Rafaela entered the kitchen wincing a bit. James was standing, leaning against the counter having his morning cereal bowl and stared at her waiting for her to say something. She. winced again.
"Are you ok?" He asked her.
"Oh God..." She complained taking a hand to her lower back. "I can't wait for this girl to come out. She's killing me!" Rafaela sat down on a bench and James giggled.
"Is it hurting that bad?" He asked, watching with tender eyes.
"It was the same with Liam, these last months are hell. Have you seen how my belly is huge?" She looked down. It had been four weeks; she was eight months pregnant already.
"It is big indeed." James put the cereal bowl in the sink and kneeled in front of her, kissing her belly and resting both hands in there. "Good morning my little princess." He greeted Ava as if she could listen. Well, in theory babies can listen inside the belly. Then he stood and kissed his wife's lips. "Good morning my queen." He smiled and she giggled with his joke.
"Why don't you just stay at home and lay down, have some rest." He suggested.
"James!" She protested. "I am not going to lay down for weeks until she is born. I need to keep moving, it doesn't matter how hard it is."
"So, are you going to meet me for lunch today?" He asked and she nodded.
"Yes, I'll be there at one o'clock sharp." She told him.
James nodded and kissed her lips one more time. "Want me to prepare you breakfast before I leave?" Rafaela smiled, he could so sweet, but she shook her head.
"No..." She said. "Go to your music, I'll manage myself around here."
"Ok." He put both his hands on her shoulders and placed a kiss on her forehead.
He went upstairs and Rafaela got up. She began to prepare the yogurt with fruit that she loved so much when she was pregnant and when she was already eating it, James appeared at the kitchen's door.
"I'm leaving. See you later!" He said walking up to her.
She cleaned her lips in the napkin and they kissed goodbye. He pecked her and then pecked her again wetly.
"Hum..." He smiled rubbing his nose on hers. "You taste sweet."
"It's yogurt." She laughed.
He kissed her again wetly and suggestively. "Still tasting sweet."
"Go away!" She ordered laughing and James kissed her one more time before leaving the house.
Rafaela got up and went near the interphone, where she could watch the gate through the cameras. She always did that. The police was, again, no longer guarding their house. Kelly was very clever, and her moves were carefully studied. James and Rafaela knew that sooner or later she would attack again, and they were afraid, but they were so happy that the baby was about to arrive, that they sometimes they forgot all about her. When was she going to attack again? They didn't know but they were quite sure she would, she was dying to do so. Kelly had lost her discernment, only had vision for her revenge, that's why she was being so careful but then so were James and Rafaela, trying to anticipate her attack. Then again... nothing is certain and sometimes nothing can be avoided.
Rafaela waited until James's car had passed through the gate to come back to the table and have the rest of her meal in peace. She thought he didn't know she'd do that every day before he got out or even before she had to leave, she'd peak there first. Or even when it was time for James to get back home, she'd also peek there to see if their way was clear. Kelly could be hiding, and no one would see her, but she could also be clumsy and be there, and thus her steps being watched.
The morning flew fast, so Rafaela got ready to leave. Like usual, she peeked on the camera before she got out. The way was free, or at least, it seemed so. She got in her car and started the engine, turned the radio on and began to drive on the lane that led to the gate. Her heart would always race while she waited for the gate to open, she'd also lock the doors that moment. Kelly, at least, wouldn't be able to get in the car like the other time. She'd always curse the police for the stupid rules. If nothing happened for a couple of time, they'd have to leave assuming the case was clear.
When the gate opened, she crossed it outside and then waited until it was closed. That was the worst part, because outside they were exposed. Her hands would sweat there every time. She didn't want to show it, but she was truly afraid, especially then when she was at the final stage of her pregnancy. Finally the gate closed, and she stepped on the gas, heading to the highway that would take her to Sausalito where James was recording. The drive was calm and traffic free, which pleased her since she'd get really stressed out in the traffic. Rafaela parked the car in the parking lot and walked inside.
First she greeted the security at the door. He already knew her and then she'd walked free and knowingly through the corridors of that studio. She opened the door really gently not to disturb and two heads turned to her. Lars's and James's, they were there alone.
"Hey!" James said cheerfully. He went to her to kiss her.
"How's the pregnant woman?" Lars asked kissing her cheek.
"Having a lot of trouble to cope with this last month. This belly is so heavy now." She told him.
"How's the girl?" He asked her.
"Doing great. Moves a lot, guess she's gonna be skittish and give us a lot of trouble." Rafaela laughed and James did too.
"We're gonna have lunch." James said to Lars and he nodded. Rafaela kissed him and they left.
He took her to a restaurant near the beach as she loved. The sun was shining as the sky was bright blue, not even a trace of a cloud in the sky. They had their meal on the balcony watching some people already catching the rays of light at the beach, some of them already bathing.
"I'm glad she's being born, at least when it's the peak of the summer I won't have this weight to cope with." She said. "It's really heavy weight now."
"And we can profit a bit of our pool, leaving her in a shadow." He said.
"Yeah... because now I can barely move." They both laughed. He grabbed her hand and kissed her palm.
"You look absolutely beautiful babe. You are a very sexy pregnant woman, I love to go around and show your belly, just like it was with Liam." He told her with shining eyes.
"That's so lovely." She smiled at him.
"It's the pure truth." He affirmed.
"How's the recording going?"
"You know how Lars and I are working... we can't agree for the same thing not even once..." James began to laugh.
"James... you are too bossy. I always tell you that." She said.
"He is too!" He defended himself.
"But you should also listen to his ideas!" She insisted.
"I do!" He defended himself again and Rafaela smiled.
"You do?" She asked doubtfully. "I know you well..."
He looked away unable to face her. "Sometimes..." He mumbled.
Rafaela nodded. For sure they were both stubborn and very protective of their music. In the end that resumed it all to their egos. Two huge egos that collapsed but that worked well in the end. She knew they were good friends, but they'd fight as much when it came to Metallica. James wanted to command, he was like that naturally, things had to be done his own way and Lars had vision and wanted to do things that James sometimes didn't agree with. Someone had to bend, and that made things a bit slower.
"What's now?" She asked then. "What's not to agree this time?"
"We just don't seem to agree on the songs and show we want to be on the CD." He explained.
"That is something so simple and you guys make it like it is the end of the world." She smirked. "It's music you guys have fight about already... is it really necessary to fight about it again?" She tried to reason him.
"Things need to be mixed; the sound must be clean. It's not as simple as you think. It's live, ok... but there are still arrangements in it. How to tune the guitars, the sound of the drums, the voice. Everything must be very balanced you know." James explained.
"I don't know why you two have to fight so much about it. In the end you both want the same thing. Success." She stated, and James nodded.
"We do, thing is we don't always agree how to get there." Rafaela rolled her eyes. There was no point in discussing it with him. They'd have their own way to deal with it and in the end they'd be fine.
When lunch was finished, James drove back to the studio. He stayed near her car saying his goodbyes, pecking her over and over. "What are you going to do now?" He asked her.
"I'm stopping by the mall to buy some last stuff we need for the girl." She said.
James's lips opened a tender smile. "I want to see everything when I get home."
"See you later baby." Rafaela said kissing his lips and then she got inside the car. James stayed there and waved when she finally drove away.
Rafaela spent great part of the afternoon at the mall shopping. She came back home exhausted. She tossed all the bags on her bed and went for a long bubble bath for she needed to relax her legs because they were sore. When she thought she was relaxed enough, she put on a pair of black shorts and one of James' shirts. She then took the baby's stuff to the nursery they began to build right next to their bedroom. While she took the baby clothes off the bags she smiled marveled. She was delighted she was going to be a mother again and the love she already had for the baby was already astonishing and big.
"I love you so much." She said rubbing her belly. "Daddy must be here at any moment; I better prepare the dinner because we know he's gonna be starving."
She went downstairs and raided the fridge to decide what to cook. She took some vegetables and a piece of meat and rested it on the counter. It was already dark. When she was cutting the vegetables she gave a glance at the screen that gave her the sight of the gate. Her face turned pale and the knife fell off her hand, making a noise hitting the counter. Quickly, and with trembling hands, she grabbed the kitchen's phone to call James, but it was too late because she saw his car stopping in front of the gate. Rafaela threw the phone on the counter and got out of the kitchen running outside as fast as she could, as fast as the heavy belly allowed her.
"James!" She shouted running through their garden. "James!" She shouted again. The gate was already open. She saw James out of the car and Kelly in front of him. She got there too late.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" She shouted at Kelly. "Leave us the fuck alone! Why can't you just leave us alone." Kelly, all of a sudden, pulled out of a gun and pointed it at James.
James gave two steps behind and stopped still. Rafaela opened her lips to yell horrified, but no sound came out. They were both frozen looking at Kelly.
"I am not done with ruining your life." Kelly told her. Rafaela's eyes watered in terror.
"Go away Rafi." James ordered. "Get out of here."
"NO!" She yelled, jumping in front of him. Rafaela stood between James and the gun.
"You have to shoot me first." She told facing Kelly.
"What are you doing?" James asked her, trying to pull her away but Rafaela was there to stay. She jerked James's arms away and stayed there. Their movements had to be cautious. Kelly's hands were shaking.
"I'll shoot you too if I have to Rafi." Kelly menaced.
"I don't care, to shoot him you have to shoot me first." Rafaela said courageously and fighting with James who was trying to push her away and she'd came back again.
"Rafi..." Kelly said with a menacing tone. "I'm counting to three..." She warned.
"Why don't you leave us alone. You got your revenge. You killed our son. Now leave us alone. It's been so many years. I can't believe you kept all that rage and jealousy inside to make something as monstrous as you did to us." Rafaela told her. Kelly began to laugh.
"It's not jealousy... I couldn't care less about him." Kelly said with pure hate in her voice. "Remember when I said you two would never be happy... that is all about it."
"You are insane!" Rafaela said.
"Wanna know how it all happened?" Kelly smiled. They shook their heads at the same time. Tears assaulted their eyes immediately. Their hearts raced rapidly in seconds.
"No..." Rafaela still said with shaking and low voice.
"I'm gonna tell you anyway..." Kelly giggled. The gun shaking together with her hand.
"Kelly..." Rafaela said trying to discourage her. The gun was shaking too much. Kelly rolled her eyes feeling impatient and the gun shook even more.
"I opened the gate..." Kelly started and both James and Rafaela began to shake. They knew what they were going to listen. "He was playing with the ball and James was distracted talking on the phone. The ball came rolling near the pool and I threw it there. Then Liam arrived running after it... he trusted me... I told him it was safe to go there and pick it up. Oh the brat..." Kelly shook her head and James's teeth grated a grunt escaped his throat. Tears fell heavily down his eyes. Rafaela had her eyes filled with tears that came down her face too. His hands gripping tight onto Rafaela's shoulders, but she was feeling his hands shaking so much at the same time. "...he kept saying his dad didn't let him go inside the pool without him, even if I was telling him it was safe." Kelly paused there smiling defiantly looking at them. Rafaela yelped low not containing her pain inside anymore. James was crying but didn't make a sound and then Kelly spoke again. "...I had to push him in and then I left..."
"You are a monster!" Rafaela blurted with crying voice. "He was five years old, innocent! You wanted revenge you should take on me... not him... you are a monster!"
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" James yelled pushing Rafaela aside, going towards Kelly but she pointed the gun directly at him, and he came to a halt.
"No!" Rafaela yelled in panic and held onto to him, onto his neck, sobbing.
"Let go of me." James whispered in her ear. "You have our girl inside of you."
"No." She whispered back. James couldn't make any violent move on her. He had to convince her otherwise.
"Stop the sweet talking you two! You two disgust me!" Kelly said spiting on the floor.
"He won't live to meet his kid Rafi, and neither will you if you stay there." Kelly said again.
"Get out of here." James pleaded but his arms were also wrapped around her. They were afraid something would happen to one another.
"Let go of him Rafi." Kelly said, her plan was to leave Rafi alone in the world, losing all she loved, and she was making things hard.
"NO!" Rafaela yelled.
"Go away babe, please." James asked her again, but she shook her head. Her sobs being heard, she clanged onto his neck so tight it was even hurting him.
"No." She told him. "I won't leave you."
"LET FUCKING GO!" Kelly yelled irritated.
"Let me go..." James insisted. "Rafi, let me go." He said forcing her arms off his neck.
"I don't want to leave you..." She cried. Every time he pulled one of her arms away, she'd roll the other over him.
"I am gonna count to three..." Kelly said determined. "One..." James began to try to take her arms from around his neck once, but Rafaela was so determined he wasn't able to do so.
"Two..." Kelly counted.
He realized, he was not going to convince her to leave, so that moment they both held onto each other strongly and James plan was to turn around fast at three but before three was heard a BANG echoed on street. Rafaela's body jerked and held him so tight.
"NOOOOO..." James yelled so loud looking in her eyes. "Rafi..." He called.
Slowly her arms began to let go of his neck. He held her tight against his body, burying his face on her neck.
"No... Oh God no.... don't leave me baby..." He cried desperately.
"Well... that will do too." Kelly laughed.