Lisa's P.O. V.
"How many days has she been throwing up now?" I asked Lucas now that Liv had gone to work. She had already missed a week, but she refused to miss anymore, even though she was clearly still sick. "Has she told you about the cancer yet?"
"No, I keep hinting at it, asking her if she needs to go back to the doctor, but she keeps telling me no, that she's fine. I don't understand it. I thought we didn't keep secrets. This news is hard to swallow, but she should have told me. I could be helping her through it. Should I just tell her that I know?" Lucas looked so lost as he spoke with his hands holding the sides of his head like he couldn't contain his thoughts any longer.
"Let me talk to her. Maybe I can make her slip or something. I have some medical news of my own I could share to start the conversation."
I still hadn't told Lucas about my stupid uterus, but I guess now's as good a time as any. I still need to tell him about dad as well. His arrest was all over the news with questions such as 'who will take over?' and 'what happens next?'
"Medical news?" He sat straight up. "I swear if you tell me you have cancer, I'm going to lose it."
"Nothing like that," I calmed him, placing my hand on his shoulder. "I can't carry my own child the way I should. I have a heart-shaped womb, go figure. It would be dangerous."
"You' re still going to be a mom," he said so quickly that it caught me off guard. He said it as if it was a fact, no doubt about it. I will be a mother. "I'm sorry you can't carry it though. You would have really enjoyed that part, I am sure."
He was watching Abi as he spoke. She was now crawling around the floor like an expert, playing with her toys. I think she knew we were watching because she suddenly turned up the charm, giggling prettily. I want one.
"Thanks," I whispered, watching Abi, too. "I need to tell you something about dad." Lucas' sigh was so heavy it was like I suddenly placed the weight of the world on his shoulders.
"Do I need to know? I am so over his shit."
"I know you are. I went that day, the day he got arrested, and saw him in his office." Lucas' eyes were now on me, staring at the side of my head. I refused to look away from Abi as
I continued. "I told him everything I needed to say. Pretty much telling him to go to hell for all he's done, and that I was done with him."
"Good, it's about time you stood up to him. I am proud of you, Lisa."
"He apologized," I said it like it was some secret shame. .
"Don't tell me you believed it?" Lucas sounded upset as he asked.
"I mean, no, but then he said something and now I am not so sure. You should have seen him. He looked so broken, so ...alone."
"Good, he should be." Lucas hates our dad the most, and in all honesty, he should. Dad was the harshest with him, and his manipulations continued even after he moved out.
"He said he knew I wouldn't believe his apology and that he hoped his actions would speak louder than his words. What do you think he meant by that?" I was hoping he could shed some light on the man he detest.
"Who knows? He was probably just trying to manipulate you into forgiving him. Maybe he hopes you' ll help him out of jail or something. I wouldn't put much merit into that apology. You know that."
"I know." I sighed, feeling a bit disappointed. There was still this nagging feeling inside of me that made me think I was missing something. I guess time will tell.
"Good, don't fall for his crap," he reminded me.
"I am not going to." I rolled my eyes, feeling a bit annoyed now. "I just.. I don't know, he seemed so genuine for a minute that I almost believed him."
"Don't."
"I know! God!" I snapped, feeling irritated that he felt the need to continuously remind me. I don't know why I thought I could talk to him about this. Davis was the same way.
"Alright, chill," he said, putting his hands up in surrender. I just rolled my eyes again, but said nothing.
Abi and I played for a while as Lucas worked. He was getting jobs for some of the employees from Dad's business that wanted to abandon ship. I do wonder who will be taking over. Who would be crazy enough to take over and try to fix the company image? They' ll have to have balls the size of texas and brains the size of the continent. I laughed at the thought, making Abi giggle. At least she never looks at me like I'm crazy.
"Where's my baby girl?" I heard Liv call from the front door. She was taking her shoes off when we rounded the corner.
"Welcome home," I greeted her, handing her the most precious baby girl.
"I didn't know you were still here. I am glad you stayed. We need to talk." She surprised me by the way she greeted me.
"That's funny, I was going to say the same thing."
Liv arched her brow at me, tearing her eyes away from Abi for just a moment to give me a look. She looked so beautiful with Abi in her arms. I really hope for their sake she's being treated right now.
"Come on, we' ll go to the back porch."
She led the way, not even bothering to greet Lucas. I was starting to worry about her and him. They seem to be growing distant, and I can't have this happening. They are my happy place, the happily ever after you see in fairy tales. I refuse to believe they have problems. They are not allowed to.
"What did you want to talk about?" I asked her, wondering why she would take me out here and why she would want to talk to me so seriously.
Abi hung on her hip as she looked up at the stars. She seemed so conflicted, like she'd been thinking about this for a while. I got the feeling that maybe this was about what I wanted to talk to her about. Was she going to tell me what she had yet to tell Lucas?
"If anything were ever to happen to me, I need you to promise that you' ll take care of Abi and Lucas. You already do, but I need you to promise you' ll be here even if he pushes you away."
"Liv, what are you talking about? You' re fine."
"No, I am not. I haven't told Lucas yet, but they found a mass and it's cancerous. I found out I was pregnant the same morning they told me I had cancer. I've been dying inside trying to decide what to do. How can I tell him this? After what happened with Ivy, will he be okay? Please don't let him go back to being the way he was when we first met. I can't stand the thought of him being that way again. Especially not with Abi around."
Her words killed me, tore me right in half. She was worried about how Lucas would react to the news. Worried about him reverting back to his womanizing ways if she were to die.
Although why she's killing herself off like that is beyond me. I was mad, and my body just reacted on its own. I slapped her right across the face, shocking both of us.
"You tell him now! He needs to know it all. Don't use Ivy as an excuse to keep this quiet. Don't start making plans for your death as if it is a guarantee, either. You are a fighter Liv, or have you forgotten?!" Davis wasn't kidding about this inner warrior, she was ferocious.
"I-" she couldn't seem to get her words out. She began to silently cry before me as she nodded her head. "I'm a fighter."
"That's right you are, so act like it! You' ll survive. You' ll have this baby and be there to raise it. Don't kill yourself off, Liv. You' re the strongest person I know. Besides I am sure they've caught it early enough, right?" She nodded her head, still letting tears stream down her face. "Good, so go tell Lucas the good and bad news. He's ready for it."
She nodded her head, wiping her tears away with her wrists. She headed inside, stopping at the doorway and turning to me with Abi still on her hip.
"Thank you, Lisa," she whispered before closing the door behind her and leaving me outside with her news.
She's pregnant. I want to be pregnant.