Tough Love

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

ISABELLE

I don't know how people can lay in bed all day and enjoy it.

It had been a week, and I was over it. I have had enough. Sure, I was meant to be on bed rest, but I was hungry, thirsty and Ash wasn't answering his phone to bring me some food up. I knew he was in the house since I could hear him and Parker laughing occasionally.

Propping my hands up, I moved myself up slowly, and went to the bathroom, changing into some of Ashton's grey cotton trousers. They fit snugly around my tummy. I had popped out a lot more, my own clothing was tight and uncomfortable. I hadn't made any effort with my appearance, except wash the hair and dry it and put Ashtons sweats and hoodies on.

I slowly made my way down the stairs and came face to face with a set of crossed arms over a chest, so now he decides to show up. "Back to bed."

I raised a brow, "I'm hungry and baby is hungry too."

"Ashton won't be happy" Parker pointed out, as I walked past them both.

"Oh whatever, I'm hungry, and you both weren't talking." I smirked and heard the low chuckle behind me.

Slowly pulling the fridge door open, I realised we hadn't been grocery shopping in a while. "Isabelle"

"Will you relax, I'm just getting a drink" I reached for the cordial jug, but my hand was slapped away.

"I'll bring it up. You aren't meant to be moving."

I spun around and narrowed my eyes. "I text you like twice ages ago; you didn't bring anything up to me and I'm pregnant and starving" I narrowed my eyes at him.

He reached for his phone and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips "You text eight times and they all say a different thing to eat, you really want all that?"

Parker laughed as he took a seat on the countertop "Isabelle, seriously you'll explode soon".

I raised a brow with a growing smile. "Are your saying I'm too fat to eat it all?" I shot at him angrily.

"What? No, don't put words in my mouth" he defended and looked a little worried.

"I'm not about to pop like a pinata, I'm just hungry and we clearly don't have anything to eat." I moaned, rolling my eyes. "I'll go and do online groceries while you two love birds laugh and talk all night."

"I. I don't know what just happened, do you want the food or not?" Ashton just looked at Parker who was looking as openly shocked as he was.

I let out a strangled cry and threw my hands up "Fine don't feed me then Ashton I will just starve and go hungry, obviously I eat too much since you both make fun of me, maybe I'll tell you your both getting old and need to work out more so your fat asses doesn't fall through a roof" I yelled and pushed past him, heading straight towards the stairs with a smile on my face.

That was clearly my hormones.

I had just climbed back into bed and was reaching for my phone when the door opened again and the closed softly. "Is everything ok?" Ashton asked still looking almost confused.

"I'm just hungry." I shrugged trying to keep my face straight. These pregnancy hormones were out of control, and I didn't know how to keep them at bay.

Ashton looked a bit sceptical, almost as if he was too afraid to say the wrong thing. "What would you like? A sandwich? Soup?"

I didn't want any of those. I sighed. "I just wanted something yum." I was annoying myself at this point. "I don't know, maybe a sandwich. I don't know if I'm even hungry anymore, I'm just bored."

Wasn't that the truth, I was going crazy being on bed rest. There was only so many times someone could scroll insta or tik tok.

He smiled, and it made all the anxiety and worries fade away. I don't think he realises how handsome he truly is. "I could order uber eats?" he suggested, laying on the foot of the bed, and stretching, revealing a thin trail of hair.

"What about cake?" I was distracted.

He grinned rolling to his side and laughing, a broad smile. "Cake?"

"Maybe I will just take a bath," I sat up, rubbing my stomach and feeling relief at each small movement I felt.

"Babe, how about I run you a bath, and then order you something to eat, you do know I have something you could eat."

Rolling my eyes at his crude comment. I pulled a face and kept my voice monotone "nah im good."

His brows raised and he looked hurt, placing a hand over his heart to fake horror. "God, you kill me."

I laughed. "Soon, I just..." I trailed off. I wanted nothing more than to be with him, to feel the warmth of our bodies together again. I missed that of course, but I was scared, I was scared to do anything. As much as I hated laying around, I was terrified to move in case something happened.

I constantly check for the bleeding, any weird feeling down there and I am rushing to the bathroom to check my underwear. I hated it. Even with our scan and being reassured everything was going great and the heartbeat was strong, I was still a mess over it all.

Sensing my easement, he moved up closer and placed a kiss to my stomach. "I want you too, but you must take it easy. We've got time."

"How are things with Jenna?" I asked, we hadn't spoken about her a whole lot.

"Tense, I sent her to her room, and she told me she hated me." He chuckled. "I mean she's done the wrong thing, can't admit fault and just acts as if the world owes her something." His voice began to soften, and I knew this was harder on him than he was letting on. "I think she needs to come and apologise to you, when you're ready to see her of course."

I frowned, is that what he thought? "Ash, of course I want to see her, I love her and that wont change. I'm just confused I think, hurt maybe... I don't know, I don't understand why she's changed so much. Maybe I wont ever understand but there needs to be some discipline and guidance that we can both give her. I just hope she realises that its all we want, not any of this anger that's happening."

"I know sweetheart." He agreed.

I sighed and took his hand. "We're having a baby, she's going to be a big sister and I thought it would be wonderful and something exciting that she could be apart of, you know helping with setting up the nursery and all of that."

Thinking he was going to keep discussing Jenna, he turned and had a nervous look around him. Oh god what has he done. He grinned with a boyish charm and laughed. "So, I have some awesome news."

"Oh yeah? what's that?" I asked letting out a yawn as I began to sink into his side and rest my head against his chest.

"Parker might be moving in for a while. He's doing some renos on the house and it'll take a while, so he's going to stay in the spare room, only a couple months at the most."

I was awake again, glancing back up at Ashton "How did this happen? Please tell me you're joking, he's not really moving in here, is he?" I was met with silence. I had so many questions to ask. I needed answers. "Ashton, is he actually moving in here?"

He went to speak when I heard the door open, and Parker walked in, grinning "Well then roomies, I'll be in my room if anyone needs me. Oh, and a sock on the door means I'm having me time so enter at your own risk."

My head fell back down on his chest, and I groaned loudly watching Ashton scrolling through Uber eats menu. "Well, this is going to be interesting."