More Than Darkness
38
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This is a crossover smutty story featuring the character of
Tess/Salida ie Tess' Voice in Neon
More Than Eyes Alone Can See, and More
Than Life, and Sands/Jeffrey from Merrie's OUATIM fic
on ff.net, Darkness Rising. This story will make some sense, probably, if you
read it without having read either of our stories, but it'll make a hell of a
lot more if you just read them. They're all worth read we we promise. Anyway,
on with the show.
Rated for what has happened, and what might happen.
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Two hours later, Aida was struggling to stay awake.
Sands, to keep him from dreaming again, to earn his trust . . . but it was
hard. For the fifth time inside the last
twenty minutes, she looked down at the head cradled in her lap and was surprised
to see his eyes opening.
“Uh, hi kitty,”
Jeffrey murmured, more than a little surprised to see her face looking down at
him. He didn’t move because he wasn’t
fully aware of just how compromising his position was.
“I convinced Sands
to take a nap,” she whispered, moving her hands from his head.
“Probably a good
idea,” he muttered, moving away from her deliberately but not quickly.
Sands was getting used to waking up around Salida, and he refused to get
skittish. “God I’m still fucking tired,
but thanks.” He said with a yawn.
split lip. He moved his hand up to it
and hissed slightly as his fingers encountered tender flesh.
lip.
“I wouldn’t know
the answer. I didn’t do it.”
“Vixen did this?
asked with a frown.
“No.”
had fought unless she had to. It really
wasn’t any of Jeffrey’s business.
“Alright.”
awkwardly before turning and leaving the room to go find his wife.
worried that he’d overslept and missed her fucking appointment.
entering their bedroom.
She wasn’t.
calico cat sitting in a patch of sunshine.
Since it was asleep, it couldn’t growl at Jeffrey.
Jeffrey frowned and
made his way downstairs. Had she gone to
the fucking appointment already without him?
his query in each room he passed.
He found her asleep
at the kitchen table, bent awkwardly over a book she’d apparently been reading.
Jeffrey smiled and
kissed the top of her head gently before trying to settle her back in her chair
so he could pick her up and move her to the couch at least.
her.
“Jeffrey?” she
asked, rubbing at sleep blurred eyes. “What
time is it?”
Jeffrey glanced up
to the stove to look at the clock there.
You missed your fucking appointment,
didn’t you? Why?
assuming that he had missed the appointment because Sands had been sleeping.
She relaxed a bit
when she found out she wasn’t late yet. “I
was already late by the time the two lovebirds were settled back in their
nest. I had to reschedule my appointment
and hers.”
“Why?
lip, vixen? Kitty said she didn’t do it.
What the fuck happened?”
idiot,” she muttered. “I simply informed
him of that.”
“Oh.
“One.
thirty
could do.” She didn’t sound happy about
it either.
“What’s wrong now?”
he asked with a frown, taking a seat next to her at the table.
“Nothing.”
“It doesn’t sound
like nothing. What is it?” Jeffrey
pressed.
“You’re being a
pest.”
“Yeah, more than
likely. You’re being stubborn.”
“Maybe there’s just
nothing for me to tell you,” she replied, an edge of irritation to her voice.
“Alright fine.
before you went?”
“I ate already,”
she sulked.
“Now you’re
sulking. Are you mad at me or something?”
“Is there a reason
I can’t be in a crappy mood without you being the reason for it?” she asked
slowly.
“No, but I don’t
like it when you’re in a crappy mood. It
puts me in a crappy mood. I don’t like
it when you’re upset period.” His voice
was cand and as soothing as he could make it without being patronizing, not
wanting to irritate her further.
“For your
information, I don’t like it either.” As
rude as the words were, there was no bite behind them.
“Try and focus on
something that doesn’t fucking put you in a crappy mood.
it. Focus on the way it made you feel
and try and make yourself feel that now.
fucking trying at least.”
“Hold me?” she askedftlyftly. Her brain had a habit of
shutting down a bit when he did.
“Come to the living
room. The couch is a lot more fucking
comfortable than these chairs are.” When
he led her to the living room when she stood, he sat himself down on the couch first
before pulling her down so that she was curled up in his arms.
“It’s nice,” she
murmured. it’s time to go.”
“I’ve got no
problem with that. Just don’t let me
fall asleep again.”
“You slept?”
“Apparently.
awhile. I don’t know how.
“Mmm. . .”
“You can if you
want to though. style='mso-spacerun:yes'> I won’t let you miss your appointment.”
“We’ll need to
leave by
“Then just fucking
relax for awhile. There’s nowhere we
have to be right now.”
“Alright. . .”
“Did you . . . do
you want to hear about the dream?” he asked softly.
had and he wouldn’t back down if she said yes.
“If you want to
tell me. But I’m not going to push.”
“It’s ok.
said slowly before taking a breath. “Cops
fucking came, shot kitty, shot you, locked me up in a fucking institution.
myself.”
“I suspected it was
something like that,” she murmured, soft comfort in her voice.
“Why do you say
that?” Jeffrey asked with a frown. “It
isn’t.”
“Who turned on the
TV last night?”
“You didn’t know,
vixen. And it’s certainly not your
fucking fault. You didn’t turn me in.
segment last night. It’s not your
fucking fault. It’s those bastards’ if
it’s anybody’s.”
“If I hadn’t turned
on the TV, you wouldn’t have seen it.”
“I still would have
had the fucking nightmare sooner or later, vixen.
your fucking fault.”
Salida let the
conversation rest after that, stirring only when a car outside the house
honked. “That would be the taxi.
time to go.”
“It’s not your
fucking fault,” Jeffrey repeated softly, but let her get up off his lap so she
could stand.
“You can stop
saying that,” she said, her voice equally as soft.
better than nothing. “Be right back.”
A few minutes later
she returned with Grant following behind.
No one spoke as they left the house and climbed into the taxi.
“I assume we’re
going to a doctor’s appointment of some kind?” Sands asked slowly, coming awake
and noticing that they were all jammed into a taxi and in the midst of driving
somewhere.
“Depends on who you
ask,” Salida murmured. “But the short
answer would be ‘yes.’”
“Vixen’s is at
is at
return.
“Oh.
to say. The tension inside the small
taxi was almost thick enough to see. While
taxi drivers were normally a verbose kind, this one hadn’t said a word save to
ask for their destination.
“I don’t know how
long mine is going to take,” Salida admitted, looking out the window.
to all meet up at the same place.”
Aida nodded.
Sands had the grace
to look slightly guilty at the relief he felt that Jeffrey would be at Salida’s
appointment and that he wouldn’t necessarily have to go to Aida’s.
would have gone anyway for her, but he didn’t want to go.
“We’ll fucking meet
you there then,” Jeffrey said, looking out the window as the cab came to a stop
and gesturing for Aida on his right to open the door to the street so he and
Salida could get out. It had been
somewhat awkward to ride pressed between the two of them, but it ht bet been
his choice.
“Alright.
quick?”
Jeffrey turned to
Salida. “I’ll meet you inside.
shrugged and headed towards the building where her appointment was.
muttered, and then left.
Sands looked at her
expectantly, half-dreading what she was going to say.
Aida took her
husband’s hand in her, and very quietly whispered, “I’m going to be fine.
dinner.”
“Alright.
small smile. He wouldn’t say that he
knew she’d be alright because he didn’t.
It was unsettling and more than a little
depressing.
“Now, gimme a kiss
before you go.” She tilted her face up
to his and waited for him to make the first move.
Sands hesitated for
a long minute before giving her a chaste kiss on the forehead.
she told him her tumor was occurred to him as he was pulling away and he
struggled not to react. “I’ll be back
soon,” he said, forcing his voice to be calm.
“I know.”
hand. “I’ll be waiting.”
inside.
When she was out of
sight he allowed himself to tremble a bit before giving up control to Jeffrey
and burying himself deep within their shared mind.
Jeffrey frowned at
Sands’ actions before looking around his surroundings.
longer so he figured that she had said whatever she had wanted to say.
to find his wife.
******************************
******************************
“What’s the doctor’s name again?”
“Osborne,” Salida
replied absently as she paced back and forth.
Once again she was in a hospital gown, and she didn’t like it.
“You’re making me
dizzy,” Jeffrey said wryly, standing to intercept her pacing.
and pacing in this instance?” He was
trying very hard to stay calm for her to keep her from getting nervous.
else she didn’t notice. “Everything will
be fine,” he tried to assure her.
“I don’t like the
room,” she muttered. True to Aida’s
prediction, it was completely decorated in soft pastels and lacy frills.
“Me either.
he muttered with a frown. “And I don’t
like the fucking colors. It looks like a
fucking Care Bear exploded. And no, you
don’t get to fucking ask how I know what a Care Bear is,” he muttered.
“I don’t know what
one is, and I don’t care.” She moved
around him, glared at a pillow, and then paced back.
“I can’t fucking
answer that. All I know is that it's
like that with every fucking doctor’s office – it doesn’t matter what kind of
doctor it is – in the fucking world. The
examination room or whatever the fuck they call it is just a second fucking
waiting room. Don’t let it get to you.
and drag someone back to see you.”
“No.
and rested her head against his shoulder.
“Everything’s going to be good, right?”
“Everything’s going
to be fucking perfect, vixen. How could
it not be? Don’t fucking worry,” he
whispered, pulling her close and rubbing his right hand through her hair in
what was meant to be a calming manner.
She didn’t
answer. She just let her husband calm
her down. At about the time she was
feeling balanced again, there was a sharp rap on the door, and then it opened.
A tall woman with
graying blond hair stood in the doorway.
“Salida and Jeffrey?”
Jeffrey sighed as
he felt Salida tense again, looked over to the person standing in the doorway,
and nodded. “Yes, that’s us.”
along the lines of “About fucking time,”
or “What took you so long you fucking
quack?” Such comments probably wouldn’t
have been fucking appreciated.
“I’m Dr. Osborne.”
hand. Salida shook it gingerly from the
shelter of her husband’s arms, before pulling her arm back.
Seeing that Salida
wasn’t doing anything to move away from him, Jeffrey didn’t move away from her
either. He simply nodded to the doctor
in greeting and continued holding his wife.
go, but for now he was content to simply hold her for as long as she wanted.
Fortunately, the
doctor had seen this kind of behavior before.
“Let me guess, first time parents.”
She set her clipboard on a nearby table and crossed her arms.
“Yes, that’s
correct,” Jeffrey supplied, his words clipped and even.
and Salida annoyed him. It didn’t matter
that she was right, he didn’t like people guessing his intentions.
“Well . . . any
questions for me, or do you just want to get on with the examination?”
Jeffrey and Salida
exchanged glances, and while she shook her head, her eyes seemed to be asking
him for more time.
“What exactly are
you going to do?” Jeffrey asked somewhat warily, both answering Salida’s
unasked need and genuinely wanting to know.
“Well, first I’m
going to take blood pressure and temperature readings since we’ve got a nurse
out sick today. And after that, we’ll do
an ultrasound to figure out how far along you are.
“How does the
ultrasound work?” he asked, again genuinely curious.
“Well, it works
basically like sonar on a submarine. The
machine produces high frequency sound waves, and I have a wand that allows me
to move them around. The sound waves
bounce back when they hit something, and for a picture on the monitor.
to find out how your baby is.”
That description
actually made Salida smile, albeit it was a small smile.
Jeffrey blinked at
that, silently amazed. “Uh, what else
will you be able to tell us with that?”
“Well, how long you’ve
been pregnant, and gender if the pregnancy is far enough along.
is developing properly . . . just things like that.”
“Oh.” Jeffrey
struggled not to make a face any of that.
“Heart defects?”
Salida asked softly.
“Well, that’s more
to be expected in the case of multiples, and some might even . . . fix
themselves before birth, but there are some cases where babies can be born with
a hole in their heart. If we know ahead
of time, they can be taken straight to surgery to get it repaired.”
Such talk worried
Jeffrey, but he tried to not let it affect him.
whatever it may turn out to be, would be perfect.
insane as its parents, but he tried not to think about that too much.
Salida might be having twins. “What are
the chances of that?”
“Let’s see. . .”
she looked at Salida’s chart.
drugs, and there’s no history of twins in your families.”
Jeffrey nodded. “Well, then I’d say the
chances of a multiple pregnancy are relatively low.
“Oh.
right? If there’s just one baby?”
their child would be perfect, but it was getting harder the more he learned.
“That’s
correct. Much less than one in twenty.”
Jeffrey nodded.
asked somewhat cautiously.
“Why don’t we get
the rest of it out of the way before be continue,” the doctor suggested gently.
“The rest of what?”
Jeffrey asked, giving Salida a look to ask if she was ready.
want to.
Salida nodded as
Dr. Osborne went on to say, “Before we go about settling the rest of your
paternal fears. It’s perfectly natural
to be a little uneasy, but believe it or not, an ultrasound can help.
Salida gently
detached herself from her husband and went to sit on the examination
table. She held herself a little
rigidly, but she appeared to be calm enough.
Jeffrey gave her a
considering look before turning to the doctor.
knowing whether or not the doctor intended him to stay.
because he wasn’t planning on leaving.
“The
ultrasound? No more than twenty
minutes. And there’s no reason for you
to leave unless your wife would prefer it.”
Dr. Osborne pulled a stool over to the table and took a seat by her
timid patient. “How are you feeling,
Salida?”
Salida
shrugged. “Depends on when you ask.”
“Ah . . . hormones.
husband suffered for each one.” With
gentle hands the doctor took Salida’s blood pressure and temperature.
that this pregnancy came as quite a surprise.”
Salida knew that
Jeffrey was hovering, but she could also tell that Dr. Osborne was talking
specifically to her. “I umm . . . another
doctor, back home, told me I couldn’t have children.”
“That would explain
it then. How are you handling things?”
“Better.
For awhile I didn’t think I was ready for children. But I’ve . . . reconsidered.”
Jeffrey just looked
back at her, not knowing what to say. He
wanted to be happy that she was coming to accept and embrace the notion that
she was pregnant, but a nasty little voice whispered that it wouldn’t last.
She smiled back,
then looked at the doctor again. “I
think Jeffrey might reconsider too if I can’t stop being so . . .”
“Bitchy?”
Salida
laughed. “That would probably be
accurate.”
Jeffrey knew that
if he had called Salida bitchy he would have either gotten yelled at or
slapped. That Salida had laughed when
the doctor had said it annoyed him. He
wisely kept his mouth shut on such thoughts though.
“Well, now that you’re
a tad bit relaxed . . .” Salida
immediately tensed at the doctor’s words.
“Then again. . .” Dr. Osborne
looked around the room and found Jeffrey.
“Why don’t you come comfort your wife while I run the ultrasound?”
Jeffrey didn’t like
being told what to do concerning his
wife, but for the most part he agreed with the doctor on this count and moved
to do as he was told. He didn’t say a
word, he merely took one of Salida’s hands within his grasp and looked into her
eyes. The intense gaze he was met with
almost made him falter. “You’re doing it
again,” he muttered under his breath fondly.
“Panicking?” she
asked softly, squeezing his hand as if it were a lifeline.
“Well yeah, a
fucking little, but what I meant was you’re fucking drowning me again.”
her fingertips. “There’s nothing to
fucking worry about, vixen. You’ll be
fucking fine.”
“You’re going to
have to stop that,” she murmured, leaning back at the doctor’s direction.
“Stop what, vixen?”
“Cursing.
her gown to get to her belly.
“But. . .” Jeffrey
frowned as if she had just asked him to cut off a finger and hand it to her.
“And I can’t get
pregnant.” Her eyes begged him to
consider it.
Jeffrey wanted to
whine and complain that she was being unfair – asking him to do something he
couldn’t – but he couldn’t turn away from those fucking blue eyes.
Dr. Osborne hated
to interrupt, but she had to. “Okay, I’m
going to apply the gel now. This might
be a little cold, Salida.”
The woman in
questions hissed, sure that “a little cold” had been an understatement, but she
didn’t complain.
Jeffrey just stood
by her side, holding her hand and watching the movements of the doctor,
silently enthralled. All of this was so
fascinating to him that he was at a loss for words.
position with a woman he loved, watching and waiting for news on their child.
off his feet in awe. He could tell
Salida didn’t quite share his enthusiasm, but that didn’t matter.
things as the knowledge that their was another person, their child, kept safe
within her. One created by the love of
the two of them. He found it all nothing
short of incredible and he knew whatever happened, that he would protect the
child and its mother with his very life if need be.
The soft
room. Salida laid back and watched the
ceiling, certain that if something was wrong, either the doctor would say something,
or Jeffrey wouldn’t be able to hide his reaction.
doctor was going to find something . . . unusual.
The doctor had her
eyes fixed on the small screen. There
was nothing much to see, just spots and blotches of grey on a black field, but
she seemed to be seeing things she liked.
“Placenta looks
good. . .” she murmured. “Uterus a
little bigger than I suspected . . . how much weight have you gained, Salida?”
“I don’t
know. About ten pounds, give or take.”
husband.
“And you don't have
any idea about when you may have gotten pregnant?”
“No.
“Hmm. . .”
Jeffrey was getting
to the point where he wanted to strangle the doctor in front of him.
the matter then he could stop fucking worrying and look to reassuring Salida
again. “What’s ‘hmm’ mean, doctor?”
Jeffrey asked, keeping his voice even. “What
do you see?” The fuzzy black and white
picture didn’t make much sense to him. He
was relying on the too slow doctor to interpret it.
“Nothing.
think that the pregnancy has progressed more than I thought it had.”
wand to the side. “And there we go.
Jeffrey didn’t know
what to say. His throat had gone utterly
dry and he was sure he was gaping like a fish.
clear on his face. He looked at her as
if he couldn’t fathom her existence; he couldn’t understand how she was able to
create something such as this. He still
couldn’t make heads or tails of the blurred image he was seeing, but that didn’t
matter. Whatever annoyances he had had
against the doctor faded as soon as she had said those slightly patronizing – at
least they sounded that way – words.
“There’s less to
see than I was expecting . . . I’d say you’re only into week seven.”
fix a stern look on Salida. “Have you
been trying to loose weight?” Salida had
the grace to blush, but she didn’t say anything.
gain some weight.”
“She will, don’t
worry.” Jeffrey wouldn’t exactly force
her to eat more, but he wouldn’t let her waste away into nothing either.
herself if need be. “What do you mean
there’s more to see than you were expecting?” Jeffrey asked with a slight
frown. He also wanted to ask about the
seven weeks, but he figured he and Salida could talk about that later.
“The uterus is big
enough to make me think that the baby would be older,” the doctor murmured as
she moved her wand again. “It’s nothing
to worry about . . . and here we go. And
here we go again.” Osborne’s eyebrows
nearly rose into her hairline.
“What?
his voice calm with difficulty. Dr.
Osborne didn’t exactly look worried, but something she had seen had surprised
her, and Jeffrey needed to fucking know what that something was.
“I’m not going to
stake my career on what might be a fetal echo, but at the moment it looks like
you might need a bigger nursery. I’m
getting three heartbeats.”
Salida turned to
stone, her nails digging into Jeffrey’s hand.
“Wh-what?”
“Triplets.
. .”
She didn’t hear the
rest of what the doctor had to say. By
this point, Salida was simply concentrating on still breathing.
things that were real was the pounding in her ears, and the sound of her breath
rushing through her lungs.
Jeffrey’s hand
stung like a motherfucker, but he paid it no mind.
calmly than he currently felt. “I mean,
you said you couldn’t be sure, but is that what you really heard?
but someone had to and it didn’t look like it was going to be Salida.
feeling his blood where her nails had dug into her skin stick her skin.
“I think it’s what
I’m getting, but to be sure I’m going to have to simply track your progress . .
. but I wouldn’t be surprised. There’s
other factors that suggest I’m getting an accurate reading.”
to clean Salida’s stomach, then pulled down her gown.
we’ll talk.” Reaching into a cabinet,
she pulled a small vial and waved it under Salida’s nose.
Whatever was in it –
smelling salts – was enough to make her cough and splutter, and come back to
the waking world. As if aware of how
tight her grip was, she let go of Jeffrey’s hand and slowly sat up.
backed up until she hit the wall, and then she curled around herself.
Jeffrey just let
the blood make its way back to his throbbing hand and didn’y a y a word,
watching Salida watch the doctor.
“How are you feel–”
“How do you think I’m
feeling?” Salida said flatly. “I wasn’t
even supposed to be able to get pregnant.”
“Don’t,” Jeffrey
said softly. He didn’t have the right
nor the will to say anything more.
“Don’t what?
is getting more and more dangerous by the minute?
At some point during this, Dr. Osborne had slipped out the door to give
the couple some privacy, and both were glad of it.
“I’m fucking sorry,
alright? Is that what you want to hear?
to the fucking mix than just the one. Panic
all you fucking want. I don’t –”
anymore, but that would have been a lie.
she so obviously didn’t want. He couldn’t
make her care about anything. Only she
could do that and he was tired of trying to fucking convince her.
His harsh tone and
his sudden stop sent a spear of ice through her heart.
voice. “Jeffrey . . . I’m
terrified. I’m not saying I want an
abortion . . . just that . . . I’m scared witless.”
“You think I’m not?”
he asked, his demeanor softening a little.
every day with thoughts of something happening to you, vixen.
inside of you as well. What’s fucking
worse is that I feel helpless to do anything to help you.
moment, Salida. In exactly the same way
I imagined. I can’t-I can’t stand the
thought of something happening to you. It
leaves me feeling small and fucking alone and I don’t like feeling that way,
vixen. I fucking hate it.
being a fool. That you would never let
anything happen. Why can’t you do the
same?” His voice softened now to an
almost whisper. “Why can’t you trust
that I would die before I ever let anything happen to you?
matter what? I would.”
as he did for her. She sometimes seemed
to, and yet it was at moments like these that he doubted.
repeated softly.
“You would die . .
. don’t you see? Before, if you died, I
could follow you with a clear conscience.
What do I have now? Twenty years
of being alone before I could leave without feeling you’d be disappointed in
me? What makes you think I could live
that long without you? I did once, and
hey, it made me insane. Literally. I can’t do it again . . . but I would have
to. Jeffrey, you can’t die. No matter
what. You can’t leave me to do this
alone.” Salida was crying by this point.
“I won’t, vixen.
needing to touch her in the least, but he was as fucking close as he’d ever
get. “I could never leave you, Salida.
be fucking possible.” Emotion choked his
voice, but he managed to speak his peace well enough.
is together. I fucking understand that.
“I know.
head in his chest. “But no more talk of
dying anyway.”
“I’m sorry,” he
said leaning his head down to rest on top of hers, holding her tightly as if he
never wanted to let go again. “I won’t.
you.” His voice grew thick again and he
had trouble getting the words out. “I
just can’t.”
“I meant you . . .”
she breathed, a trace of humor in her voice.
“No more talk of you dying.”
“I’m not going to
fucking die, vixen. There’s far too many
fucking things keeping me here for that to be any fucking fun.”
“Alright.”
“Are you . . . ok
vixen?” he asked softly after a few minutes of complete silence.
“Honestly?
“I-I don’t know
what to ask,” he admitted with a slight frown, trying to put aside her response
to his question for now. She had
somewhat of a right to feel a little out of it after that kind of news.
Holy fuck.
the fact of getting three kids on the first try, but he didn’t make this known
to Salida. She probably wouldn’t
appreciate it the way he did.
“Then lets just get
out of here. Questions can wait until
next time. I want to get out of this
room. I want to be home.”
“Alright.
through her hair before pulling away from her.
and get the hell out of here.”
“Just let me change
into my shirt.” She was back in her
street clothes in almost less time than it took to say she needed to
change. Still gripping her husband’s
hand – albeit, not so tightly – she walked to the door with him.
They were
intercepted by the doctor on their way out of the door.
time, doctor. Thanks,” Jeffrey said
slowly.
“I understand.
week. That’s the norm for parents of
multiples; weekly check-ups.”
“Alright.
nod, determined to get past this woman.
“Thank you,” Salida
murmured as she pushed Jeffrey out the door.
It seemed like the walls of the room were closing in on her and she
wanted to get out. She needed sunshine.
“If you want to
stay out here, I’ll go and get kitty and meet you.”
They were on the
street, and Salida shuddered at even the thought of going inside again.
I want to stay out here.” There
was a bench nearby that she could sit and bask on.
Jeffrey nodded.
sunshine or anything,” he said with a small smile.
“The sun comes to
me,” she murmured, already gravitating towards the bench.
“That it does,”
Jeffrey responded in kind, watching her soakthe the sun for a few brief moments
before taking a breath and making his way into the oncology clinic to find
Aida. He’d handed control back to Sands
the moment he’d stepped inside, trusting the other man to be able to deal with
a fucking waiting room all by himself. But
he didn’t leave as much as he might have wanted to.
back outside with his sun loving wife and he wanted to be there.
“Spitfire?
to stand in front of her chair in the brightly lit waiting room.
“The exact same way
its gone every other time I’ve done this, with the exception that this time I
got a special guest lecture about the recklessness of skipping treatments.”
her to her feet. “And something tells me
that you wouldn’t have wanted to hear that.”
“No, it wouldn’t
have been something I would have willingly attended.
pulling her to her feet and moving to stand beside her.
you.”
“Vixen’s waiting
outside for us,” Jeffrey added.
“Can we stop and
get a few groceries? I’m not sure we
have everything I need to make dinner.”
“You’re welcome to
fucking go back out, but I think vixen just wanted to get home.
a slight shrug.
Salida’s answer was
an indecipherable murmur that showed she didn’t care.
what she needed, and returned before a quarter of an hour had passed.
home.
******************************
******************************
“Did you even listen to what that fucking doctor had to say?
Vixen, you have to come inside and
fucking eat something. You can’t lay out
here in the hammock until you fucking fade away.
of her as she lay suspended in the debauched hammock.
“I heard.
Just not now. I don’t want to sit
down at that kitchen table and pretend that everything is just peachy-keen.”
“Everything’s not.
happened sooner or later. Come inside
and eat with me. Please.”
“I don’t want
Italian.”
“Then have whatever
you want. Make whatever you want.
“How likely is it
that you’ll give up if I refuse for long enough?”
“Let’s just say the
odds are not in your fucking favor, vixen.”
She sigheut
ut
climbed out of the hammock. “I’m doing
this under protest,” she muttered as she let him lead her into the house.
“Just as long as
you’re doing it,” Jeffrey muttered in return.
Immediately, she forced herself to feel regretful for the remark,
reminding herself that Jeffrey was only looking after her best interests and
the interest of their child . . . children . . . but it didn’t really help.
practically being frog-hopped into the house.
“What would you
like to eat, vixen?” he asked, watching her take a seat at the table, and air
of sulkiness surrounding her. He paid it
no mind for the time being.
“A salad will be
fine. With crumbled tortilla chips and
salsa.” She ignored Aida as much as she
could, but since the other woman was still in the kitchen getting out
silverware, it wasn’t very effective.
“Anything else?” he
pressed, remembering the doctor’s order for her to put on more weight.
“Later.
while I make it.”
Jeffrey sighed but
nodded and went to make up her salad. He
was thankful at least that she wanted something simple enough that he knew how
to make. After a few minutes he set the
completed product in front of her and took a seat by her side.
salad.
“Its fine,” she
murmured. “Thank you.”
Aida appeared
before the conversation could get anymore stilted, a pan of lasagna in her
oven-mitted hands.
She set it down on a hot pad, then went back to get the plates and
forks. She sat down in her seat and
handed a fork to Jeffrey. “Are the two
of you eating?”
“I guess I am, but
vixen’s not,” he said, taking the fork from Aida and shifting it awkwardly to
Sands’ hand.
“Well it looks edible
at least. Not going to poison anyone
yet,” Sands muttered under his breath after scooping himself up a large piece
of lasagna.
They ate in silence
– mostly due to Salida’s disgruntled presence.
Sands watched as Aida picked at her food, and while he knew she didn’t
eat much lately, he couldn’t help but believe that Salida was discouraging
everyone’s digestion.
“What’s wrong,
sunrise?” he muttered under his breath. “Regretting
talking some sense into me this morning?”
That was the
opening Salida had been waiting for. “Perhaps.
having a baby. I’m having triplets.”
declaration, she calmly stood and left the table.
Sands’ fork
clattered to the table after bouncing off the edge of the plate with ease, his
hand having gone completely limp. He
could feel his face go slack in shock as he tried to process what she had just
said. She couldn’t have. She didn’t.
brace in the fucking storm his mind had begun to whirl around in.
“She did,” Aida
murmured, setting down her own fork in silent counterpoint to Sands.
“She didn’t,” Sands
repeated, trying to make himself believe it despite Aida’s words.
intent was his let alone fucking three.
He placed a hand to his head in a vain
attempt to get his thoughts to settle down and line up coherently once more.
had missed it entirely.
“I think . . . I
think she was waiting for that. She was
waiting for an opportunity to lash out.”
“It would seem so,”
Sands responded blankly. “She did a pretty
fucking thorough job.” There.
he tried. He could deal with this.
was feeling curiously optimistic for some sadistic reason.
“Are you alright?”
Aida asked softly, noting Sands’ pale skin.
“No, I’m not
fucking alright. I’m fucking pissed off.”
See, there the optimism had passed
unmourned. He rose from his chair, his
face stormy.
Salida was pacing
in the entryway. The moment she heard
footsteps coming close, she spun, clearly ready for a fight.
“You are a fucking
inconsiderate bitch who needs to be taught a few fucking lessons,” Sands
yelled, his anger like fire licking through his veins for a change.
of someone who know that they’d carefully plan and enjoy their revenge.
He was fucking pissed.
“And you’re the man
to do it?” Salida’s voice was cold,
mocking, and deliberate. She wanted
this. She wanted to have an all out
fight with someone, and she’d rather it not be with her husband.
didn’t want to find the limit.
“It would fucking
seem so. Your fucking husband doesn’t
seem to be stopping me, so I’m all yours, bitch.
fucking did. It was fucking rude,
inconsiderate, selfish . . . it was fucking something I should have known you’d
do. You don’t fucking care about anyone
but yourself. You are the most
self-centered brat I have ever known. I
have no fucking idea how Jeffrey can fucking stand you.”
His words hit her
with the force of arrows. Each impacted
flesh and bone and made her bleed, but she’d be damned before she let Sands see
that. “I don’t think you’ve got the
moral superiority to be slinging mud,”
she hissed. “Who was it that just this
morning told his wife that he fucking hated her because it’d make
Sands actually
lad atd at that. “I can’t believe you.
but now all you want to talk about is people other than yourself.
fucking belong. Maybe you’re just
self-deluded, I’m not entirely sure. Oh,
and don’t try and tell me you haven’t said some pretty nasty fucking things to
Jeffrey in one of your little snits lately
because I fucking know better. Oh and
hey, let us not forget. I haven’t
actually tried to kill my spouse yet.
You can’t exactly say the same.
yet you keep trying. Each stinging word
from you about the fucking litter you have inside of you kills him just a
little bit more. Did you fucking know
that? I bet you didn’t.
fucking loves you. You’re both deluded,”
Sands finished with a snort. He didn’t
care that he was defending Jeffrey, he only cared about attacking Salida.
She just stared at
him for a long moment, her breath coming fast and hard in her lungs, and then
she acted. She scooped up a nearby vase
of flowers and hurled it at his head.
How dare he?
wanted? The entire fucking
Aida. And where did he find the audacity
to rub her nose in Jeffrey?
She knew . . . she knew Sands was right, damn his eyes.
Sands ducked the
vase easily, but she had words waiting for him.
“Deluded’s better than a fucking mama’s boy
who’s always whining about how life isn’t fair.”
Sands went very,
very still, but inside he was boiling. “Oh,
is that what I do? Tell me, Salida.
them. Why ever not?
do you? Tess does, but not poor little Salida.
and I’m more than fucking tired with putting up with your bullshit.”
long, Salida. I’ve fucking had enough.”
chase after her should she run.
“What’re you going
to do, Sands? Beat me?
and then her arm shot out, knocking him off-balance.
faster than she could believe.
“No, you don’t deserve
a beating. There’s only one way to deal
with little girls who are too immature to know when to keep their fucking
mouths shut about things they needn’t be talking about.”
him as he moved into the living room and sat down on the couch, jerking her
across his lap. He then pulled his hand
back so that it was flat above her and let her have it.
she kicked him hard in the shin and then he spanked her some more.
Des appeared out of nowhere and attacked him.
He dumped Salida to the floor in order to get the cat, but the cat was
too quick for him. She disappeared,
leaving behind four bloody furrows in Sands’ skin.
examining the bloody rents on his arms and right cheek.
himself, and back to Salida, figuring she’d be out for a little revenge right
about now.
Salida was still on
the floor where she’d been dumped, but she slowly pulled herself to her
feet. She held herself rigid, and her
eyes showed equal parts madness, sanity, and ice.
the biggest cartel in
discussing the weather.
“No.
the fuck cares?” Sands returned, his voice carrying the merest hint of wariness
in it.
She threw a pointed
glance towards the kitchen. “Just keep
in mind that I still know how to get a hold of them, and if you ever fucking
touch me again, you’ll regret it.” With
that she turned and walked out of the room.
Sands clenched and
unclenched his bloodied fist a few times slowly, envisioning all the ways he
could simply remove Salida from his life.
his feelings right now would be that it would have been worth it.
find Aida, needing to let her know he was at least still alive before he did
anything further.
She was standing at
the kitchen window, Aggie purring contentedly in her arms.
low enough that the kitten could wash her nose with its tongue.
quickly straightened, evenshe she didn’t immediately turn to face him.
“I’m not sure that
humiliating her was the best thing to do,” she murmured.
< sty style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “No, probably not,”
Sands muttered with a slight sigh. “But
she pissed me off.”
“So you spanked
her? Like a five-year-old?”
in her throat when she saw his battle scars.
“Oh my god . . . which of the cats did that?”
water and gave it to Sands.
“Yes I did.
seemed like a good one at the time,” Sands muttered, accepting the rag from
her. “Sunrise’s fucking attack cat did
this,” he said with a wince as he wiped some of the blood off of his arms and
cheek. If his luck was running as per
usual, he’d have a few nice scars as a reminder not to fuck with Salida or her
cat.
Aida just sighed
and decided not to say anything else.
Instead she pulled Sands back to the table and sat in her seat.
before things went to hell. Sooner or
later Jeffrey would appear and nothing after that would be pretty.
“Sorry to fucking
drag you into this, spitfire. I didn’t
honestly mean for things to go this way.
muttered, finishing off his plate of slightly cold lasagna.
us what she found out like that.”
“I agree that she
perhaps . . . handled that poorly, but can you blame her?
well.”
“Yeah, she’s
insane. So fuckinat? at?
insane and you don’t see me acting like a fucking brat.
“To blame her for
what?” Aida asked gently.
“For fucking
getting herself pregnant!” Sands yelled before he could stop himself.
“And she did that
by herself?” Aida asked, not wanting to do this, but determined to put an end
to it.
“Well I certainly
didn’t fucking do it!” Sands insisted, knowing how shaky that argument was, but
posing it anyway.
“But don’t you
think that if she knew she could get pregnant, she would have used any and all
contraceptives she could get hands on?”
“She should have
fucking known. She shouldn’t have
trusted the word of some cold fish bitch doctor that she couldn't get fucking
knocked up. She should have known.”
“But she didn’t.”
Sands. “How long as she even been . . . umm,
like she is now?”
He shrugged, his
face stormy, and muttered, “A few months.”
“Then she’s a baby
in an adult’s body. Is there any wonder
that she’s strugg a l a little?”
“I don’t care.
because I don’t. I couldn’t give a fuck
about her problems. She needed to be
fucking taken down a notch and that’s what I did.
not my problem either.”
“I’m not asking you
to feel sorry for her. I know she said
things to hurt both of us, but especially you.
But I am asking you not to just blow up at her.
wrong, and you’ll upset her more if you simply ignore her.”
Sands glowered, but
he couldn’t deny that Aida’s words made a kind of sense.
“Alright.
is.”
“It won’t be long,”
Sands said with a weary sigh, not wanting to have to deal with that.
“I know.”
glass of orange juice. She came back to
the table with it, but set it in the middle of the table.
murmured, “For Salida. She should drink
more orange juice. It’s got a lot
nutrients in it.”
“What’s for Salida,
kitty?” Jeffrey asked with narrowed eyes.
even had time to warn her. Jeffrey’s
expression went stony when he saw the stinging scratches on his arms.
his seat at the table and moving over to stand in front of her.
“Your wife’s cat
got a little out of hand,” she replied calmly.
“And the orange juice is for Salida.
It’s got vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and all sorts of things Salida
should be taking.”
“Should have known.
Fucking demon cat,” Jeffrey muttered
under his breath before picking up the glass of juice from the table.
vixen?”
“Umm . . . in her
room I think.”
“Fine.”
dining room and up the stairs to find his wife, the glass of orange juice in
hand. “Vixen?” he called out gently upon
sticking his head into their bedroom.
The room was dark;
the curtains had been drawn and no lights had been turned on.
the blankets had been ripped off the bed and thrown around the room.
anything that had been on the walls had been carefully taken off and put back
upside down. Salida was nowhere e
se
seen.
“Vixen?” Jeffrey
called out, a cold wave of fear piercing his chest.
frantically, the glass of orange juice falling unnoticed from his limp hand as
he didn’t find her. “No, what –?
are you?” Once he was determined that
she wasn't in the bedroom or the bathroom – he left a wave of destruction as he
searched every possible corner – he moved down the hall into the
room. He tore it apart looking for her,
but she was no where e see seen. Wherever
she was, it wasn’t here. She had left.
be happening. Why would she leave?
those previous, he had no answers. He
walked down the stairs like a zombie and encountered Aida in the kitchen once
more. “Vixen’s gone,” he told her in a
daze.
“What?”
stood, Aida pushed him into a chair. “Are
you sure she’s not just outside?”
“She’s gone.
questions. He had to look for her.
pressed him back down gently but firmly.
“Let me.
without anyone noticing.” Silently, Aida
cursed her husband. This is not what she
wanted to be doing. She wanted to curl
up with a book before nodding off. She
didn’t want to head a manhunt.
Jeffrey was lost.
half-packed her suitcase at one point, but he had never really believed that
she would do it. He never really
believed she would leave. His mind was
reeling with the implications. What if
he never saw her again? What if she
never came back? True, if he died she
would probably press on to take care of the children – children which he would
never see – but if she died or left there would be nothing keeping him here.
she was dead; the wanting to just fade away.
everything had been alright. He didn’t
feel the hope of that happening this time.
Aida came back a
few minutes later, empty handed. Not
that she’d be able to force Salida inside . . . but her face let Jeffrey know
she hadn’t found anything.
“She’s really gone,”
he said, his voice cold and hollow. His
face had grown very pale and drawn, the bloodicratcratches an striking
contrast.
“Shh . . . she
could have just gone for a walk to cool down,” Aida urged, not wanting him to
jump to conclusions.
“She’s gone.
“You don’t know
either, so don’t jump to conclusions.”
Jeffrey ignored
her. “Why did she leave?
his body numb except for the gnawing pain of a gaping hole in his chest where
Salida had torn his heart out.
“What’s the last
thing you remember at dinner?” Aida asked gently.
“Vixen leaving.
responded automatically. “Why didn’t I
stop her?” he asked himself curiously.
“I don’t know, but
Sands did. Or at least he tried to.
her.”
“What . . . happened?”
Jeffrey asked coolly, rage beginning to kindle behind his eyes at the knowledge
that he might have someone to blame for Salida’s leaving.
“I don’t know, but
there was a lot of yelling. And Sands
said that he . . . he spanked her because she was acting like a child.”
“Repeat.”
“He said she was
being childish . . . so he spanked her.”
Aida’s voice was very quiet. She
knew she could make both men mad at her, but she had to risk it anyway.
“And that’s . . . why
she left?” Jeffrey's voice was deceptively calm.
“I don’t know.
first. Maybe something was said. . .”
“What was said,
kitty?” His voice still kept that same
deceptive calm. Inside, he was just
about to be pushed off the edge.
“I didn’t
hear. I didn’t want to.”
Jeffrey rose from
his chair calmly, grabbed an empty glass in front of him and threw it against
the wall across the room, delighting in the way it shattered and the sound.
out was unclear. In either case, Sands
didn’t come. Jeffrey’s rage was too
controlling at the moment for him to be able to.
Aida moved out of
close range, but she didn’t leave the room, not yet.
Jeffrey ignored
her. He was determined to tear the room
apart until Sands showed up. This only
increased his rage and made it even harder for Sands to show up.
pissed him off even more. He whirled on
Aida and glared at her. “What did they
fucking say? You’re a nosy little bitch,
you must have heard something,” Jeffrey hissed.
“There’s a lot of
walls between here and the entryway, Jeffrey.”
Her voice was chilly. She’d been
trying to help and he was repaying her by being rude.
voices.”
Jeffrey roared in
frustrated rage and threw something else against the wall.
urge to break things. To destroy.
knives. He wouldn’t bother bringing the
gun. Guns were too impersonal for the
all-encompassing rage he was feeling right now.
eyes. It had been too long.
/spa/span>Aida guessed his
intentions and blocked the entrance to the kitchen.
the show. This won’t help.
“Get out of my way,
kitty. I won’t ask again.”
waiting for something that may or may not happen.
his hands and he wanted it now. If kitty
wasn’t careful, it would be her.
“If you want to get
Sands’ attention, there’s other ways to do it.
Just don’t do something reckless because you’re mad.”
“Who said I want to
get Sands’ ntiontion? He’s not fucking
going anywhere. I’ll deal with him
later.” He pushed past her.
Aida grabbed his
arm and was promptly thrown into the wall for her trouble.
wall, and she fell to her hands and knees.
“Warned you,” was
all Jeffrey had to say in response, dutifully searching the house for his two
long knives. After a few long minutes he
had found them both and strapped to his belt before retuning to the kitchen.
should have been out massacring by now, but his feet stopped in front of her
regardless.
Aida looked up at
him from the floor, and wondered what she’d gotten herself into.
to hope that her husband would hear her.
“I’m not going to
fucking hurt you, kitty. But Sands isn’t
going to fucking help you either. And
you’re not going to fucking stop me.”
“Then stop
yourself. I know you’re worried about
your wife, but this isn’t going to help.”
Jeffrey grew very
still, his anger apparent just below the surface.
is what I do, kitty.” He crouched down
in front of her, mindful of the knives strapped to his waist.
one – but that doesn’t change anything. And
I’m not fucking worried about h
can fucking take care of herself.” He
was just covering and he knew it, but the knowledge didn’t show on his face.
“You’re scared for
her. For her and your children.
doing.”
Jeffrey slapped
her. It was a lot more noise than force,
and somewhat ironic coming from hiut hut he couldn’t stop himself.
don’t try,” he hissed once his right hand had stilled by his side.
Her face hurt,
Aid
Aida didn’t stop. It was the least she
could do because it’d also keep her husband safe.
I can tell. You’re scared that
she’s doing something rash. But
help. She won’t know.”
“She won’t know
what? I’m doing this for
“You’re doing it to
get back at her.”
“I’m doing this
because I want to.”
“You’d rather find
her but you don’t know where to start.”
control of something. Anything.
she didn’t dare.
didn’t. And that hurt.
knew what leaving would do to him, and she she had done it anyway.
looking at Aida any longer. He sat
backwards and just stayed there, still not looking at her.
himself softly, feeling the gnawing of the hole in his chest return.
passed out of him slowly, leaving him feeling empty and useless.
“I don’t know.
Sands said, and I don’t know what he said.”
If Jeffrey had
heard her, he didn’t give any signs. He
merely rose to his feet and wandered out of the kitchen into the back yard.
to be still. He wasn’t really trying to get
away from Aida, he just wanted quiet, and this seemed like the best place to
find it. That he had chosen Salida’s
refuge as well cut him, but he tried to push the pain away.
He didn’t know how
long it took, but Aida came out eventually.
He could hear her hesitant footsteps in the grass.
Aida thought that
perhaps he’dlen len asleep, but the call she’d just gotten couldn’t wait.
Jeffrey to answer.
She reached the
side of the hammock and held out her arm.
“Umm . . . phone for you. It’s
our prodigal.”
Jeffrey didn’t move
save for his eyes, which looked up at Aida and her outstretched arm slowly.
was on the phone for him, but he couldn’t make himself.
her and waited for her to leave.
“Jeffrey . . . Salida’s
the the phone. She doesn’t sound . . . she
doesn’t sound well. She keeps talking
about how she forgot her toothbrush.”
Jeffrey closed his
eyes, trying to block her voice ouut hut his hand moved without his control to
take the phone from her. He brought it to his ear and whispered, “Vixen.” n
sn
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> He couldn’t manage anything more than that at
the moment. It was too hard.
“I forgot my
toothbrush.” Her voice was distant and
confused. “Jeffrey, I can’t sleep until
I’ve brushed my teeth and I don’t have a toothbrush.”
“Where are you,
Salida?” he asked softly. “I’ll bring
your toothbrush if you want.” His voice
sed red resigned.
“I-I don’t know.
And then I took a cab. And now I’m
here.”
“Look around,
Salida. Tell me what you see.”
“I-I’m in a
bedroom. There’s a balcony.
Jeffrey knew where
she was. “I’ll be there soon, Salida.
“I’m cold,” she
whispered.
“I’m coming.
“Okay.”
else.
Jeffrey listened to
the dial tone for a minute before letting the phone slip out of his hand to the
ground and got up off the hammock and made his way into the house to find Sands’
keys. He was half aware that Aida was
following him.
“I take it you know
where she is?” Aida hung the phone back
up, and went to lean against the table.
Her back was killing her, but she’d take something after Jeffrey had left.
Jeffrey nodded.
into his pocket. “Needs her toothbrush.”
“Just go get
her. Make sure you watch traffic.
into an accident.”
Jeffrey nodded
absently and made his way out the door and into the Porsche, trying to keep
Aida’s words in the forefront of his mind as he raced toward his wife, and
trying not to think about what she would say when he got there.