Avenging Us - Gina Whitney Page 0,51
good about standing here, that’s for fuck sure.” I struggled to spit the words out through my tightened throat.
His head canted to the side. “Imagine not being able to hold your beauty. She almost ended up here.” He looked up and into the window of the morgue. A gurney with a white sheet over it rolled past the window and over to a table.
I wanted to run, scream, and break everything around me. Him. I wanted to break him for doing this to me. My stomach started to churn my lunch angrily.
“I’m trying to make an important point. She is alive, and you have all the dreams and possibilities still on the table. Best to remember how lucky you are, and not dwell on what could have been. Because it didn’t happen that way…at least not for you.” He motioned to one of the tables toward the back where a mother and father stood above the draped, frozen body of their child. I played with my lip ring…twisting and turning it, needing the pain. Their faces were marred with grief as he held his wife up, giving her what little strength I imagined he had. Fuck, I’m going to be sick. “Come on…” He pulled my arm and we continued back to Gia and Bella.
When we arrived on her floor, I could hear Chance and my mother’s voice. They didn’t seem awkward or strained, but congenial. We entered the room. Gia was asleep, Mother and Chance speaking softly over Bella’s incubator.
“Have a good lunch?” my mother asked and I nodded as my father handed her a bag of takeout.
I raised an eye at Chance, silently asking if he was okay. He only answered with a nonchalant shrug.
“We’ll be in the cafeteria and will be back soon. If you need anything, just text me.” My father grabbed my mother’s hand, and then they left without another word, my mom compliantly following.
“Are you okay?” I asked
“Babies have a way of bringing people together. I wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to spend time with my niece because of her. So I chose to be the bigger person. I’m fine.” Chance smiled and went back to observing Bella. “I think she has your eyes, and definitely your head of hair. My god. She needs a stylist already. Who’s going to keep those locks looking lovely every day?”
I chuckled. Only Chance would consider these things. He regarded himself as a stylist these days, so I knew exactly what he was getting at. “For one…I’m told her eyes could change in a few months. All babies have blue eyes as newborns, and her hair will most likely fall out. It’s baby hair.”
“Shut the front door. She’s going to be bald?” His expression appeared horrified. “I’m sure there’s a product, or at the very least, some kind of baby extensions. No one likes a bald baby. She’ll look like Benjamin Button. Is that what you want? She’s going to be in magazines…” He continued to fret while I went to Beauty’s side, choosing to ignore his gay panic attack.
Her face was peaceful and lovely and I couldn’t deny the need to kiss her lips, sucking her bottom lip into mine. She stirred softly, releasing a light sigh.
“Will you please stop? That’s how you got here, and there’s a minor in the room. I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to fondle her mother while she sleeps.” Chance rolled his eyes in disgust. “Ah, now I have to hold little Mia because she’s traumatized.” He lifted Bella into his arms and sat with her, patting her back in comfort.
“We may need an order of protection against you. Are you going to obsess over Bella like you do everything else?”
He glared at me and whispered, “Do you know she won’t even let me call her Bell-a? I’m the only one who calls her Mia. Always the outcast.” He let out an aggravated huff of air.
“You’re not the outcast, but I have to agree with Gia. It sounds creepy the way you enunciate her name.” I smirked. “By the way, did you get over to the holistic place?”
“What. Ever. And yes, I got all your disgusting voodoo shit. Do you really think Gia will drink placenta powered tea? Just saying it makes me gag.” He dramatically heaved, covering his mouth. “I can’t imagine preparing or drinking it. I’m all for being healthy and going the extra mile…but, really. I mean, really—really.” He snorted and continued talking to the baby.
He had a