Page 79 of Delayed Penalty

“Avery, I know you feel trapped because of the baby, but you can come home,” he says, a soft quiet voice filled with pure lies.

How dare this motherfucker come in here and act like this. How dare her parents think this is acceptable to do when I called to let them know their daughter is sick and in the hospital. Avery’s grip on my hands tighten with even word he says, and when he takes another step closer, I notice the monitor hooked up to her start to go off.

Her blood pressure is rising.

Fuck this.

“Come home with him, Avery,” her mom says, no attempt at sounding nice. No, it sounds like a demand.

“Fuck no,” Avery says, her hand gripping tighter in my own. “I think it’s time you all know why I really left Peter, which after everything, I know now is only the icing on the cake,” she says, and Peter looks uncomfortable, almost scared.

You fucking should be, but not of her.

“Peter was controlling and I dealt with it fine when it was verbally, but the day he left a mark on my arm when I tried to leave, I knew I was done. After he cheated on me, then blamed me, I left and that’s when I got pregnant. I willneverbe with a man who thinks it’s acceptable to put their hands on me, and I willneverbring a child into the world with a man like that.”

My brain is working to process the words she just said.

He fucking touched her.

I look up, seeing her father's face first which looks nearly as angry as the way I’m feeling right now, her mother and his parents all looking shocked while they stare at Peter. He stands there looking dumbfounded, before shaking his finger toward Avery.

“How dare you, you ungrateful brat,” he says, and I see red.

“Get. The. Fuck. Out.” I say, letting go of Avery’s hand when I see Gwen walk into the room, moving toward Peter who starts to back up.

Grabbing him by the collar, I pull him toward the door, the rest of them following us out into the hallway.

“Get the fuck off of me,” Peter growls, moving to stand next to his family, but even they look disgusted, which I’m surprised his dad is acting this way when he’s the one who started this nonsense.

“Shut the fuck up and listen to me. Both of you,” I say, pointing to his dad who swallows roughly. “We know all about your little fucking games, how you lied to both of us to break us up. Now, I don’t really fucking care why you needed Avery and Peter together, especially when Peter obviously didn’t give a shit about Avery, the only thing I care about is that I have her now.”

“What are you talking about, son?” his dad says. “Why would I ever do that, especially for as long as I’ve known you.”

“Stop with the lies, I’ve already texted Coach and told him everything. He’s onto your bullshit so don’t try and fuck with any of our careers again.”

He shuts his mouth so quickly, his eyes immediately falling to the ground like a child in trouble.

“Now, because you’re her parents, I’m hesitant to ask you to leave. But just know, if you choose to stay, you’re listening to her, the doctors, and anyone else for that matter because the only thing that matters right now is her and the baby. Do you fucking understand?” I say the last sentence specifically to her mother who looks shocked by my tone but I’m not fucking around.

Gwen comes out and stands by me.

“He’s not wrong. You will be escorted out by security if you pull any of this shit again. Besides, at this point she will be delivering in the next thirty minutes so it’s crunch time. Youronly job right now is to support your daughter and her husband as they deal with this stressful experience.”

They nod, and I see Peter’s mom lead them both off, her tone already clipped as she tells them how disappointed she is by both of them. That’s a conversation for a different day, though. Right now, my concern is Avery and the baby.

“Are you two staying?” I ask cautiously.

“Yes,” they respond at the same time, and I just nod and follow Gwen back into Avery’s room, where apparently, it’s time to get ready.

Chapter Thirty

Avery

Today was not supposed to be like this. Today was supposed to be relaxing, we were supposed to come support our friends with their new baby, and then go home and finish putting away all of the baby clothes that we finally finished washing.

That is not at all how the day has actually gone.

Instead, I’m in a room with my husband, our new baby boy, and our parents in the hallways right outside the room. It’s not at all what I expected, but I’m so thankful to be here—safe and healthy.

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