Chapter 13

"Today's morning news opens up with plenty of sunshine in the area."

I looked over my shoulder from the kitchen, smiling at the TV that was in the next room. I had been in Houston now for six months and life seemed sweet. Mark had been back in the WWE doing his Undertaker thing, I was almost done with school, and on top of all that, we were expecting a baby in a few months.

I finished washing the dishes while listening the morning news. Mark was on his way home from his trip so I wanted everything to be nice and clean for him. I dried my hands and shut off the water before walking into the living room with my hands on my belly. Just as I entered the living room a picture of my uncle popped up on the screen.

"In other news, MMA fighter Dave Bautista has decided to retire from the MMA ring and rejoin the WWE. Dave admits that he hasn't been himself since the disappearance of his 22 year old niece, Aria Bautista, and would like to concentrate on something he loves more."

I raised my eyebrow, "So he reported me missing huh?"

I walked over to the couch and sat down. I then picked up the remote and changed the channel, not wanting to hear my uncle's fake cry for me to return home safely. We both know what he wanted and I wasn't about to give it to him. I turned on a rerun of Monday night raw and laid down on the couch. I smiled when I felt my baby moving around inside of me. I couldn't wait to have him or her in my arms. I often dreamt about that day and it always made me feel good inside. Still, I did think something about this seemed too…easy…

When Mark got home, I had just dozed off. The dogs ran up to him trying to knock him down so they could lick him in his face. Good job doing that…the man was practically a skyscraper compared to them.

"Alright guys down now," he told them as he made his way into the living room.

I kept my eyes closed since I was so tired. He walked behind the couch and bent over to kiss my cheek. I smiled and opened my eyes. "Good morning."

"Good morning beautiful," he said as I turned onto my back. "How are you feeling?"

I sighed and sat up, "I'm alright. I heard my uncle's returning to the WWE."

He raised his eyebrow, "Where did you hear that?"

"On the news…why?" I asked, getting a little concerned by the look on his face.

He shook his head, "That doesn't make sense…why would he go on national TV an announce that?"

I shrugged, "Maybe he wanted us to see it. I never even knew he reported me missing."

"He did?" he asked. "Well I didn't know that either."

I chuckled, "Well you clearly did a nice job covering my tracks. I feel like he should have kicked in your door by now."

"True." He said before helping me up from the couch. "Anyways I was thinking we should go out for today, get some fresh air."

I nodded, "Ok well let me get dressed and we'll go."

He kissed me softly and then watched as I headed to our bedroom to get changed. When I was done, I grabbed my purse and went to go meet him when I heard him taking on the phone to someone.

"Look man, I don't know how you got my number, but I'm not letting you anywhere near Aria. She's mine and will always be mine….what? Man I don't care what deal you had with Dave…as far as I'm concerned I've changed the game and she's mine."

As soon as he hung up I stepped back away from the entrance to the living room trying to make sense of what I heard. What the hell did he mean by changing the game? Better yet, who was he talking to on the phone? I closed my eyes and tried to relax.

"Ok Aria, it's just Mark…he wouldn't be scheming behind your back, he loves you…" I told myself.

"Aria? Where you at girl?" he called from the living room.

I took one last breath and then walked into the living room with a smile, "I'm coming, don't you know beauty takes time?"

He laughed and pulled me close to him. "Your born beautiful so…shouldn't take much time."

I giggled and kissed his lips before he took my hand and walked me outside. I wanted to ask him so bad about the conversation but I didn't want to put him in a bad mood. We headed out to the mall where we spent time eating lunch and holding a friendly chat about the baby. Shortly after that, his cell phone started ringing again. He picked it up and sighed, "Baby did you want to go look around the mall? I need to take this on private."

I nodded, "Ok,"

He handed me some money and sent me on my way. I began to feel real strange about this, almost as if something was happening that he was trying to protect me from. With a soft sigh I rubbed my belly and walked into a store for babies. I figured getting a few more things for the baby's room would help my nerves. I was pretty much lost in thought when someone tapped me on my shoulder.

"Excuse me, did you need help finding something?" the woman asked.

I smiled and then turned around to answer her, "Oh no I was just….mom?"

The woman smiled at first and then her face went blank with shock. "Aria?"

I didn't know what to say seeing her standing there in front of me after so many years. She still looked like her same slutty self, swinging her long brown hair and flashing those pretty brown eyes. We stared at each other for a moment before her eyes dropped to my belly.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "And whose baby are you carrying?"

I shook my head, "It's none of your business mom."

"Well I'd like to think it is Aria. Your uncle told me you went missing, but it looks as though you simply ran away." She said.

"I did run away mom." I told her. "And I won't go back."

She blinked at me and then sighed, "Aria, Dave is worried sick about you. Why don't you just call him and tell him where you are."

"Because your brother is a lunatic mom, the man is trying to marry me for crying out loud." I said as I tried to walk away from her.

"Aria why would he do that? He promised me he would take care of you especially after that accident you were in."

I raised my eyebrow at her, "What accident?"

She chuckled, "Oh come on Aria, Dave told me that day you were in the hospital was because you were in an accident."

I was shocked…I couldn't believe that he told her something so stupid like that. "Mom…I wasn't in an accident. I was just rescued from being kidnapped."

Her eyes widened, "You were kidnapped? But he never mentioned anything like that…"

I shook my head, "I've got to go mom."

"No no honey, What else hasn't he told me?" she said. "Whose baby are you carrying?"

I went to answer her but Mark came up behind me. "Mine."

She raised her eyebrow, "Mark Calaway?"

"Nice to see you too Adrian." He said.

I looked at them both, "You two know each other?"

She flipped her hair behind her shoulder, "Sure do…"

"She slapped me across the face when her brother brought her on the show…" Mark said with displeasure. "I wanted to plant her head into the ground."

"And I still want my brother to show you whose boss." My mother snapped. "Now why did you convince my daughter to run away with you?"

He laughed, "I didn't convince her at all, your dear brother seems to have other plans for her that she doesn't want."

"Oh please would you guys stop with this nonsense…my brother wasn't doing anything wrong."

Mark and I looked at each other, "What are you talking about mom?"

She sighed and folded her arms, "I had other reasons for handing you over to him Aria…and marrying him was one of those reasons."

I narrowed my eyes at her, "Excuse me?"

"Look, I knew you wouldn't want to marry him but I didn't have any other choice. Dave told me that if I didn't agree to let you marry him he was going to put you in an orphanage."

I chuckled, "I wouldn't have been mad about that."

"Aria," she said. "I didn't want to see you in an orphanage. I wanted a good life for you and Dave was going to give you that."

"Well I don't love him mom. I love Mark. My life is fine the way it is." I said.

She glared at Mark, "I doubt that…"

He sighed heavily and took my hand, "Come on Aria, let's get you home."

My mom kept an eye on me as I turned to leave the mall. I didn't know what she was thinking but I could tell that the wheels were turning fast in that brain of hers.

When we got inside the truck, Mark quickly got us out of there.

"We have to leave this state." He said.

"Why?" I asked as the truck picked up a little speed.

He sighed and glanced at me for a moment, "Adrian is going to tell Dave where you are and when she does, he's coming for you."

I nodded and then began to think about how he was returning to the WWE. "I don't think he'll come here."

"Why not?" he asked.

I glanced out the window, "Because he knows where I am. He chose to return to the WWE for a reason…"

Mark nodded, "He wants to fight me to get you back."

"Exactly. My uncle isn't stupid Mark. He knows I've been with you the entire time."

"So why hasn't he tried to come get you?" he asked.

I smiled, "Because you basically have a strangle hold on me…and there's something else going on that you haven't told me."

He glanced at me for a moment and then sighed, "Alright…you're right but first you must promise you won't freak out. I want the baby to be healthy."

I nodded and turned myself towards him, ready to hear more about this situation.