All Fall Down

Chapter 8

Abigail's POV

It had been the 3rd scan I had, had in as many days. But it was the one I needed to determine whether or not I would be able to go home for the weekend.

Both Ryan and I sat looking at the screen "Is everything still okay?" I asked eagerly and the doctor smiled.

"Yes Mrs Tedder everything looks perfect" she replied "But that still means you have to rest properly at home, bed rest where possible"

"I'll make sure she does" Ryan interrupts.

"He's got it covered" I chuckle, the doctor smiles from behind her paperwork.

"That's good, because you need to take as much care as possible if you want to give this baby a good chance of making it to 28 weeks" her face was a little more serious. I was suddenly reminded now how serious this was, how badly the stabbing had effected us.

"I know. I will do as I'm told I promise"

"Can I get that in writing?" Ryan teased making me laugh again. He had a way of making me relax when I felt uneasy.

×-×-×

"So we have a radio interview next week from home" Ryan logged onto my Ipad and looked at the schedule "Don't you think it's a bit soon for that?" He looked at me.

"No, if we don't speak out, the rumours will be rampant for another week" I reply "Besides I said at home radio so I could do it from bed"

"And how about this one?" Ryan pointed out a star marked in my diary that didn't have a title "What's that?"

I can't hide my smile "What?" I raise my eyebrows and I think he gets it.

"Oh that's when your on your...oh no we won't need to worry about that one then" He grins like a school boy.

"No" I laugh "How about you? Don't you have some stuff coming up?"

"Nothing that can't wait, or be rescheduled" Ryan perches beside me on the bed "I meant what I said before, even if you have to spend the next 5 months in bed...I'm not leaving you"

"We won't be spending the whole 5 months in bed..." I try and he shoots me down with that look.

"If that's what it takes then yeah" he frowns "That's exactly what we'll do"

I take my phone off the side and start looking on Amazon "What are you doing?" Ryan looks confused.

"Ordering some box sets, we'll need a distraction from doing other stuff while we're in bed" I can't hide the smirk on my face as he laughs at my idea.

"Fair point" he chuckles.

I jump when I feel my phone vibrate in my hand, Harriet is on the receiving end "Hey honey" I answer.

"Oh Abi hi" Harriet sounded a little put out that I'd answered "I was hoping Ryan would..."

"Harry what's wrong?" Ryan turns and looks at me.

"There's been some posts on social media and some emails regarding a story that went out a couple of weeks ago" Harriet's voice was shakey "There's no easy way to say this...but...Abi Alice has gone to the press claiming she's been having a relationship with Ryan..."

I couldn't breathe, let alone speak. My heart sank "I...Er...I...here speak to Ry" I handed Ryan the phone and started to get up.

"Baby what are you...?" He tried to stop me from getting up but I threw his hand off me "Abi? Hey harry what's going on?" He listened for a few moments and then "She's said what? I've gotta go, I'll call you back okay?"

Ryan quickly puts the phone down and gets up "Abi baby please tell me you don't think...?"

"I don't know...I" I still can't find the words "Did you? Were you?"

"What?" Ryan looks horrified "How could you...of course not. Please don't think that I've..."

"I don't, I'm sorry I didn't meant to ask you that" I stutter "Oh God this is huge, this is...why, why would she do this to us?"

"I don't know" Ryan touched my face gently "But you really need to get back into bed, please" I nod and do as Ryan asks. Risking our child's life is not something I'm willing to do. Ryan sits down beside me and takes the phone in his hand again, dialling Harriet's number.

My mind just zones out and I can't hear what he is saying. I just assume Harry must be explaining what's been said and why. I watch as Ryan's hand shake, I'm guessing in anger more than fear "Okay thanks Harry I'll get Abi to call you when she's more...yeah I will bye" he hangs up and looks at me.

"Harry says it looks like she's done it for the money..." he starts to explain.

"Money? Really?" I interrupt "Alice?"

"Yeah I know I can hardly believe it myself" Ryan sighed "I guess she was approached after that picture appeared. She's been going through alot of problems at home, I just never realised it was this bad..."

"Well no you wouldn't, we'd just buried our son" I snapped harshly "I'm sorry Ryan but that bitch...she has no right to your sympathy"

"I know but..." Ryan argued.

"But nothing...Ryan do you realise how bad this is...do you have any idea how bad this is going to get? They will go to fucking town on this...this is the kind of story they've wanted since Nick...SHIT RYAN THIS IS HUGE...AND THAT BITCH CAUSED IT ALL"

"I know I'm sorry baby, it's just I've known Alice for a long time. She was with us from the beginning..." Ryan tried to explain, but I was just too angry to listen. Ryan didn't have a clue how serious this was...but he was about to find out.

×-×-×

"They're all photoshopped videos of you and Alice..." Harriet worked through a list of emails "And these are the photos from every lunch and business meeting you guys have had..." I watched as Harriet showed Ryan all the things I had received.

"That one" he pointed to the screen "That one was taken before Abi and I even got together"

"You sound surprised" I say out loud "It's gonna get alot worse" Ryan looks up at me and inhales deeply, walking over to me and burying his head in my hair.

"I'm sorry baby" he whispers in my ear.

"You don't need to say sorry" I put my hand up to his face "You've done nothing wrong, right?" He nods confidently.

"Right" he repeats.

"Then we just need to stay strong...ride it out together, the truth will come out eventually" I reply. As I look into his eyes I can see they're tired, and full of despair "I love you, and I trust you and nothing they say will make me doubt you"

"I love you too" he whispers...

"Hey well you know there is one good thing that's come out of this...no-one cares about who stabbed you" Harriet smiled.

Ryan pressed his forehead against mine and we both laughed under our breath. Harriet never did know when to keep things to herself.