The Only Exception

Part One - Chapter Twenty-Nine: Heartbreaking Decisions

Lucia rested a hand on her stomach as the doctor’s words rang in her ears, she was all alone in her private hospital room since she didn’t want to see anyone.

Lucia blinked back tears as she laid her head back onto her pillow, it had been four hours since she had started to bleed and no one had been able to tell her where her husband was.

Lucia didn’t have to guess that he was still out on his date with Antonella, she couldn’t even conceal her anger at him now that she had been told that she was eleven weeks pregnant with their child.

Lucia had been thinking a lot about the four months that she had been married and had slowly become to a decision about what she was going to do next with her life.

Lucia swallowed as she reached over for her mobile and glanced towards the door, she a lot of her friends and their spouses would be more than happy to have her stay with them but that wasn’t what she wanted to do.

“Hola Francis?” Lucia said as she shifted her weight and made herself more comfortable, she still had a few days left to accept his offer and this was going to be what she needed; she wasn’t about to stay in Barcelona for Lionel anymore not after his emotional affair with Antonella.

Lucia looked towards the door, her blue eyes watching in case anyone came inside and tried to stop her; what she was doing was rash but she wasn’t going to stick around to watch Lionel fawn over another woman any longer.

“I want to accept your offer about Italy, if it is still open,” Lucia said as she stared down at her still flat stomach, she chewed on her lip; six months in Italy were just what she needed right now to help her decide her next move and get away from Lionel.

***

Lionel ignored the hate filled and angry stares that he got as he hurried into the hospital, he knew that he deserved every inch of his friends’ looks as he moved quickly over to the reception desk.

Lionel didn’t dare go over to them since he knew it was very unlikely that they would tell him what was going on after what he had done to his wife.

“Lucia Messi?” Lionel breathed as he looked at the nurse behind the desk hopefully, he had so much to make up for and this was the least of his problems right now.

Gerard hadn’t been able to tell Lionel why Lucia was in hospital only that she had been losing a lot of blood when she had been rushed off in an ambulance.

“Level 5 Room 345,” the nurse replied after looking his wife’s hospital room on her computer, she didn’t pay Lionel any attention as she turned back to her work.

Lionel quickly hurried over to the elevator, he didn’t know why most of his friends were waiting in the main waiting area; it worried him just what was wrong with his wife and if she was seriously ill.

Lionel grumbled annoyed as pressed the button repeatedly, he hated how slow it was going when he needed to be with Lucia right now.

Lionel would never forgive himself if something had happened to her, he had been the reason that she had come to Barcelona and he had stupidly gone and forgot her birthday all for a woman that didn’t want him.

Lionel hadn’t even been able to think about Antonella since Gerard had dropped the news that Lucia was in hospital and no one had been able to get a hold of him.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” Lionel muttered as the lift doors finally opened and he dived inside pressing the button for the fifth floor.

***

Lucia nibbled on her lip as she stared up at the television that was in her hospital room, she wouldn’t be going home until tomorrow once the doctor was sure that everything was okay.

Lucia snapped her attention to the door as Lionel burst inside with Shakira trying to stop him, she blinked confused at the panic look on her husband’s face as he hurried over to her side.

“It’s fine Shakira… I need to talk to him anyway,” Lucia said as she offered a weak smile at her friend, she hadn’t even told her what was going on and what she had planned.

Shakira stared at Lucia for a moment before she nodded her head slowly and shot a warning look at Lionel; she didn’t trust him anymore especially around his own wife.

Lionel waited until the Columbian had left the room before he looked at his wife again, his brown eyes filled with concern as he moved towards her; he had been awful to her and he needed to make it right.

“Lia… what happened?” the footballer asked as he moved to take Lucia’s hand, she pulled back though making him look down knowing that he deserved her rejection right now.

Lucia stared at Lionel for a moment, she knew what he might say but she needed to tell him that they were expecting; she needed to tell him that during their one night of passion that they had conceived.

“I’m pregnant,” Lucia said as she watched Lionel’s face, she knew it would be a confusing statement but she still had worse to tell him yet.

Lionel stared at her as his mouth fell open as he took in what she had told him, he certainly hadn’t been expecting her to say that to him; he swallowed nervously as he realised that she might have lost their baby.

“The doctor says that everything is fine, however my blood pressure is through the roof,” Lucia said as she recalled him saying that if it got any higher then she would lose the baby; something that she didn’t want to happen.

“We’re having a baby,” Lionel said relieved at the news that she hadn’t lost it, he didn’t think he could bear the news that he had lost second child; he moved to touch Lucia again only for her to reject his touch.

Lionel looked at his wife and swallowed now would be a good time as any to fix the damage that he had caused when he had ignored her.

“Lo siento,” Lionel murmured as he stood beside his wife’s bed, he doubted that his words would be able to fix any of the damage that he had caused but it was a start; from now on his main focus would be her and their baby.

Lucia took a shaky breath as she looked at Lionel, she wasn’t going to forgive him for the hurt that he had caused her anytime soon.

“I’m going to Italy,” Lucia revealed she hadn’t told him about the job offer, she hadn’t really talked to him at all since he had been distracted with Antonella.

Lionel stared at her for a moment, his head starting to shake as he realised that this wasn’t just holiday talk; he felt panic consume him as he realised that Antonella had been right, he would lose Lucia.

“Francis has offered me a job in Italy for six months, I’ve accepted,” Lucia said six months would allow her to think about what she wanted; she needed to think of herself and the baby now.

Lionel nodded his head, he didn’t want her to go but he knew that there was little that he could say to change her mind; Lucia had clearly already decided.

“When I come back… we will decide if we want this marriage to continue or if divorce would be better after your emotional affair,” Lucia said knowing that he would have six months to work on things with Antonella without her around.

Lionel felt horror fill him knowing that this wasn’t what he wanted, he didn’t want to lose her or their baby especially after losing Antonella.