GRACE
I sat in the car clutching my child to my chest a little tighter than normal as hot tears streamed down my eyes. I patted her hair to keep her from seeing me cry.
I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. My heart was tearing into tiny shreds and sinking at the same time. My hands trembled, I held on tighter, my chest burned and my head swelled. Connor’s mother’s words were like knives targeted straight into my heart.
And if her words were meant to hurt me, she succeeded because they really hurt and what made it worse was my child was sitting right there hearing them.
I don’t care if she doesn’t want us, neither do I care about her acceptance of me and my child. The most important thing was me not giving up on my child for any reason. I knew what I was going to go through when I decided to keep her all by myself and I went ahead anyway.
I struggled with my child, the both of us went through hell and back even while she was in the womb and she had to spend six years of her life without a father. I remember all the times I did about three jobs, starved, and worked till midnight trying to make more money for us to get food and shelter till my friends came into the picture.
I wouldn’t let go of Connor if that was what she really wanted to go as far as saying such hurtful words.
Laurel wriggled uncomfortably in my arms drawing me out of my reverie. I realized I have been holding her too tight to my body for a while, she must have been feeling suffocated so I let her go and sat her down on the seat beside me.
She looked up at me, worried lines creasing her tiny face and for a moment, she looked like an adult.
“Mummy, why are you crying?” she asked with her tiny, silky voice and I looked away abruptly, scolding myself for allowing her see me cry.
I wiped my eyes feverishly and then turned to face her with a wide fake smile. “Mummy is fine, Laurie, something flew into my eye,” I chuckled, blinking my eyes awkwardly.
She gazed at me for a while with furrowed eyebrows as though she was doubting my words. “Are you okay, mummy?”
“Yes, baby,” I puffed, patting down her hair reassuringly, but she stretched her hand and wiped the tears from my eyes with her little palms. I had no idea tears were still coming down.
“Ms. Scott said people are mean because they are unhappy too.” She spoke in a perspective way that immediately made me feel better.
I didn’t ever wanted to show weakness in front of my daughter but then she has to understand that her mother is human too.
“Can you stay here a little bit, let me go get daddy?” I asked her and she nodded enthusiastically.
She suddenly looked like a grown adult today, it scared and excited me at the same time. I wouldn’t want her to be a child forever but… I shook the thoughts from my head and pecked her on her forehead before opening the door of the Limo and coming out.
I made sure my eyes were dry before walking with determination back into the house. I met Connor on the stairs but strode past him to where his mother was.
“Have you considered my offer, Grace?” she asked, elegantly taking a swig of her red wine.
Connor tried to stop me, but I brushed his hands away and stood in front of his mother, craving to wipe the smirk of her face.
“I’m just so sorry I expected better from you, Ms. Shelby.” I said, my voice a little sharper than earlier.
But she let out a throaty laughter at my words and, dropping her glass carefully and then raised her head to look at me. She had a wicked grin on her face.
“What were you expecting, Ms. Jones?” she drawled, raising an eye brow. “That I welcome a nobody into my family with open arms?”
“No ma’am.” I retorted, with an even voice, “I expected you to be more considerate of the little girl listening to all you were saying, I expected you to be a mother and lastly, I expected you to be human.” I concluded and walked out again, this time taking Connor’s hand and dragging him downstairs with me.
He didn’t say a word but instead stared at me in awe. As we got to the porch, he removed my hands from his and wrapped it around my shoulder, whispering into my ears, “Let’s go home.”
……………….
JODY
I sat in my office trying hard to concentrate on the finishing touches of the article out editorial team would be releasing tomorrow when I heard a knock on my office door.
I didn’t even get the chance to tell whoever it was to come inside when my secretary, Gen, opened the door and walked in. She was in her early twenties and had just left college but it was easy to tell that she had zero life skills.
I made it clear to her that she should call if she wants to relay any messages, she should call. Concentrating was difficult enough, I didn’t really want anyone in my office with the mood I was in at the moment.
“I made it clear that you should call, Gen,” I snapped at her peering face. She couldn’t even come all the way into the office. “What do you want?”
I wasn’t always the cranky and irritated and she must be wondering why I was acting so prickly today. I was usually the one who smiles and try to make everyone happy. According to one of my colleagues during a company outing, “Jody’s cheerfulness is contagious.”
But here I am, snapping at my secretary like she was responsible for my ugly predicament.
“Someone is asking for you, and I actually called thrice but you didn’t pick up, so I thought I should check if you were in the office.” she answered, looking guilty when she wasn’t wrong at all.
I suddenly felt sorry for her and madder at myself.
“Who did he say he was, Gen?” I asked, with a gentle tone.
“He says he’s your boyfriend.” Gen answered, hiding a grin.
My boyfriend? I wondered. When did I get a boyfriend I didn’t know about? Who could it be exactly? Well I wouldn’t know by asking myself questions over and again right?
“Uhm, let him in, Gen.” I instructed her and she nodded and went out.
Few minutes later, another knock on the door. I was sure it was the person calling himself my boyfriend so I got up and went to open the door for him myself so as to be in a better position when the so called boyfriend came in.
I opened the door and a tall dark-haired male who my mind registered as Marcus walked through the door.
“Jody.” he greeted with a strained voice.