The Harsh life

Chapter 36

"Thank you, Alfred." I smile as Gio leads us through to the day room.

He opens the door and the second it's open, Alannah is running in our direction. I catch her, before she can throw herself at me, and spin her around.

"Mars and Vanni!" She smiles and kisses my cheek.

"Hey banana." Vanni squeezes her nose.

"Do you want to see my new barbie? It's president Barbie, she's the most like mommy because that's who I want to be when I grow up." Alannah tells us.

I look over at Gio. This is too much already, I'm going to cry. He slides his hand in mine and holds it then squeezes it.

"Why don't you play with your barbies and let auntie Mars and uncle Vanni talk with mommy and daddy for a little?" Jax speaks up.

I'm going to throw up. I haven't looked at either of them yet.

"And little brother Theo?" Alannah asks.

"Yes, that's right." Lara confirms.

Gio leads me over to a seat, the only other seat that isn't occupied by any of them. It's the love seat. He sits down and pulls me onto his lap.

Gio rubs my back and I finally look at the three of them.

Lara, Jax and baby Theo.

They look tired, so tired.

"Hey." Lara speaks first.

"Hi." I croak. It's so embarrassing I almost die.

I don't want to be here, I don't care if that makes me a bad person. I need to be in the comfort of my own bed.

"I'm so glad you're here, I've missed you." She admits. I nod, not being able to say much else. The emotion is clawing at my throat.

It's to raw and real right now.

"How have you been?" Lara asks.

I clear my throat before answering. "Busy, how was uh... how was Brazil?" I ask.

"It was amazing, look at the tan on this big boy." She slaps Jax's arm and smiles up at him. He's holding their baby in his other arm.

"That weather and the lack of work, will do that to you." Gio speaks up.

Jax laughs, he's the only one here that seems fine.

"I'll let you have the same amount of time of when you have kids." Lara immediately turns to Jax.

I squeeze one of Gio's hands, feeling uncomfortable.

"I'll hold you to that, nine whole months." Gio relaxes in his chair with a laugh as he continues stroking my back.

"It wasn't nine months." Jax rolls his eyes.

"Felt like it." Gio admits. Lara's pregnancy was the longest and probably the most painful thing I've experienced in years.

"I'm just going to get some water, does anyone need a drink?" Lara asks as she stands.

"I can get it." Jax quickly stands, careful not to wake his baby.

She doesn't say anything but sends him a glare before leaving the day room and heading into the kitchen.

"How have things been since the baby?" Gio asks Jax.

Jax glances over at me and I quickly turn to pretend to look around the room, as if I haven't been in here a million times.

"Honestly, they've been a bit rocky." He admits. This does peak my curiosity.