CHAPTER 3
Several hours later Nikki and Dominic and their daughter had gone on a little shopping spree. He bought new locks, dead bolts, an alarm system, a new baby monitor, a little motion detector for the nursery, new flood lights for outside and then stopped at the store. Mia saw them and ran over, eager to get her hands on the baby. Dom stopped her and asked about the keys. She told him she couldn't be sure. She hung hers on a nail all the time and he saw it was well within reach of anyone who wanted it. He gave her the new key and told her to keep it in her purse or under the counter and that someone had broken into their house, probably an ex. She gave him a dirty look and leaned in the car. She kissed Nikki and the baby and went back inside the shop. Dominic was grabbing a fresh baby bottle that they stored in there now and two cold soda's for him and Nikki. "What did you want to talk about Mom?" "Later, okay? But it is serious and I need to do it soon." Dom looked into his little sister's eyes. "Mia, are you okay?" She looked sad and scared. "I will be, after we talk." "Brian?" "This is about Mom, not Brian -- he's great, Dominic, you know that." She smiled a little bit and he kissed her. "Come over after work and we'll bar-b-que and you and I will find time to talk." "Only if your psycho ex is gone and I get to put the baby to sleep!" She did smile this time and he was happy. Nikki and Dom went to the garage and everyone crowded around the super-star of the Toretto clan -- Miss Daisy. She was a star and seemed to know it at twelve weeks. She cooed and giggled at everyone, happy to be in her father's arms. "Nikki, damn woman, you look amazing. No one on earth would guess you had a baby 12 weeks ago -- hell, you looked amazing a week later. Now when you were gigantic...." Leon said and she smacked him in the arm. "A compliment and an insult in one sentence!" "Aww, c'mon -- even when you were just a little big (really gigantic) you looked hot. Right, Dom?" He gave Jesse the baby, who smiled at him in delight. Dom wrapped his arms around Nikki. "My wife? Always hot." He hugged her tight and watched Daisy smiling up at Jesse, who held her more gently than anyone else and loved holding her even more than Mia did. He was her Godfather and he took it very seriously. Dom told everyone what happened and there was a big roar of upset. He told them that neither he nor Nikki were overly concerned and gave them all new keys. They were all concerned until he told them it was probably Lizbeth. "She was one crazy bitch, dawg." "Yeah, no kidding, V." Letty asked Jesse for the baby and he reluctantly handed her over. There was no one on his team, no one in his family he didn't trust with his daughter. Letty giggled when the little infant pulled her hair and Nikki hand to untangle her fat little fingers. "She loves your hair, you know. I think it is the color -- so dark and shiny. But don't tell Mia I said that." Nikki said and Letty laughed. They sat down and Nikki handed Letty a bottle of water. "I love feeding her -- watching her eyes light up when she sees the bottle. She's like a little junkie." Both women laughed. "Do you think you and Vince will ever have a baby?" "Yeah, eventually. I really want one -- I've always wanted one -- did I tell you that?" "No." "Yeah, when I was sixteen I actually tried to get pregnant! Can you imagine?? What a dumbass I was!! Trying like crazy, talking him into not using condoms -- not that it worked but I put holes in them anyway hoping I'd get pregnant. I've just always loved babies." Nikki laughed at Letty's story but really, it wasn't that funny -- first of all, it was pretty sad that Letty wanted a baby at sixteen and second, it was Nikki's husband she was talking about. And she had put holes in condoms?? Just as she was about to say something she heard a lot of laughter and Dom came over. He took the baby out of Letty's arms. "Everyone is cool with everything. You got your new key, Let?" She smiled sweetly at him, putting her arm around Nikki's shoulder. "Got it. I hope I catch that little bitch at your place, Dom -- I'd love to kick her ass." "Let -- get over it. You and V .... remember?" "I don't mean 'cuz you were stepping out on me, I mean because she scared our girl here!" She hugged Nikki tight. Everyone was hyped to meet for the big grill.
CHAPTER 4
When Dom and Nikki got home, he installed everything before it was time to light the grill. He was a fast worker when he was determined. She watched him from the nursery windows -- hanging the flood lights, changing the locks on the doors, then inside putting the new video monitor and motion detectors in. She watched his body moving in the tight wife beater and the low slung jeans. He finally finished and told her he was gonna take a hot bath before everyone started arriving for the bar-b-que. She had put the baby down for a nap only ten minutes before and knew she'd be asleep for at least an hour or more. Nikki stripped off her clothes slowly while he watched and got into the tub with him. He was very surprised and very pleased. "I take this to mean you feel safe now?" "Definitely -- look on the counter." They could see the little portable monitor and see Daisy sleeping peacefully in her crib. Dom was laying back in the hot bubbles and pulled her close to him, kissing her passionately. She ran her hands over his chest and shoulders, down lower to turn him on even more than he had been at the first sight of her nude, and then watched as she knelt up and got a hand full of shampoo. He leaned over and let her wash and massage his scalp and moaned -- it felt so damn good. No one knew how to touch him like Nikki did. She leaned over his shoulder and washed his back with a soft body sponge, as he let his hands move so slowly over her body, the muscles in her legs and in her back, up her midsection, over her tight ass. She slid back and kissed him all over his face, telling him how much she loved him, that he was her dream. That he didn't need to do anything -- that she was taking care of him all night tonight and although the grilling was his job, the rest of the night was also his gift, and she would be in charge. She kept whispering to him, all the things she was going to do to him -- to relax him, to turn him on, to make him forget everything except his own pleasure. She was driving him out of his mind slowly. He was ready to cancel the bar-b-que and call a babysitter. It was so leisurely and he totally gave into her control and when he lost his grip on reality, he was in his heaven taking her with him. She dried him in front of the mirror, she was still naked and dripping and he was starting to get interested again. "NO, we have guests coming." "I'm more interested in my wife." He lifted her and carried her into the bedroom bringing her to ecstasy. Would this end? Would this intense passion ever end? She didn't think so but wondered if they could live through it. She wasn't even fully into her prime -- how would Dominic live through that?? Suddenly something popped into her head. "Damnit, Dom, we didn't use any birth control!" He laughed. "Would it be so bad? You are the sexiest woman alive when you are knocked up with one of my gorgeous children." "No, it wouldn't be bad but I don't know if I want two so close in age. Daisy deserves her time." Nikki straddled him and he smiled, totally satisfied, laying back, his arms behind his head. She tickled his chest with her long auburn hair. "Speaking of birth control, did you know that when Letty was sixteen she was trying to get pregnant? She never mentioned a guy's name but I assume it is you. She said you wouldn't have anything to do with it so she was making holes in the condoms." Dom looked at her in shock. "You gotta be kidding me?" "No, she told me today at the garage. She was lost in memory when I asked her if she and Vince were gonna have a baby someday. I was sorta shocked, ya know -- I mean, you are my husband, but also, it is sorta sad -- wanting a baby at sixteen because you feel so unloved by your family. Thank God she had you guys." "Holes in condoms?? Nik, something is so wrong with this story but for some reason I can't quite grab it -- probably because you fucked my brains out and they are somewhere between here and the bathroom." She laughed. "Confusion, woman, I'm confused. I'll let you know when I remember." She started to get out of the bed and he grabbed her hand. "Honey, I remember -- sit down." "What?" "Letty can't have a baby -- I don't know why she told you all that shit." "Well, she was talking about when she was sixteen." "No, when she was fourteen years old her father did something horrible to her and she had to have a hysterectomy. That's why she came to live with us. She'll never have a baby. Why the hell did she tell you all that?" Dom was confused and Nikki looked sad. "You know, it might just be because she's still hurting. I mean, she loves Daisy so much. I didn't know so I just outright asked her if she was gonna have a baby with Vince. Maybe she didn't want to go into that horrible story. I wish I hadn't asked -- I feel bad. She and I have gotten so close." "Don't -- how could you know? Letty's had a hard life -- I'm glad she's so happy with Vince now." "Me, too."
CHAPTER 5
The bar-b-que was a blast and went off without a hitch. Everyone had a great time and talked and laughed into the night, Daisy handed from person to person and then cradled in the massive arms of her father, sleeping soundly. Afterward, most of them crashed out on Dom and Nikki's living room floor or in the guest room. Vince and Letty were on the floor in the living room playing Playstation with Jesse and Leon and Mia and Brian had the guest room. It was loud but Daisy slept right through it -- when she was born, Nikki made the decision not to keep the regular noise in the house low -- she wanted Daisy to learn to sleep with the sounds of the family around her. It took no time at all -- Nikki believed it was because they were all together during her pregnancy. It was fun to all wake up together and Daisy loved it. All her uncles and aunts around -- she got off on all the people fussing over her. Mia had insisted on giving her her last bottle of the night and putting her down, claiming she needed all the practice she could get. Nikki still believed she was a natural mother and forced Dom to go up and talk to her about their mother. In the meantime, Nikki promised to check her own email.
Dom walked into the nursery and found Mia with tears drying on her cheeks, rocking Daisy slowly to sleep. He lifted her out of Mia's arms and asked if she burped her. "I didn't know you could burp a sleeping baby?" Dom nodded yes, burped her, and laid her in her crib. He sat across from Mia. "Talk to me, honey. What's this about Mom? "I can't -- never mind." "Mia, you have told me every single thing in your life except when you couldn't because I wasn't available when I was in Vegas -- otherwise, I've heard every thought I think you've ever had ... well except the porn about Brian." They both laugh quietly. "We talked about girlfriends when you were little, we talked about boys when you were a teen-ager, I taught you how to drive and how to throw a football, I taught you how to do invoices and cook and do the store. I've always been here for you. I've beaten up guys who were bugging you. I'm your big brother and that hasn't stopped because you've got a husband and kid on the way. Talk to me, little angel." That nickname got to her and she smiled at him through her tears. "I always loved when you called me that -- I remember you calling me that when I was just a little girl." "That's because you always looked like one -- you still do, even with that gigantic tummy!" "Dom, I'm five weeks pregnant and you know it!!" He just waited and finally she gave in. "Do you think -- be honest, Dominic because I'm not playing -- that I'll be like mom? That I'll turn my back on my child like she did on us? Dom, I don't even remember Mom ever hugging or kissing me -- that was you that did that hugging and kissing. You signed my report cards if Dad was gone, you helped me with my homework, you hugged the nightmares away. What the hell happened with her Dom? Why did she hate us and why did she hang herself?" Dom closed his eyes. Her death was one subject that he had never shared with anyone, not even Nikki. Dom had found her -- she had been dead for hours, since they had left for school -- and he had found her in the old green house they had between the house and the little house Leon and Jesse lived in, which his father had destroyed a day later. "Mia, I think you will be the most amazing mother alive, next to Nik. You and Nikki will probably be written up in some journal somewhere as the world's best mom's and I'm laying it on thick, but little angel, I mean it, too. You are not anything like mom and I don't know what the hell was wrong with her. She acted like she hated us and I don't know why. I asked Dad once." He was quiet for a moment, he had never told her about this before. "You did -- what did he say?????" She was excited to hear a new piece of info about their mysterious mother. "He said she suffered from some sort of depression but it wasn't hereditary -- I had to look that one up. He said it was situational depression. I asked my doctor about it a few years ago -- I guess I was thinking the same thing you were but in a different way and he told me that it was probably caused by a chemical in her brain. Because she never saw a doctor and was never treated, it just got worse. It wasn't that she didn't love us, Mia, she didn't know how and was incapable because she didn't know what was going on most of the time. You are not her, Mia." Mia started to cry. "Am I like Mom with Daisy?" "No -- Dom you are such a great dad -- so sweet and gentle with her. I'm proud of you." "Then why would you be any different? Did you ever tell anyone how mom died?" She shook her head no. "Not even Brian?" "No, and I hate myself for it." "I haven't told Nik." Mia looked at him in shock. "I know, I tell her everything but not this. Maybe someday, but I'm not ready to discuss it -- it still hurts too much. Now you listen to me, little angel and you listen to me good -- you are so loving, tender, kind, compassionate and gentle. Look at Daisy -- she adores her aunt more than anyone other than her parents. She would rather be with you than anyone else. You are gonna be an awesome mom and you are NOT our mother. You are my Mia, mine -- and my Mia takes care of everyone, brings home strays, makes every place she is in a home, and loves everyone. Your child is lucky, Mia, and Brian is one lucky son of a bitch. Let it go, baby girl, be happy and let the joy of this inside you. You're gonna be amazing, I promise." "Promise?" "Cross my heart and hope to split my pants." They both laughed at the old saying they used to promise on. Mia hugged Dominic tight. He had chased away her tears, just like he chased away the bad boys and bad dreams. Suddenly they were interrupted by Nikki. "I'm so sorry to barge in like this, Mia. Dominic, you'd better look at this."
CHAPTER 6
Dom got up immediately, kissed Mia's head and asked her to stay with Daisy. He followed Nikki to the computer room. In her email was a message that read very simply:
YOU GOT MY MAN, YOU GOT HIS BABY, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MINE, COULD HAVE BEEN MINE IF THINGS TURNED OUT DIFFERENT, IT SHOULD HAVE ALL BEEN MINE. AND BY THE WAY, HE STILL LOVES ME AND IF WE HAD A FEW HOURS ALONE IN HIS BED, HE WOULD BE MINE AGAIN FOREVER.
Dom read it over again and again and printed it and read it again. "Fuck. I know this is Lizbeth." "She's crazy. It's been too long for this kind of behavior to suddenly start again." "Not if she just moved back into town or found out about you or about Daisy. I honestly don't think she's dangerous, babe, I think she's just pissed off and it'll pass. She'll get bored and move on. Jesse will get the scoop on her." "You know, it kinda pisses me off that she thinks a few hours in bed with you would take you away from me. I'm your fucking wife -- I'm the best lay you've ever had. Where does this bitch get off????" Nikki was yelling, eyes blazing and Dominic leaned back and the chair and watched her pacing, smiling. She was so beautiful, even when she was angry and he was getting the biggest kick out of her jealousy. "She was pretty good in the sack." He said and she turned to him in an absolute fit of fury and suddenly burst into laughter. "You are such a bad boy!! I can't believe I just said all that -- I guess my being the epitome of cool sometimes is a bit of work when some woman is talking about my man." He laughed again and pulled Nikki onto his lap. "She was a lousy lay and Nik, you really are the best lay I've ever had. Ever. I'm gonna get a plaque made up for you "NIKKI TORETTO, THE BEST LAY DOMINIC TORETTO HAS EVER HAD!!" He was laughing and she giggled as he tickled her. "A++ IN STRIPPING, LAP DANCES, LONG SOFT KISSES, BLOW ...." "STOP!!!! She kissed him quickly to make him stop talking. They both had tears in their eyes from laughing so hard. Nikki got serious. "And if she doesn't move on?" "Then I'll help her move on." She didn't like the look in his eyes. "Dom, you have a family you are responsible for now. You can't go out looking for fights and for ......." "Oh, my wife. How I love that word. I meant, I'll call the cops. I'm keeping all the shit together. I even kept the broken glass and took pix of your arm when you were sleeping." She smiled at him. "Sneaky little bastard." "Damn straight. I've done a few other things while you've been sleeping too." He nuzzled her neck and she laughed, not knowing he was staring at the screen in front of him. Something was nagging him and he couldn't quite figure out what it was. "Yeah, but I woke up before you could finish those things!" They both laughed and when she asked about Mia he told her the truth, leaving out the part about his mother and her violent death. He trusted Nikki with his life but this was too painful and would give her pain knowing how much it hurt him. "She'll be a lovely mother." Dominic agreed with Nikki and hugged her close, still staring at the screen. Something in that message just kept yanking on him. "Do me a favor, sugar. Run down and get Jesse and let's see if we can find Ms. Lizbeth and put an end to her games." "Do you think that email address still exists?" "Let's find out." Dominic wrote a short and nasty note and pushed send -- it came back immediately that there was no known email address. "Figured that one. Get Jess for me, okay?" Nikki left and Dom went to the site that Jesse used most often. He was truly a computer genius as well as a car magician and could find anything. "How can I help you, Dom?" Dom got up and Jesse sat down. His fingers were moving already over the keys. "Find that bitch."
Several hours later Nikki and Dominic and their daughter had gone on a little shopping spree. He bought new locks, dead bolts, an alarm system, a new baby monitor, a little motion detector for the nursery, new flood lights for outside and then stopped at the store. Mia saw them and ran over, eager to get her hands on the baby. Dom stopped her and asked about the keys. She told him she couldn't be sure. She hung hers on a nail all the time and he saw it was well within reach of anyone who wanted it. He gave her the new key and told her to keep it in her purse or under the counter and that someone had broken into their house, probably an ex. She gave him a dirty look and leaned in the car. She kissed Nikki and the baby and went back inside the shop. Dominic was grabbing a fresh baby bottle that they stored in there now and two cold soda's for him and Nikki. "What did you want to talk about Mom?" "Later, okay? But it is serious and I need to do it soon." Dom looked into his little sister's eyes. "Mia, are you okay?" She looked sad and scared. "I will be, after we talk." "Brian?" "This is about Mom, not Brian -- he's great, Dominic, you know that." She smiled a little bit and he kissed her. "Come over after work and we'll bar-b-que and you and I will find time to talk." "Only if your psycho ex is gone and I get to put the baby to sleep!" She did smile this time and he was happy. Nikki and Dom went to the garage and everyone crowded around the super-star of the Toretto clan -- Miss Daisy. She was a star and seemed to know it at twelve weeks. She cooed and giggled at everyone, happy to be in her father's arms. "Nikki, damn woman, you look amazing. No one on earth would guess you had a baby 12 weeks ago -- hell, you looked amazing a week later. Now when you were gigantic...." Leon said and she smacked him in the arm. "A compliment and an insult in one sentence!" "Aww, c'mon -- even when you were just a little big (really gigantic) you looked hot. Right, Dom?" He gave Jesse the baby, who smiled at him in delight. Dom wrapped his arms around Nikki. "My wife? Always hot." He hugged her tight and watched Daisy smiling up at Jesse, who held her more gently than anyone else and loved holding her even more than Mia did. He was her Godfather and he took it very seriously. Dom told everyone what happened and there was a big roar of upset. He told them that neither he nor Nikki were overly concerned and gave them all new keys. They were all concerned until he told them it was probably Lizbeth. "She was one crazy bitch, dawg." "Yeah, no kidding, V." Letty asked Jesse for the baby and he reluctantly handed her over. There was no one on his team, no one in his family he didn't trust with his daughter. Letty giggled when the little infant pulled her hair and Nikki hand to untangle her fat little fingers. "She loves your hair, you know. I think it is the color -- so dark and shiny. But don't tell Mia I said that." Nikki said and Letty laughed. They sat down and Nikki handed Letty a bottle of water. "I love feeding her -- watching her eyes light up when she sees the bottle. She's like a little junkie." Both women laughed. "Do you think you and Vince will ever have a baby?" "Yeah, eventually. I really want one -- I've always wanted one -- did I tell you that?" "No." "Yeah, when I was sixteen I actually tried to get pregnant! Can you imagine?? What a dumbass I was!! Trying like crazy, talking him into not using condoms -- not that it worked but I put holes in them anyway hoping I'd get pregnant. I've just always loved babies." Nikki laughed at Letty's story but really, it wasn't that funny -- first of all, it was pretty sad that Letty wanted a baby at sixteen and second, it was Nikki's husband she was talking about. And she had put holes in condoms?? Just as she was about to say something she heard a lot of laughter and Dom came over. He took the baby out of Letty's arms. "Everyone is cool with everything. You got your new key, Let?" She smiled sweetly at him, putting her arm around Nikki's shoulder. "Got it. I hope I catch that little bitch at your place, Dom -- I'd love to kick her ass." "Let -- get over it. You and V .... remember?" "I don't mean 'cuz you were stepping out on me, I mean because she scared our girl here!" She hugged Nikki tight. Everyone was hyped to meet for the big grill.
CHAPTER 4
When Dom and Nikki got home, he installed everything before it was time to light the grill. He was a fast worker when he was determined. She watched him from the nursery windows -- hanging the flood lights, changing the locks on the doors, then inside putting the new video monitor and motion detectors in. She watched his body moving in the tight wife beater and the low slung jeans. He finally finished and told her he was gonna take a hot bath before everyone started arriving for the bar-b-que. She had put the baby down for a nap only ten minutes before and knew she'd be asleep for at least an hour or more. Nikki stripped off her clothes slowly while he watched and got into the tub with him. He was very surprised and very pleased. "I take this to mean you feel safe now?" "Definitely -- look on the counter." They could see the little portable monitor and see Daisy sleeping peacefully in her crib. Dom was laying back in the hot bubbles and pulled her close to him, kissing her passionately. She ran her hands over his chest and shoulders, down lower to turn him on even more than he had been at the first sight of her nude, and then watched as she knelt up and got a hand full of shampoo. He leaned over and let her wash and massage his scalp and moaned -- it felt so damn good. No one knew how to touch him like Nikki did. She leaned over his shoulder and washed his back with a soft body sponge, as he let his hands move so slowly over her body, the muscles in her legs and in her back, up her midsection, over her tight ass. She slid back and kissed him all over his face, telling him how much she loved him, that he was her dream. That he didn't need to do anything -- that she was taking care of him all night tonight and although the grilling was his job, the rest of the night was also his gift, and she would be in charge. She kept whispering to him, all the things she was going to do to him -- to relax him, to turn him on, to make him forget everything except his own pleasure. She was driving him out of his mind slowly. He was ready to cancel the bar-b-que and call a babysitter. It was so leisurely and he totally gave into her control and when he lost his grip on reality, he was in his heaven taking her with him. She dried him in front of the mirror, she was still naked and dripping and he was starting to get interested again. "NO, we have guests coming." "I'm more interested in my wife." He lifted her and carried her into the bedroom bringing her to ecstasy. Would this end? Would this intense passion ever end? She didn't think so but wondered if they could live through it. She wasn't even fully into her prime -- how would Dominic live through that?? Suddenly something popped into her head. "Damnit, Dom, we didn't use any birth control!" He laughed. "Would it be so bad? You are the sexiest woman alive when you are knocked up with one of my gorgeous children." "No, it wouldn't be bad but I don't know if I want two so close in age. Daisy deserves her time." Nikki straddled him and he smiled, totally satisfied, laying back, his arms behind his head. She tickled his chest with her long auburn hair. "Speaking of birth control, did you know that when Letty was sixteen she was trying to get pregnant? She never mentioned a guy's name but I assume it is you. She said you wouldn't have anything to do with it so she was making holes in the condoms." Dom looked at her in shock. "You gotta be kidding me?" "No, she told me today at the garage. She was lost in memory when I asked her if she and Vince were gonna have a baby someday. I was sorta shocked, ya know -- I mean, you are my husband, but also, it is sorta sad -- wanting a baby at sixteen because you feel so unloved by your family. Thank God she had you guys." "Holes in condoms?? Nik, something is so wrong with this story but for some reason I can't quite grab it -- probably because you fucked my brains out and they are somewhere between here and the bathroom." She laughed. "Confusion, woman, I'm confused. I'll let you know when I remember." She started to get out of the bed and he grabbed her hand. "Honey, I remember -- sit down." "What?" "Letty can't have a baby -- I don't know why she told you all that shit." "Well, she was talking about when she was sixteen." "No, when she was fourteen years old her father did something horrible to her and she had to have a hysterectomy. That's why she came to live with us. She'll never have a baby. Why the hell did she tell you all that?" Dom was confused and Nikki looked sad. "You know, it might just be because she's still hurting. I mean, she loves Daisy so much. I didn't know so I just outright asked her if she was gonna have a baby with Vince. Maybe she didn't want to go into that horrible story. I wish I hadn't asked -- I feel bad. She and I have gotten so close." "Don't -- how could you know? Letty's had a hard life -- I'm glad she's so happy with Vince now." "Me, too."
CHAPTER 5
The bar-b-que was a blast and went off without a hitch. Everyone had a great time and talked and laughed into the night, Daisy handed from person to person and then cradled in the massive arms of her father, sleeping soundly. Afterward, most of them crashed out on Dom and Nikki's living room floor or in the guest room. Vince and Letty were on the floor in the living room playing Playstation with Jesse and Leon and Mia and Brian had the guest room. It was loud but Daisy slept right through it -- when she was born, Nikki made the decision not to keep the regular noise in the house low -- she wanted Daisy to learn to sleep with the sounds of the family around her. It took no time at all -- Nikki believed it was because they were all together during her pregnancy. It was fun to all wake up together and Daisy loved it. All her uncles and aunts around -- she got off on all the people fussing over her. Mia had insisted on giving her her last bottle of the night and putting her down, claiming she needed all the practice she could get. Nikki still believed she was a natural mother and forced Dom to go up and talk to her about their mother. In the meantime, Nikki promised to check her own email.
Dom walked into the nursery and found Mia with tears drying on her cheeks, rocking Daisy slowly to sleep. He lifted her out of Mia's arms and asked if she burped her. "I didn't know you could burp a sleeping baby?" Dom nodded yes, burped her, and laid her in her crib. He sat across from Mia. "Talk to me, honey. What's this about Mom? "I can't -- never mind." "Mia, you have told me every single thing in your life except when you couldn't because I wasn't available when I was in Vegas -- otherwise, I've heard every thought I think you've ever had ... well except the porn about Brian." They both laugh quietly. "We talked about girlfriends when you were little, we talked about boys when you were a teen-ager, I taught you how to drive and how to throw a football, I taught you how to do invoices and cook and do the store. I've always been here for you. I've beaten up guys who were bugging you. I'm your big brother and that hasn't stopped because you've got a husband and kid on the way. Talk to me, little angel." That nickname got to her and she smiled at him through her tears. "I always loved when you called me that -- I remember you calling me that when I was just a little girl." "That's because you always looked like one -- you still do, even with that gigantic tummy!" "Dom, I'm five weeks pregnant and you know it!!" He just waited and finally she gave in. "Do you think -- be honest, Dominic because I'm not playing -- that I'll be like mom? That I'll turn my back on my child like she did on us? Dom, I don't even remember Mom ever hugging or kissing me -- that was you that did that hugging and kissing. You signed my report cards if Dad was gone, you helped me with my homework, you hugged the nightmares away. What the hell happened with her Dom? Why did she hate us and why did she hang herself?" Dom closed his eyes. Her death was one subject that he had never shared with anyone, not even Nikki. Dom had found her -- she had been dead for hours, since they had left for school -- and he had found her in the old green house they had between the house and the little house Leon and Jesse lived in, which his father had destroyed a day later. "Mia, I think you will be the most amazing mother alive, next to Nik. You and Nikki will probably be written up in some journal somewhere as the world's best mom's and I'm laying it on thick, but little angel, I mean it, too. You are not anything like mom and I don't know what the hell was wrong with her. She acted like she hated us and I don't know why. I asked Dad once." He was quiet for a moment, he had never told her about this before. "You did -- what did he say?????" She was excited to hear a new piece of info about their mysterious mother. "He said she suffered from some sort of depression but it wasn't hereditary -- I had to look that one up. He said it was situational depression. I asked my doctor about it a few years ago -- I guess I was thinking the same thing you were but in a different way and he told me that it was probably caused by a chemical in her brain. Because she never saw a doctor and was never treated, it just got worse. It wasn't that she didn't love us, Mia, she didn't know how and was incapable because she didn't know what was going on most of the time. You are not her, Mia." Mia started to cry. "Am I like Mom with Daisy?" "No -- Dom you are such a great dad -- so sweet and gentle with her. I'm proud of you." "Then why would you be any different? Did you ever tell anyone how mom died?" She shook her head no. "Not even Brian?" "No, and I hate myself for it." "I haven't told Nik." Mia looked at him in shock. "I know, I tell her everything but not this. Maybe someday, but I'm not ready to discuss it -- it still hurts too much. Now you listen to me, little angel and you listen to me good -- you are so loving, tender, kind, compassionate and gentle. Look at Daisy -- she adores her aunt more than anyone other than her parents. She would rather be with you than anyone else. You are gonna be an awesome mom and you are NOT our mother. You are my Mia, mine -- and my Mia takes care of everyone, brings home strays, makes every place she is in a home, and loves everyone. Your child is lucky, Mia, and Brian is one lucky son of a bitch. Let it go, baby girl, be happy and let the joy of this inside you. You're gonna be amazing, I promise." "Promise?" "Cross my heart and hope to split my pants." They both laughed at the old saying they used to promise on. Mia hugged Dominic tight. He had chased away her tears, just like he chased away the bad boys and bad dreams. Suddenly they were interrupted by Nikki. "I'm so sorry to barge in like this, Mia. Dominic, you'd better look at this."
CHAPTER 6
Dom got up immediately, kissed Mia's head and asked her to stay with Daisy. He followed Nikki to the computer room. In her email was a message that read very simply:
YOU GOT MY MAN, YOU GOT HIS BABY, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MINE, COULD HAVE BEEN MINE IF THINGS TURNED OUT DIFFERENT, IT SHOULD HAVE ALL BEEN MINE. AND BY THE WAY, HE STILL LOVES ME AND IF WE HAD A FEW HOURS ALONE IN HIS BED, HE WOULD BE MINE AGAIN FOREVER.
Dom read it over again and again and printed it and read it again. "Fuck. I know this is Lizbeth." "She's crazy. It's been too long for this kind of behavior to suddenly start again." "Not if she just moved back into town or found out about you or about Daisy. I honestly don't think she's dangerous, babe, I think she's just pissed off and it'll pass. She'll get bored and move on. Jesse will get the scoop on her." "You know, it kinda pisses me off that she thinks a few hours in bed with you would take you away from me. I'm your fucking wife -- I'm the best lay you've ever had. Where does this bitch get off????" Nikki was yelling, eyes blazing and Dominic leaned back and the chair and watched her pacing, smiling. She was so beautiful, even when she was angry and he was getting the biggest kick out of her jealousy. "She was pretty good in the sack." He said and she turned to him in an absolute fit of fury and suddenly burst into laughter. "You are such a bad boy!! I can't believe I just said all that -- I guess my being the epitome of cool sometimes is a bit of work when some woman is talking about my man." He laughed again and pulled Nikki onto his lap. "She was a lousy lay and Nik, you really are the best lay I've ever had. Ever. I'm gonna get a plaque made up for you "NIKKI TORETTO, THE BEST LAY DOMINIC TORETTO HAS EVER HAD!!" He was laughing and she giggled as he tickled her. "A++ IN STRIPPING, LAP DANCES, LONG SOFT KISSES, BLOW ...." "STOP!!!! She kissed him quickly to make him stop talking. They both had tears in their eyes from laughing so hard. Nikki got serious. "And if she doesn't move on?" "Then I'll help her move on." She didn't like the look in his eyes. "Dom, you have a family you are responsible for now. You can't go out looking for fights and for ......." "Oh, my wife. How I love that word. I meant, I'll call the cops. I'm keeping all the shit together. I even kept the broken glass and took pix of your arm when you were sleeping." She smiled at him. "Sneaky little bastard." "Damn straight. I've done a few other things while you've been sleeping too." He nuzzled her neck and she laughed, not knowing he was staring at the screen in front of him. Something was nagging him and he couldn't quite figure out what it was. "Yeah, but I woke up before you could finish those things!" They both laughed and when she asked about Mia he told her the truth, leaving out the part about his mother and her violent death. He trusted Nikki with his life but this was too painful and would give her pain knowing how much it hurt him. "She'll be a lovely mother." Dominic agreed with Nikki and hugged her close, still staring at the screen. Something in that message just kept yanking on him. "Do me a favor, sugar. Run down and get Jesse and let's see if we can find Ms. Lizbeth and put an end to her games." "Do you think that email address still exists?" "Let's find out." Dominic wrote a short and nasty note and pushed send -- it came back immediately that there was no known email address. "Figured that one. Get Jess for me, okay?" Nikki left and Dom went to the site that Jesse used most often. He was truly a computer genius as well as a car magician and could find anything. "How can I help you, Dom?" Dom got up and Jesse sat down. His fingers were moving already over the keys. "Find that bitch."