When Bad Boys Fall II

Twenty-Four

A lot was going through my mind while I was panicking. Cindy had tears running down her cheeks, the baby had his mouth open while gagging, and Lucas walked into the kitchen looking shocked and confused. My body was rigid in its spot and almost sweaty as I watched what was happening.

"What's going on here?" Lucas asked but no one paid him any attention.

I watched as Cindy turned her baby on its stomach on top of her arm and hit his back aggressively.

"Your girlfriend wants to kill my baby!" Cindy yelled through tears. "My baby is choking!"

"What?!" Lucas looked at me and I shook my head.

"I didn't do anything!"

"Shut up!" Cindy faced me while hitting the baby's back. "Just shut up and pray that nothing happens to my son!"

"I'm sorry." That was all I could say.

Lucas went over to Cindy and took the boy away then positioned him in the same way Cindy had kept him. He started to pound his back while Cindy touched her son's head.

"It's going to be okay. Mommy's here."

I covered my mouth when the baby heaved and gargled with a short cry. Then the cover of the pen dropped out of its mouth and he started to cry loud. Lucas held the baby against his chest, brushing the back of his head while looking at me with an unreadable expression on his face.

"His temperature is high," Lucas said and Cindy rushed to the landline in the corner.

"I'm going to call the ambulance. He needs to go to a hospital. We need to be sure that he's okay," she said while crying.

I dropped my hands from my mouth and glanced at the saliva-covered plastic on the floor before approaching Lucas.

"Is he okay?"

"Stay away from him!" Cindy yelled from where she stood. "Stay away from him, please! I know you don't like me but leave!"

I flinched at the intensity of her tone and nodded, taking a step back. I was stunned that Lucas was not saying anything in my defense. My heart was breaking from how he was reacting. I could understand that he was saving the boy but his silence toward me was suspicious.

"How long?!" Cindy shouted at the phone. "Just forget it!" She rushed back to Lucas and patted him. "Please take us to the hospital."

Lucas nodded and left the kitchen with Cindy following behind. When I heard the door shut, I rushed to the living room and was about to head toward the door when it opened. Cindy walked in, looking mad.

"You!" She pointed at me. "I don't care about the beef between us! But just pray that nothing serious came out of this! You are an expectant mother and you allowed this to happen to my baby all because of a man! I promise you, Jackie. I will get back at you for trying to kill my son!"

Cindy grabbed her purse from the floor and left the house. The silence was so heavy that it made my shoulders and height seem as if I was carrying so much weight. I was scared and anxious about what would happen to the baby and most importantly, to my relationship with Lucas. This was what I was afraid of.

I flinched in fear when the door opened and I saw Evangeline, our neighbor. She had worry written all over her face as she walked into the house.

"I heard yells. Is everything okay?" She asked and stopped in front of me. "You look pale."

I was too scared to speak. I could feel my heart barely pumping enough blood and my head became light. I shut my eyes and felt like my feet were suspended, only to hear Evangeline's voice and a strong grip around my body. My eyes drooped and I found myself falling into darkness.

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I groaned as I opened my eyes, wondering when I had fallen asleep. I saw that I was laying on the living room couch and when I heard footsteps close by, I looked around before seeing Evangeline. She smiled and walked from the kitchen to the couch I was on.

"You fainted."

I blinked. "Oh."

She sat down close to my feet and sighed.

"What happened, Jackie?"

I started to remember what happened and looked at the time on my wristwatch, it was almost three in the afternoon. I leaned against the couch and exhaled.

"I messed up," I said. "I don't know if you're aware of the woman that lives with us."

"No? I've not been around like that. What's up?"

I began to tell her everything while watching how her expression went from cool to angry. Once I was done speaking, she rose to her feet and paced around the living room.

"You're telling me that bitch cannot look after her son? If she was around and taking care of her child, none of this would be happening!" She stopped pacing to breathe calmly. "And Lucas didn't even say anything? Wow. Men are trash."

I heard the sound of a car's engine outside and I perked up. I exchanged a curious look with Evangeline and waited to see who it was. When the front door opened, my heart skipped a beat from fear. Lucas walked in, still carrying the baby with Cindy right behind him. I got up and faced them.

They both acted like they did not see us and it hurt. I watched as Lucas spoke to Cindy in a low tone and she nodded then went to the kitchen. She came out a few seconds later with a bottle of water which she gave to Lucas and then took her baby from him.

Cindy barely looked my way when she walked past me and went up the stairs while Lucas stood in silence, drinking his water while facing the direction Cindy had gone.

"Evangeline, leave us," Lucas said in a stiff tone.

"Excuse me? I'm not going anywhere. You and I need to talk."

Lucas threw the bottle aside and faced us. His face set in a scowl. I touched Evangeline's arm and nodded at her. She wanted to say something but scoffed before marching to the door. She opened it aggressively and walked out, letting the door bang and rattle the windows.

I gulped and watched Lucas approach me. He stood before me, face in a scowl and eyes blank.

"How could you?"

My heart ached at his words.