Stella’s Pov

I guess it’s Claire now…No more Stella…

After my tear fest, I had been ok. I had more freedom here, but there wasn’t much I wanted to do anyway.

My mother had wanted me to go and shop with her for new clothes, so I had gone with her, but it was still awkward.

I guess there’s still something strange between us…Especially since I haven’t said much about where I went and what I’ve been through since I was twelve.

Since the doctor comes here instead, we hadn’t had to go to the medical centre yet…Not for another month for an ultra sound. I was right though, I was only just over a month into the pregnancy and was already taking some small tablets that don’t look like they can do anything for me…

Instead of staying in my room, I have come out and tried to think about what I was going to do.

I knew I had to grow up, but...I still had a choice…So, the question was…Will I keep this child?

My dad hasn’t said much, but my mum was already excited about her grandchild…And child…

I suppose if I got an abortion, it would hurt her, as this child was what brought me back to her.

Yet, if I bring this child into the world, knowing that Alec was a Jefferson, who seemed to hate the Peterson’s…

The more I thought about it, the more I was becoming clear that Alec may have done this on purpose and that perhaps he had never liked me as I thought he may have.

It would all make sense if that was his plan, but, I really didn’t want that to be so…If this child was his plan, then would he be forcing this child to get entwined into his circle of hate?

Like I said, I really wish that this wasn’t done on purpose…

I know that I already missed him, that I had never thought to stay away from him permanently. Yet, if this was all orchestrated to happen because he hated us, perhaps I was better to never return to him…

“Claire.”

I turned suddenly and found him right there, Alec…It’s him!

He rushed up to me and held me steady, but I really hadn’t needed it…I wasn’t dizzy at the moment, as it seems to come and go…But, I guessed it was because I hadn’t been laying down…

“When will you be home?” He asked me, pulling me into him. I never realized how much I go used to this…Perhaps…That was why things happened the way they did…

Being in his arms again, was like a rush of relief, like I had already come ‘home’…

“…I want to stay here for a while.” I quietly responded. I just wanted to calm down. Think things through maturely, know what I want…Even though…Even though I felt so good in his arms right now! As it was, I was already giving in to him and didn’t know how to respond to his question for a while!

“They lied to me and said that you weren’t here! That old grump of a father was mean to me!”

I frowned, sometimes he did go as low as acting like a child, but today…It was just uncalled for! This was my father’s house and your complaining!

Rubbing himself into my head, I was starting to get angry.

Why was he here?

Suddenly, that question really mattered…

“Why are you here?” I asked, pulling away from him.

“I came to pick you up. Can we go home now?” He was really acting like a spoilt child! He put his forehead against mine and claimed my waist in his arms.

“What’s wrong with you!?” I asked in irritation.

Then, as he looked at me in the eyes, I saw him become serious. His eyes were somehow captivating to me, and I stared back at him…

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Feeling a hand softly touch my face, he smiled at me, “Why is the doctor here?”

I tried to stay calm…

“…He’s here for my mum.”

“…Liar.”

I looked back to him, just now noticing that I had looked away.

I used to be so good at lying! What had happened to that!? I knew about looking away and acting suspicious!

I scolded myself severely inside my head and frowned.

“Woman, don’t frown!”

Yeah, that’s ganna help! I have a name you bastard!

I glare back up at him, still frowning. “Why are you here!?”

“To pick up my woman! Come, let’s go home!”

He took my hand and started to walk towards the front of the house, I started to panic, I wasn’t ready!

I didn’t want to go back yet!

“Stop it!” I said angrily and getting out of his grasp, then rushed to have a few steps between us, “Leave, I’ll be fine here.”

Then I turned and walked away, towards the back of the house.

In seconds, arms snaked themselves around me and stopped me, “You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”

…Right now…I was angry…So, I didn’t say anything.

Staring out into the distance, I stood there, not showing any type of affection or emotion. This was the usual me…But, inside, I was hopeless…What if he really is here to take me back ‘home’?

The idea that he could really care about me couldn’t be stopped and it crept inside my heart.

But me trying to not show any emotion hadn’t mattered, he moved in behind me and cuddled me tighter, “Is that why you suddenly wanted to come home? Because pregnant women are strange, and I understand that.”

“I am not…” As much as I wanted to disagree with him, I couldn’t help but realize that was exactly what I did!

I had come back here because this was just too much to handle!

“My lovely fox, you can’t continue to lie to me…”

I frowned again and realized that he had taken my words as a response to the pregnancy, instead of being called strange and wanting to deny it.

Not knowing what to do, I just stayed silent.

I felt his hand go to across my womb and I let out a breath, hoping, that perhaps he wants me and this child. Even though at the moment, I don’t know what I want, but he wanting me and this child might make my decision easier.

“My baby.” Was all I heard from behind me.

After his words, we both went silent and stood there…

I couldn’t help but think that he was cute right now, we shared more time being engrossed with sex and silence, then having proper conversations. Sometimes we would not say a word to each other easily for two hours, but he could still act cute. He would seem to protect me from thoughts, even if I never voiced them out…Suddenly, after watching a show about some hot woman, he would say that I was hotter…Or if a show entitled a woman being treated unfairly, he would go get me some chocolates or flowers…It was like he was telling me that I shouldn’t worry about needless things, even though I had never said anything in the first place!

Then, the silent but sweet moments we shared…That still seemed to happen even now, was that because we were comfortable with each other?

I really started to believe that this was real, that…He and we, and this child, us…Family.

I had started in a normal family…But the family after that was a pack of thieves…

Does he really want someone like that? What if…

More silence came over us, as he lightly started to kiss my neck.

This is why I left!

My thoughts…Disappeared when he was like this!

Now, it was like three months of thoughts and feelings rushed into me and I don’t know what to do! How could someone want to moan in pleasure and yell in anger at the same time!? Why do I want to turn around to be even closer but also want to push him away at the same time!?

This was ridiculous!

“You! Get out! Or I’ll call the police!”

I looked up in shock…

My dad was rushing towards me and didn’t stop as he pulled Alec away from me and pushed him.

“Don’t anger me old grump!”

I looked from one man to the other and wondered why my dad was suddenly so…Different…

“Anger you! I know what you are doing! I know your last name now Alec…Jackson! No, you cannot see my daughter, no you are not welcome in my property, now get out!”

I went to walk up to them, but my dad got Alec’s collar and started to pull him directly towards the fence gates and I tried to keep up.

My dad, he was…So angry!

Upon reaching them, just before the gate, my father’s voice sternly said, “Do you deny it!? You did this on purpose didn’t you!?”

It was obvious to what he was pointing at…As my father pointed at my body…

I looked at Alec and saw him glare at my father, after looking at me, “…So what, it’s not like I’ve thrown her away, she came here by herself! I came here to bring her back home!”

“Pfft, home!? And you wonder why your father was shot!” My father said.

I may have been quiet, but I really was curious about these words…I looked back at Alec, who was getting a lot more angrier now.

I wanted to do something, but didn’t know what, as I now know something else about him. Something else that seemed…To make him tremble…

“You know what, fine!” He looked at me and spat on the ground, “I did plan this from the start, I was even going to ransom you. Exactly like my mother!”

“You never listen you little shit! I hope you grow up real soon and understand what really went down!” My father said.

“Ha! The Peterson’s would probably understand better then the Jackson’s!” Alec spat out angrily.

“I know a person tried to tell you what had happened, but you always didn’t want to listen!” My father spat back at him.

I frowned and felt like the history with Alec’s parents must be quite the story…

I hadn’t ever heard much about it, I had been too young when it had all happened…

Alec stormed up to my father and took his shirt into a grip, making me widen my eyes and want to stop him.

He put his hand out, glaring at me, “Oh! So…After all this time, now you’re a happy little family uh?”

“We know what you do, you mongrel! You’ll go to prison sometime soon!”

Alec moved closer to my father and I bit my lip…

“Prison?” Alec smirked, “Then why am I not in prison now?”

My father smirked back to him, “Just you wait!”

Alec let go of my father and laughed loudly…

He then…Looked at me and his eyes gave me pain…

“I’m gone! Fuck standing here with you two pieces of shit!”

My world suddenly shifted, in what I thought was a slow motion picture, was what became real.

Breathing became hard for some reason, as I watched Alec slowly walking away…