The ride back to Nina's apartment was silent and tense. The only sound was the low rumble of a rock song on the radio and Nina's occasional choked sob. Chibs took tentative glances at his old lady struggling to keep his eyes on the road.
He kept a tight hold on her hand lost as to what he could say to soothe her. He hated seeing her in so much pain. It felt like someone had taken a knife and planted it straight through his heart.
Every tight sob that escaped from Nina's lips just seemed to make that knife twist deeper.
What could he say in a moment like this? That it was all going to be okay?
How the hell did he know if it really would be okay? It was cancer after all.
It was such an ugly word; cancer. All Chibs could picture in his brain was shaven heads, ashen skin, and Gabriella weak and hooked to a chemotherapy machine.
He couldn't understand how Gabriella could stay silent for so long? How could she keep this truth from Nina?
Didn't she realize that this would be the result; Nina in tears looking as though her world had been ripped out from under her?
The only answer Chibs could possibly come up with for Gabriella's silence was simple; fear. The woman was afraid, so afraid that she couldn't bear to say the words to her niece.
Chibs sighed his stomach turning in on itself as he realized that Gabriella had a long road ahead of her. It was going to be hell for both Nina and Sophie.
Gabriella was the only mother Nina had ever known, this was going to break her.
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel realizing that he had to make an effort to be there for his girls. They needed him; they would need his support and his love now more than ever.
Nina's cheeks were still damp with tears as Chibs and she made the trek upstairs to her apartment. She entered the apartment Chibs following behind her.
Nina silently dropped her purse on the little end table by the front door her eyes staring off into space
as though she was a million miles away at the moment.
Chibs stepped in front of her placing both his hands over her shoulders. He attempted to give her a smile but it came out weak. "Why don't ya go get changed hen. Ya got a bit wet from the rain. I'll make us up somethin to drink and we'll order a pizza yeah?"
Nina snapped out of her daze barely registering what Chibs was saying. She weakly nodded her head allowing Chibs to press a soft kiss to her forehead. "Okay."
Chibs gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze as she pulled away from him making her way off towards her bedroom.
He moved quickly as Nina disappeared down the hallway. He went straight to the little kitchenette opening the fridge and pulling out a beer and a bottle of Nina's favorite drink Sangria.
He managed to find a little plastic container of pineapple chunks knowing that Nina always threw a few in her Sangria.
She always kept fresh fruit around the house for Sophie it seemed. She'd even gotten Chibs to eat fruit in the mornings with breakfast. It seemed that lately Nina was always looking for little ways to improve his diet beyond fried food and things you could shove in a microwave. She had him eating leaner meats and more veggies and fruit.
It drove him a little crazy to be honest, but he knew she was doing it for him. She wanted him to be around to see his Kerrianne and his Sophie grow up and have kids of their own and eating fried burritos every other meal wasn't going to help him get to that goal.
Chibs worked fast managing to find a tall plastic pink glass. He filled it with ice throwing a few pineapple chunks into the glass before pouring Nina a tall glass of the Sangria. He grabbed his beer and Nina's drink hoping that maybe a quiet night with booze and a big pizza might at least soften the blow of what had happened today; or at the very least provide a distraction.
He headed down the hall frowning as he opened the door and didn't see Nina anywhere. He turned making his way down the hallway passing the bathroom and opening the door to Sophie's bedroom.
Chibs felt his heart drop as he spotted Nina clutching one of Sophie's stuffed animals in her arms tears in her eyes.
He made his way over to her placing the drinks on Sophie's pink bedside table before dropping down to his knees in front of Nina.
He reached out placing his hands over Nina's, over the stuffed fuzzy alligator she was clutching. "Oh hen."
Nina fell apart as Chibs pulled her against him his arms encircling her body. She allowed him to hold her and shush her like a parent holding a weeping child who'd awoken from a nightmare.
She finally spoke her voice raw and cracking. "I just keep thinking about Sophie...she loves Gabriella so much. My Tia is more like a grandma to Soph...She's the only grandmother Sophie will ever know Filip...your mom is gone and my mother doesn't even deserve to be called a mother. What's Sophie going to feel through all of this? How are we even going to explain this all to her? It's going to hurt her so much. She's so young, she probably won't truly understand cancer. I just keep thinking that she's going to be so scared and I'm not going to have any idea what to say or do to make any of it better because I'm just as damn afraid."
Chibs felt his heart plummet even lower as he listened to her words. He knew that Nina was right. This was going to be hard for them, but it would be even harder for Sophie. She was so little; too little to probably truly understand anything other than the fact that her tia was really sick and might die.
Information like that was too much for anyone especially a child, but it wasn't as though they couldn't tell Sophie. Not telling the little girl about Gabriella's sickness would do more damage than good in the long run.
He knew that Nina was right about Sophie not having any other grandmotherly figures in her life other than Gabriella. After all his mother had died before Kerrianne was born, and Nina's mother was god knows where. Gabriella was it.
Sophie was so close to Gabriella though the two had only met in person recently. She spent every second with Gabriella that she could. Gabriella watched her during the day while Nina worked downstairs. Sophie slept over at Gabriella's house often. Sophie helped Gabriella with her garden. Gabriella took the little girl to the library and the park and out for ice cream. Gabriella bought Sophie clothing and toys spoiling her just like a real grandmother should.
Gabriella had said it herself once to Chibs; Nina was like her daughter. So that made Sophie her grandchild.
Chibs knew that if Gabriella did die from this that it would be so hard on Sophie. He could remember when his own grandmother had died; how painful it had been.
He had been about thirteen when his grandmother had died. His ma had taken he and his sister on a trip to a hospital a bit north of Glasgow. He could remember walking in seeing a frail woman with hair white as can be. He could remember the fear in his mother's eyes; the heartache.
His mother and his grandmother had been estranged up until that day in the hospital. When the old woman had died Chibs' mother had been left feeling so sad and guilty for the way that relationship had deteriorated. Chibs could remember had much it had upset him seeing his ma so sad and knowing that even a smile or a hug from him wouldn't make it okay.
He didn't want that for Sophie. He didn't want the girl to see Nina so upset to feel so helpless in her mother's depression and grief.
The only problem was he had no idea how to stop any of that from happening. He knew it wasn't possible to stop it.
If Gabriella died then there would be grief and Sophie would have to cope with it all somehow.
Nina's statement about being afraid hit Chibs like a rock to the head. He felt so useless as he realized that he was just as frightened as her.
He had come to actually like Gabriella. After all the woman had been the one to come to him and tell him the truth about Sophie. She had been the one to push him towards making things right with Nina. She had encouraged him to be in Nina and Sophie's life.
If it wasn't for her he might have never known the truth, or at least he and Nina would have been at each others' throats when the truth finally did come out.
In a way Gabriella had helped them become a family. It was painful to know that she had been so ill all this time and Nina and he had known nothing.
He ran his hand up and down Nina's back his lips pressing to her cheek as he spoke. "We'll figure this all out hen. We're goin to tell Sophie together love. We'll find a way to make er understand and we'll find a way to help er cope with it. When she's afraid and when she's upset we'll talk ta er bout it and do what we can to help er feel secure. We're goin to take care of each other that's what a family does darlin."
He moved back slightly placing a gentle hand against her cheek as he spoke again. "I mean it my sweet girl. We're a family. Gabriella is my tia too."
Nina chuckled lightly through her tears the word tia sounding almost funny with Chibs' thick Scottish accent. She spoke still sniffling. "You promise?"
"Aye I swear it." Chibs remarked without any hesitation.
He pressed a quick kiss to her lips a small smile on his face. "Now go on and get cleaned up hen. I'll order us a pizza and we can sit back and relax a bit."
Nina nodded her head knowing that that sounded good to her a moment to forget all that had happened today; a quiet night with pizza and tv.
She picked up her drink unable to stop herself from chuckling. It seemed that her mood lightened automatically as she realized just what it was. "You poured me liquor in a Hello Kitty cup."
"Aye...huh,I didn't realize it." Chibs remarked laughing as well as he noticed the white cat on the other side of the cup.
Nina nodded her head taking a sip as she stood up. "Your daughter made me buy this cup. She wanted us to have matching Hello Kitty cups."
"Aye that sounds jus like our lass." Chibs replied standing up as well a smile on his face his mood lightening at the thought of Sophie.
Nina took another sip holding the cup up a teasing smile on her face. "I can hook you up with one if you want."
Chibs smirked pressing a kiss to Nina's forehead. "Save it fer my next birthday."
Nina returned his smirk her tears thankfully drying as she pushed the horrible day from her mind for now at least.
Chibs grinned giving Nina's bottom a playful smack as he spoke. "Now go get changed and relax. I'm not lettin ya shed another tear tonight if I can help it."
….
Chibs carried the big pepperoni pizza he'd ordered thankful that it had been delivered fast. He spoke as he opened Nina's bedroom door. "I got mushrooms all fer ya my love."
He almost jumped out of his skin as she came up behind him having just left the bathroom. She spoke a small playful smile on her face knowing his dislike for mushrooms and her love for them. "The sacrifices you make for love."
Chibs turned to face her pleased at the sight. She'd fetched one of his shirts from the dresser in her bedroom that she'd let him take over. It was an older shirt of his; a big black faded one that he hadn't worn in years. He could see the distinct hint of a pair of tiny pink lace panties under the shirt that made her shapely bottom look incredible.
He moved aside allowing her to enter the bedroom first so pleased to take in the view. She'd washed her face clean of makeup and tears. She had taken her jewelry off and her hair was starting to show it's curl the straightener she'd used this morning loosing it's effect. She looked lighter; less as devastated as she'd looked earlier.
He resisted the urge to admire her backside a little longer as he followed her into the bedroom. "I know ya got me whipped lass."
Nina laughed resting against the headboard on her side of the bed. "Yep just the way I like it."
He grinned placing the pizza in front of her before making his way over to his dresser. He took off his kutte folding it neatly before tossing it on the little red lounge chair Nina had placed beside his dresser. He removed his weapons thankful to see that they no longer seemed to bother Nina. She had seemed to just accept them as a necessary pet peeve she'd have to endure as part of life with him.
He had promised her of course that the weapons would always remain out of Sophie's reach. Of course Chibs knew eventually he'd have to have a talk with Sophie about daddy's guns and knives and why she should never touch them. It was just a part of being a parent or at least it was for him.
Although a big part of Chibs hoped to take Sophie out for target practice and get her a gun of her very own, when she was old enough of course. He knew Nina might have some reservations about this idea, but Chibs knew that the daughter of a Son needed to know how to protect herself. Nina would have to learn as well of course; an old lady had to know how to shoot.
Chibs ditched his dirty laundry in the brown wicker hamper by the closet wasting no time to put on a fresh pair of black boxer briefs and an old black shirt.
He made his way back over to the bed stretching out on his side of the bed resting his back against the headboard just as Nina had done.
He opened the pizza box giving Nina a soft grin still so relieved that she seemed so much lighter now. "Dinner is served my love."
Nina shook her head taking herself a slice. She bit into it before speaking not helping but to tease him a bit. "Such a great cook."
"Aye I try." Chibs remarked a small smirk on his face as he picked the gray and white mushrooms from his own slice of pizza.
Nina stared down at the pizza box her mind becoming flooded with memories. She placed her pizza down on the lid as she spoke. "My tia used to order pizza from this place when I was a little girl. She did it every Saturday. She never let me come to the bar on the weekends until I was seventeen...said it was too crazy. So I'd stay home with the lady nextdoor watching me while my tia worked. Gabriella would come home from the bar for a few hours on Saturday though...leave someone else in charge for a bit you know. She'd come home for dinner and we'd order the biggest pizza and talk about our days. It's always been kind of a tradition."
Nina paused her eyes growing damp. She wiped them refusing to allow anymore tears to come. She'd cried enough for one day. No matter how hard she fought it though the tears fought back harder "When I did good on a test at school or got something I did into an art fair she'd take me to the parlor after school as a treat. She always wanted to make such a big deal about it and it used to embarrass me so much. I mean she'd gush to the other customers and the waitresses about how smart and how talented I was. I would just sit there so mortified...and now I just feel like I was stupid for ever feeling embarrassed."
Chibs ditched his pizza as well wrapping an arm around Nina as her eyes began to water. She spoke her voice cracking. "I want Gabriella to do those things with Sophie."
"She will hen." Chibs blurted out his heart dropping. This was one of those moments where he found it difficult to discover the right words to make this all okay. He wasn't even really sure if there was anything he could say or do to make it seem alright right now.
He rocked her against him as she continued to sob quietly. It felt like someone was clawing his heart out at the moment. This was one of those moments where he realized just how much Nina meant to him, just how much it destroyed him to see her so devastated.
It was almost frightening the power she had over him; the ability to make his heart feel like it was ripping to bits by seeing her shed a few simple tears.
He took a deep breath feeling so lost once again for the millionth time tonight it seemed. It was pure hell seeing Nina like this being unable to make it okay.
He swallowed the huge lump developing in the back of his throat as he attempted to comfort her somehow. "Maybe we can make it our tradition hen? We could do stuff like that with Soph...take er to get pizza when she does good in school. I could brag bout her to everyone...well more than I already do. We could do that."
Nina sniffled a small laugh escaping her throat at the comment about bragging. "You'd do that?"
"Aye o'course I would. I'd love ta have a tradition like that." Chibs replied wiping away her tears with his thumb.
He pressed a small peck to her lips as he spoke again praying he sounded reassuring. "And Gabriella is goin to be there with us."
Nina gave him a soft smile praying that he was right. God she hoped he was right about everything.
Nina was the first to awaken the next morning. She opened her eyes wiping the crumbly sleep from them her vision becoming clear.
She peered at her alarm clock finding it so odd to wake up late in the morning without Sophie bouncing into the bed insisting she get up and watch cartoons or make french toast.
Nina turned to her side frowning when she found it empty. She reached out placing her hand against the pale sheets to find them cold.
She sat up her eyes searching the empty room for Chibs not helping but to fear that he'd had to leave for club business on a day where it seemed like she needed him the most.
The panic left as soon as it came as a damp haired Chibs entered the bedroom a pale mint towel wrapped around his waist.
He gave her a soft grin unaware that she was coming out of a slight panic. "Mornin hen."
Nina gave him a soft smile as he sat on the edge of the bed beside her his hand reaching out to smooth her sleep wild curls. "Morning."
Chibs leaned in his lips sliding along hers in a gentle kiss. He was stunned as Nina deepened the kiss on of her hands reaching up to caress his cheek.
When the need for air became too much to stand the pair pulled apart Chibs left a little breathless by the intensity of the kiss.
Nina let her eyes scan his bare torso taking in the dark ink on his skin and the light trail of light brown hair that disappeared underneath the towel around his waist.
She took a deep breath unable to deny the one thing she wanted more than anythign right now. "Make love to me Filip."
Chibs dropped his jaw for a brief second taken back by her request. After all wasn't she the one who'd told him she wanted their second time truly making love to be special; romantic.
He snapped his jaw shut unable to deny the shot of lust that ran straight down to his member at this request. He'd been dreaming about this moment since they'd been reunited and now that it was here he almost felt lost as what he should do.
He spoke his throat tight as he held back the desire to reach out and take her into his arms. "Are ya sure love? Ya wanted a romantic night...this aint very romantic."
Nina nodded her head knowing that she couldn't want anything more at the moment. It was almost strange to think that just two days ago she would have said that she wanted all the romantic cliches when it came time for Chibs and she to have sex.
Two days ago she would have wanted candles and flowers and soft music, but something within her had changed last night.
She had felt all those walls she'd spent years building up around herself collapse in one split second. As Chibs had held her last night comforting her, letting her sob against him all Nina had been able to think was that she felt safe. She knew it was okay to let him in. He'd never hurt her, not again.
She pressed her lips to his in a gentle kiss almost as though she was afraid of breaking him. "I don't give a shit about romance querido. I have all I need right in front of me."
Chibs smiled as she pulled back from him the worries leaving his brain in an instant. All he could focus on was the stunning woman in front of him, the mother to his child, the woman who'd taken his heart five years before and never gave it back.
He moved over her gently pushing the bedsheets and the comforter aside, her legs spread for him allowing him to press against her as their lips joined once again.
She ran her hands through his damp hair tugging at it as their kisses grew more intense. Chibs allowed his hands to trail along her still clothed body reveling in her soft curves.
He wasted no time to pluck the black t shirt from over her head a heavy groan escaping his throat at the sight of her bare torso.
Chibs knew that Nina had been insecure about her body for as long as she could remember. She thought her stomach was too fleshy. She thought her thighs were fat. She was convinced her backside was too round.
Chibs was unable to see any of these complaints. All he could see were all the things he liked about her body; her wild curls, her gorgeous hazel eyes, her full breasts, her warm soft curves, her ass that he couldn't keep his hands off of, and the stretch marks that proved she'd brought their sweet baby girl into this world.
He spoke his voice husky as he lowered his mouth over one of her heavy breasts. "So fuckin stunning."
Nina gasped at both the words and the feel of his teeth scraping along her already hardening nipples. He worked her breast sucking and nipping. Nina's back arched at the feel of it. She ran her hands along every bit of him she could reach the warm feel of his skin and the smell of his old spice body wash intoxicating.
She whimpered as he pulled his mouth away from her over sensitive breast with an audible pop before moving on to her other breast rewarding it with the exact same treatment.
She was unable to stop herself from rocking against him fully able to feel his hard member through the mint towel that was still somehow wrapped around his waist.
She fumbled her hands suddenly feeling so clumsy as she eagerly unfastened the towel shoving it off of him and onto the floor.
Nina rocked against his hardness causing him to pull away from her breast with a grunt. The feel of her lacy panties against his hard cock was so maddening.
He wanted nothing more than to rip her panties off and push into her. He took a deep breath holding back this desire. This was about taking it slow; pleasing her.
He began to move down her body pressing soft kisses to the valley between her breasts. She let out a frustrated whimper as he pulled his pelvis from hers putting a stop to the friction they'd been building up.
Chibs pressed his lips along the slight rounded stomach she was so insecure about fully intending on showing her just how gorgeous he found her.
He placed his hands at her hips sliding the panties down her body tossing them across the room.
Nina took Chibs by shock placing a hand on his cheek forcing him to look up at her as his lips reached her hips. She spoke a small smile on her face her breasts rising in falling as she still struggled to catch her breath. "Come here baby."
He grinned at the word baby moving almost painstakingly slowly up her body. She pressed her lips to his as he finally met her eye to eye.
He was taken by shock as Nina gave his shoulder a light push shoving him over on to his back. She pressed her lips along the scars he hated so. She slid her lips down to his chin his facial hair tickling her lips and her nose. She ran her lips lightly along his throat her kisses soft.
She peered up at him as she reached his chest her lips pressing to his million dollar tattoo. She gave him a soft grin as she ran a hand down to his hard cock.
He grunted as she wrapped a hand around him giving him a few soft strokes. She spoke her lips pressing to his chest. "You already took care of me the other night querido. I think I need to return that favor."
Chibs moaned as it hit him just what she was promising. He peered down at her as she slid her lips along his stomach her eyes staring back up at him so full of lust and adoration.
She moaned at the sight of his hard cock not having forgotten how impressive she'd found it five years before. It still looked just as perfect as it had back then.
Nina could remember a friend back in Miami telling her that a woman could always tell which guys really were well endowed. The ones that were actually small liked to go around talking about how huge they were, but the guys that really were gifted in that area never bragged because they knew they were blessed.
Nina realized that this piece of advice rang true with Chibs. He didn't have to brag at all because he knew the sight of him said all that needed to be said.
She continued to stroke him lightly his hips rocking against her trying so hard to speed up her movements. She gave him a playful grin placing a hand over his hip as she spoke. "Hey now stop that. We're going to take our time Filip."
He smiled a frustrated moan escaping his throat. He couldn't help but to love the dominant side of Nina. He hoped he'd see much more of it in the years to come.
She gave him a small smile before she leaned in letting her tongue run along the underside of his cock straight up to the tip.
Nina moaned at the taste of precum already leaking from his pink head. She knew it might not take long to get him off as excited as he seemed to be.
She wrapped her lips around him using her hand to stroke everything she couldn't possibly take. Chibs groaned his hands tangling in her curly locks as he struggled to keep still just like she'd asked.
He kept his eyes locked on her as she worked him up taking him as deep as she could without gagging too terribly much.
She pulled up off of him his cock soaking from her ministrations. He moaned as she went back to licking him her teasing driving him crazy.
He could picture himself yanking her back up and bending her over the bed. He could imagine giving her backside a few smacks before thrusting into her with abandon.
He gritted his teeth knowing that this little fantasy could wait to come to life till another time. They were going to take their time he reminded himself.
Nina lowered her mouth back over him her hand finally pulling from his hips allowing him to thrust against her.
He kept his eyes locked down on her as she took him just as deeply as he wanted. He closed his eyes unable to watch her anymore as his brain gave away completely to lust.
As he hit the back of her throat he completely lost it letting himself go as came. He had expected Nina to pull away from him but was both stunned and so aroused as she took all that he had to give her sucking him greedily.
She pulled away from his spent member wiping the back of her mouth with her hand before she moved back up his body.
She was surprised as he pressed his lips to hers not caring if he could taste himself on her. They continued to kiss softly as Chibs ran his hands along her body giving himself time to recover.
He took back control rolling her over on to her back his hand reaching out to slide along her skin. Nina pulled back from his lips a shocked moan escaping her as his fingers teased her slit.
She spread her legs for him causing him to chuckle as he spoke. "That's my sexy lass."
He pressed his fingers into her it his turn to moan as he realized just how wet and tight she was. He'd almost expected her center to change given that she'd had a child but was both pleased and surprised to find that she was so tight.
He fingered her slowly adding another digit. Nina gasped her hips rocking against him. She arched her back her body curling as his fingers found her clit.
He focused on the little button slowly driving her wild. She pressed her lips back to his the action stifling her moans.
She whined disappointed as the pleasure came to an abrupt stop Chibs pulled his fingers from her. She pulled back a whimper leaving her lips as he pressed his fingers to his mouth sucking her wetness from them.
He spoke his voice husky. "Ya ready fer me love?"
Nina nodded eagerly reaching for him as he moved over her his lips pressing along her neck. He reached out blindly into the drawer of the table beside his side of the bed relieved to find that he'd thought to put condoms in it.
He reluctantly pulled back from her as he frantically ripped the condom open rolling it over his hard member.
He pressed his lips to hers as he took his cock in his hand sliding it along her wet slit. Nina gasped rocking up against him her voice pleading. "Please baby need you now."
Chibs moaned his voice thick with pleasure and anticipation. "Can't say no to that love."
He entered her in one long stroke his first thrust rough. He pressed his lips to hers as he allowed her tight body to adjust to him.
She ran a hand along his jawline eventually pushing his drying hair back. She stared up at him as she spoke. "I love you."
He grunted as she began to rock against him so needy. "Love ya too hen."
He chuckled as she shifted her hips up rocking a little harder. He was unable to stop himself from saying something so similar to what he'd said in a moment just like this years before. "Still such a greedy lass."
Nina giggled the action causing her to shift against his member a gasp leaving his lips. She spoke giving him a grin. "Just for you baby. Only for you."
He moaned as he began to rock against her unable to get over just how right this all felt. It was as though she was the one he should have been doing this with all these years they'd spent apart.
He pressed his lips to hers knowing that there was no way she was getting away from him ever again.
Nina wrapped her arms around him holding him close as they built up a rhythm up and down back and forth. No man had ever felt this good inside of her. She'd never felt so loved and pleased. She knew that if he ever tried to leave her again she'd kill him.
She had a feeling though this fear was unfounded. There was no way they were losing one another ever again.
She kept a hold onto him struggling to keep her eyes open and locked on him as he moved over her. She spoke needing to say it again. "I love you Filip."
He buried his face against her neck nipping and kissing as he spoke. "Love ya more hen."
She was never getting away from him he promised himself again.
He was never going to make the mistake of letting her go ever again.
Chibs fidgeted in his seat as he sat beside Nina in the all too pink waiting room of Charming Dancers Studio.
He knew that he stuck out like a sore thumb. The place was filled with mothers and kids. Chibs clad in black and brown and his kutte looked almost unsettling sitting in the pink and white room in a purple waiting room chair.
Chibs could admit that the place was pretty nice. The dance school taught girls and boys of all ages ballet, tap, or gymnastics. There was a receptionist and huge waiting area for the parents. Chibs was happy to see that his money had gone to something so fancy for Sophie.
It was something his own family would have never been able to afford for their children.
Chibs knew that if by some chance Kerrianne ever came to the states he'd enroll her in some sort of activity just as nice as this one. He would give his girls whatever they wanted or needed to succeed in this world. His girls would have everything he'd never gotten. They would have the chance to do whatever they wanted in this world. He would see to it that they had a bright future far from danger.
He bit at the inside of his cheek trying hard to ignore the snobby woman sitting directly across from him and her disapproving stare. He kept his eyes locked on the painting of ballerinas that was positioned directly over her head.
This was for his baby he reminded himself. He was determined to surprise her at dance class today and he wasn't going to let some soccer mom with a stick shoved up her ass ruin it for his family.
He stared back down to the floor quickly snatching up a pamphlet from the table beside him. Nina glanced up from the cooking magazine she'd been flipping through a small sympathetic smile on her face as she noticed Chibs pretending to read about the dance schools summer gymnastics program.
She spoke nudging his shoulder. "You okay? Is it all the pink?"
Chibs grinned shrugging his shoulders at her comment. "I'm used to it by now hen. Ya have seen our girl's bedroom righ?"
Nina snorted slightly at this statement knowing that Sophie's pink bedroom made the overly feminine waiting area look dull and lifeless.
She glanced up at the soccer mom her eyes narrowing as she noticed that the woman was staring at Chibs' scared cheeks with both disgust and morbid fascination.
It took every bit of self control Nina had not to burst up from her seat and strangle the woman with her pearl necklace.
Nina spoke her voice still sympathetic. "We can move if you want."
"I'll be fine lass. Aint tha firs time someone's given me a sour look." Chibs muttered already dedicated to not letting the rude woman ruin the afternoon.
Thankfully Nina was saved from breaking down and killing the woman as the door to Sophie's classroom opened little girls pouring out from it.
Sophie searched the room for a brief moment her eyes growing wide as she spotted Chibs. She ran over to him her arms encircling him as he leaned down to hug her.
He held her against him a smile on his face his discomfort over the waiting room and the bitchy woman who'd been glaring at him fading instantly. "Hey there pretty lass."
Sophie smiled up at him as she spoke. "Daddy."
Nina chuckled shaking her head at the fact that Sophie hadn't even looked her way. "What am I chopped liver?"
Sophie tilted her head to the side as Chibs chuckled at this. He pressed a kiss to Nina's cheek still laughing. "We love ya mommy."
He turned back to Sophie her curly locks still up in the tiny bun Gabriella had more than likely given her today before dropping her off at her class. Sophie had changed out of her ballet class uniform into a pair of shorts, a pink tee, and a matching pair of flip flops.
Chibs spoke placing a gentle hand on Sophie's cheek still at times unable to believe just how much he loved his youngest child. "What'd ya learn today?"
"This." Sophie exclaimed carefully crossing one foot in front of the other before bringing one curved arm towards her and the other arm to the side.
She spoke again a proud grin on her face. "It's called third position. There's five postitions we do before class and I know all of em."
Chibs chuckled as he leaned down pressing a kiss to the girls cheek. "Gorgeous love."
He stood up remembering part of the conversation Nina and he'd had the night before. "Let's go get some dinner to celebrate yeah. I'm thinkin pizza if that's alright with ya lasses."
Nina smiled joy washing over her. He'd meant what he'd promised.
No matter what happened with Gabriella they were going to keep those traditions. The traditions she'd built up with her tia would live on with her family.
It was dark by the time they left the pizza parlor. Sophie had fallen asleep in the backseat exhausted from her day with Gabriella and then her dance class this afternoon.
Nina peeked back at her the sight of the girl sleeping always making her smile. Nina had noticed that she looked like Chibs sometimes when she slept. They both tended to bow their heads down when they slept and wiggle their noses on occasion.
Nina spoke her voice soft and sleepy. "She's out like a light. Must have been all those carbs."
Chibs snorted lightly at the carb comment. "Aye"
He glanced over at Nina from his place in the drivers seat. "We shouldn't have a problem gettin her to sleep fer the nigh then. Then Mommy and Daddy can go have a wee bit of fun."
Nina chuckled glancing over at him. "You thinking you're going to get lucky twice in one day."
"I'm sure as hell goin to try." Chibs remarked a small smirk on his lips.
Nina peered back up to the front of the car her stomach dropping as Chibs came to an abrupt stop in front of the bar and Estrella's Tavern.
The place was in chaos. People, the local news crew, police, and a fire engine had gathered out in front of the building.
Nina felt sick to her stomach as she took in the mess.
The bar and her apartment were on fire. And by the looks of it there wasn't much left to the place.
Reviews? Constructive Criticism?
Sorry it's taken me a while to get this out, but as most of you know I have a tendency to work on more than one story at once. I hope you are enjoying it still. Thanks for reading.
Tia= (Spanish) Aunt
Querido= (Spanish) Darling