Earlier, when Max called that she needed to come back ASAP she was scared and packed her already packed bag and every other thing quickly to meet up with the plane Dimitri sent.
She had been praying to GOD that Sofia’s complications did nothing to endanger her or the baby.
She was slightly vexed at the men since they were adamant about letting her know what the issue was.
When she arrived in New York, Max and Dimitri were already at the airport waiting to receive her. She immediately rushed towards them asking but got no answer from them.
“Just come with us so we can take you to her” was what Max said before ushering her into the back of his car with Dimitri sitting in the passenger seat.
The car stopped in front of an apartment building and she immediately got out of the car and climbed up the stairs to go into the reception.
“Hold on,” Max said from behind her with Dimitri following behind him.
She was so in a hurry to get to her best friend and has been so anxious since Max called and during the car ride too, and they not telling her what the issue was intensified her fear for her friend and baby.
She entered and look around to see the receptionist table that was located on the left side of the reception. She took a step to walk over there when she felt a firm grip on her forearm.
Looking back she saw that it was Dimitri who held her and she frowned a bit. He put his arms around her and led her in the direction of the elevator with Max following beside them.
She then noticed he was carrying a brown grocery bag and a plastic bag.
“Are those ice cream and chips? Hope they are enough?” she asked and he nods with a small smile.
“I figured she will want you to stay over and decided to get some more.”
“Is she alone in the apartment?”
“My mum is there with her”
She nods and looked back to her front waiting for the elevator to open already.
“But just assure me she is fine”
“I hope so too” he replied.
“Is there a need to go to the hospital?” she asked again.
“No, and she didn’t answer me when I asked about going to the hospital,” he said sadly.
“Max, she would have told you but…” he shook his head no.
“It’s fine, we have talked about it already,” he said to her and she nods feeling relieved about that issue.
That is sorted out, now she has to go make sure her bestie is okay and well.
Just then the elevator opened to a well-furnished penthouse.
All three of them entered, Max pointed at where she could find Sofia and she sprinted there. She dint have the time to check the interiors of the living room because all that was on her mind was her bestie.
Walking into the mini hallway and looked at the right side till she found the right door and knocked.
She got no response and knocked again, still no response so she placed her hand on the knob of the door and turned but it didn’t open. She locked it from inside.
“Sof, it’s me Audri open the door and let me in,” she said a bit loud and heard nothing.
She was about to knock again when she heard some faint shuffling then footsteps coming in closer before the door was whipped open by a sad-looking Sofia who had the same oversized shirt on with a sweatpant beneath.
Her hair was tied in a loose ponytail and her eyes were red from crying so much.
“What hap-” she was interrupted by Sofia going straight into her arms and crying hard.
She immediately wrapped her arms around her and looked to her side where Max and Dimitri were standing watching them. She nods to Max and he returned the favor before she went inside the room with Sofia still in her arms.
They both walked to the bed and sat down while Sofia kept crying on her shoulders.
“It would be fine, okay? It would be. Please just be calm” she said to her hair and placed a kiss there as she caress her hair.
“Baby, tell me what is wrong? Why are you crying? You know you shouldn’t be stressing yourself, especially with your present condition” she said all at once.
She was worried about what could have made her best friend cry this hard and at the same time worried about the baby in her. All these wouldn’t in any way help her situation that is why she needs to calm her down.
She knows Sofia to be a strong-willed woman who doesn’t let any petty thing get to her, she barely ever cries except she was watching emotional movies or is saying something about her late dad.
She for sure knows how important family is to this beautiful strong woman and the affairs of her family and people she cares about keeping her on the edge.
The only time she saw Sofia in such a crying state was when they first met at the college bathroom and that was because she lost her dad to an accident.
And she crying this much to have wanted her presence here mea… then it started to click. Lilliana.
Her eyes widened and she took her head from laying on her shoulder so she can look into her eyes.
“Is… is it… is it about Lilliana?” she asked with a frown and searching for answers from her friend’s crying face.
“Sh–sh–she’s fine… right?” she asked and that made Sofia cry the more.
Then a knock was heard on ht door and she instructed the person to come in. It was Max with a tray of cups and juice and in followed Dimitri with a bag of chips in his hand too.
“I wanted to drop this for you girls, cara mia” he touched Sofia’s head and she turned to look at him.
He came closer and kissed her cheeks then whispered softly in her ears.
“Sono sempre qui per te, non importa cosa, ricordalo” he kissed her head and she closed her eyes then nod her head.
Dimitri just looked at her and offered a small smile to which Audriana reciprocated.
He nods back and turned to leave with Dimitri following him. They watched as the two men and the door closed before turning to face each other to continue their conversation.
“Can you te-”
“My mum is dead”
***
… L. A. Earlier that night…
“Now that you have finally met her can I get out of the contract with you?” the man asked as she looked out the floor to ceiling window in her bathrobe and with a glass of wine in hand.
She had this massive headache growing at the back of her head and it angered the more she thought of getting rid of it.
She hasn’t been taking her medications as often as she should be, that could be the reason she had these headaches and her crazy behavior. Not like she isn’t but it was just a touch of it.
She hated the fact she had to take medications to stay sane and okay, she hated the fact she had to get more people to do her dirty deeds.
She hated the fact she had to worry things wouldn’t work out her way, she hated the fact this man had to come back the second time to get out of their agreement.
She was the dumper, not anybody else.
She hated the fact he was with someone else when they could be having the best time of their lives, she hated the fact she had to cover up the unwanted freckles on her cheeks and nose,
She feels so ugly in them and it vexed her to just stare directly at it.
…”I love them on you”… his very fine Spanish accent filled her head and she suddenly felt light-headed.
She couldn’t understand why she did what she did some years back to him. If only she could…
Her train of thoughts was interrupted by the tap on her shoulder. She whipped her head and saw that same man that had been ranting in her room for the past minutes.
He had his hands on his hips and his eyebrows raised.
“What? Why are you here?” she asked with a bit of anger building in her.
“I hav-” he began but was cut off by the raising of her hand to his face.
“Look, I am not in the mood for all these, come back later when I feel better” she walked past him and placed the cup on the table.
“Bu-”
“I do not want to repeat myself” she turned to look at him dead in the eye.
Sighing he shook his head and left the room.
“Incompetent fool” she muttered under her breath and went to wear comfortable clothing to go meet up with him.
Fifteen minutes later
She picked up her purse and checked her appearance in the full-length mirror attached to the wardrobe door.
She was wearing high waist jeans that rounded her curves perfectly with a white off-the-shoulder crop top and black sneakers. Her red hair was in a messy bun and she twirled around and let out a laugh.
“Wow, I look sexy” she complimented herself and walked over to the dresser to apply some of her famous red lipstick.
She blew a kiss to her image in the mirror and walked towards the door, she opened it and quickly dart back into her room, then stood at the entrance so half of her body was in the room and out was outside.
She saw Audriana leaving her room and this time with her luggage as she half walked and half run towards the elevator.
Wondering why she left at this time and looking so much in a hurry, she locked the door and walked to the elevator then stood in front for a while.
“What is going on? She knows about things happening, what was so urgent she had to quickly leave when she was to leave tomorrow?
Then the ding sound of the elevator sounded and the door slowly opened revealing a dark-haired man in casuals with a blonde woman in his arms.
Then flashed her a smile and walked out hand in hand to which she returned before entering the elevator.
***
Sono sempre qui per te, non importa cosa, ricordalo – I am always here for you no matter what, remember that.
cara mia – my darling.