Page 52 of Aidan (The Doherty Mafia)
“They threatened me with abortion. They said that if I didn’t follow their plan, they would force an abortion on me. They said I couldn’t be in this town and have your baby out of wedlock. They wouldn’t stand for it. They left me with no choice.”
“Yes, you had a fuckin’ choice, and you chose your parents over me.”
I tried sucking in as much air as I could. It became harder for me to breathe.
“No, Aidan, I chose the baby. Or, at least I thought I did. I truly believed that none of us would ever be at peace if I lived here with you, raising our child. And I was afraid they would find a way to lay claim on me. To force an abortion on me.”
“And how the fuck would they have done that? Kidnapped you while you slept in my bed?” He was raging mad. His face was red. He had his fists clenched tightly. I expected his head to pop open any moment now and hot lava to flow.
I couldn’t stop picturing every nightmare scenario possible.
“I wasn’t thinking. I wasn’t thinking straight. They had me locked in the house, and then they gave me a ticket and said I had no choice but to go away. My father was going to drive me to the station. They’d taken away my phone and money. I literally had nothing. No way to contact you. I was pregnant and afraid of the baby getting hurt.” I blubbered as I tried speaking through my tears.
Aidan continued to fume. His chest heaved while I waited for the question. I knew it was coming. He came around to it while trying to make sense of my story, which didn’t even make sense to me anymore.
“So you left. And you didn’t call me once you arrived at wherever the fuck you went. You let me carry on thinking you left of your own free will because you wanted to get away from me. I would have gone and brought you back from wherever you were.”
“I thought it would be for the best. I thought you wouldn’t even be ready to be a father. We hadn’t discussed it. I thought we were both better off this way.”
Aidan’s voice was bitter and cold when he spoke next. “So you didn’t know me at all.”
I looked away, pressing my eyes closed as I tried to stop the tears.
“Where is the child? Is it a boy or a girl?”
“A boy. I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. He has your eyes and your hair, Aidan. He looks just like you.” My heart broke all over again as I spoke.
Aidan’s eyes had turned glassy. He had a faraway look on his face—almost like he imagined what it would be like to hold his son in his arms.
“Where is he? Why didn’t you bring him here?” he growled.
I forced the lump down my throat. I had come so far already. I had to tell him everything now.
“I don’t know where he is, but I know he’s with his parents. His adoptive parents,” I replied.
I expected there to be a gigantic outburst. I was ready for it. Maybe he’d punch the wall. Maybe he’d walk straight out of my apartment. Maybe he’d pick up the vase on the coffee table and smash it to the ground. Threaten me?
But none of that happened.
Aidan just continued staring at me like he expected there to be a second part to my statement. He hoped this was just a joke.
I stood there silently, looking back at him—hoping the information would finally settle.
Then he narrowed his eyes at me.
“Did you just say you gave the baby up for adoption? Our baby? My son?”
There was venom in his voice, but I couldn’t see evidence of that on his face. Somehow, he was able to keep calm.
“I didn't know what else to do, Aidan. I was so young. I was lost and in pain. I didn’t know what the future held for me and I thought the best thing I could do for the baby was to give him a better life than the one he would have had with me.”
“So you don’t know where he is?”
I shook my head.
“You don’t know how he is?”
“He was adopted by good people. I looked through many profiles and made the best selection I thought I could. He is being well looked after. I’m sure of it.”
Aidan didn’t say anything more.
I lost track of time. I wanted him to say something. I wanted him to smash that vase on the floor if he had to. I wanted him to punish me. I knew how he felt—frustrated and helpless. Just like I had felt too.
“If I could turn back time and make those decisions all over again, I would never leave, Aidan. I would want our baby to be raised here. To have a father and belong to the Doherty family. I know better now, but back then I was scared and confused…”
