The Balance in Love Ch. 05

I'm so sorry for the delay ... the last ten months have been very emotional for me and have caused the worst case of writer's block I think I've ever faced. Some of you have suggested that we write what we know, so yes, some of the events in this story have been inspired by some things that have happened in my life. I appreciate all of the comments and the feedback and I must say, it felt good to get what little I wrote here, down tonight. My life finally seems to be back in a good place and I can let the nightmares of the past recede hopefully into a memory that I can move past as I start my life over with an amazing man who has won, not only my heart, but the hearts of my children who mean the absolute world to me.

Thanks for sticking with my writing, and I hope not to let too long of a gap go before I update this story.

<3

Ashira

*

"How long are you going to be mad at dad?" Abby wanted to know.

"A little while at least. He accused Shane of forcing me to have an abortion!" Ayla exclaimed.

"That's not fair Ayla," Abby said softly.

"Not fair!? You weren't there Abby, he accused Shane of forcing me to abort the baby and screamed at him and ..."

"He's sorry Ayla. You need to forgive dad. He knows he was wrong and your silent treatment is killing him!" Abby exclaimed. "I get you're angry and I understand why, but forgive him already," Abby said softly. Before another word could be spoken, Abby's phone rang, breaking the silence.

"What's wrong?" Ayla asked, seeing the stricken look on her sister's face.

"Dad's been admitted to the hospital," Abby answered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Aya, how is he?" Shane asked when he finally got to the emergency room.

"They are stabilizing dad now, but they won't let us in to see him," Ayla whispered.

"He's going to be fine baby," Shane murmured, stroked Ayla's hair as he held her close.

"I haven't spoken to him in weeks, I'm still so mad at him about him accusing you of forcing me to abort the baby ..."

"Let it go Aya. Just let it all go. Life's too precious and short. He loves you, that's why he was so mad. It doesn't make his reaction a good one, but if he didn't love you, he wouldn't have reacted at all," Shane said softly.

"How's my father?" Abby demanded to know when the doctor stepped out into the hall.

"He's stable, luckily, the heart attack he suffered was a mild one and we'll put in a stent and send him home in a few days. If you girls would like to see him, you have ten minutes, then I want you to go home and come back in the morning," the doctor answered.

"Abby, can I go first?" Ayla asked hesitantly.

"Sure," Abby said with a small smile.

"Daddy?" Ayla asked, knocked gently on the door jam before she walked into the room.

"Ayla, don't be afraid, it looks worse than it is," Peter said, beckoning his daughter forward.

"I'm sorry daddy! I never should have given you the silent treatment! This is all my fault!" Ayla wailed.

"No Ayla, this is not your fault, not at all," Peter said firmly. "My poor diet and lack of exercise is the cause of this. None of this is because you refused to talk to me. You were hurt, angry, and I understand why. I would be just as angry if I were you. I don't know who sent that note, and I don't really care. As long as Shane loves you and is good to you, and to your children when G-d blesses you with them, that is all that is important to me," Peter added.

"I love you daddy," Ayla whispered as she leaned over to give her father a hug.

"I love you too Ayla," Peter replied with a kind smile. "Now, go home with your fiancee and start practicing to make those grandbabies. Just practice," Peter instructed. Ayla choked on her laughter, kissed her father's cheek and headed back for the hall.

"Well?" Abby demanded.

"He seems fine; told me to go home with Shane and just practice at making him some grandbabies," Ayla answered, her cheeks pink.

"Just practice huh?" Shane asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"He said to just practice," Ayla confirmed.

"I'm going to see dad, you do what you want," Abby said before she pushed past her sister and walked into the room.

"What's wrong with her?" Shane wondered.

"Who knows," Ayla murmured. She glanced at her fiancee, asked the nurse a question, left her phone number and followed Shane out of the emergency room.

"What got up your butt yesterday?" Ayla asked Abby when she arrived back at the hospital.

"You were so angry at dad and now that he's sick, you're back to trying to be miss goody-goody," Abby grumbled.

"What the hell? Are you bipolar or something? You wanted me to patch things up with dad and now that I have, you're pissed at me!" Ayla exclaimed.

"I just don't want this reconciliation to be because he's sick," Abby said with a sigh.

"Abby, I love dad, I was just soo angry at him for what he said. I couldn't get over it, but as dad's health just demonstrated, life is way too short, and I don't want to be angry at him anymore," Ayla murmured.

"Fair enough. I'm sorry for being such a bitch," Abby said.

"Apology accepted." Ayla looked up as Shane walked into the waiting room with cups of coffee and blueberry muffins. "My hero," Ayla said with a smile.

"Where'd you find this guy?" Abby wanted to know.

"History class," Ayla answered, giving Shane a wink.

"I have good news for you. Your father pulled through the procedure with flying colors and will be released in a day or two. He's a lucky man to have two beautiful young women in his corner," the doctor said.

"He's annoying," Shane commented after the doctor had left the waiting room.

"How so?" Abby asked.

"He was flirting with both of you," Shane answered. "Not that he shouldn't, you're both very beautiful," he added.

"Jealous?" Ayla asked.

"No, you've given me no reason to be jealous of any man," Shane replied.

Ayla smiled and hugged Shane. "Good," she said simply.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Aya, are you okay?" Shane asked from the doorway of the bathroom. "Are you sick again?" he added, not really needing an answer, Ayla hovering over the toilet answered the questions for him as a million thoughts running through his mind.

"I feel like shit. The flu is going around at work," Ayla groaned.

"Are you pregnant?" Shane asked nervously, not sure what he wanted the answer to be.

Ayla shook her head slowly as she leaned back against the wall. "It's just the flu. I had my period last week, remember?" Ayla murmured.

"Are you sure? Didn't you say it was a light period? I've heard that sometimes women think they're having their periods but they're really just having breakthrough bleeding and are actually pregnant," Shane rambled.

"If you want me to take a test Shane, go out, buy one and I'll take it," Ayla said wearily.

"Honey, I just want to make sure that we know if you get pregnant, so we can keep you healthy," Shane assured her.

"Shane, go buy a test so we both have some peace of mind," Ayla said with a sigh. Shane pressed a kiss to the top of Ayla's head and hurried out of the apartment.

"How long does it take to get the results back?" Shane asked as he handed the box to Ayla.

"Get out and let me take the damn test," Ayla said grumpily, both thrilled and terrified at the thought of a baby. She wasn't sure if she was ready, but she knew she wanted Shane's child, but she was terrified that if she was pregnant, that it would end in a miscarriage ... she didn't know if she'd survive that again.

"Aya ..."

"Three minutes Shane, just let me take the test and we'll know for sure," Ayla said softly. Shane nodded and backed out of the room, and when Ayla opened the door a moment later, she found him sitting on the floor, his head bowed to his knees. She crouched down in front of him and he looked up. "Are you ready to find out if we're having a baby?" Ayla asked quietly. Shane shook his head and then nodded; Ayla chuckled and then stood up.

"Ayla, before you go in there, I want you to know that pregnant or not, I love you and I can't wait to marry you," Shane said, his voice so dry that the words sounded hoarse.

"I know. I love you too," Ayla murmured. They walked into the bathroom, then hand in hand, peered down at the pregnancy test.

It was negative.