The News

"Congratulations Mrs. Renorez, you are pregnant. " said the blonde hair doctor after about an hour of waiting.

"I am?" I asked dumbstruck whilst looking at the doctor and she nodded.

I smiled and thanked her as I walked out of her office.

"What did she say?" Asked my concerned father, who personally made an appointment 3 days after I said I would go but never went, so he took it upon himself to drag me here and with the help of Eric of course.

"I'm pregnant!" I said happily as I hugged my father, but multiple faces frowned judgmentally.

Ohh, I see how this could be interpreted.

I gave them an awkward smile and pulled my father outside to the car.

Tough crowd.

"Thank you for bringing me here, though you didn't have to." I said to my father and he gave me a look.

"Yes, sure. I would have let you go by yourself and by that you wouldn't go at all, like last time." he said as we drove away.

"So how did you escape Mother and Olivia?" I asked curiously.

"Yesterday, your mother left on a flight to Italy cause Clarisse is ill,she will most likely bring her here to get treatment." he explained.

"Awe, no. Nonna is sick." I said completely upset because she was my safe haven as child, Nonna used to live with us, she shielded me from my mother more time than I could count but she left to stay with her other daughter, Patrina, in Italy. I remember clearly how everything changed for the worst.

"Olivia on the other hand left the next day for Rio de Janeiro, after you and Eric came of for dinner." he said.

"Father, since Mother and Olivia aren't home, I wanted to ask you if you would like to come for a Christmas feast that Eric and I are hosting, next week?" I asked whilst playing nervously with my finger in my lap.

"Well, your mother will be back the week after Christmas and Olivia will only come back after New Years, so i would love to come. " He said smiling as we pulled into the my driveway.

"Father, can you please keep the new about the baby between us?" I asked as I jumped out the car.

"Your secret is safe with me." he said smiling," Bye, Pumpkin."

"Bye, Father" I said going into the house.

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I walked into the house and followed the sound of laughter , which lead me to the living room. To my delight I saw Reece, Eric and a girl. The were all sprawled on the lounge suite.

"I didn't know we were gonna have company." I said with a smile as I entered the living room.

"Ah, beloved sister-in-law." said Reece giving me a boyish smile whilst getting up from the sofa and gave me a hug.

"Oh, it lovely to see the sane Brother again." I said giving him a wink.

"Love, I would like you to meet my sister Ella." said Eric pointing at the beautiful red-head with blue eyes that sparkled. She looked just like her mother but I guess she has her father's eyes, I though whilst analyzing her.

"It's a pleasure to finally met you." I said with a big smile as I relaxed next to Eric.

"Oh, you are absolutely Darling." she said in a british accent that sounded amazing," I am most delighted that I also finally got the pleasure to met you. I apologise for not attending the wedding, I was swamped." she said

"It's okay, most of my family couldn't make it either." I said.

"Which family?" Eric asked making me smile whilst shaking my head.

"My grandparents and Aunty Patrina with her whole family, from Italy." I said.

"Oh,anyway what did the doctor say?" he asked concerned.

"Yes, my brother did say you were under the weather." said Ella as she stretched out lying on the couch.

"She said I was fine, just a tummy bug which I told you, there was nothing to worry about but you and my father were hell bent on taking me." I said in a 'I told you so' voice.

"I am not even married brother, but even I know that the wife is always right." said Reece whilst winking, making me laugh.

"It because you're not married so you won't understand." Said Eric with a slightly pulled face and I playfully bumped onto his shoulder.

"Isn't it a bit early too raid the wine cellar?" I asked Reece gesturing to the glass of wine in his hand.

"it's never too early dear sis." he replied, before taking a sip as I shook my head.

"She is right, you are gonna be smashed." said Ella.

"Need I remind you lovely sister. You are also so don't be a bloody hypocrite." said Reece and emphasized bloody in a British accent.

"And the fun begins." whispered Eric in my ear.

"It's family wonderful." I said as we watched the two argue with each other whilst throwing the lovely white scatter couchens at each other.

Witnessing the scene displayed before me. I know a place deep down in my heart yearned for that magical sibling connection everyone had around me, except me.

I wonder what I ever did to Olivia, for her to hate me with such a passion?

"You know what," said Ella getting up of the sofa, " You can come and find me when you are all grown up and ready for your big boy trousers." she said whilst making her way towards the stairs.

"Well jokes on you cause I'm never gonna grow up." yelled Reece.

Eric and I just sat there laughing silently at Reece childish stupidity and Ella's dramatics.

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" Your family is really something to behold. " I said amusingly to Eric as we jumped in our bed and snuggled up in each other's arms, like we do every night.

"Well I am glade you found their fight fascinating." said Eric with a goofy smile plastered on his face. His family really had a good impact on him.

"You know for Christmas next week, my mum and dad said they are coming. I aslo asked my Father and he said he will come and not to forget Sophie, Ethan, Camilla, Hunter and Diana are going to be there . So... I took the liberty of inviting Rosalie, James, Nick, Scarlett, Tobias and Stella. " I said whilst his fingers gently ran through my hair.

"You invited my friends? You never even met then. " He said with a smile, all amused.

"Rosalie helped, but I also invited Reece, Ella and... Your parents. " I said whilst praying that he would take it well.

"You did what!" he yelled moving me off his chest so he could look at me.

"Why don't you like your father?" I asked looking into hid emerald eyes.

******Eric's POV*****

"It's a long story." I replied.

"We do have all night." she said as she reached out for my hand.

"Before my father's company began blossoming he was an alcoholic. Every time life knocked him down he would seek comfort in a bottle of liquor and he would get completely drunk. He would start hitting Reece and I. " I said as the memories flooded back and my heart began to sink as I replayed how he would slap and punch Reece and I in his intoxicated state. I shook my head, attempting to remove the images.

"His abuse was the reason we sent Ella to a boarding school in London. One thing that bothered Reece and I more than the abuse was the way my mother handled it, she choose to remain oblivious to everything that was happening right infront of her. She always gave him a pass and it didn't matter what he did because she is blinded by love. " the thought of how she ignored our screams as our father hit us infuriated me," For fuck sake, he had another family that he keeps under wraps. "

"What! " She said shocked.

"He abandoned us when I was 13, it was after his company finally started growing. I met him once with his family, when I was 21. My friends and I went on a vacation and I saw him with his new family smiling and having fun, it was the hardest thing to watch because as a teenager I was in denial about the abandonment but at that moment I fully accepted the dark truth, we just weren't enough for him." I was unaware that a tear escaped from my right eye until I felt Violet's soft hands wiped it away.

Before she could say anything, I continued," Even as old as I was back then I began blaming myself for him leaving us but I guess it was all due to the emotional abuse Reece and I went through. But someone helped me realize that it wasn't my fault and I put my abandonment issues behind me. 3 years after I saw him with his family he came back because my mother filed for a divorce. I remember how my mother was so head strong about her decision, she went on and on about how she wanted to move in with her life, but as soon as she saw his face all logic left her. She welcomed him with open arms. " I turned to violet and asked her," Do you know what it's like to bare such a burden? I am the only person in a room who knows the secrets he keeps hidden, to see him laugh happily with my mother and it just pisses me off. " I said she took my head and laid it on her lap as I curled inwards with my hands around her waist, facing her abdomen.

"I'm so sorry. You had to go through that." She said and I felt a tear droplet fall on the back of my neck. I pulled her waist closer to me whilst I felt her kiss the side of my forehead and closed my eyes, letting sleep consume me.

*******Violet's POV*****

A tear fell as he held me closer. My heart broke for him, I thought my childhood was hard but it was nowhere near his. I leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. How could anyone hurt their children.

I had a saudade smile on my face as I watched a sleeping Eric clutch onto me whilst I played with his hair.

"You okay now, I got you." I said to a sleeping Eric.

I got you...