But It Isn't Right (Duskwood Fanfic)

Justice

My pregnancy was tough. The never-ending fatigue seemed to stay with me the whole time, despite what doctors, Irene, and everyone else tried to do to help me. I struggled to eat and gain the weight I was supposed to, and I slept a lot. I also developed a lot of anxiety about the pregnancy and something going wrong. 

Richy and I resumed therapy, but it was just about the only activity that I had energy for, and he ended up managing a lot of our business matters alone. Sometimes he would go downstairs to record music by himself and during those hours, Jake would usually sit with me. We'd either talk or he'd work on his laptop while I slept.

Little by little, Jake seemed like he was feeling better. We did grounding exercises together, and he and Richy would hang out alone sometimes while I slept and either Irene or Jessy would sit with me. He came out of that tight, restrictive shell he'd built for himself and let Lilly in, much to her joy. By association, he became closer to Dari, too, and then my aunt and uncle, and finally Jessy and Dan. We really were a family now.

I had to go to the hospital a few times already when my blood pressure got too low or I was so dehydrated from vomiting that I nearly fainted. My doctors had trouble regulating my heart condition without affecting the baby. 

At about the sixth month of my pregnancy, Richy was so concerned about what I was going through that he talked to me about getting a vasectomy. "I can't stand the idea of this happening to you again. Li, I think one baby is enough. Birth control didn't work, my sperm and your egg wanted to be together too badly. So I think I need to get snipped."

I cracked up. "Our DNA loves each other as much as we do." I sighed. "I think you're right, though, we don't need to get pregnant again. If you're willing to get surgery, then I'll support that."

"Well, it isn't going to be you getting surgery. Your poor body has been through enough."

"OK, then."

Then the baby came, and my parents and grandparents, Paul, Thomas, and Cleo came to meet him. He had my dark hair and eyes with Richy's curls and crooked smile. We named him Lucas, which was Richy's mother's maiden name. He was completely adored by everyone in the household. And we guessed right--Jake was the best uncle ever. If I ever wondered where my son was, I usually just had to look for Jake. He'd often be staring at his laptop, Lucas tucked into one of his arms, typing with one hand. Irene complained that he was taking away her job, and Jake would blush and mumble something about Lucas learning coding by osmosis.

We'd been living in Manila for almost eighteen months now when we finally got the call from the Federal District Attorney's office. All of the most important people from Jake's list were arrested and would be prosecuted, and only a few managed to flee or offered evidence in exchange for a deal. They needed Jake's testimony, and then his deal would be complete and his charges would be dropped. The prosecutors also wanted our testimony for the kidnapping charges and Tyler's for whatever he was going to add.

We were sitting at dinner, and the mood was anticipatory. "I don't want to move back to the States," I blurted out. A look of delight crossed my aunt's and uncle's faces.

"You're more than welcome to come back," my aunt said. "Any or all of you."

I turned to Richy and gulped. "Sorry, I--"

"Li," he interrupted, smiling. "You're my home. You and Lucas. We can live in Manila if you want. I love it here, so I have no problem with it."

"Well, if you're staying, then so are we," Jessy said, giving Dan a pointed look. 

Dan sighed. "Yeah, yeah, stay in paradise." Jessy giggled and smacked his arm.

I looked over at Jake. "What do you say, Uncle Jake?" Richy grinned at him.