Wicked Games

Two weeks after Callie's wedding we were on a plane to New York and I was still struggling to accept that I'd accepted everything. HOLY SHIT! Tyler was euphoric and hovered around me constantly yet for me it was all still surreal. I had dedicated myself though so I committed to working through the barrage of questions and second-guesses inside me. I couldn't wait to see the look on Marie and Travis's faces and that helped. We swore Marley to secrecy so there was telling all the rest to look forward to also.

Garrett was doing a bang-up job of wining and dining Marley so I wasn't concerned she'd slip. After our very long flight, via London, I was wiped out. It was great to see the Kane's but it was the middle of my night and I wanted a bed. Thankfully after a few hours of shut-eye, I felt marginally better.

"Morning Mrs Kane and baby Kane" He kissed my cheek then my belly. I kissed him slowly then stretched out; it was going to be a great morning. "Hi! Do you think you could help a sister out with breakfast, I'm starving?" When he sauntered back in I was dressed and trying to make something of my bird's nest of tangled. "You are so beautiful Aliana; I must be the luckiest guy alive"

A half an hour later we were driving to Marie's favourite deli. As we took our seats Travis asked why we were up this early. "Don't blame me, she's hungry for two." Tyler hinted. Travis was still commenting on my amazing metabolism when Marie's head snapped up. "Are you?" Marie asked pointing at my abdomen, I nodded slowly and she whooped and squealed.

"What?" Travis was getting very frustrated. "You're going to be a grandfather dad." "Oh my God, you're pregnant?" "Yip and..." "...and she agreed to marry me." Travis had tears in his eyes when he rounded the table to congratulate us, they were thrilled and we had to relay the whole story (omitting the Milo bits) to them. When we left Travis walked with his chest a little more puffed out than usual and Marie didn't walk at all but seemed to glide across the floor.

Come Monday afternoon I had been congratulated a million times. All this seemed to cement it for me, this was a done deal, no chance to change course or back out. Molly asked if I wanted to meet up, her and a few of the others were having drinks at a bar/restaurant we used to frequent. Tyler was dropping in on Mr Lee at the DOJO so he'd meet mqe after; we parted at the crossroad with a lingering kiss and halfway down the opposite block I saw Molly waving frantically.

We caught up for a while before our friends arrived, they were a lively bunch and an hour later Trip walked in with his crowd making our party even larger. Some of the guys had gone to school with Ty or knew him from MMA, they were excited to hear our news. He sent a text to say he was on his way.

Coming out of the loo I spotted a kid sitting on a chair near the kitchen; I thought he looked too young to be on his own. "Hi, little man, why are you sitting here all alone?" "Hi, I'm waiting for my mom." "Oh, I see does she help out here?" "When she's not sick. Why do you talk funny?" "Well, it's the accent. I'm from South Africa, do you know where that is." "No, is it far?" He squinted up at me. "It is but it's really beautiful, maybe you'll go there one day when you're older." He shrugged and smiled the sweetest little lopsided grin at me. I found myself suddenly imagining what our son would look like if it was a boy. For some reason, I feel it's a girl.

"Well I'll see you around, I have to go because I'm meeting my fiancé. Wave good-bye if you see me?" "Okay, but what's a fiancé?" "It means we are going to get married soon." His little face turned down into a frown, he said that his parents weren't married and he didn't know his dad.

"Oh honey, I'm sorry but I'm sure your mom loves you for both." What else could I say? He shrugged again and said that it depended on how she was feeling. My heart sank for him. Just then a very fidgety stick insect with dark rings under her eyes came over to ask if her son was bothering me.

"Not at all, I've been very bored waiting for my" "Fiancé" He interrupted and grinned "Well done, exactly and talking to this little man has been the best." I winked at the boy and greeted his mother. She looked as though she were having an allergic reaction to something, all sniffs and scratching. I remembered Luca introducing me to a friend of his once, an ex-meth addict, he had acted similarly. I sincerely hoped that for the boy's sake it wasn't the case.

I turned to see a little hand on my arm; the kid told me his name was TJ. I introduced myself and shook his hand very seriously, which he found hilarious. "That's my mom, Jaime." I waved at the girl who now seemed even more anxious than before. She waved back and told her son that they were going to be late, her head stayed down the entire time. Trip saw her when she walked over and almost swallowed his tongue. She looked like a caged animal when she realised it was Tyler. I watched them leave and pass by him.

"Oh fuck!" Trip watched too and was halfway across the room before I could ask. "What? What is going on?" A guy from Trip's crowd took the seat next to me and explained. "See the girl?" "Jaime?" "Oh, you know her?" He frowned at me. "No, I met her earlier." Get to the point, I thought. "Well, a few years back Tyler had a huge fall out with the girl he was seeing and got completely rat-faced. He ended up sleeping with Jaime." I bit my tongue. "Okay so awkward but what's the biggie?" I played it cool. "Isn't it obvious who the kid looks like?"

"Wait, you think Tyler is TJ's father." I laughed out. "She's never openly admitted it but my cousin knows her and she says TJ is short for Tyler James, Jaime is also named after her dad, James." He was called by some-one and excused himself. I looked out the window, Tyler and Jamie were talking rapidly at each other. Trip brought TJ back in with him. TJ caught my eye and gave me another of his lopsided grins, this time my heart dropped. Oh crap, he was a replica of Tyler but his eyes were the same pale blue as...as Marie's. Oh. My. Fuck!

I went over to TJ and Trip looked devastated. He couldn't meet my eye. "Hey honey, tell me, how old are you?" "I turned 4 in April." I worked it back in my head and swung the door open. A red mist seemed to be edging my sight; I stormed over to Tyler and Jaime. "What does TJ stand for Jamie?" Tyler looked confused then sick, he tried pulling me away.

"It's, it's a family name." At least she didn't lie. "Like Tyler James." I looked between them and they both bleached. "Oh my God Jaime is that...?" Tyler swayed on his feet. "I didn't know until it was too late to abort. I was still using and by the time I sorted myself out no doctor would terminate at 5 months so I couldn't get rid of the baby." The explanation rushed out of her and I felt as though I was drowning. "He's your son!" I said it more to myself then to Tyler. He shook his head in disbelief "It can't, no, I didn't know, Ali."

"I went to my aunt in Jersey; I lied and said the father had been called up for duty." She was getting more frantic. "So he doesn't know who his father is?" Tyler asked quietly "No." At least she'd had the decency to look ashamed. "Are you using now?" I wanted to know "Only a little now and then." I knew she was lying. "You take drugs around your son." Tyler grabbed her arm and pushed up her sleeve. Little puncture marks ran along the inside of her elbow.

"Tyler I wanted to tell you so many times." "But you didn't. Oh my God..." Tyler was furious and I was over all of it, I walked away, went back in and told Molly I was leaving. The entire group gawked at me in pity. I wanted to strangle Tyler and Jaime. I walked in the opposite direction to them and started sobbing. After everything I I gave up.

I knew I was going into shock and should go to the hospital or to Marie's but I didn't, I went to the apartment and started vomiting violently. Tyler had a son and he wasn't mine, he belonged to a stupid junkie that hadn't bothered to tell him who his father is. How could she not tell Tyler? Tyler had a son...holy shit! What would happen now? Tyler would never leave his son, what about Jaime. Oh crap, this was too much to handle, I really wished I could speak to Milo. The thought of Milo sparked the sharp shallow pants that caused me to blackout.

"Aliana are you okay? What happened, where's Tyler?" Travis was kneeling beside me. I gave into fresh sobs and told him fragments between heaves. He was helping me to the couch when Tyler burst through the door. Travis stood between us and asked what the hell he'd done. Tyler passed his father and dropped down beside me. "Ali I'm so sorry, I don't know what to say."

"How could you Tyler." "I didn't know!" he shouted at me then apologized. "As far as I know there's only one way to make a baby Tyler. You don't use a condom." I snapped back. Travis cut in and demanded to know the full story. "Dad please, I will explain everything just...I need to talk to Ali first okay." "What is this about Tyler?" "His son." It came out as mangled as I felt. I shot up and past them to vomit again but everything tilted and I smacked the floor, then it was wonderfully black and quiet.