With Me Through Troubled Times (With Me - book 2)

Chapter 48

I sit down at the dining table for dinner with everyone later that day. I take a single sip of my wine and look down the table at Joe. I smile at him before starting to eat my food.

“Mia...” He starts. I look up at him. “Do you want to ask the children something?”

I shake my head and sit back a little.

“Ask us what?” Connor asks, looking at us both.

“How would the three of you feel if your mum had to have another child?” Joe asks plainly.

“Joe...”

“You're not...” Odette starts while looking at me.

“No, she's not pregnant. Not yet anyway, but how would the three of you feel about it if she was to have another?” Joe asks again.

“Another child? What's wrong with just having us three?” Odette questions.

“Nothing, but your mum and I have been talking for a while now and we want another baby.”

“So, I won't...”

“Odette, I think you're starting to get worried that you'll not be given all the attention anymore.” Matthew says, looking at her.

“I am not!” She shouts at him.

“Hey, calm it!” Joe shouts, getting them all to shut up.

“I don't want a baby running about here when I have my friends over,” Odette complains.

“If your mum gets...” Joe starts.

“Dad, shut up! I don't want to think about you and mum in that...oh, just shut up!”

“All of you just shut up!” I snap, getting to my feet. “You three may not need to worry about anything cause it looks like I may not be able to have anymore children anyway!”

I pick my plate up and walk into the kitchen with it.

Joe's POV

I watch Mia walk away and look at the children, shaking my head as I do so. A smashing sound comes from the kitchen and I stand up. I walk into the kitchen and look at Mia clutching the edge of the counter by the sink. I walk over to her and put my hands on her shoulders.

“They could at least be a little bit pleased that we've waited this long,” she tells me before breaking down in tears.

“Hey...” I whisper, turning her round to face me. I pull her into my arms and hold her close. “It's up to us how many children we have, not them.”

I run one of my hands up and down her back to calm her down.

“Dad...” I heard Odette say.

“Out!” I shout without even looking at her.

“I just...”

“Out!” I instruct, turning only my head to look at her.

I watch her turn round and walk back into the dining room.

“I'm going to go and lay down,” Mia murmurs, moving away from me.

“I'll tidy away everything,” I tell her as she walks past me and out the kitchen.

I turn round and walk into the dining room. I pick up my plate and glass before walking back into the kitchen and putting them in the sink. I turn round and watch Connor bring in the rest of the plates and glasses. I take them off him and put them in the sink.

“I thought I'd tell you that Odette's going out the now,” he says, standing next to me.

I look at him and walk out into the hall. I watch Odette put her shoes on and head for the front door.

“Where do you think you're going?” I ask her.

She stopps and turns round to face me. “Out to see...”

“You're not going anywhere,” I tell her, walking over to her.

I take the set of house keys she had in her hand, off her and put them in my jeans pocket.

“Dad, you can't do that.”

“I can and I am. What you said to your mum is unacceptable. If we want to have another child, we will have another child. We don't need your permission to do so."

“Fine! Do what you want, but I'm...” She starts, opening the door.

I slam the door shut before she can open it up further. “You're not going out. You'll go up to your room and stay there till I come and get you so you can apologise to your mum.”

“I hate you!” She screams at me before storming off to the stairs.

“Wait a minute! Phone.” I walk over to the stairs and hold my hand out. She reaches into her pocket and takes her phone out before placing it in my hand. “Why are you still standing there? Room. Now!”

She turns round and starts walking up the stairs again.

I walk into the living room and put her phone on top of the fireplace. I sit down on the nearest couch and look at the boys who were sat on the opposite couch, watching the TV.

“Go up to your sisters room and get any valuable items she has,” I instruct.

“Her TV?” Connor asks.

“Her TV, laptop, iPod, you name it. I want the lot down here."

They stand up and give me the remote control before walking out.

Odette's POV

I sit on my bed with my laptop on my lap when my bedroom door opens. I look up and see Matthew and Connor standing looking at me.

“What are you two doing in my room? Get out!” I shout to them.

“Dad wants all your valuable items,” Connor says with a grin on his face.

“You're lying."

“If I was lying, why would Matthew be here with me?"

I watch them unplug my TV and pick it up. “My TV!?!”

“I've got it, you get the rest.” Connor says to Matthew before walking out the room with the TV.

I watch Matthew pick up my iPad and iPod.

He walks over to me and huffs. “You brought this all on yourself.”

“I...”

“You need to learn to keep your trap shut!” He says, reaching over for my laptop.

“No, not my laptop. Please...” I beg, holding onto the laptop.

“Let go of it!” Matthew shouts, causing me to let go.

He walk out the room and slams the door closed. I sit down on my bed and bring my knees up to my chest. I hug my knees close and begin to cry.

I've never had anything taken off of me when I got into trouble before. It used to just be a telling off and that was it.

Joe's POV

I walk into the master bedroom at 11pm and Mia was still sleeping. I take my top and jeans off before getting into bed behind her. I lay watching her sleep and gently run my hand over her face. I put my hand on top of hers and hold it.

I still couldn't believe that Odette, her own daughter, managed to hurt her like that. I close my eyes and feel Mia move closer to me. I let go of her hand as she puts her arm round my waist and lays as close as she can to me.

I open my eyes and look down at her. “You okay?”

She nods and I kiss her head before falling asleep.