20th April- Los Angeles, United States
O’Conner’s House
Dom’s POV
I laid Ava carefully down into her bed, careful not to jostle her around too much so she stayed asleep. I took the chance as I stood to glance over at Letty, she’d been silent since we’d left the house. I was worried.
“Let? You okay?” I asked as I took a couple of steps towards her.
“Uhuh, I’m just gunna have a shower.” She mumbled, sidestepping my attempted embrace as she escaped to the bathroom. I heard the lock slick into place and I sighed. She was pulling away.
“Let can we talk first?” I asked through the door quietly. The only response I got was the water turning on. I guess that was my answer.
I took one last look at Ava, checking to make sure she was asleep before I left the room. The house was silent and after searching all the main rooms I realised no one was home. Picking up my mobile from where I had discarded it when I walked through the door I scrolled through my numbers until I found the right one. I needed advice and there was only two people who could give me it.
On the third ring she picked up, not bothering with a greeting but rather getting straight to the point.
“So how was the house?” Lotty demanded and I rolled my eyes.
“Bad, let’s not go there. I need advice.” I sighed.
“What did you do now Dominic?” She huffed and I rolled my eyes.
“I didn’t do anything. Look is Leon there, this is probably a question better suited for him.” I asked tiredly as I sat down on the couch with a groan. My side hurt, a lot, every time I moved it felt like it was on fire. I had really over done it the last couple of days.
“Dom?” Leon asked confused as he was handed the phone.
“You know that house we went to see today?” I asked him quietly.
“Yeah? You bought it or something?”
“No it’s a wreck. It’s about the real estate agent actually.”
“Okay…” Leon spoke slowly and threateningly. I rolled my eyes again and sighed.
“It was Michelle.” I admitted and by the loud suck in of air he hadn’t been expecting it.
“As in Tran, Michelle Tran?”
“Do we know another?” I asked rhetorically.
“Did you know? Before you took her there did you know?” He demanded.
“I had no idea Leon, Letty booked the viewing so even she didn’t know.” I spoke truthfully.
“Where is she?” He asked not needing to say who because I knew he meant Letty.
“Having a shower, she won’t speak to me. She fell silent the whole ride back, now she won’t even look at me let alone let me touch her.” I whispered painfully. It hurt knowing she was hurting but I didn’t know how to help.
“There’s no easy way to get through to her, believe me I’ve tried. You just have to break down her walls as gently as you can but be prepared for the tears and anger that will follow.” He advised me and I nodded.
“And if she won’t snap out of it for me?” I asked hesitantly.
“You just have to keep going. She needs you Dom, not Lotty and I.”
“Thanks Le.”
“Keep me updated.”
“Yeah will do.” I spoke softly before hanging up.
With a little bit of difficulty I managed to stand again and head for the kitchen. I filled two glasses with water, grabbed my pain medication and headed back upstairs.
Walking back into the room I could still hear the shower going so I placed one of the glasses down on the side table before drinking the other one as I took my medication. Another quick glance in Ava’s direction told me she was still napping so I headed towards the bathroom door. Pulling a bank card from my wallet I slipped it in between the door and the lock, giving it a quick jiggle. I smiled as it opened, throwing my card, wallet and phone onto the dresser before walking into the room.
The room was full of steam at first but with the door slightly open it started to clear in no time. Squinting I made out a small figure on the other side of the glass, curled into a ball on the floor. Not wasting any more time then I already had I stripped my clothes off, not even caring where they landed before I headed for the shower.
“Mind if I join?” I asked as I sunk to the floor beside her.
“What are you doing? You’re not supposed to get your stitches wet.” She fretted, not even trying to mask her red eyes as she pushed me to leave the shower. With ease I curled my good arm around her waist, hoisting her into my lap.
“Talk to me… please? Don’t shut me out.”
“I have nothing to say.” She whispered.
“That’s a lie, you wouldn’t be in here hiding away and crying if you had nothing to say.” I motioned as I wiped away a stray tear.
The silence that settled over us was all I needed to know. Not saying a word I reached over and grabbed the shower gel, squirting a small amount into my hand. Letty said nothing, staring not at me but through me as she check out on me completely. I pressed a kiss to her cheek before I brought my hands to her shoulders, rubbing the soap across her skin as I made my way across her body. It wasn’t sexual, just simply me taking care of her. She continued to stare through me as I continued, not lingering in any places too long.
My hands brushed past her breasts and kept going, sliding around her back and down to her stomach. It was only then did my hands pause, running over the small but noticeable bump of our baby.
“Come back to me Letty. Let me in.” I begged quietly as I pulled her closer to me.
Her eyes suddenly snapped to mine and I paused, not touching her as she came back to me.
“It was just a shock.” She whispered as I washed the soap off her body just as carefully as I had put it on. I said nothing, letting her continue without interruption.
“We haven’t spoken about her in a long time. To see her suddenly after everything we’ve been through just….got too much. I guess I’ve never really gotten over what happened between you and her.” I stilled and looked at her as she lowered her gaze.
“What I did was not your fault. You never did anything to make me do it Let, you gotta know that. You do know that don’t you?” I asked and she nodded.
“It was my own stupid selfish fault. I let my experiences in jail and my hormones rule me instead of trying to talk it out, work through it. I hurt you Let, a lot. You don’t ever need to be sorry and you never have to apologise or tell me it’s okay because what I did was wrong. It wasn’t okay. I knew that then and I know it now. But things changed. When you left me I knew I deserved it but it still hurt. It gave me the push I needed to change my ways. I love you, and I know back then I had an awful way of showing it but I’m trying to make up for it now. I’m trying to make things right, I’m trying to make it work because when I thought you died Let part of me died with you.”
“You were an arsehole.” She whispered and I laughed, pulling her closer.
“Yeah I was, and I still can be but I’m working on it. I love you and Ava and this baby too much to continue down the old path. You’re my future.”
“Do you still have feeling towards her?” She asked quietly and I shook my head.
“No, I never really had emotional feelings for her Let, it was purely physical. But seeing her today didn’t bring any of those back, seeing her today while she badgered you for answers just made me angry. I wanted to wrap you up and hide you away.” I smiled as I kissed her cheek, resting my head against hers.
“It’s gunna take time-“
“Shh I know. One more day Let then we meet with the councillor. We can do this Let, you just have to stay here with me, don’t shut me out.” I begged before she wrapped her arms around me and cried.