Divorced Love (Stauren) {Book 1}

Chapter 4

I knelt down in front of Bella, taking her small hands in mine as she prepared to go back to Lauren's house. "I'm gonna miss you, peanut," I said while gently running my thumbs over the tops of her hands.

"Don't worry, daddy," Bella replied, coughing a few times after speaking. "I'll be back next weekend."

I nodded with a smile spread across my face. "Be good, okay? And if you can't be good....."

My sentence trailed off, and Bella finished it for me. "Don't get caught."

Then, we were interrupted by Lauren walking up to the open front door. She placed her hands on her hips with one swift movement, and looked down at us. "Bella, come on. You've got your doctor's appointment, and we're going to be late if we don't hurry."

It was then when I noticed Lauren steal a quick glance at me, but for once it wasn't filled with hatred or annoyance.

"Bye daddy!" Bella said, snapping me out of my thoughts that consisted of Lauren. "See you Saturday."

"I love you, peanut." I placed a quick kiss on her forehead before Lauren told hold of Bella's hand to go back down to her car.

•°•°•°•°•

°•°Lauren's POV°•°

"Mommy, what's wrong with me?" Bella asked with a sad voice while we waited for the doctor to come back with Bella's lab results.

"Nothing's wrong with you, baby." I tighten my arms around her as she sat in my lap with her head resting on my shoulder. "You've just got a cough." My hand began to gently rub up and down Bella's back to sooth her.

Soon, there was a quick knock on the door before the doctor came back in. "We got the results back," she said with a kind smile.

"And.....?" My sentence trailed off as I waited for the doctor to tell me why Bella had been coughing.

"Asthma," she responded. "It seems that Bella has asthma."

It was then when I felt a sudden pang in my chest, making me close my eyes tightly for a few seconds before I managed to say, "But she's only five."

"It's common is young kids," the doctor replied, leaning against the small vanity in the patient's room. She must've noticed my complete distress, for she continued on. "It's really not a big deal, ma'am. All you need to do is carry around her inhaler, and I'll prescribe a couple medicines.

I gave her a nod, even though on the inside I was beginning to stress out. I knew that asthma wasn't a huge deal, but it was the fact that I had to spend money on medications and an inhaler.

Money I didn't have.

•°•°•°•°•

"What's asthma, mommy?" Bella asked as we walked home after the doctor's appointment. The only way I could save money at the time was not wasting it on gas unless I had to, so we walked to most places.

"It's when your throat gets swelled up and makes it hard to breathe," I answered, taking Bella's hand so we could cross the street. "That's why you cough so much."

"So there is something wrong with me?" Bella's head dropped, ask she looked down sadly at the pavement.

I breathed in a deep breath before saying, "Bella, look at me." She did as I said, so I continued. "There's nothing wrong with you, baby. Lots of people have asthma. You're perfect just the way you are, okay?"

"Okay, mommy."

As we arrived at the part of town that was more sketchy and dangerous, the only place I could afford a house at, I kept my eyes on on the ground. It always made me nervous to look up when walking home. There were so many suspicious people.

When I finally glanced up, I noticed a group of three men in their late thirties checking me out from head to toe. They all exchanged a chuckle before one began to walk over to Bella and I. My grip on Bella's hand tightened and I began walking faster down the street.

As soon as we had turned a corner, I looked back before taking off running.

"Mommy, what are you doing?!" Bella asked while struggling to keep up with me as I pulled her along.

I didn't answer. I simply kept running with Bella behind me until we reached home.

°•°Steven's POV°•°

A small sigh escaped my lips as I cleaned up Bella's room that evening. It had only been a few hours, and I was already missing her. In my mind, it wasn't fair that Lauren got Bella five days a week when I only got her for two.

While making her bed, I noticed something sitting on the nightstand. It was Bella's phone.

My hand picked the phone up and I gripped onto it for a moment before hurrying downstairs. Taking this back to Bella was an excuse to see her, and besides, Lauren would freak if she found out Bella didn't have it.

It didn't take long for me to be on my way to Lauren's house.

I felt a sudden rush of excitement when I parked the car in front of the house, and got out. Then, all my excitement was crushed into nothing when I saw the door wide open, and then there was a scream from inside.

Lauren scream.....

A/N
Chapter question: Why is Lauren screaming?!

Sorry for the shitty chapter, but I needed to get something up. Once again, thank you all so much for your kind words :)