Unconventional

15

"I've come to take you guys home." Tom said softly, trying not to wake the baby. Mum nodded and tapped Izzy's arm since she was distracted by her phone
"Cmon Iz. Let's go. We'll go wait outside for you because I want to get some snacks for the journey home." Tom gave mum a warm smile and moved out of the way for them to go
"Dom already left then?"
"He's in the car. He's coming back to Doncaster with us."
"But-" I began worrying but he cut me off
"Don't worry sweetheart. We will make it back for you. I promise." I nodded slowly as he walked over to the crib where lily was sleeping "And as for you princess the cars gonna be all ready for ya." He cleaned his hands before gently stroking his knuckle across her cheek "Forever little one." I smiled but I couldn't shift the fear that it would be so different once we got home: Tom would wanna do more with her and Dom would wanna take over because after all he is her dad. But all thoughts were brushed aside when he bent down and kissed my forehead "See you tomorrow darlin'."
"Bye Tommy"
"Bye. I promise I'll be here. Wouldn't let you down."
"I know. Love you." He smiled softly
"You too darlin'. Now get some sleep because that little diva might wake you up

I looked down at the sleeping newborn rested on my thighs. I'd brought my legs up slightly and she was comfortable sleeping there so I left her. She did have a look of Dom when her face was all relaxed though and I just chuckled to myself at the fact shed look like him after all this. We were both waiting for the boys to come pick us up and I'd been getting text updates from their journey back. Just as lily started stirring my phone went off
"Hello?" I answered, not even looking at the caller ID
"Hey baby it's Dom. We're just at the McDonald's drive thru so thought we'd ask what you want."
"Nothing. I'm fine. Can you just get here soon though. I miss you already."
"Awe baby I miss you too. Tom said to get you some chicken nuggets and a strawberry milkshake. So I guess we're getting that for you. And Adams joining us."
"Tom should stop. I'm fine." I heard Tom in the background, figuring I'd been put on speakerphone.
"What's up with her?" He said with an attitude
"Nothing. Just don't need you fucking babying me."
"Alright bubba. What's wrong. You want Tom to go home before we pick you up?"
"No. I'll see you later. I'm sorry yeah."

There was silence between us when tom turned up. He did help me up off the bed though, as Dom strapped lily into her car seat. He wasn't paying attention to us and mumbled a bye when he left.
"I'm sorry." He said softly "I'm trying to figure out where I'm needed, now I know I'm not." I let it slide and knew if I had the conversation there I'd break down. He had a camera round his neck and I poked it to indicate I'd seen it
"What's that for?"
"Though I'd get a picture of Dom and the baby carrier. Yknow, with the balloons?"
"Where are the balloons though?"
"Picked them up on the way here. Just outside the room. Wanted her to have a proper photo to see when she's older." I smiled "Is everything okay between us?"
"Yeah. Everything is fine. I'm grateful you stayed because I saw how badly that fucked you up." He nodded and took my hand in his
"Everyone got everything?"
"Adam's got the baby bag and Dom's got the baby." He nodded "Anything else?"
"You'll get mad at me for babying you." I shook my head "Promise?"
"I promise."
"I just wanna say how proud I am of you. To go through that...it's like a fucking miracle. And I'm happy I got to be with you." He kissed my forehead gently "That's all."
"I'm proud of you too Tommy. We'll have a drink later, to celebrate. I'm not breastfeeding baby because she'll be changing hands a lot. So it's good." He nodded, looking away quite absently and holding my hand to follow him out of the room. Dom had tied the balloons to the baby carrier and was absolutely infatuated with his new babygirl inside "You alright?"
"Yeah. Fine." Dom looked confused but I shook my head "Come on Dad. Let's get a cute picture with you and the baba." I had to give it to him, his fake happy attitude almost fooled me "Uncle Tommy's not gonna stop till he gets the perfect one."

"What was the deal with you and Tom earlier?" Dom said softly as I entered the nursery. I wasn't paying much attention and instead I was just smiling at the scene in front of me; Dom holding our newborn and feeding her in the rocking chair. I walked over and took his head in my hands, kissing the top of it
"Everything I've ever dreamed of."
"Really? Cus when we first met I specifically recall us saying we'd never get married."
"We're not married yet. And anyways. Everyone else just knew something we didn't."
"So...you and Tom."
"We're good. I think he just wants to know where he stands." I moved my forehead to be against his "Where is that exactly?" I watched him pause and lily coughed up her bottle at a strangely convenient time for him
"Awe Baba. You had enough?" I had to move away so he could burp her and I stood in the corner of the room whilst he laid her down in her cot, watching in awe as she settled down
"Dom? Do you hate Tom?"
"No. But I do resent him a little for what he put you through." He walked over to me and brought me into a hug. It was only brief as I didn't want him trying to play off the the conversation
"Could you learn to get over it?"
"Maybe. I don't know." I sighed, accepting the news just as much as any other. After all, it was his opinion he had, no matter how much I tried to convince him otherwise "But I want him there for our Lils."
"And me?"
"Yeah. Of course."
"Then why the resentment?"
"That's not something I'm gonna get into right now. It will just upset you. He's staying here in that spare room and you don't have to worry about what I think of him." I rolled my eyes and sighed before turning to walk out. I'd opened the door a slight crack before he spoke, making me let go of the handle "Where are you going?"
"To make myself some food. I'm not gonna hang around here feeling like shit am I?"
"Lexi I'm sorry."
"You should be. He did so fucking much for me whilst we weren't together."
"What? Like having sex with you?"
"Like you were any better? Colson told me you hooked up with a guy over in LA." His face went blank. We weren't together so I wasn't mad at all. He just wasn't going to throw it back in my face if he had done the same thing.
"He told you?"
"Yeah. Said you brought him back to colsons both pissed as anything. And he walked in on you guys."
"Why didn't you bring it up?"
"Because I thought we were putting all that behind us."
"We are."
"You're not. I am but you're just not dom. This shits not fun. The whole fucking tip toeing around you. I want you to tell me how you're feeling and if that means telling Tom to move out then that's what I will do."
"But you love him."
"But I'm not marrying him. I don't have a child with him. He will be alright on his own."
"I don't think I want him here."
"Okay. Then he can find a place elsewhere." I turned back around and opened the door only to see Tom looking like he was about to cry on the other side
"Just wanted to know if you wanted to watch a film." He croaked out "Doesn't matter now."
"I'd love to." He shook his head taking a deep sigh.
"Go fuck yourself Lexi." That genuinely broke my heart and I just stood in silence as he walked back to his room
"Cmon lex i-" Dom began, touching my shoulder gently
"No." I said softly "No I wanna be alone. I wanna stay with lily tonight."
"But there's just a couch. You've just had her lex. It's not any good."
"No. It's where I'm staying until you go and fix shit with Tom."
"Alright. I'll do it. But he's still not staying here."
"Okay. That's fine." He held his arms out for a hug and I accepted since I knew he needed it for reassurance "I love you. I just need Tom to be okay too yeah?" Dom nodded in agreement
"Yeah bubba. Anything for my girls."