Player of Hearts

"Sleeping, she threw up again and was too weak to sit up from the toilet," Jacob explained as he looked at his friend. "Dude you're pissed, and not just at Mother Nature’s handy-work."

"You're right," Victor cleared his throat as he threw the bag of pregnancy tests on the couch as he took his boots off. "I ran into Ava's brother at the store, he seen the tests."

"What did you do?" Tessa demanded.

"Walked away," Victor glared at her. "I wasn't going to hurt him; he's my brother-in-law, even though he hates me."

“Well, shit,” Tessa sighed. “Let’s just hope he doesn’t hunt you the hell down.”

“He wouldn’t,” Jacob said.

“Oh, trust me,” Tess frowned. “He would.”

"Is he a big guy?" Jacob asked with raised eyebrows as he glanced from Tessa to Victor.

"He's six foot four, weight lifter and he has a bad temper," Tessa explained as she twiddled her thumbs. "He's like Toby Keith on crack."

"Oh," Jacob nodded slowly. "Vic could take him."

"I wouldn't want too," Victor sighed as he sat down. "I don't want to hurt Ava by doing anything, because once I start, I can't stop."

"You'd kill him?" Tessa whispered

"Not purposely."

“But you would?”

“More than likely, yeah,” Victor nodded.

“Jesus,” Tessa shook her head. “Jacob? You’re not like Victor, are you?”

“Not that I know of,” He shook his head.

“Oh, thank god,” Tessa put her hand over her heart and kissed him softly.

"No," Victor said sarcastically as he held a hand over his heart. "That didn't hurt."

"Well you just admitting to probably killing you're wife's brother," Tessa said in shock. "That's worth hurting you're dumb ass."

"Listen," Victor leaned forward pointing at Tessa. "I'll do anything to make Avalee happy, and I'll do anything to keep her with me, I love her and nobody will come between us."

"You're very creepy Victor Todd," Tessa laughed as she pointed at him. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."

“It’d be smart if you didn’t,” Victor laughed. “So, should I wake Ava up or…”

“Let her sleep, she needs the rest,” Tessa sighed and lay back on Jacob. “I need rest, too. But every time I get in bed, guess who’s trying to shove their-“

“Stop…” Victor grimaced, holding his hand up to Tess, who giggled.

“Sorry, Vic.”

"Just, don't," he shook his head slowly as he stood up and brushed his shirt off and walked for his bedroom. "I'm going to go sleep with her."

"I thought we agreed on letting her sleep," Tessa laughed as she sat up.

"I plan to let her sleep," Victor rolled his eyes. "I meant let her sleep, and let me sleep."

"Oh," she said sarcastically as she looked at Jacob. "No wonder they are having a pregnancy scare."

“Victor,” Ava mumbled as Victor lay down on the bed next to her.

“Yeah, babe?”

“Would you be mad if I really was pregnant?”

"No baby, of course not," he kissed her forehead and pulled her in his arms, cradling her body to his. "I would love that actually."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" he asked confused as he looked down at her tired, pale face. "That I would love it?"

"Yeah, but mainly about your father."

“Oh,” Victor sighed. “I just avoid it, at all costs. I never really talk about it with anyone.”

“But, I’m your wife,” Avalee yawned. “I think I would have needed to know this kind of thing.”

“Well, I’m sorry,” Victor leaned down and kissed Ava’s forehead.

"It's okay," Avalee yawned as she hugged his middle. "Just talk to me next time please."

"Do you want to meet him?" he cleared his throat. "I mean I'd like to meet your parents."

"You don't need to meet them," Avalee gritted her teeth as she looked at Victor's bright baby blues. "They aren't my parents, they are just shells and surrogates until my brother was old enough to take care of me."

"I'd still like to meet them, to say what a wonderful woman they have as a daughter, even though they don't even deserve it."

“My parents don’t exactly love me,” Ava sighed.

“What?” Victor looked down to her.

“They pawned me off on Bret as soon as he was old enough,” Ava explained. “I was the accident, the problem, the useless one.”

His grip on her stomach tightened and pulled her closer to his chest as he gritted his teeth. "You are not useless, not a problem nor an accident Avalee, you're a surprise, an amazing woman and completely wonderful."

"At least you think that," she yawned and kissed his shoulder. "Thank you for loving me, I was beginning to wonder if anyone could ever."

"Thank you for letting me," he whispered as he kissed her head. "I better not meet your parents, I might cuss them out."

“I can tell,” Ava laughed. “Hey, did you get the pregnancy test?”

“Yes, I did,” Victor nodded. “It’s out on the table.”

“Okay, get it for me, please?”

“Sure,” Victor smiled at Avalee and stood up, walking into the living room.

“How’s Ava?” Tess asked.

"She's better," he held up the pregnancy test as he walked backwards. "She's ready for the test."

"Good luck dude!" Jacob waved his middle finger in the air, causing Victor to flip him off and walk back in the bedroom.

"Here honey," he said handing the test box to Avalee, she glanced at the back for three minutes before she walked to the bathroom. Victor sighed and walked back into the living room.

“Taking it?” Tess looked up to him.

“Yep.”

“Okay,” Tessa nodded. “And best of luck, whatever happens.”

“Thanks,” Victor smiled at Tessa, who playfully blew him a kiss and giggled. After a few minutes, Avalee walked out and leaned against the wall next to Victor. "Negative or Positive."

"I have to wait five minutes," she sighed and leaned her head against the wall. "It's been three."

"Come on," he stood up and pulled her into the bathroom, he placed her on the sink counter and he sat on the toilet lid while staring at the small stick determining his future. "Has it been two minutes?"