Page 16
Story: Sloth
Arlocarried me to the kitchen and placed me gently on the counter. “You’re pregnant.”
“Well,it wasn’t like we’ve exactly been careful,” I teased.
Hechuckled, leaning his forehead against mine. “I know you’re concerned that Dante’speople will come after us.”
Isighed, looking away. It was a fear that was constantly nagging at me. I triedignoring it and even though we were in the middle of a tiny village somewheredeep in Mexico, we could still be found.
“You’resafe, Ginny. I promise you that you’re safe.”
“Howcan you be so sure?”
Arlotilted his head. “Because I’ve paid some people to watch after you,” heconfessed.
“Really?You paid them? Paid them how?”
“Youknow how.”
Thatmeant that Arlo had to take some people out, but I didn’t want to know more, soI never asked. I was trying to forget the part of my life I had been forcedinto ever since I was born. I didn’t blame my dad for raising me to protectmyself but at the same time, I also resented him in a way. Arlo was alsohelping me through my guilt. While it had been better than before, now that Iwas out of that big house, the guilt was still there. It probably always wouldbe.
Arlohad set up one of our rooms in the house for protection, although it was morelike a fortress. I didn’t blame him really because even if we weren’t together,I would have done the same.
“Ilove you, Ginny,” Arlo said later that night with his hand on my stomach. Hekissed my temple. “I love both of you.”
Icovered his hand and looked up at him. “I love you too. I love both of you.”
Ithad taken me a long time to realize that we were meant to be together and nowthat we were, I wouldn’t change anything.
Bothof us knew how to protect ourselves. Together, we would protect each other andour unborn baby and all of the future babies to come. If we had to move againwe would, but for now, we savored this.
We wouldlive life as peacefully as we could because it was all we had. We would alsoraise our child to be able to protect themself as well. If it was a girl, she wouldbe a damn badass.
Evenmore so than I was.
-Arlo-
While Ginny took abath and ran her fingers through thebubbles that popped around her, I held our daughter, Savannah. She was twomonths old, with a head of dark hair and had tanned complexion that matched myown. She was absolutely beautiful and both of us had fallen in love with her.
I wasconcerned that she would be treated the same way Ginny was throughout her wholelife but both of us promised each other that we wouldn’t raise Savannah thatway. When she was old enough to understand, we would teach her how to protectherself but we wouldn’t prevent her from playing with Barbies or participatingin sports. She could be a ballerina or a princess if she wanted to. Whatevershe wanted, we would do whatever we could to make it happen.
When Ginnyhad stopped fighting this thing between us and agreed to marry me, up until theday she said I do, a part of me had feared she would change her mind and goback to her father’s place. But she hadn’t been back since.
Iwould often check in with the caretakers I had hired to look after the place. Theysaid everything was fine. There had been no drama, but they did mention everynow and again that a group of guys would stay there from time to time. Theywere young and kept to themselves.
Irequested that they be looked after. I also requested pictures of everyone whohad stayed at Ginny’s father’s place. Most I didn’t recognize but this randomgroup of guys that would stay there every so often, I knew they were trying tofind Ginny and her location.
Nothingever happened but I couldn’t help but fear that one day it would. For now, Ginnyand I would spend our days taking care of our daughter, watching her grow andraising her to be the best woman she could be. Until the day came, Ginny and Iwould do what we could to raise her right.
Wecouldn’t dwell on the what ifs and I refused to constantly have to look over myshoulder. Ginny did that enough for the both of us. When Savannah was older,she would take over the family business and I hoped I was around long enough tosee both Ginny and our daughter take out the rest of Dante’s crew.
“Well,it wasn’t like we’ve exactly been careful,” I teased.
Hechuckled, leaning his forehead against mine. “I know you’re concerned that Dante’speople will come after us.”
Isighed, looking away. It was a fear that was constantly nagging at me. I triedignoring it and even though we were in the middle of a tiny village somewheredeep in Mexico, we could still be found.
“You’resafe, Ginny. I promise you that you’re safe.”
“Howcan you be so sure?”
Arlotilted his head. “Because I’ve paid some people to watch after you,” heconfessed.
“Really?You paid them? Paid them how?”
“Youknow how.”
Thatmeant that Arlo had to take some people out, but I didn’t want to know more, soI never asked. I was trying to forget the part of my life I had been forcedinto ever since I was born. I didn’t blame my dad for raising me to protectmyself but at the same time, I also resented him in a way. Arlo was alsohelping me through my guilt. While it had been better than before, now that Iwas out of that big house, the guilt was still there. It probably always wouldbe.
Arlohad set up one of our rooms in the house for protection, although it was morelike a fortress. I didn’t blame him really because even if we weren’t together,I would have done the same.
“Ilove you, Ginny,” Arlo said later that night with his hand on my stomach. Hekissed my temple. “I love both of you.”
Icovered his hand and looked up at him. “I love you too. I love both of you.”
Ithad taken me a long time to realize that we were meant to be together and nowthat we were, I wouldn’t change anything.
Bothof us knew how to protect ourselves. Together, we would protect each other andour unborn baby and all of the future babies to come. If we had to move againwe would, but for now, we savored this.
We wouldlive life as peacefully as we could because it was all we had. We would alsoraise our child to be able to protect themself as well. If it was a girl, she wouldbe a damn badass.
Evenmore so than I was.
-Arlo-
While Ginny took abath and ran her fingers through thebubbles that popped around her, I held our daughter, Savannah. She was twomonths old, with a head of dark hair and had tanned complexion that matched myown. She was absolutely beautiful and both of us had fallen in love with her.
I wasconcerned that she would be treated the same way Ginny was throughout her wholelife but both of us promised each other that we wouldn’t raise Savannah thatway. When she was old enough to understand, we would teach her how to protectherself but we wouldn’t prevent her from playing with Barbies or participatingin sports. She could be a ballerina or a princess if she wanted to. Whatevershe wanted, we would do whatever we could to make it happen.
When Ginnyhad stopped fighting this thing between us and agreed to marry me, up until theday she said I do, a part of me had feared she would change her mind and goback to her father’s place. But she hadn’t been back since.
Iwould often check in with the caretakers I had hired to look after the place. Theysaid everything was fine. There had been no drama, but they did mention everynow and again that a group of guys would stay there from time to time. Theywere young and kept to themselves.
Irequested that they be looked after. I also requested pictures of everyone whohad stayed at Ginny’s father’s place. Most I didn’t recognize but this randomgroup of guys that would stay there every so often, I knew they were trying tofind Ginny and her location.
Nothingever happened but I couldn’t help but fear that one day it would. For now, Ginnyand I would spend our days taking care of our daughter, watching her grow andraising her to be the best woman she could be. Until the day came, Ginny and Iwould do what we could to raise her right.
Wecouldn’t dwell on the what ifs and I refused to constantly have to look over myshoulder. Ginny did that enough for the both of us. When Savannah was older,she would take over the family business and I hoped I was around long enough tosee both Ginny and our daughter take out the rest of Dante’s crew.