53
“Coming!” she yelled at the knock on the door of her apartment.
She opened the door and stood frozen as she looked at Hannah and Rev. Hannah smiled slightly and Rev just grunted as they all stared at each other.
“Hello Rylee,” Hannah said.
“How did you find me?” Rylee asked her.
“I have friends,” Hannah shrugged.
“Does Lucas know where I am?” Rylee asked.
“No,” Hannah said, “can we come in?”
“Sure,” Rylee said as she looked around.
She opened the door wider and let Hannah and Rev enter. They walked through to the living room and Rylee showed them each a seat.
“Something to drink?” Rylee asked.
“Coffee for both of us,” Hannah said as they sat down.
Rylee walked to the kitchen and absent-mindedly her hand went to her stomach. She was now almost four months pregnant and living in Joliet. She was slightly worried that Hannah had found her and she was itching with curiosity as to why they were here.
“I assume this isn’t a friendly visit to see how I am,” Rylee said as Rev took the tray from her and she sat down opposite them.
“You broke the Elder laws by leaving Lucas,” Hannah said coming straight to the point.
“Then I’ll face them,” Rylee said determinedly.
“Lucas already suffered the consequences of your decision of his own volition,” Hannah said.
“What do you mean? What consequences?” Rylee asked her.
“Containment for fourteen days with no food or water and ten lashes each day,” Hannah said as Rylee’s hand covered her mouth and her eyes widened in horror.
“Why would he do that?” Rylee asked her.
“Because he loves you and he couldn’t bear the thought of them hurting you or your children,” Hannah said.
“He doesn’t love me Hannah,” Rylee said sadly.
“The night they arrested him he also received fifty lashes because he went against the Elders and turned Jennifer,” Hannah continued as if Rylee hadn’t even said anything.
“I’m sorry he went through that,” Rylee said as she swallowed back tears.
“Are you though? Did you ever love him?” Hannah asked her.
“Of course I did! I still do, but it doesn’t change anything,” Rylee said clearly upset.
“It changes a lot Rylee, I know he’s been an asshole and you didn’t deserve what he did to you,” Hannah said.
“No I didn’t,” Rylee agreed.
“He didn’t deserve to take your punishment either but he did it even though he knew that you’d never know he did it out of love, he doesn’t know we’re here, he doesn’t even know what day of the week it is,” Hannah said.
“Stella put him in a coma again yesterday, Baz killed the Elders’ dragons to protect Lucas. He was dying and Baz broke him out just as we arrived to break him out. He wasn’t really sleeping or eating since you left and he told everyone to leave you alone, to respect your wishes and he told me he would stay away from you too, to give you what you wanted,” Rev said as he looked at her.
“We bring out the worst in each other,” Rylee said softly.
“Yes but also the good parts. You wouldn’t have been bonded if you didn’t belong together. I believe you that those are Lucas’s babies,” Hannah said to her gently.
“Hannah it doesn’t matter how we feel, he doesn’t believe that and he already rejected them and so rejected me too, he doesn’t trust me and I don’t trust him,” Rylee said.
“Did you know that Stella sent him the paternity test results?” Rev asked her.
“Yes, she sent them to me too,” she said.
“He didn’t read it, he deleted the mail as soon as he saw it,” Rev said.
“Because he doesn’t even care to know what it says,” she said getting upset again.
“No, because he told me that it doesn’t matter to him anymore, that he just needed time to accept it but you left before he could do that. He told me that he was going to accept them and turn them when they turned fourteen so he could claim them as heirs to his lair,” Rev told her.
“What?” Rylee asked him.
“It’s true,” Hannah said, “we have no reason to lie to you.”
“I don’t understand,” Rylee said.
“Rylee, Lucas never reported your departure to the Elders. As Drakaina of the lair, you have certain obligations and responsibilities for life. It’s not a job you can quit, but he kept it quiet and protected you from their wrath. He accepted the punishment because he told them he forced you to leave and he believes that he did. Your presence can help him heal but we’re not asking you to come back with us, but we felt that you needed to know the whole truth. He loves you Rylee, even if he’s an asshole in showing it,” Rev said.
“I don’t know what to say,” Rylee said.
“You don’t have to say anything,” Hannah said and stood up.
“Take care of yourself Rylee,” Rev said as he joined Hannah.
“If I may ask, what did the paternity test say?” Hannah asked her.
“It confirmed that Lucas is their father,” Rylee said and Hannah smiled.
“I’m really happy for you Rylee, you’re going to be great mother,” she said and Rylee smiled sadly again.
“We should go,” Rev said as he opened the front door.
“Oh one more thing, I found this in Lucas’s drawer,” Hannah said and gave the envelope to Rylee.
Hannah and Rev left without another word and Rylee stood by the door and watched them drive off giving Hannah a wave back before the car disappeared. She looked at the envelope and closed the front door behind her softly.
She opened the large envelope and pulled out what looked like blueprints. She recognized Lucas’s handwriting as she looked at the notes that he had made on them. They were blueprints to convert his office and personal gym on the fourth floor to two rooms for the babies. Tears slowly made their way across her cheeks as she looked at the notes.
Baby Grey one and Baby Grey two as Lucas called them would have large rooms, he had drawn in where the cribs would stand, the changing station, a separate play area, a rocking chair, he had drawn in the renovations of where he’d have their bathrooms built and he’d also made notes on how to alter their rooms when they entered their teen years.
There were other papers attached to the blueprints and she flipped through them. The first page was a list of baby furniture he had looked at, printouts from the website. On one corner Lucas had written ‘what would Rylee choose?’
The next three pages were baby names where he had circled two boys names and two girl names and she could see where he had hovered with his pen deciding if he liked it or not. It brought a smile to her lips as she looked at the names he liked.
The next page held an application to change his will and add beneficiaries, her name was already on the printed part, she didn’t even know that he had added her to his will and he had made plans to add the babies.
The next batch of papers held the names of the best pre-schools in Aurora. He had already downloaded application forms and checked reviews online. He had made a line through the schools that had complaints against them and one school had a question mark next to its name.
It was the same with primary schools. His research was extensive and he had been thorough. Research on the principal and teachers were also added to the pile and she was amazed at how much information he had gathered on them.
The last page made her hold her breath for a moment. Attached at the back was the ultrasound photo and on the back he’d written the date of the ultrasound and Baby Grey One and Baby Grey Two. He had done all this thinking he wasn’t their biological father.
“He’s an asshole but he loves me,” Rylee whispered to herself.
Hannah was quiet on the way back to the house and Rev glanced over at her as he held her one hand. She seemed less restless after talking to Rylee and she had a small smile on her lips.
“What are you thinking about?” Rev asked her.
“I hope Rylee will come back,” Hannah said.
“Do you think she will?” Rev asked.
“I don’t know,” she said and sighed.
“You did what you could. It’s up to them to work this out or not,” Rev said.
“I know,” she said.
“So what else is bothering you?” he asked.
“We’ve never talked about children,” Hannah said as she looked at him.
“I don’t mind either way,” Rev said.
“That’s not an answer,” she said.
“You didn’t ask a question,” he retorted and she laughed.
“Touché, do you want children?” she asked him.
“I want whatever you want. I’ll be happy as long as you are,” he said.
“You’ll be a great father you know,” she said as she stroked his hand.
“Do you think so?” he asked her.
“Rev, you still braid my hair most mornings,” she said and he laughed.
“And how would they feel having a convict for a father?” he asked her.
“They’d be proud to know their father is a hero that saved their mother’s life,” she said and kissed his hand.
“I love you Hannah, more than you can ever know,” Rev said.
“Don’t get all soppy on me big guy, I’ll make you play tea party with me,” she said and he smiled.
“This time we can play it naked,” he said and Hannah laughed out loud.
“We can play it however you want,” she said and winked at him.
“How fast do you think this car can go?” Rev asked her.
“Not fast enough,” she said with a smile, “I love you Rev. I’ve loved you since I was nine.”
“I know,” he said and pressed his foot down on the gas pedal.
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