*Published* Accidental Babies (SAMPLE)

Chapter 28

The drive to the auction was silent. In fact the entire trip had been silent. In the jet, all the way from Chicago to LA, they hadn't spoken a word. Jason had been absorbed in his work while April had sat at one corner, moping. In between that, she'd been imagining all that could go wrong with Carrie. She just couldn't let go of the fact she'd just left her babies. With that woman.

However, it had been during hair and makeup that she'd realised how distant Jason was. Quiet too. Which wouldn't have been worrying any other time but, on top of the twins, it had concerned her even more.

April looked over at Jason. Sitting on the other end of the seat, the distance betwen them felt insurmountable. He still hadn't spoken a word. Not since they'd left the park. And handed their babies over to a monster. That was over a day ago.

His eyes were shuttered, his emotions kept close to his heart. She didn't know how to reach him. She hadn't even been able to get a smile out of him. And he said she was the light of his world. Worry for both the twins and Jason were clouding her mind. She couldn't do anything for the twins but Jason, she could work on.

Gathering courage, she slipped her hand into his, cuddling into his side, twining their arms together and laying her head on his shoulder. Nuzzling his shoulder, she started the ball rolling.

'Jason, what's wrong with you? You've been silent for soo long that it's worrying me.'

'Nothing,'he said briskly. Trying hard not to let his detachment hurt her, she gave him a warm squeeze and carried on.

'Is this about work? The twins?'

'April, nothing's wrong,'he snapped, intensifying her pain but also igniting her anger.

'Come on. You can tell me. I may not be able to help but they say a listening ear could ease the greatest of burdens,'she chirped brightly. This was her final attempt to broach the distance. Not that she was giving up but the fury in her chest just wouldn't allow her to be slapped down like that again.

'Nothing's wrong,'Jason barked, pulling his arm out of her grasp. And that did it.

'Well, sorry for caring. I was genuinely worried for you, with our babies gone. I thought, maybe you'd be more affected than I am. Seeing as you know the kind of damage that woman had inflicted on them. But, maybe I'm just misreading you. Maybe the bedrock of our relationship revolves around the twins. And with them absent, we don't have much of a bond anymore,'she said, moving jerkily to the other end of the limo. She wasn't exactly aware of what she was spewing. All she knew was that she was angry. Soo angry

'Baby, no. That's not it,'Jason beseeched , remorse thick in his voice. But she wouldn't relent. He'd always forced her to be open about her feelings but now, he was acting aloof, closed off. Their relationship was already rocky. Communication must be the one area where they were equals.

'Pull over,'he called out and April felt the limo slipping to a stop. Looking out the window, she saw that they were parked in a near-empty parking lot just by a library. Once they were not moving, Jason tried to lift her onto his lap but her flailing arms discouraged him. Exasperation, and a tinge of fear, filling his eyes, he looked at her. In her ire, she refused to look at him, only stealing glances through her peripheral, so silence engulfed them for a few moments. Then, in a broken voice, 'Don't tell me I've lost you too.'

Shocked, by both the desolation in his voice and his words, she turned to him. And another wave of shock crashed onto her when his ravaged face and tear-brimmed eyes greeted her. Her anger left her in a heartbeat. Moving closer and taking his hand, she reassured him gently. 'Of course not, baby. You'll always have me. But you're acting distant and I don't like it. It scares me.'