Her Home

Vincent woke up to someone pounding on the door. He felt Rebecca stir next to him. He sent her a smile as she turned around, opened her eyes and grunted at him. "I'll get it," he told her. He kissed her on her forehead letting his lips linger for longer than normal.

"It's probably the girls," she said pulling away to look into his eyes.

BANG, BANG, BANG

"I'm guessing we can't just ignore them?" Vincent asked her. She laughed and shook her head. "Okay," he sighed before getting up and walking to the front door.

"I knew it!" Joni shouted as soon as she sees Vincent standing in front of her. Vincent opened his mouth to ask her what she was talking about but both girls pushed past him. "Where is Becs?" Joni turned around to look at him before turning around to shout at Rebecca.

"I'm coming," she said as she stomped down the stairs.

"Why was the chain on the door, Becs?" Joni crossed her arms with a look on her face that was angry. It quickly morphed into a smile and then a laugh. Rebecca rolled her eyes. "Vince locked up last night. I didn't think to tell him I don't use the chain," she shrugged as she walked past her best friend. She waved at Rosalina who was sitting on the couch. "Why wouldn't I use the chain?" Vincent asked her as he followed her into the kitchen area.

"I don't use it. They all have keys but if the chains on they can't get in," Rebecca told him like it was the most obvious answer in the world and not a big deal at all. Vincent thought different.

"You what?" he nearly shouted. Rebecca rolled her eyes and turned to face him. She handed him a cup for his coffee and moved around him so he could get to the pot. She had remembered the night before to set the timer so that it would be done for him to drink when he woke. "That's not safe, Rebecca," he said to her. Rebecca chose not to respond and walked back to sit in the chair beside the couch that Joni had joined Rosalina on. She heard him sigh and mumble something to himself under his breath. She was sure he was either cursing her or telling himself to get more guards for her place. Either way, she was ignoring it.

"Why aren't you ready?" Rosalina finally spoke.

"What do you mean?"

"Are you serious? Did he put it down so go you forgot?" Rebecca blushed at Rosalina's words. Vincent cleared his throat. It wasn't until Rosalina said this that he realized he was still in nothing but his boxers. He quickly ran up the stairs to put his clothes on. All three girls laughed.

"I thought you said he didn't live here," Joni whispered. She sat back with a smug smirk on her face. Rebecca rolled her eyes.

"He doesn't. He had a rough night last night. We decided to stay in instead of dinner. It got late so, he stayed the night," she watched Joni's smile get wider. "We just slept," she added when she realized what it looked like. Joni looked at her like she didn't believe her.

"It's true," Vincent said as he got to the bottom of the steps. Drawing all their attention to him. Rebecca rolled her eyes but sent him a grateful smile.

"Whatever," Joni rolled her eyes when she realized they were telling the truth. "Anyway. Go get dressed so we can go. I want to pick clothes out for my niece."

"I don't really feel like it today. Plus, it's a little early. We don't even know that it's a girl. It might be a boy." Vincent head snapped up.

"It is a boy," he stated. He could feel a smile on his face. He liked the idea of them having a boy. Rebecca noticed his smile but said nothing.

"Rebecca will you walk me to the door?" He asked her as he buttoned the button on his cuff. She nodded and grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair where he had left it the night before. He stopped at the door and took the jacket. He threw it on before looking at her with a smile. "Thanks for last night. Being so understanding," He made sure to look her right in the eyes so she knew that he truly meant what he was saying.

"No big deal," she shrugged. He reached out and moved a strand of hair from her forehead and kissed it.

"It was a big deal to me," he smiled down at her. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Joni and Rosalina were leaning over the back of the chair together and listening in on their conversation. Rebecca tried to wave them away but they just waved at her with huge smiles. Vincent laughed and turned back to Rebecca, "I am going to go and figure out what to do about the roadblock but I will be back around later and I will actually take you to dinner, okay?" He kissed her cheek again as she nodded her head. "Oh, and here," he reached his hand in his pocket and pulled out a black credit card. "Take this and buy whatever you want for the baby and for yourself," he held it out for her to take.

"No," she shook her head and pushed her hand back to him. "I can't take that."

"Rebecca, he is my child too," he reasoned and pushing against her hand.

"I can buy our child things myself," she told him pushing back the card.

"I know that. Please don't make this a feminist thing. Just let me take care of you both," he rolled his eyes.

Joni and Rosalina had moved closer to them and were watching their argument. Both tried not to laugh as Rebecca and Vincent pushed the card back and forth between them. Joni finally had enough and grabbed the card from Vincent's hand. "I will make sure she buys a bunch of baby stuff. And even maybe a little something nice for you," she winked at him, "if you buy us lunch again too?" Vincent laughed and nodded his head.

"Whatever you girls want." Joni smiled big and backed up a little.

"Do you want me to get you anything then?" Rebecca asked him.

"sei tutto cio' di cui ho bisogno," he kissed her on the cheek before leaving. Rebecca watched him walk out the door before she turned and looked at her two friends with a confused look. She noticed that Rosalina was smiling. Rebecca remembered that Domenico had been teaching her Italian.

"Are you going to tell me what he said?" Rosalina smiled wider and giggled a little.

"He said you're all he needs." Joni and Rebecca's eyes widen as they look at each other.

"That is so cute. Look at you getting big bad mafia man to whisper sweet nothings into your ear," Joni threw her head back and laughed loud. Rebecca shook her head at bother friends when Rosalina joined her in her laughter.

"Go. Get. Dressed." Rosalina said as she tried to gasp for air. Rebecca headed up the stairs to get dressed. No matter how much she wanted to there was no point in fighting them on going shopping.

Throwing on the first pair of leggings and a sweater that nearly reached her knees, she threw her hair into a messy bun and slipped her feet into her favorite slip on sneakers before heading back downstairs.

"Nope!" Joni stated sharply. "Not happening. You have maybe three months before you have to start wearing elastic and I am not going to let you waste your skinny time," she pointed toward the loft to tell her to go back up and change. "You're crazy. I am giving in to your ridiculous shopping trip. So be grateful," Rebecca grabbed her purse and headed for the door. "Are you two coming?" She shouted as she left the apartment.

They spent several hours looking around five star rated baby stores that Joni had found online. She told Rebecca that her future godchild deserved only the best so no store with less than five stars. Rebecca laughed and told her she was crazy but she let her drag her around the city.

"Can we please go eat?" Rosalina whined. "I'm starving." Rebecca nodded her head in agreement and both gave Joni their best puppy dog faces.

"Ugh fine. Just let me buy these," Joni told them and walked to the checkout counter.

"What are you doing here?" Rebecca heard a familiar Russian accent from behind her. It took a second to remember where she heard it but she rolled her eyes when she did. She turned around and kissed her teeth. She watched as the tall strawberry blonde looked her up and down while she smacked her gum.

Rosalina sensed the tension and leaned in to whisper into Rebecca's ear loud enough for everyone to hear, "Who's the hooker?" Joni heard this and thanked the saleslady she was talking to and joined them by the door. She took in the short skirt that hung to just under her ass and the skin-tight shirt that hugged her very pregnant stomach.

"Please tell me you didn't join a mommy group for hookers," Joni looked at Rebecca. All three girls laughed.

"Milena Chaykovsky," she introduced herself and held her hand out toward the group. All three looked at her hand and then back at her. "I'm assuming you heard then?" She smirked at Rebecca.

"That you're a lying perra? Yeah," Rebecca sneered at her.

"How dare you speak to me in that tone," Milena stomped her foot. "Don't you know who I am and who my fiancé is?" She smirked when she saw a shocked look cross Rebecca's face. "He didn't tell you then?" Rebecca took a deep breath and told herself over and over she couldn't hit a pregnant woman.

"Her face isn't pregnant," Rosalina said. Rebecca looked at her and realized she had been saying that out loud. Rebecca turned back to Milena and took a step toward her. She smirked a little when Milena took a step back.

"I'm not some stupid girl that believes everything some jealous little girl tells her. I would tell you what I think of you but I'm guessing you're about six months along so I wouldn't want your child to hear words like that. But I will tell you that you need to stay in your lane or else you will have me to deal with." Rebecca noticed Milena gulp and this satisfied her for some reason. She wondered if Vincent ever threatened someone and felt this weird sense of pride that she was feeling now. She kind of liked the feeling and that scared her. She quickly pushed past Milena and ran out of the store. She started walking down the street going nowhere in particular. She just needed to breathe. She could hear Joni and Rosalina calling her name telling her to slow down but she couldn't.

"Bec, please. Slow down," Joni said as she grabbed her wrist. Rebecca whipped around and looked at her friends. "What was that about?" Rebecca could tell she was about to cry and she didn't want to.

"Can we go back to my place and just order in lunch?” She whispered. Rosalina and Joni nodded their heads and hugged her.

"You and Chinese or pizza?" Rosalina asked as they started walking down the sidewalk.

"Both?" They all laughed.

"Whatever the preggo lady wants, the preggo lady gets," Joni shouted. "It's on the baby daddy anyway," she giggled.

Rebecca kept her focus and didn't cry until they had reached her apartment. Rosalina ordered food on the way home so it didn't take long for it to arrive. She was eating an eggroll when the dam of tears finally burst. "Becs?" Joni got her attention. "What's going on?" Rebecca shook her head.

"Noth-" she was cut off when her phone rang. "Hello?" She answered.

"Rebecca. Are you okay?" Vincent's panicked voice came through the phone.

"I'm fine," she rolled her eyes. Vincent sighed with relief.

"Thank God. Ros text Dom and told him what happened. I'm so sorry." Rebecca sent Rosalina a glare. Rosalina mouthed a sorry to her and sunk back on the couch.

"Vince. I swear I am fine. I promise," she told Vincent again.

"I am working on this. It won't happen again," he reassured her. "I will see you for dinner. I hope you still feel up to it?" Rebecca nodded before remembering he couldn't see her. "Dinner sounds good still," she told him.

"Good. I will see you then. Call me if you need anything. Please," he said before hanging up before she could respond knowing she would argue with him. Rebecca smiled at her phone. "He really does call to check up on you," Joni commented.

"Ros told Dom what happened," she glared at her best friend again.

"Look. I'm sorry but I thought he should know that you were upset. Isn't stress bad for the baby or something?" Rebecca nodded.

"You're right. Thanks," Rebecca sighed. "I just don't want him thinking I can't take care of myself."

"Someone caring about you doesn't mean you can't take care of yourself," Rosalina said. "It just means that you have someone who cares and you have a lot more than just Vince. We all love and care about you and this baby." Joni nodded her head.

"Boy or girl. We are going to all be there for you and the monkey," she said making Rebecca snort.

"Stop calling my child a monkey." Joni shook her head.

"Never." All three of them laughed. "I think you should give Vince a real chance," Joni stated after they had all sobered. Rosalina and Rebecca looked at her shocked that Joni had an opinion and was voicing it. Joni always liked to act like Switzerland. "What?"

"You mean you aren't just going to support me no matter what I decide?" Rebecca asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"I will no matter what you choose. But I think that this baby deserves to grow up in a home full of love and you deserve to be happy and in love," Joni shrugged.

"Agreed," Rosalina shouted. Rebecca smiled at her friends. She was happy to have their full support either way and she liked hearing how they actually felt. "The danger though is the real problem." Rosalina sighed.

"I have told you once and I will tell you again. He will do everything to make sure you're safe." Rebecca nodded.

"I know but-," she started but Rosalina held up her hand. Joni was the one that spoke though.

"No. No buts." Joni sat up on the edge of the couch. "Do you trust him?" Rebecca nodded. "Then stop fighting it." Rebecca nodded and started picking at her nails. "Maybe you're right," she smiled at them.