Acquiesce

Chapter 14

Enzo had become keen on really Italian names like his. He'd bought books and was trying to pick out names all the time.

"Bonavento." he suggested showing me the book.

According to the book it meant good fortune, apparently bona means good and ventura means fortune.

"I can't even say it." I complained without giving it a chance. "I know you're proud of being Italian and I love that but what about English names too?"

"What? Dave, Gary?" he said with a laugh.

"No, I don't know. What if they're both girls?"

"We'll have to think again." he shrugged.

I was keen to avoid attempting to commit to a name for so many reasons. I didn't have a single name in mind for either twin and I had no intention of going through books like he was. I especially didn't want to discuss it with him.

He was trying to do everything right, reading up on stuff, trying to be the perfect expectant dad and it was getting on my nerves.

...

Two babies meant two of everything, obviously, and a lot of shopping. They were already changing my whole life. We sold my Vespa for a boring family car and everything.

I was baby shopping (I couldn't resist buying clothes now I'd reached the second trimester, plus Christmas was coming up) when I saw Noel going down the aisle I was going up. I was pretty shocked to see him, I'd accepted they were out of my life for good, I'd stopped trying to contact Liam, stopped thinking about him and his band and yet here was his brother crashing right back into me.

He saw me, he froze and his eyes widened like a deer in the road. I was sure he'd considered diving into a rack of clothes just to avoid me.

"Hey!" I waved hoping it would break the ice.

"Hello." he spoke in a weird, dead tone and couldn't take his eyes off my belly.

"How are you? How's the best band in the world going?" I questioned like we didn't hate each other, I was strangely excited to see him.

"Yeah." he nodded. "Good, everything's good."

I started to get self concious by his gaze. "Have you never seen pregnancy before?

"Yeah, it's, you are then?" he stuttered nervously.

"No, I put on a bit of weight and I always hang around baby sections filling my trolley with babygrows and stuff." I answered sarcastically.

Some tall blonde woman walked up to him. "Noel, what are you doing in the baby..."

She stopped talking and tried to work out what he was doing with some random pregnant person and looking so freaked out.

He took her hand. "Meg, this is Haileigh."

Noel got himself a girlfriend, she was pretty, maybe he was paying her.

"What, that girl Liam used to go on about?" she asked giving him a confused look and he nodded.

I smiled and we said hi to each other. She seemed nice enough. Trusting enough not to jump to conclusions like other more jealous women might if they saw us.

"Wait right there." He gave us the stop sign before hurrying off.

I took the time to look through what I'd picked rather than thinking about the fact that he had to be bringing Liam to me.

"So, is it Liam's?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her but at least it broke the silence.

"That's the big question." I smirked.

She looked at me, trying to work out what I meant by that.

"I'm married." I showed her my rings.

"Oh." She looked more worried than judgemental. "You don't know then?"

I didn't answer because I saw Noel walking back to us with Liam, seeing him again made me feel so anxious but I had to stay strong, running wasn't an option when I was the one left carrying the baby(s).

Liam adopted the same shocked look as his brother had except his was much worse. The colour completely drained from his face, he looked like he was going to be sick, or pass out or both.

"Hiya baby faced Lennon." I greeted hoping he'd crack a smile.

He took a deep breath and said hi back but no smile while Noel stood with Meg, holding her hand again.

"Is either of you going to tell me why he looks like he's been shoved in a room full of his worst fears? Noel asked, confused.

He knew I was married, he must have assumed I'd dropped Liam for my family, or that's what Liam had told him like he'd chosen to believe.

"Cos he has." I answered with a fake cheery smile and tone. "It's about 50/50 that I'm carrying his twins."

Liam turned away for a moment like it was taking all of his strength not to bolt again.

"Twins? You fucking idiot." Noel directed at his brother before turning to me. "Why didn't you tell him?"

"I did, he called me a slut and legged it." I told him with the same expression. "And then I tried after the scan but he'd never answer or had my number blocked or something."

"How likely is it that he's responsible?" he nodded towards his brother.

"We had sex in the week that the doctor worked out as when I conceived." I shrugged.

"The doctor could be wrong." Liam piped up

"As well as the weeks around that! Plus every one I've seen have agreed." I told them. "I'm not trying to fuck up your, our lives. I don't want them to be Liam's either. I want them to be my husband's."

"Then fucking insist they are and leave me out of it! They are NOT mine!" Liam said forcefully before walking off.

I sighed heavily, I could feel tears in my eyes, like him I was choosing denial but it wasn't as easy for me. "It's not that simple, what if they look nothing like him?"

I didn't know why I was confiding in Noel and Meg, he hated me and she didn't know me.

"Put that fucking idiot to the back of your mind. There's no way he fathered twins." he shook his head. "But if he did I promise you he'll do right by them. Don't stress about it cos it'll only hurt them."

"Funny, Enzo's brothers can't believe he fathered twins either." His words curbed my developing hormonal/ emotional wreck but I was scared and I'd remain scared until they were born.

"Enzo?" he frowned.

"My husband. He's Italian."

"With like Italian skin?"

I nodded. "Obviously."

His mouth gaped open for a second, realising the problem. "Well done on cheating with a pale as fuck Irishman."

"Thanks." I looked down feeling guilty.

"Y'know my number, call me if you want or need to. I've got to go." He walked too but Meg stayed.

She gently rubbed my shoulder and assured me everything would work out alright. "I'm in London way more than him, Supernova Heights, if you need to chat."

I really didn't know her but I wasn't going to refuse friends. "Thanks but I bet your boyfriend was dying to say I told you so, he won't want us hanging out."

"He's under the illusion that he knows it all and he rules the world but he doesn't." she pointed out. "I want to know the girl that made Liam so happy."

I smiled and pulled myself together before she went to find Noel.