The miscarriage was… difficult. That was putting it lightly. She had told Titan she was having an abortion, scheduled the appointment, marked it in her calendar, but even then she had doubts. Tasha felt if she made the decision set in stone, the doubts would eventually ebb away, but they didn’t. Two days before her appointment the pains started. It violently shook her from her sleep, bathed in darkness she could feel something between her legs; and when the lights were switched on, everything was bathed in red.
In the panic she froze, only making it halfway to the bathroom before the pain rendered her immobile. She lay on the floor in silence, the dark liquid spreading around her and filling the air with a metallic smell. She was alone, frightened, and somewhat relieved that the final decision wasn’t up to her. Eventually the pain was dulled, Tasha found the strength to put on sweatpants, climb into her car and drive herself to the hospital. The doctors worked in earnest and discretely, sending her back home the next night. She couldn’t face Titan, so she wrote a letter instead, informing him that the baby was gone, not detailing the truth within the lines. Then she disappeared, out of the media spotlight for two months. She didn’t leave her house for the entire time, instead choosing to let the discontent eat her alive.
Martin was a different type of difficult. He infected her life like a parasite, becoming more and more controlling as time passed, the words whispered in her ear tonight were vile and threatening; a testament to just how much Tasha’s nativity caused others to take advantage. She was happy that Titan didn’t comment on the interaction, instead choosing to continue the conversation as if nothing had happen. “Yeah it’s going to start in Europe and then shift to South America I think. The details are still fuzzy so I really have no idea when I can announce it, hopefully soon though.” A glimmer of something happy broke through momentarily, though in the next second she was blinking against the sudden bright flash of a camera man.
“Let’s get a picture of the Ex’s, shall we?”
Most of Titan hated the idea that Tasha had taken away his chance at fatherhood without, what seemed like, a second though. But there a small part of him that, at the very least, respected what she had done. Four years was a long time for a child’s father to be absent, locked away behind bars. Did he really want the first formative years of his child’s life to be spent sitting in front of his father, only to be watched by a correctional officer in the corner? Every conversation they had be monitored? Every visit planned weeks in advanced? It wasn’t fair to the child or to Tasha.
Titan knew first hand what an absent father can do to a child, but it would have been very different situations. He was ready to make sure that every thing was in place for his mini-me, even if Tasha hadn’t. The worst part of the whole situation was Titan’s absence. Either he’s an absent father or an absent boyfriend. He hadn’t been there for her procedure, he hadn’t be able to reassure Tasha that everything was going to be fine, even if he didn’t believe it himself. It was a lose-lose situation.
He frowned when a flash came from his side, turning immediately to the source of the disturbance. How could Titan not expect someone to approach them? Instead of trying to fight it, as every atom in his body screamed for him to, Titan simply turned. “Only one.” His words were short and clear; he didn’t want it getting out that the pair was ‘reconnecting’ or whatever else that damned Informant could come up with.
His arm snaked around her body and hovered the small of her back, but only his finger tips pressed into her dress. His lips pressed into a straight line and his body had become visibly stiff. Should he be this uncomfortable around someone who, only a few years ago, he hated being away from? When the photographer took their picture and finally stalked away, Titan relaxed, leaning against the banister. “Any idea on openers? Or are you going to try to find local talent?” He questioned, his voice returning to a tone that wasn’t exactly relaxed, but definitely more casual.