. "Home," she says, innocent.

I just laugh, ducking into the car and letting her take the reins. But then, as we hit the highway and actually head back to the beach, I twist in my seat to stare at her. "Seriously?!" I gasp. "We're just going home?!"

"Where did you think we were going?" she asks, turning her head curiously.

"I don't know!" I say, gasping suddenly with sadness. "But it's my wedding day! I can't believe you didn't plan anything!"

"Your fake wedding day!" she insists, laughing. "To your gay ex-boyfriend! Whose actual boyfriend is right there!" she continues, pointing to him in the driver's seat. Jerome gives us a little thumbs-up as Daniel laughs next to me.

I pout, crossing my arms over my little white wedding dress which only goes to my knees. "First you make me sit in the middle seat, on my wedding day," I grumble, "and now I don't even get a reception?"

"Sorry, baby," Janeen says with a sigh, grinning at me. "I'm saving the good stuff for your next husband."

The rest of the car ride home is a cheerful one, I think all of us wanting to take a day to ignore the realities of our life and just...have a good time. Dad is laughing hardest of all of us, telling stories about his own two weddings (to Janeen's mom, and then mine) that have us all rolling as we pull into the driveway.

I'm thoroughly cheerful, if not a little tired, when I climb out of the car and head to the door.

But as I walk to the house, someone grabs my hand.

"Where do you think you're going?" Daniel asks, pulling me back to him with a smile.

"What?" I ask, confused. "Insi..." but then, as I look at Janeen and Jerome grinning on either side of him, I gasp with delight.

"You did!" I shout, throwing my hands up in the air. "You did plan a surprise reception! You did!"

They all burst out laughing then and I smack each of them on the chest in turn for teasing me like that. And then a taxi pulls up to the driveway, beeping twice as my dad waves from the door of the house.

"You're not coming?" I call to him, my face falling.

"You know me," he calls back, waving as he turns into the house. "Two beers and I'm done. I'll keep the house warm for when ya come back."

And I grin at him, blowing a kiss as I allow Daniel to take me by the arm and lead me down the driveway.

"Your chariot awaits, my bride," he murmurs in my ear.

"How gallant of you, groom," I reply, grinning up at him.

And then we all pack inside the taxi, determined to have a good time and ignore our real lives for one more day.

Because tomorrow? Tomorrow it really begins.

One hundred miles away in a state prison, Kent sits staring at his hands. It's recreation hour - a forced activity. If it were up to Kent, he'd stay in his cell rather than come to this room with all of its shouting and noise. Most of the other prisoners like it - it's some of their only time to socialize, to play cards, to watch TV. He would rather be alone.

He doesn't really know why, not anymore. It's not like he does anything in his cell except stew, and think, and go over and over his options that never turn up any real plans. And it's not like he needs silence to do that. Still.

He doesn't want to be...here.

"Hey Lippert," someone says from over in the TV corner.

Slowly, Kent lifts his head.

"Ain't that your kid?" The man gestures towards the TV where the image shows a tall dark-haired young man coming out of city hall holding the hand of a red-haired girl. Text rolls across the screen.

Son of disgraced mafia don Kent Lippert gets married in civil ceremony today. His bride, rumored daughter of the famous Alden mafia family, is two months pregnant with...

Kent watches passively for a moment until he sees Daniel take Fay in his arms, leaning close, bringing his face to hers.

And then Kent looks away.

"Hey?" the guy asks again, more forcefully this time. "Ain't that your kid?"

But Kent doesn't reply. Instead, he turns his attention back to his hands, shaking his head a little.

"Couldn't even marry her properly, in a church," he mutters, clenching his jaw. "At the very least, he could have gotten that right..."

 

Chapter 172

Too early the next morning, the guard bangs his nightstick against the bars of Kent's cell, making him jump awake. "Lippert," the guard says, yawning. "Visitor."

Kent stands, wondering what the hell could be going on. He doesn't say a word, though, knowing better than to ask. Instead, he simply stands and walks to the door, waiting for them to open it.

A short, silent walk talks Kent down the hallway with the interrogation rooms, and he raises his eyebrows when he realizes that he's being walked past them. So, he thinks, curious. An actual visitor this time...

Kent's eyebrows raise even further when he sees Daniel alone in the large visitation room, meant to accommodate a series of guests visiting inmates all at once. Daniel's sitting slumped in a chair, his head hanging, his hair mussed. And he looks like absolute shit.

The guard holds the door open for Kent and nods inside. "Ten minutes," he says, his voice clipped. "No touching, no gifts. If the kid brought any paperwork, he leaves with it." Kent nods and walks a few feet into the room, the door closing behind him as he crosses the room to his son.

"What the hell happened to you," Kent says, kicking the leg of his son's chair and making Daniel jump.

"No touching, inmate," a voice says from the room's loudspeaker. Kent waves to it and steps away from his son, sitting down across the table as Daniel raises his head.

"Hey, dad," Daniel says, giving Kent a pained little smile and wincing at the bright lights of the room. "I missed you too."

"Seriously, Daniel?" Kent says, leaning forward and studying him, sniffing at the scent of whiskey which seems to be pouring out of his pores. "Are you - are you hungover?"

"Yeah, that's an...understatement..." Daniel murmurs, sighing and running a hand through his hair.

Kent is almost shocked at the smile that cracks on his own face as he studies his son, who looks absolutely shattered. "You're supposed to look like this after your bachelor party," he murmurs, laughing a little now, "not your wedding."

"So, you heard about that?" Daniel asks, looking up at him with a little bit of surprise.

Kent doesn't answer, just waits.

"Yeah well," Daniel sighs, a corner of his mouth lifting in amusement. But even that small gesture makes him wince. "Most wedding receptions aren't planned by Janeen Thompson."

Kent's smile grows now as he starts to figure it out. "Did she take you to the strip club?"

Daniel frowns at him and then laughs lightly. "How the hell did you know that?"

Kent shrugs, shaking his head a little. "I've met her. She's...vivid. Did she take you to the one she works at in the city?"

Daniel shakes his head. "She doesn't work there anymore. She started at a new one, down by the beach." He grimaces. "It is...seedy, to say the least. But drinks were..." he stretches his hands above his head and sighs, clearly exhausted, "very affordable."

"I left you and Fay enough money in your accounts to afford a nice restaurant on the night of your wedding," Kent says, frowning now in disapproval. "You couldn't give her a nice dinner, like she deserves?"

Daniel pauses and then raises an eyebrow at his father. "Really dad? You're going to lecture me now on what Fay deserves?"

Kent, his temper flaring, opens his mouth to say something sharp but Daniel waves a hand between them, clearly not having the energy for this fight. "Let's just forget it," he murmurs. "Please, dad. It's not worth it."

Slowly, Kent closes his mouth and studies his son. They're silent for a long moment. "How is she?" Kent asks.

Daniel takes a deep breath and answers on the exhale. "She's...," but then he stops, shaking his head. "It's been a lot, dad. It's hard on her. And it's not like you two left things on the best terms."

Jaw clenched, Kent looks to the side, frustrated and ashamed. But old habits die hard, and he works to keep his emotions off his face.

But Daniel has been able to read his dad for a long time. He sees all of it.

"Anyway, that's not why I'm here," Daniel says, sitting up with a groan and pulling two envelopes out of his pocket.

Kent freezes and glances up at the loudspeaker. Daniel again waves a dismissive hand.

"It's fine," he murmurs, yawning. "They cleared it. Just paperwork." He tosses it on the table between them.

"What is it," Kent asks, reaching for them. But he freezes when he sees the sealed envelope with his urologist's address on top.

"Go ahead," Daniel says, unable to keep his voice from being so bitter. "I already know what it says. Your doctor was a little too easy to bribe to break doctor-patient confidentiality - you should probably get a new one. But you should know too - they're your results." "I don't need to see them," Kent sighs, pushing the envelope away.

Daniel just rolls his eyes at him. "Seriously, dad?" he asks, leaning forward and apparently forgetting his hangover in his anger. "You punched the shit out of Jerome - nearly broke his jaw - because you were so convinced that you couldn't be the dad and that Fay was lying to you. And now you don't even want the results of the test you rushed out of the house to get?"

Kent glares at his son. "I said I don't need it."

"Your sample showed evidence of viable sperm," Daniel snaps, grabbing the envelope off the table and shoving it back into his pocket. "Another reason to fire that doctor. So, unless you have other concerns about Fay, you should stop treating her like shit and believe her when she says she's only sleeping with you."

"I said," Kent growls again, "I didn't need it."

"Well, you've got it now. So would you fucking call her?"

Kent clenches his jaw and turns his face away. "I don't have phone privileges," he sighs.

"Oh," Daniel says, a little awkward now. He had assumed...

They're quiet for a long moment, but Kent glances at the clock and realizes that time is running short. "What's that," he asks, nodding towards the other envelope.

"Draft of a plea deal," Daniel says, looking up again and burping a little, turning a bit green as he does.

"Jesus," Kent mutters under his breath, glaring both at the envelope and at his hungover son. Then he pushes the document away from him. "I don't want this either."

"All of your lawyers agree, dad," Daniel says, leaning forward to glare at him. "You're going away for life - you could even get the death penalty if you don't agree to what they're offering -"

"I didn't do half these crimes, Daniel," Kent growls, meeting his son's eyes. "The only way I have a chance of getting out of this is if I can convince a jury to listen -"

"This isn't Twelve Angry Men, dad!" Daniel snaps, banging a hand on the table. "You are not getting out of this on reasonable doubt! Even if you didn't commit half those crimes, you still did the other half! What the f**k do you think half of a life sentence is, forty years? Is that seriously what you want, to get out of here when you're eighty, to meet your f*****g kid when they're middle aged?"

Shocked, Kent sits back in his seat, staring at his son.

"Just..." Daniel sighs, frustrated as hell and feeling like he might barf at any second. "Would you please just take the deal, dad?"

"Is it any better?" Kent snaps, glaring at his kid and then looking down at the envelope. "Are they seriously offering less than forty years?"

"If you're willing to...talk," Daniel says, squeezing the bridge of his nose between his fingers, "about the Russians. They're willing to give you twenty."

Kent blanches at the number, but then he shakes his head.

"It's still too much. I need to walk."

"You are not listening -"

"YOU," Kent snaps, pounding his hand flat on the table. "Are not listening!"

Daniel, to Kent's surprise, just groans and covers his face with his hands, leaning so far back in his chair that it tilts onto its two back legs.

"God, dad, why are you so stubborn? Would you...would you please just at least open the envelope? Consider it?"

Confused, but slightly persuaded at this strange request, Kent grabs the envelope off the table and tears it open. He pulls out the paper inside, looking through what his lawyers think is the best they can offer.

"I can't take this," he murmurs, shaking his head, still believing that a full acquittal is the only way to go.

"Read the last page," Daniel sighs, still leaning back and covering his face with his hands.

Confused, Kent does so, frowning at the legal language that doesn't seem to spell out anything special...

But then, there at the bottom, a few words are written in Fay's slightly chaotic cursive script.

Take the deal, Kent.

He stares at them, shocked. And then, almost before he can stop himself, he runs a finger over the ink, tracing the letters she wrote.

Slowly, he lowers the paperwork to the paper and looks up at his son. Daniel, having leaned forward again without Kent noticing, stares right back at him.

"What's going on," Kent asks, stern. Because...why does Fay have anything to say about this? Why is she involved?

"Honestly, dad," Daniel says, "she's keeping me in the dark too. But you either trust her, or you don't."

Kent takes a long minute to sit back in his chair and think.

"One minute left," the voice announces. "Say your goodbyes."

"Dad..." Daniel says, spreading his hands wide, pleading.

"Fine," Kent snaps. "I'll do it."

And then, on some impulse that neither of them could describe - because they've never done it before in their lives - father and son suddenly stand and throw their arms around each other, hard. "I love you, dad," Daniel murmurs into Kent's shoulder.

"Hands off!" the loudspeaker blares. "No touching!"

"I love you too, kid," Kent whispers back. "Tell her, too."

"We said hands OFF!"

"Nah," Daniel says, pulling back a little now to smile at his dad. "I'll leave that to you."

Then, as the guards burst through the door to separate them physically, Kent feels a sharp pain at the back of his head and gasps, pulling away from Daniel and staring at him in shock.

As the guards grab him by the arms and pull him forcibly away from his son, Kent watches in confusion as Daniel takes the tuft of hair held between his fingers - pulled out from the roots - and tucks it into the pocket of his pants.

 

Chapter 173

My smile is very, very genuine when Daniel finally bursts into the examination room, because it has been absolute t*****e waiting here with Alessi and Natalia without him.

"Ah," Alessi says, giving Daniel a big smile and taking a minute to wrap his arms around his nephew and kiss him on either cheek. Daniel goes a bit pale when Alessi holds him tight, pressing his eyes closed, and I laugh a little to myself knowing that Daniel's hangover this morning was...fierce. It had taken everything Janeen, Jerome, and I could do to haul him out of bed and get him dressed, but eventually Daniel welled up the strength to do it because he knew he had to. It's a big day, after all.

Daniel gives Alessi a pained smile and then his eyes find me.

I raise my eyebrows to him in a silent question and he gives me the tiniest of nods, letting me know it's done. I lay my head back against the padded seat behind me, relieved. Good. At least this one thing went right.

"My Daniel," Natalia coos, moving forward to him next, taking his fac in her hands and tsking in disapproval. "What did they do to you last night - you look terrible, my little groom."

"I did it to myself, Natalia," Daniel says, giving her a soft smile. Natalia mumbles something about how she can't possibly believe that, lifting her fingers to his hair to push it into order, but before she can get very far the doctor comes into the room. "Ah," he says, smiling at Daniel. "So, the father has finally arrived."

"Apologies, Dr. Banks," Daniel says, tucking away his suffering and reaching out a hand to shake the doctor's. "I had to visit my father this morning and the traffic on the way back from the prison was heavier than expected."

"Sorry to hear that," the doctor says, his eyebrows going up. Of course, he knows who Daniel's father is - everyone does. Kent's arrest has been national news, and our wedding - to my surprise - made the media as well, making the connection between Kent and Daniel more apparent than it's ever been.

"Now," the doctor says, clapping his hands together and smiling between Daniel and I. "I understand that we're here for a paternity test!"

Daniel comes to my side now, taking my hand and beaming down at me. "It's not that we have any actual hesitations here, doctor," Daniel says, looking at me and not at him. "But, this baby has two families who crave...assurances. Still," he looks up and turns that charming Lippert smile on the doctor again. "We can all rest assured that the results will not be a surprise."

Natalia and Alessi say nothing as they stand quietly at the side of the room, Alessi beaming as if he has no hesitations at all and Natalia looking like she doesn't believe a damn word Daniel's saying.

The doctor, picking up on some of Natalia's tension, clears his throat. "Well," he says, "motives aside, the procedure is simple enough. Mr. Lippert," he says, nodding to Daniel, "we'll take a DNA sample from the inside of your cheek. And Mrs. Lippert," he says - I grin and laugh a little to hear my new name for the first time -

"We'll take a blood sample from you."

"Please, doctor," Alessi says, stepping forward now, his face curious. "Could you please explain to us how it works? I am...well, I do not understand how a sample of Fay's blood will demonstrate the paternity. Do we not have to wait until the child is born?" "You used to have to wait," the doctor says, turning to Alessi. "But technology has improved so that we now know that the mother's blood carries the unborn baby's DNA. We will use the blood sample to compare the baby's DNA to the potential father's," he says, gesturing towards Daniel.

"Amazing," Alessi says, his face breaking into a wide smile as he looks between Daniel and the doctor. "It is amazing what you can do now, with the medical technology." Daniel smiles back, but I shift my eyes to Natalia, who does not look nearly as impressed. The doctor murmurs his agreement with Alessi but then moves around the room, preparing the tests and then calling a nurse into the room to prep my bloodwork. Daniel obligingly opens his mouth, letting the doctor swipe around the inside of his cheeks with a cotton swab, while the nurse ties a rubber band around my upper arm and begins to locate a vein.

After the doctor has put Daniel's testing materials away, he comes and draws a vial of blood from me himself. That finished, he cleans the very tiny needle puncture on my arm and puts a Band-Aid over it.

"All set," the doctor says, giving us a smile all around.

"Doctor," I say, sitting up and smiling at him. "Would it be all right to add Mr. Bianci's email address to the account, so that they can receive results of the pregnancy test directly from your office?"

The doctor looks at me in surprise and glances towards Natalia and Alessi. "If you...consent to that," he says, turning back to me, "then sure, we can send the results to you as well as Mr. Bianci."

"Yes, why not," I say, turning to give Natalia and Alessi a big smile. "I want you to have all of your assurances in place. And, as Daniel said," I continue, reaching a hand out towards my husband, who immediately takes it, "we've got nothing to hide."

Natalia gives me a tight smile while Alessi presses his hands together towards me in thanks and then goes with the doctor to the computer to provide him with his contact information. When they've finished that, we all stand up and head for the door, murmuring our thanks to the doctor.

But, just before we can reach it, I stumble and catch my breath.

"Fay?" Daniel asks, shifting his hold on me and catching me at the elbow, helping me stand back up. "Are you - are you all right?"

"I'm fine," I murmur, looking up at him. "Um, I just got a little dizzy? Maybe from taking the blood?"

Natalia and Alessi stop in the hall before us, turning to see, and the doctor comes up behind. "That's not uncommon," the doctor says, gesturing back into the room. "Would you like to stay for a moment, Mrs. Lippert? We can have one of the nurses bring you a snack - bring that blood sugar right back up."

"Thank you," I murmur, and then I grimace at Natalia and Alessi, guilt on my face.

"You two go on," Daniel says, glancing at the Italians before turning his concerned face back to me and helping me back into the room. "She just needs to sit down for a moment

"Are you sure?" Alessi says, taking a worried step towards me, his eyes moving over me.

"I'll be just fine," I say, giving an embarrassed little laugh. "I'm just - you know, weaker than I thought I'd be, pregnant." I give a humble little shrug and a blush.

"Yes, come on, Alessi," Natalia says, placing her fingers on her forearm and stepping away. "We have things to do."

Daniel calls his goodbyes to them and helps me back into the room, where I sink into a chair and immediately clear my throat.

"You okay?" the doctor asks.

"Yup," I say, smiling up at him. "I wouldn't say no to that snack, though," I continue, turning my head to the side. I am hungrier these days than I usually am.

Daniel laughs and steps away from me. "Nicely done, Fay," he says, giving me a smirk as he folds his arms and leaning against the wall. "You even had me for a moment - I thought you were really going to fall."

"Drama camp, fourth grade," I say loftily, leaning back in my chair and grinning up at him. "We practiced prat falls for hours."

"So," Dr. Banks says, standing between us and looking at Daniel with a grin. "Were you able to get the hair sample this morning?"

 

 

Chapter 174

jump up and touch it myself.

"I was indeed," Daniel says, pulling a messy clump of hair from his pocket. "Sorry that it's...all in a heap," he murmurs, awkwardly handing the lump of Kent's hair to the doctor. I feel very odd, watching it change hands, fighting a ridiculous urge that rises in me to Don't be so creepy, I chide myself. Or desperate.

So, I force myself to relax back in my chair, watching the doctor take the sample and seal it into a little clear bag. Then, he takes the tube with Daniel's cheek sample and tosses it in the trash.

"Will that be enough?" Daniel asks, anxious. The doctor holds the bag up to eye-level to take a better look.

"Should be," the doctor says, looking closely. "I'm seeing some roots there, so, it should be good."

"Two days?" I ask, standing up for real now and coming to Daniel's side.

"Two days," the doctor says, nodding to us with a smile. "And no reason to suspect anything will go awry. Leave it with me, and we'll get you the results you're looking for."

"Thanks," I say, wrapping my arms around Daniel's arm and resting my head on his shoulder. "We owe you one. Big time."

"Your generous payment is enough," the doctor says, giving us a wink and boxing Kent's hair sample up with my blood sample, ready to be sent off to the lab. "But also," he says, hesitating before looking up at us with hope in his eyes. "If you wouldn't mind...putting in a good word with Janeen..."

"She'll be keeping an eye out for you at the club," I say, giving him a little wink. "You have our assurances on that." Janeen was in on it, of course - Dr. Banks has been her customer at the club for months now. She's the one who introduced us.

"A chance with a girl like that?" Dr. Banks says, sighing and sinking his hands into his pockets. "That's the real reward."

I grin at him, pleased he sees what I see in my sister.

And then, saying our grateful goodbyes, Daniel and I head out the door.

By the time we get to the parking lot, Natalia and Alessi are already gone. I look up at Daniel, who is already looking down at me.

"What next?" I ask, curious.

"You tell me, mastermind," he says, giving me a little nudge with his elbow.

I smile at him, knowing that he's asking me for more information about what I have planned - about why I wanted Natalia and Alessi here, and why I want them to believe, vehemently, that this is a Bianci baby.

But...those plans? They're just not fully in place yet. So, I answer his question in another way.

"Do you want to go to McDonalds?" I ask, hopeful. "I didn't get my snack in there, as promised."

Daniel laughs and we head off to the car together. "I think I like pregnant Fay," he murmurs, cheerful. "She's got her priorities in the right place."

We spend a pleasant evening at home that night. Papa Thompson makes a lasagna from scratch and we spend hours sitting at the table outside, eating piles of garlic bread and talking cheerfully about nothing in that way that family does. The entire evening, I feel Daniel's eyes on me. But I ignore it, needing to not face him right now, to not...not talk about it.

Because while Daniel and I are on good terms - great terms, even, now that we're husband and wife - I know he wants me to ask about his morning at the jail with Kent.

And I just...can't go there right now.

And I haven't really figured out why.

So, I ignore all of the opportunities he makes for me to step aside with him for a private word. He started it first in the car after the clinic, and then when we had lunch - just opening little conversational opportunities for me to ask. And at each one, I not-so-skillfully passed.

He let me, at first - probably thinking I just wanted to be comfortably at home before digging into it. And maybe I thought so too.

But now that I'm home?

God, the bare idea of even...talking about Kent. It raises an almost physical pain in my chest - all of the fear, and the anxiety, and the grief of these past few weeks just comes roaring back.

I do my best to pat those emotions down in me as I nurse the non-alcoholic beer my dad brought me - bless him, always so considerate and wanting me to be part of the group. But Daniel's looking at me again, not-so-subtly nodding towards the edge of the deck, where we know Janeen and Jerome will leave us alone.

But I just pretend I don't see his nod, turning to laugh at Janeen and Jerome's conversation about whatever sports team is playing right now. I don't know which one - I haven't been listening. But it doesn't matter - I just allow myself to be carried away in the empty bliss of a pleasant conversation.

Because the alternative? Of having to address my reality, to really think about what the hell I'm going to do next?

It's so overwhelming that I fear I'll drown in it.

God, how did Kent do this every day, year after year? He's so much stronger than me.

I successfully evade Daniel all evening, but at night? When it's just me, retiring to my bed alone?

He knows he has me trapped.

I kind of expect the tapping on my door when it comes. And in response, very immaturely, I quickly shut off my book light and close my eyes, pretending that I'm asleep.

I hear a sigh outside my bedroom door before it creaks open. Inwardly, I curse the loss of the little lock that Kent put on my bedroom door at his house. Why do I keep getting bedrooms without locks on the doors?

I keep my eyes closed so I can't see what Daniel's doing, even though the light from the hallway spills in and changes the darkness on the inside of my eyelids to a light orange-red.

"Fay," Daniel sighs, and I sigh too, knowing I'm trapped. "I know you're not asleep. I saw your light go out."

I open my eyes and stare at my wall, still unwilling to face him.

"Why won't you ask, Fay?" Daniel says quietly, closing the door behind him and coming to sit on the edge of my bed. "I mean - I won't tell you anything if you don't want to hear. But...why don't you want to know?" "Because," I murmur, and a sudden hitch comes to my throat. Daniel inhales sharply and moves upward on the bed, sitting behind me and putting a hand on my shoulder as I work to get ahold of myself.

"Because," I say again, forcing myself to turn to steel, to be tough. Because - in all of this, I have to be tough, or it will all collapse. "The point was that you got the hair, and you got him to agree to the plea deal. Any other information...doesn't matter right now, Daniel." "Doesn't it?" he murmurs, laying down behind me and starting to stroke my back in a comforting way. I close my eyes again. "Doesn't it matter, if hearing that he's okay will make you feel better?"

"But what if he's not okay?" I whisper, terrified.

"Well then I won't tell you."

"Well then your not telling me will tell me that he's not okay!" I protest, and Daniel laughs. Then he stops stroking my back and tugs on my shoulder, asking me to turn.

I do ask my husband asks, turning towards him in bed so that he can see the tears slipping down my cheeks. Daniel makes soft, comforting, chiding noises - telling me that it will all be okay as he wipes the tears from my cheeks. But I just shake my head. Because...I mean, it's probably not. I have this insane plan - and it's probably not going to work - and it's probably going to get us all arrested -

And I just have so many doubts about all of it - about me, and whether or not I can pull this off, and - and whether it makes me a bad person -

And a bad mother - to want to do all of this -

"Fay," Daniel says, stern, making my eyes flash up to him. He places a soft hand on my cheek. "You've got to stop second-guessing it."

"I can't," I cry, shaking my head.

"What would Kent say?" he asks softly, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

"He'd tell me to let him do it," I reply, laughing a little hystrically and wiping my running nose with the back of my hand.

"Well, yeah," Daniel replies, laughing too. "But in this alternate universe - where Kent is in jail, and has agreed to take the plea deal and let you do whatever the hell it is you're planning. What would he say?" "He'd say stop wasting time crying," I sigh. "And get to work."

"Yup," Daniel says, nodding a little. "He's a jerk that way."

I laugh again, shaking my head. Because in saying that to me, Kent wouldn't be being mean - he would just be telling me what I need to hear.

"Kent has never been big on hesitation," Daniel continues. "If you have a plan, and it's a good plan? You don't get it done by constantly rethinking it. So..." he shrugs. "Let's do this thing. All right? We're all on board."

"Okay," I whisper, closing my eyes again and nodding, letting myself trust Daniel's trust in me.

"Kent didn't want to do it," Daniel whispers, and I open my eyes, biting my lip and looking up at him. "He didn't want to take the plea bargain," he says, and then his lips quirk into a smile, "was real pissed off about it, in fact." I laugh, imagining it, because of course he was.

"He only agreed when he saw your handwriting," Daniel continues. "He trusts you, Fay."

I take a deep breath, letting Kent's faith bolster me as well.

Because if Kent and Daniel think I can do this?

Well...maybe I really can.

 

 

Chapter 175

Everything changes the moment we get the test results. Alessi calls Daniel and we all hear his loud, enthusiastic approval coming through the phone that Daniel, wincing, has to hold away from his ear. I smirk, digging into my pancakes and watching Daniel's face as "Sexy," Janeen says, sitting down next to me and with a yawn, her eyes on Daniel. "Does your other one do that? With the speaking Italian?"

he speaks in Italian to his uncle, accepting his congratulations and saying a bunch of stuff I don't understand.

"He sure does," I reply, smirking, stabbing at my pancakes.

"Please refrain from drooling over my boyfriend," Jerome says next to me, pointing his fork at Janeen. "I'm not sure he's gay enough to resist your wiles."

I laugh and point my own fork at Jerome. "He's my husband, interloper," I point out, grinning. "If any of us are encroaching on someone's territory, it's you."

Jerome laughs, shaking his head at me and accepting his own plate of pancakes from Papa Thompson, who smiles but pretends he's not listening. I grin and take a sip from my coffee as Daniel hangs up his phone.

"Well," he says, looking around at all of us with a tight grin. "Looks like they're coming for a visit."

"What!?" I gasp, dropping my fork. "Here!?"

He gives a shrug, grimacing at me. "I can't stop them. They know where we're living."

I groan, tilting my head back and staring up at the ceiling. Above all, this little beach house has been a haven away from the world where we can all be ourselves and don't have to pretend.

So Alessi and Natalia? Here? It's the absolute last thing I want.

"Um, I did not invite them to my beach house," Janeen snaps, stabbing at her breakfast. "They are not welcome here."

"Still Fay's house," Daniel says, giving her a cheeky wink and turning to me. "Unless..." he says, hesitating. "This goes against your plans?"

"No," I sigh, pushing my food away, my appetite suddenly gone as my brain begins to scheme. "It's good," I continue, putting a hand on my stomach and looking down at it. "We want them very much on Team Baby Bianci, after all." And my lips twist ironically as I consider my little baby, who is not a Bianci at all.

But, Alessi and Natalia don't need to know that, do they?

Natalia wraps me in a big warm hug the moment she gets out of the car, rocking me back and forth in her arms and stroking my hair with her hand. "Oh Fay, the little mother - what a blessing you have," she murmurs as I do my best not to cringe. Seriously though, I wonder, a little frantic, how long can this hug last?

But Natalia holds me tight until Daniel comes to release me, giving her a hug and accepting her four kisses - two for each cheek.

"I am so happy for you both," Natalia says, looking between us. "A blessing - a little baby - we will hope for a boy, yes?" With that, she grabs the bags of gifts she brought with her and happily starts up the steps into the beach house. "Daniel! There are more in the car, go and get them!"

When we both start out the door, she calls after us in a chiding voice. "Do not lift a finger, Fay! You are a sacred vessel - let the men do it!"

I laugh a little, looking up at Daniel in shock. "I guess she likes me more than you now," I say, grinning.

"I know," he murmurs, his hands on his hips as he stares after the woman who has done nothing but worship him his whole life. Then he looks back at me. "I kind of hate it."

"Don't be jealous," I say, reaching up to pinch his cheek. "I'm a sacred vessel, after all," I sigh, walking towards the stairs and starting up them with not a single thing in my hands. Daniel grumbles as he follows after, carrying several more bags filled with presents. In the house, Natalia and Alessi are greeting my family more cheerfully than they ever have before, which I can tell unsettles my dad and Janeen. Jerome made himself scarce about half an hour ago. After all, while it makes sense that we hired him to be our body guard while he's out on bail, it doesn't really make sense that he'd be lounging around my house in his pajamas, does it?

Especially with the way that he and Daniel look at each other these days. I don't even think they realize it.

"Fay, come and see," Natalia says, patting the sofa next to her and beginning to open the packages, which all contain baby clothes and baby supplies. "I know that you don't know what you're doing with this so I got you everything you need, and all the best." I do my very best to not roll my eyes at Natalia, who I refrain from pointing out - never did this herself. But luckily, Janeen rolls her eyes for both of us as she passes me onto the way into the kitchen, her expression a mix of confusion and disgust. The next two hours pass cheerfully, with Natalia and Alessi being genuinely nice to everyone for the first time. And, despite my criticism of her, Natalia's gifts are all really beautiful and will probably be helpful once the baby comes. I bite my lip a little, considering that...well, that I should probably pay more attention to preparing for this child, to ensuring that I know what the hell to do once I have an infant to care for.

But with everything on my plate?

Well, frankly, I've got seven months to prep for my baby, and quite a bit to do before that.

It's nearly nighttime when we're all gathered out on the back deck, lounging around the table with a set of cocktails that Alessi mixed up for us. Natalia sits next to me in the same way that she has stuck by my side all day, which has been annoying and baffling. But I shrug it off, considering that she really just wants the baby's company, not mine.

I smile as I watch Daniel chatting with Alessi, the two of them clearly happy and united in their excitement about the baby. I'm pleased by this, knowing that peace-loving Daniel was unhappy about the rift between himself and his uncle. As much as he knows that we lied to the Bianci family to make this happy reunion possible, I can see that he's still pleased with the result.

My happiness, of course, is tempered a little by my jealousy as I look around the table at everyone's drinks. I sigh, pouting at my own glass of soda and then glaring around at everyone else's espresso martini's. They just look so frosty and delicious - Honestly, I'm not even that big of a drinker, but nothing makes me want to steal Daniel's cocktail away from him like being told that I can't -

But before I can get too jealous, Natalia distracts me by giving me the shock of my life.

"Do you know, Fay, I owe you an apology," she says, leaning closer to me so that her words are for us alone.

I turn to her in surprise, completely without words. What on earth is this?

"I admit," she says, giving me a little smile as she rests her chin on her fist and looks me over, "I thought that you and Daniel did not have a real relationship."

"Oh," I reply, my eyebrows going up. And then I laugh a little, shaking my head. "Well, yes," I say, sighing, "you made that pretty clear when you tried to set him up with about a hundred other girls."

She shrugs along with me. "Honestly, I didn't think that would work either, but I had to try."

Curious, I tilt my head at her words.

She leans in towards me, giving a wink. "Do you know, I always thought Daniel was a little...well, that he liked men," she says, laughing.

My blood runs cold to hear her say it, and it takes every bit of me to ensure that my fear doesn't show on my face.