Divorced! Now what?
Chapter 135

Theo POV

Watching from above, safe in the chopper, was like watching a movie on television; it was so surreal. That was until Bethany was hauled out of the sewer, and we had to wait and watch. I could not get them to land the chopper fast enough when Scott brought her out for us to see she was alive.

My heart was beating so fast. I was never more relieved than when I had her in my arms, telling her I loved her, and I do. So damn much, it hurts. She did not say anything; she just stood complaint in my arms, a few tears streaming down her face, which was not a good sign. While the paramedics were working on Bethany, I called Dad, and he said he would be waiting at Thomas's place with his bag in hand. When he got my call earlier, he had already set out that I was on a chopper, and Bethany was taken. I had no idea we would have to go back to Thomas's place with her. We knew nothing at all, but Dad and his gut feelings had him headed to where he would be needed. When we arrived, and he took her away to check her over, I was glad he followed his gut instincts. Bethany was sleeping now. Dad jabbed her, not that she needed it. She was so exhausted, but Dad thought giving her one would give her a deeper, more restful sleep.

Thomas's home was peaceful, comfortable, and homely, and it was a loving place to sit and relax. Bob was relaxed in the lounge, humming a tune to Mini Bob; all seemed to be calm. You would not think a little while ago; I was hovering above a stable, wondering if I would see my girl again alive. A knock on the door broke the peaceful silence in the lounge, and soon Pam came walking in. My blood ran cold; she was the last person I wanted to see, and I had not expected her here. Bob seemed to have expected her and not warned me. He tapped me on the shoulder to reassure me all was well before taking her down the hallway and into a room down there; I would love to be a fly on the wall.

Judy gave me a mini Bob to hold. He was a cute baby. He was fast asleep with his hands held together and resting under his chin-so pretty. I yearn for one of my own. Could I convince Bethany to become a Mother, or would she have doubts after all this that her Mother put her and her sister through? I hope she does not have self-doubts. It would be too soon to expect her to start her own family, but maybe all this could have the opposite effect, and she does want her own family to prove she is not like her mother; the brain is a complicated organ that no scientist had worked out.

Thomas came and sat beside Dad and me. He looked at Mini Bob for a while before he started to ask questions.

'What happened?' He had not been in the loop. Bob gave him the short version, but this was the first time he had seen the results firsthand.

'Bethany was taken to the old quarry, where Bret was waiting for her with a gun. He told her a lot of stuff, but he lost it when she told him Cynthia and Wendy were dead. When he finished ranting and raving about things, he stood up and raised the gun at her head, and Scott fired the shot that put his brains all over Bethany! That was my shortened version, short and to the point. That was all I wanted to say about it.

'Never liked the guy or how he and Cynthia were around each other all the time. I thought something was up.' He spat out softly, not wanting to wake the baby. The house was not where you had to tiptoe around the baby, but his angry voice could be picked up by him and upset the little one.

'Yeah, he was a real scum bag; going back to junior school years, his Dad was a crook, so it should not surprise me that both his sons turned out to be the same! 'His Dad?'

'Yeah, got killed during a bank holds up, mother was already dead from a drug overdose a couple of years before, he and the older brother were put in foster care for about two years before the older brother was old enough to take care of him.' 'Geeze, he never stood a chance. His brother was worse than his Dad. Managed to get to the top of the most wanted list early in life! Hank said from the other side of the room where he sat, watching and listening to us chat.

'Did you know the parents?' Thomas knew so little. His lifestyle was often frowned upon, so he avoided judgmental people while navigating life and growing a family.

'I did; his mother went to school with me; she was a lot like Cynthia, but worse, in some ways, because she was already on drugs at an early age. She met her husband, though I do not know if they ever married, and had four kids, but two were lost in suspicious circumstances.

Judy joined us, brought coffee and cake with her, and took the baby from me. I did not want to give him back, and I could feel the warm place he had been lying on my chest as if he was still there. Right in front of us all, Judy lifted her top and started feeding the little one. That was one of the most beautiful sights I have seen in a while. Judy had covered herself enough to see only the child; you could not see where he had latched on, but it was beautiful, and you could hear him drinking away, the hungry little man. Bethany came down, sat next to me, and snuggled in; Nate followed her in with some sweet tea, and he insisted she drink. Begrudgingly, she sat up and drank the tea in one gulp, then smiled sweetly at Nate and snuggled back into me, her head tilted so she could watch the baby drink.

'Such a beautiful sight, don't you think?' Bethany said it was the first time she had spoken since she got here; it was grunts, groans, and nods of her head. I took this as a positive sign.

'Yes, I can't wait till we have one of our own to hold and cuddle,' I said without thinking; she looked up at me with puzzlement on her face as if she was trying to read what I had told as true. 'You want to have a baby?' she asked eventually.

'Yep, with you, when you are ready. mini Bob has made me realize what I am missing out on.' I kissed her on the nose, and she giggled, a sound that filled me with warmth, a sign of healing. 'Do you want to get married first?' I wondered where she was headed with this.

'When you are ready, I don't want to rush you. But if you will have me, I would be honored to be your husband and father of your children! I watched her face as she thought of what I had said. She then sighed and snuggled in. We were content watching Little Bob drink, and Judy chatted away as if it were nothing, and it felt comfortable.

That was until Bob entered the room, followed by Pam, and I could have sworn that Bethany tried to shrink beside me, and I wondered what that was all about. Bob noticed it, too, and frowned.

'Bethany, sweetheart, would you like to come with me and we can talk?' Bethany looked at him, then at Pam, then back at Bob, and nodded. She got up and went to Bob, who wrapped his arms around her and led her down the hall to the same room he had just left. Pam took the seat Bethany had just left and looked like she had been crying, but I was not going to ask any questions.