GRACE
The clothes Granny Thais bought for me was a simple black dress, a long, red coat as well as red matching underwears.
It felt strange, I never had anyone pick out my clothes for me as long as I can remember, plus she did a great job as I loved everything she brought me. Just that the underwear were a bit too fancy.
I dressed up quickly so I could go see Laurel, and when I was about to bound my hair back, Connor held my hand and made me turn to face him. “Leave it alone,” he said with an arousing dominance, “You look better with it down like this,” he let my hand drop then smoothened the hair to my back by patting it.
He was dressed now in a simple dark grey sweater and denim jeans. His hair was still wet and down, almost touching his eyes, once again reminding me of his striking resemblance to Laurel.
He gave me a cocky look as if he knew what I was thinking about. “Just say it, Ms. Budweiser, I look good ey?” he chuckled, drawing me close and then giving me a kiss on my forehead, draining all possible retorts in my head.
“Let’s go see Laurel, she’ll probably be waiting.” he stepped back and ushered me forward. “You know we would have to talk about this and us at some point, right?” he asked seriously as we made our way to Laurel’s new room.
“Let’s just take it slow, Connor, I mean what’s the rush?” I shrugged, trying to make the discussion lighter than it sounded.
“We are on the fast lane already, Grace, and we’ll crash if we slow down,” he said and then opened the door to an already dressed Laurel, sitting on the bed with Granny Thais in a probably meaningless discussion that stopped immediately she saw me.
“Mummy!” she yelled, rushing down from the bed and almost tripping just to run into my arms as quick as she could. “You weren’t here, I named all my toys, Granny Thais helped me out and she bath me and made me cereal last night-by the way meet Eddie, Marcus, Benn, Cindy, Scott…” she babbled on and on, pointing one after the other to her stuffed toys lying still and obediently on her bed.
I glanced at Granny Thais appreciatively and she nodded back at me with a tender gaze. She was really a sweet soul. She got up from the bed announcing breakfast is ready and she’d be downstairs if we needed her.
“That would be all Granny, thank you.” Connor said and squeezed her palms before leaving the room. Laurel suddenly noticed Connor at that point.
“Hello, Uncle Alpha,” she greeted him and spread her hands open to get lifted by him as usual.
Connor sucked in a long breath but smiled at her and picked her up like nothing was wrong. I know he wanted Laurel to know who he really was to her already, but when I said I wanted us to go slowly, I meant it.
I have learnt too much from life to be an impulse driven and spontaneous person. I would definitely tell Laurel, but I needed her to get used to his presence first, like I needed to be sure he was with us for real and not for some temporary fling or entertainment.
Laurel refused to come down from Connor’s arms, even while we ate the large breakfast prepared for us by Connor’s many chefs, and even when we walked all the way to the car. He insisted on taking us home himself and I couldn’t win when he and Laurel were teaming up against me, so he drove us home with Laurel talking nonstop about Granny Thais and asking me incessantly why we had to leave her new room behind.
I was used to her, but Connor wasn’t. So he tried his best to answer all of her many questions till we got home.
A brand new black Mercedes with a sport car feel sat in the driveway of my compound besides a bedraggled looking Precious.
My mind instantly went to Director Lancelot even though I wasn’t expecting him. He was the only one I knew asides Connor that used fancy cars. Jody didn’t, NK didn’t, and I wasn’t expecting them till evening, so who could it be? I wondered, stepping out from the car and opening the door for Laurel.
Connor alighted and strode towards me, dropping a car key on my hand before scooping Laurie into his arms. “Do you like the color?” he asked confusing me. “I have no idea what your favorite color is, Grace, so I got a universal one. No one hates black right?”
“What are you saying? What should I do with this?” I asked him staring down at the flashy keys he handed over to me and then it suddenly dawned on me.
A car?! Certainly, Connor Shelby wasn’t expecting me to take that.
“Wait, what’s this for?” I asked again, feeling peeved by his vagueness.
“It’s for you, Grace, please take it,” he said, suddenly realizing I wasn’t as thrilled as he was expecting.
“No, I can’t, this is too much, I mean how can I be driving a car far more expensive than what my one year salary can afford?” I asked, flabbergasted.
“You’re mine, Grace, not just a NAs Daily worker, please,” his voice carried an undertone of a plea. “Just take it. Drive Laurel to school and yourself to work, I can’t have all I have and…”
“Are we not going inside?” Laurel suddenly asked cutting us off.
Shit! I chided myself mentally. We shouldn’t be argue with ourselves in her presence.
“Of course, sweetie, let’s go,” Connor said lightly and I forced myself to smile. Connor and Laurel continued their chitchat while we went into the small flat I shared with Laurel which looked way smaller as Connor stepped inside in his huge frame.
He looked around, staring at framed pictures of Laurel which I placed on the wooden shelve in my little sitting room. “This is you right?” he asked Laurel, chuckling along with her.
“Coffee right?” I asked raising my voice, suddenly feeling like an outsider in my own house.
“Sure,” Connor answered absentmindedly as he made himself at home on the couch.
I watched Laurel curl up on Connor’s laps on the couch, looking at something that was making both of them giggle like kids and that sight made me feel as though all the pieces of my life were suddenly fitting together.
Or was it just me overthinking everything as usual?
At this point, it is uncertain.