The Trouble with Family 2/4

They only spotted one of Dominic's lookout parties. A black luxury sedan that had men with binoculars leaning against it stood out. Mia shook her head internally; she couldn't understand what Dominic had to gain from his actions. Was he so determined that he knew better than her what her life should be that he was willing to destroy their relationship to enforce it? She could understand him not liking Tim, there was bad blood there. However, Dominic's choice to hunt her like a criminal was beyond comprehension.

Mia went through the messages on her phone that she had neglected. There were at least twenty from Dominic, so she sent him a message simply asking him to stop what he was doing. His response was immediate. He would stop when she was secure and no longer had anything to do with Barrett.

Once she was safely married to Nicholas, she would be able to live as she pleased. Mia told her brother that she didn't want to marry Nick and being forced to do so would make her miserable. Dominic told her he didn't believe her, and she was just avoiding the marriage because of the trauma she had faced in the past. Mia simply told him he was wrong about that.

Eva had sent a handful of texts asking Mia to tell her that she was all right. Mia let her sister know that she was fine and to stop worrying about her. She told her that everything would make sense in time but not to worry. Eva responded after a few moments telling her to be safe and that she missed her.

Nicholas had sent several messages. He wanted her to come back, and that Dominic was going crazy with worry. Finally, he asked her to confirm Sage's checkup. Mia told him that she was fine, and Sage would not miss his appointment. Nicholas responded that he looked forward to seeing her then. Rachel asked if they could have lunch next week and Mia let her know that she wasn't sure but would try to set something up.

Tim sat in the front passenger seat of their used SUV and glanced back at Mia in the backseat for the twentieth time since she had pulled out her phone. Her expression concerned him greatly. She looked very unhappy about the messages on her phone. Tim wished that he could make all this go away and they could simply start their life as a normal couple would.

Mia finally set her phone down and with a sigh leaned back to look out the window.

Tim took the opportunity to distract her from her worries. "Sweetheart, are you going to work on the designs for our estate this week?"

Mia looked at him, seeming far away, for a moment before she seemed to focus on the present. "Yes, I need to set up a priority list for the design then I can work on individual components."

"What do you mean?" Tim asked.

"There are master design features, basic design features, and detail design features. Master features are things like paint, flooring, trim, appliances and so on. These things come first. Then basic features are the major items that are added like furniture and window coverings. Detailed features are photos and small items that make a house more than a dwelling." Mia explained to Timothy.

Mia continued. "The house needs all three features, and they have an order of completion. It will take a bit of time to design a plan that will make that mausoleum a home. We'll get there though." Mia said with a chuckle, remembering Tim's words to her when he had taken her to see the house.

Tim smiled at Mia. He wanted their house to be a home as well. Timothy thought about their wedding picture in the marital home he had shared with Mia all those years ago. When he had been told she died he had rehung the picture in the master bedroom and refused to take it down.

He had needed the presence of that photo and her things to function. His marital home with her had become the mausoleum for his dead ex-wife. Mia didn't know this, and he didn't want her to. She would think him foolish.

They arrived at the hotel early in the afternoon and grabbed their two bags waving off the bellhop. Caleb had their room keys, and they took the elevator to the top floor. Opening the door to the suite, the three of them went inside.

As Mia stepped through the door, she saw Sage on the sofa on his laptop and Ginger at the table with a coloring book.

"Momma," Ginger cried happily jumping down from her chair and running to her mother.

Mia picked up her tiny daughter and hugged her fiercely walking fully into the room. "Hey, bug. Did you miss me?"

"So much, momma. Where have you been?" Ginger said, placing her hands on both her mother's cheeks.

"I had to go on a trip but I'm back now." Mia told her daughter rubbing noses with her before placing her on the floor. Ginger looked behind Mia and noticed Timothy there.

"Daddy!" Ginger rushed to Tim holding her arms up to him. He placed the luggage on the floor and picked his daughter up.

"Hi there princess, were you coloring a picture? Show me." Tim said walking with his daughter to the table and sitting her on her seat. Ginger started leafing through the pages showing her father her work. He made appropriate noises about each picture.

Mia walked over to Sage and crouched down. "Hey, baby, are you doing all right?"

Sage looked up at his mom. "Hi mom. I'm fine. Uncle said you ran away, and he couldn't find you."

"I did not run away from anything. Your uncle is mistaken." Mia said scowling. How dare her brother tell her child such things.

"Hello Sage." Timothy said stepping up beside Mia.

Sage looked up at his father and sighed. "Mr. Barrett, my uncle said that you are trying to hurt mom again and take us away from our family. I won't go with you." With that Sage got up and went into one of the bedrooms. Ginger stared after her brother with disbelief.

Timothy sighed his eyes following his son. Mia was furious. How dare Dominic speak to her son and tell him anything.

Mia grabbed her phone and stalked into the master bedroom. Timothy followed close behind her and Caleb stood at the door. Mia dialed Dominic's number shaking with rage. The phone rang several times before Dominic finally answered.

"Look who knows how to dial a phone number." Dominic said arrogantly.

Mia scoffed. "If I wanted to talk to you, I would have called you but listen to me right now because I won't repeat myself." Mia paused and took a breath. "If you ever speak to my children again without my express permission, I will take them and disappear, and you will never see any of us again in your lifetime." Mia hung up the phone and threw it on the bed. Her hands were fists of rage, and she shook with fury.

Timothy walked up to Mia and pulled her into a tight embrace trying to soothe her. "Baby, it will be alright." Mia began to cry, unable to process the anger any other way. Tim rocked Mia slightly trying to calm her.

*

Dominic realized the phone had been hung up. He looked up at the faces in his study. Connor, Nathan, Jason, and his wife Eva were arranged around the room on various pieces of furniture. Dominic tried calling his sister back, but the phone just rang and eventually went to voicemail. He hung up, not bothering to leave a message.

"Can someone please tell me what our sister is thinking? Has Mia lost her mind completely? Why is she treating us like the enemy?" Dominic seethed standing up from his desk and beginning to pace.

Dominic turned toward his brothers. "This is Barrett's doing. His influence is turning her against us. I wanted him gone but you all said back off and look what has happened now. Mia has run away from our family with her children."

"But you didn't back off Dominic, you doubled down." Nathan stated.

"Whose side are you on?" Dominic roared at his brother.

Nathan sighed standing up as well. "I am on Mia's side. You need to stop what you are doing before you lose her completely."

"Mia is confused. She needs to guided to the right path. She has always had a weakness for that bastard. We must protect her from herself, so she doesn't end up dead. Again!" Dominic turned to Connor. "What if we have her declared mentally unfit for a while so that we can separate her from him even for a week. An intervention."

Connor looked at his brother worriedly. "Dominic, you know that I have no love for Barrett, but you sound like a lunatic right now. I don't understand why you are so set on her marrying Nicholas. Mia has said repeatedly that she has no feelings for the man."

"Nicholas is a respectable man that has done a great deal for Mia over the years, and he will keep her close to us. It's a good match." Dominic said imploringly.

Eva scowled. "Then why don't you marry him. If you are so set on it, I'll give you a divorce. I'm sure you will be very happy together." Eva snapped tired of her husband taking Mia from all of them. "I'm not going to live without my sister because you're a control freak."

The room went completely silent.

"But you would live without me?" Dominic's voice was steely and quiet.

"Keep pushing and find out." Eva's voice was equally serious and quiet as she stood and left the room.

Dominic looked at his brothers and then went to stare out the window. "This is Barrett's doing. He is tearing this family apart. We need Mia and the twin's home and Barrett gone or dead. I don't care which. Everything will be fine when he is gone."

Jason shook his head at Dominic. An intervention was needed but not for Mia. "What if she truly loves the man, Dominic?"

"Impossible! Barrett is a bastard. She wouldn't be so foolish. She is a good person; she feels a duty to the twins to have them know their father. That is all this is." Dominic ran a hand over his face. "If she spent some time with Nick, they would build a bond. This has always been our plan. Why would she dispute it now other than guilt for the children?" Dominic turned to face his brothers expecting them to agree with him.

Jason shook his head. "I'm not going to lose Mia because you can't accept that she wants Tim around. He is the better match for her. He is the father of her children. He is the better match for our Family. Combined we would be untouchable. If she can get past their history, you have no right to get in their way."

Jason stood up and headed for the door but then stopped, "the twins are his heirs. He's not going anywhere. You need to decide if you want to be a part of her life because if you keep pushing the way you are she will turn her back on you and you will be the one that is gone from Mia and the twin's lives." Jason walked out the door.

Nathan stood as well. "Mia has a right to live whatever life makes her happy. Who the hell do you think you are that you get to decide what that is. I'm disappointed in you brother. You are supposed to be our leader but what you are doing now will lead us to ruin." Nathan followed Jason out the door.

Connor sighed. "I hate Barrett too, but this isn't working. You need to change your approach."

"Everyone seems to be forgetting that Mia is engaged to Nicholas." Dominic said with finality.

Connor snorted and shook his head. "We all saw that proposal. She is allowing him to save face at best."

"Regardless, Mia would not embarrass the Lane family name by calling off the engagement. So long as Dr. Merches does not call off the engagement she will marry him." Dominic smirked.

"Mia will not be forced to wed Dominic. I can't back you on that." Connor stood to leave.

"When did Mia's life become yours to sell." Connor walked out the door and headed to the hospital. He didn't want to be at Lane residence right now. He felt bad about leaving Eva alone with her husband while he was on the warpath, but Eva was tough, she had always handled their most volatile brother just fine.

*

Mia finally calmed enough to step away from Timothy. She smiled at him tightly.

"We can't tell the twins that we are married. You will have to stay in the other guestroom, Tim." Mia said mildly.

Timothy cursed quietly. "I will sleep with my wife, Mia." Mia started to say something.

"We can make it look like I am in the other room, but I want you to understand that I will not be away from you ever again. Not for any reason. Our children need to understand that we are together so their hearts can begin to heal. We need to tell them soon." Timothy told Mia.

"If we tell them now, Sage might tell Dominic." Mia explained her reluctance, soothing Tim's agitation when she reached out and squeezed his hand.

Timothy nodded his head, "We won't tell them we are married but I am not going to act like we are not together. We will tone it down, but it wouldn't be good for us to act like strangers now. Mia we shouldn't put unnecessary strain on our relationship. We need to be close especially because of all this stress we are under."

"We should keep contact between us in front of our children to a minimum. They will not understand." Mia said emphatically.

Tim ran a hand through his hair, "I will try it your way for a few days. We will see if it is an issue or not."

"Come on. Let's go spend the evening with our children." Mia implored Tim. After a beat he nodded.