Is There Freedom?

Chapter 17

It's been three days since Lila and Diablo passed on. There were still unanswered questions about that afternoon in the barn. Was I just imagining Tony was there? How did Diablo get more wounds? Was all of that blood from Diablo? I was so confused. Luca did his best to comfort me after Diablo's sudden death.

"I'm really sorry about Diablo baby. I'll get you another horse that's yours alone," he said.

"No. I don't want another horse. No horse will ever replace Diablo," I stated softly still depressed about losing him.

I still have the image of his gentle eyes staring at me as I cradled his face. We understood each other fairly well. He would listen to me no matter what; except when he had that fight for dominance with Angelos. Diablo was like my first friend that I made when I first arrived on the estate a few months ago. I could still feel his presence with me. Now I find it a bit harder to cope. The exact same day Lila dies, Diablo has to go with her.

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Over a few months, my baby bump went from a small bump to almost the size of an oversized watermelon. I wondered if my baby would have the same talents as Luca and I have with animals. It would be remarkable if it did. In a couple, I have to get a checkup in order to maintain my health as well as the baby's. I was even going to have an ultrasound to see the progress of my baby's development.

This was the most exciting point in my life. First I get married before I turned eighteen and I turned out to be pregnant around the same time. Could this be a miracle? How could all of this be happening all at once? All of this death, romance, happiness, fear, excitement, and celebration. "You ready for lunch you two?" Diane asked us after she peaked through the doorway.

"Yeah, we'll be down in a minute," Luca replied.

Diane walked away with a face that expressed worry and depression. It spread like a disease. Then Diane recalled something. A few of the mares were bred by Diablo about four months ago. One of the five mares had to throw a colt. Diablo was bred with two Friesian mares, one Morgan, and two Arabs. Bella and Daisy were the Friesians, Courtney was the Morgan, and Honeybun and Sugar were the Arabs.

After Diane left, Luca took my hand. I looked up into his eyes. His gaze washed away my fear, stress, and my sadness. He smiled and I began to smile in response. "Let's go downstairs," Luca said sweetly.

He pulled me onto my feet. My hand grasped his and we walked casually down the hallway. He looked endearingly at me and placed his other on my stomach. Luca couldn't wait to actually see our baby in person. I wondered each and every day if I would have a boy or a girl. I couldn't wait to actually hold my baby. "Only a few more months," Luca said.

A few months seemed like an eternity. I was too excited, too overjoyed, too wishful. We smiled and laughed when we walked through the archway leading into the dining room. Diane smiled and shook her head. Someone knocked at the front door. "I'll get it madam," Saige called out.

Saige brisk walked to the door. When she opened it, there was a couple probably in their mid to late thirties. "May I help you?" Saige asked.

"Is Lexis Springer living here?" the woman asked.

"Yes, Mrs. Darvis lives here. May I ask for your names please?" Saige asked.

"I'm Luke and this is my wife Bailey Dylans. Bailey is Lexis' older sister," Luke stated.

"Okay, you can wait here in the front hall," Saige stated.

They entered and Saige went to go get Lexis. "Mrs. Darvis, some family are here to see you" Saige said politely trying not to interrupt.

I was surprised to hear that I had some family who came here to see me. I got up form my seat and followed Saige to the front hall. When my eyes gazed upon them, I nearly broke down in tears. "Oh my god! Bailey!" I screamed with joy.

She held out her arms for a hug. I ran towards here and embraced her. It's been years since I last saw Bailey and Luke. The two of them were high school sweethearts. "Where's Tuck?" Bailey asked.

My eyes grew gray and gloomy. "What's wrong Lex?" Luke asked.

"Tucker's dead. He has been for a couple months now," I replied solemnly.

Their faces grew cold as the first night of winter that brings the temperature to negative two. Their eyes were covered in a thin layer of ice. "What happened?" Bailey asked in shock and despair.

"He suffocated in dad's trunk. Dad came here and kidnapped him. The police shot dad in the back and into his heart. They were too late to save him. At least they found him. I was starving myself until Tucker was found. Dead or alive," I replied trying to hold back my tears of grief.

"What happened to everyone? All of this violence keeps reappearing in this family!" Bailey said appearing flustered.

"At least you didn't have to get abused almost every day. At least you were treated as if you were actually there. I was a nobody. I was invisible. I had no friends at school compared to you. At least you didn't get raped by the man who was the husband of Diane. At least you weren't thrown off to the side like garbage. At least mom and dad didn't lose hope for you. Be thankful you didn't have to deal with the pain, suffering, neglect, and the feeling of being unloved. Mom and dad kept putting me in the hospital for most of my teenage life for no reason most of the time since they didn't know what to do with me," I stated abruptly.

Bailey didn't know how to reply to that slight argument. She didn't know what I had to deal with every single damn day of my life. She was kicked out at the age of seventeen for getting bad grades in school. I was only three at the time and Tucker just turned one. I could never forget that day. Since then, I never saw or heard from her again. Does she think that she can just waltz back into my life after so many years of no communication? Does she know how much this family slowly began to fall apart after she left?

"Lexis, after I left that night, I became a heavy drinker and got into drugs and smoking. I was really screwed up back then. Luke was there to help me get back on my feet. I went to rehab to get cleaned. Then he proposed to me once I was released and had the wedding a few months later," Bailey stated.

Wow, great excuse... Like I really care. She disowned her family. She never called us to say hello, no letters, no cards, nothing. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my stomach. Luke stared at me and noticed my balloon of a belly.

Bailey was confused and lost in our conversation. We were laughing as if we just shared a good joke. Then it hit her like a meteor crashing into the earth. "You're pregnant?!" Bailey exclaimed.

"Yeah... What do you think we were talking about?" I asked with a bit of an attitude and sarcasm.

"I thought you guys were talking about how long you've been married," she stated with a sour puss face.

"I haven't been married for twelve weeks. It's only been a little over a week," I responded.

In the middle of our conversation and or argument, Luca walked up behind me and took my hand. "Is there a problem here?" He asked bluntly.

"No, I think it's time for us to leave. It was nice seeing you again sis," Bailey said as she pulled Luke by the arm and walked out the front door.

"Sis? That obnoxious woman was your sister?" Luca asked in confusion.

"Sadly. She disowned us when I was only three after she got kicked out at seventeen," I replied grudgingly.

He kissed my lips. My temper slowly diminished. Then he rolled up my shirt far enough to expose my pregnant belly. His lips pressed against my bare skin. His warm hands rested on me for several minute until he rolled my shirt back down. "You want to go finish lunch?" He asked with a smile.

"Yes, I'm still starving," I replied with a glowing smile.