BLEACHED

120: What... Happened?

Desmond steps into the car and shuts the door, signalling to the driver with his eyes to take off before his mother could even get to him.

She curses under her breath as she watches the car drive out of sight, driving down the hill and further away from the house as Heather chuckles slightly while she watches from the slightly parted curtains in her room, watching as Penelope stands there, staring at nothing.

Drawing the curtains back into place, Heather sighs and crosses her arms on her chest before turning to Lavender who is sitting on the edge of her bed with her hands wrapped around her stomach as she gazes towards the photo on her headboard.

She leans from the window and walks towards Lavender who's expressions starts to show more the closer she gets.

The brows knitted on the center of her forehead along with the deep frown and slight biting of her lip is a clear sign she's panicking.

"Don't stress too much." Heather says as she reaches a hand down to pat Lavender's hair, getting her to glance up at her with clear worried brows. "Everything will be okay."

"That's easy for you to say." Lavender chuckles as she drops her gaze back down to the photo. "You were approved by her... Me and the little baby aren't welcome here."

"It's our house, not Penelope's, so you're more than welcome." Heather explains as Lavender shakes her head slightly and sighs.

"Be honest. You didn't like me when you first saw me." Lavender explains as she tucks her hair behind her ear and looks up at Heather. "You said a lot of things I try to forget most of the time. Along with Desmond... I feel like I gave you no option but to accept me... When in reality you wanted Evette."

Heather frowns as she takes her hand from her head and slowly settles down next to her and shifts her gaze towards the photo Lavender is looking at.

A photo of Domen and his bike.

A bike he never learned to ride.

"I know our first encounter wasn't a nice one." Heather says as she runs her fingers along her dress, shifting her gaze down to her laps instead. "I said things I wished I'd take back, considering now that I know you share mutual feelings with my son. After all, Domen hadn't been with a woman and you being the first should be something serious for him. He values you above all else. That's why he's going to such lengths."

Lavender frowns slightly but doesn't take her eyes off the photo. Not that she's really looking at it, but her mind is still asking what is going on with the grandmother and what they are discussing.

And whether or not Domen really has her back.

All these thoughts.

"I love Domen, with all my heart. Because he's my son." Heather explains as she reaches a hand and touches Lavender's shoulders, getting her to lock eyes with her. "That's why I've come to like you."

"So you're admitting I gave you no option... Huh?" Lavender smiles weakly as Heather shakes her head in denial.

"It may seem that way. But I didn't hate you, Lavender. I envied you a lot." Heather says as she gently caresses her shoulder. "You were average and simple. You lived life in a normal manner only governed by your own rules. It made me envy you so much that I was jealous of how you'd be able to get everything without even trying. I had to live a long life being perfect for Desmond and his mother. I've never lived it how I wanted. Not once until that night when I decided to let you two run off. That was the first time I decided on something by myself."

Lavender glances up at her and noticed the pity in her eyes even though she isn't looking back at her.

The many years of being under one's control must have put a toll on her.

"Then when you were pregnant, honestly I was scared for you. To go through what I did. At the same time I was angry that you would do something that'd hurt you." She presses her lips together and closes her eyes. "I wanted you to take the easy way out. But you're as strong a mother than I was. I praise you for that."

Lavender smiles slightly as Heather glances up at her with tears in her eyes as she reaches her hand up to caresses her cheeks.

"I want all the good health for your baby, Lavender. And I'll be a proud grandmother." She says and gently places a kiss on her forehead as Lavender's clenches her jaw tightly, trying not to cry as the tears resurfaced. "So don't assume I hate you."

"...Okay." She bites her lower lip as she wraps her arms around Heather who wraps her arms around her as well, embracing each other as tears pour out of both their eyes.

Finally settling the hard burden from her shoulders after all these days that had passed, thinking she'd never be able to live up to Heather's expectations.

She's only glad Heather didn't hate her.

"Thank-."

Lavender frees as her eyes widen in terror from the sudden feeling of a weight waving over her body.

Heather waits for the rest of the sentence but notices Lavender's sudden jam.

She leans from Lavender and holds her at arm's length, only to notice her wide petrified eyes as they both lock eyes with each other.

"What?" Heather asks as she looks around the room and behind her, unable to see anyone. "What startled you?"

Lavender presses her lips together as her heart grows silent with the feeling crawling up her spine as yet another unusual feeling waves over her body.

The feeling not of the excitement she feels everytime she's around Domen.

Or the heavy feeling of the urgent need to visit the bathroom every once in a while as they baby kicks mercilessly.

But a feeling she's never really felt before.

Her hand clench onto the beddings as she drops her gaze down to her laps for a moment, getting Heather to follow down to her laps as well but doesn't notice anything before glancing back up at Lavender's eyes.

Lavender looks back at Heather this time much quicker than she did before as tears start pouring out of her eyes.

"I think...." She trails off as her voice audibly breaks off while the blur image of Heather is the only thing she can see. "I think my water just broke..."