22

Amelia and Aiden were home.
I knew Dean considered my opinion, now I knew I had a spot. I was excited to see them again. The only thing I ever wanted was to see them again, well and free.
Oh my God! Aiden? Amelia? I held both of them closer to my chest. Tears began to roll down my cheeks. It had been a day since I last saw them but it felt like ages.
My tightened chest became lighter and my lips had nothing but their names on it.
My sweet children. Are you okay? Are you hurt? Tell me. Did anyone hurt you?
I freed them from my warm embrace and started searching for bruises On their skin. I found nothing.
“We are fine Mummy, the bad men got a good scolding from an old man for tying us up,” Aiden said. Dean scolded the men that kidnapped them. He scolds them for treating my kids the way he
“They did? “I asked
Yes, Mummy, the old man was fun. He gave us a lot of toys and told us he was your good friend. Amelia added.
“Mummy, I miss you,” Amelia told me.
Justin was outside with us now. Aiden ran to him to hug him.
Like a beautiful Reunion, it felt like.
My family was complete there. Even when I knew Justin wasn’t Mine anymore, I couldn’t help but wish he was. We were a complete family at that moment. Watching the relief on his face when Aiden hugged him filled my tummy with butterflies.
I Miss you too, my child. So much. I sniffled in between my words. Tears of joy.
Amelia left me and went over to her father. They were both wrapped in Justin’s hands. My whole world would have crumbled if anything had happened to them.
Justin raised them with a wide smile on his face and took them in.
“Yay, super man ” the children cheered.
If for anything, I was excited that Dean didn’t make my children suffer. Yes, they were kidnapped with guns pointed to their heads but he kept them safe and made sure they were comfortable. They didn’t experience traumatizing incidents even when I wasn’t there. I was about that.
I followed behind and went in with him.
Justin dropped them on the chair and knelt In front of them.
“Papa missed you both A lot .”
“I missed your tantrums ”
“Are you calling us troublesome papa?”
“Of course not my princess. ”
“I just missed listening to you talk about how messy my hair was and how funny I was .”
“We missed you too,” Aiden said.
“Go to your room.”
” I will bring something for you to eat .”
Justin told them. Aiden and Amelia ran to their room playfully.
They were so naive and I was glad they were at that point.
I watched them walk out of the living room with a smile of relief on my face.
“Isabelle. ”
“What did you do?” Justin asked me with a concerned puzzle face. I had forgotten the kids mentioned Dean speaking about us being friends in front of Justin.
Their words raised questions in Justin’s mind.
“What are you talking about?”
“C’mon.”
” First you asked me not to involve the police in this, and now the kids are talking about the “old man,” relating you both as friends? ”
“Is there something you are not telling me?”
“Are you insulating that I orchestrated my children’s Kidnap? ”
“What are you saying, Justin?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Why were we the target”
“You just need to tell me what the fuck is going on here .”
“Nothing is. ”
“You are overthinking everything. ”
“Yes, I didn’t want you to involve the police because I got a call and the kidnappers instructed me to keep the police out of this. ”
“They wanted a ransom and I got it .”
I lied blatantly through my teeth but what could I do? I simply couldn’t tell Justin the whole truth and Ruin everything. He knew nothing about my past and I wasn’t ready for him to know anything now.
I had just one last mission and I would be done for good. Done with my past.
“Why didn’t you tell me for heaven’s sake .’
“Why should I have? ”
“If I had told you, what would you have done? Pay the ransom, yes but I needed to do it myself. ”
“I don’t need your help anymore. ”
“Why are you always trying to prove a point?”
“Why do you always make this about our past ?”
“I made mistakes, I know and I’m sorry. ”
“I’m sorry ”
? ”
“You could have gotten yourself in trouble. ”
He placed his hands on my shoulders.
I gazed into his eyes and said softly
“Why do you care?”
“Because I…. I love you .”
I scoffed and took a few steps back.
“I wish those words meant something to you. ”
I left him all alone in the living room and went to the kids.
I couldn’t deny it, when Justin said he loved Me, I could feel he did, but I was unable to convince myself to believe his words. Maybe I was being sentimental all over again.
I still loved Justin and if I was asked to do it all over again, I’d gladly go back to the day we met and choose him again.
I thought I moved on from his love, I thought I broke all ties with him but I guess I didn’t.
Being around him now after so long triggered so many memories yet I kept on living in denial.
I went to the kid’s room. We were chatting and making silly jokes. Everything felt right again. Justin brought breakfast just like he promised them.
Cereal.
They both had their breakfast. We were all seated as one big family. Laughing and making funny Remarks. I almost ran out of breath from how hard I Laughed at Justin’s joke.
All my worries vanished in minutes. Amelia and Aiden asked for us to play a Game of hide and seek. I disagreed at first but later gave in after a lot of persuasion.
Amelia, Aiden, and Justin stood up all looking for places to hide. I stood up and Almost immediately, I slipped. I closed my eyes, so tight. The fear of hitting the ground gave me chills.
My eyes were still closed when I felt myself floating mid-air.
Mummy!
I gradually opened my eyes and saw Justin gazing at me. Our eyes were locked. Time Freezes. I Froze. My heart called out his name. My lips yawned for him. His hands were on my waist, so gently.
Justin and I were lost in the moment. I wanted to hug him so tight, I wanted to tell him how much I missed his touch, I wanted to tell him how much I still loved him. I wanted to let him know I never stopped loving him after all the pain. I had so much to say yet so little.
In a few minutes, a lot ran through my mind and James was one of them. While thinking of confessing to Justin, I also thought of James. Wasn’t I going to be a betrayal? Would I be doing the same thing Justin did to me?
Going back to his first love and leaving me all alone?
Wasn’t I going to be repeating Justin’s mistakes? I knew how shattered I was when Justin left me for Fiona, his first love. I knew the pain I went through and I didn’t want that for James. He did so much for me and the kids. He loved and accepted me after knowing everything About me.
I wished things were different. I wished Justin never left me. Never left my children. I wished.
We were still locked in each other’s eyes, ignoring the kids calling out our names when I heard the doorbell ring. The first ring shook me out of my dream world.
Justin wasn’t moved by the sound. Oh! He enjoyed staring at me. I pulled myself up and he too was shaken out of whatever world he was in.
Let’s play! Let’s play! Let’s play!
The kids kept whining while I walked out of the room. Who could it be? I wasn’t expecting anyone I thought as I walked towards the door.
I twisted the knob and opened the door.
“Hey”
James said.
“Oh… James. I am.”
“Come in.” I offered.
I had no idea James was going to stop by. Justin was home and the last time they saw ….
“Your number wasn’t going through. ”
“I came over yesterday and Erm, is everything okay ?” He questioned me.
“Yeah… the kids were, they were kidnapped. ”
What?
“It’s nothing to worry about. They are fine now.”
“It’s nothing to worry about?”
“They were kidnapped and I didn’t know anything”
James and I were still talking when Justin came out of the children’s room.
“I didn’t want to trouble you.”
” You were already so busy with work. ”
A lie. Another lie I told.
Justin had already engaged the kids in another activity in their room to take their minds off whatever we were doing.
Justin walked up to us. The two men stared at each other for seconds without saying a word. Just like them, I didn’t know what to say.
“Hi, James. ”
“The other day kind of ended in a Rocky way .”
“I apologize ”
Justin apologized? I was stunned by the plot twist. Goodness knew I wasn’t expecting that.
“It’s fine. ”
“I was pissed at the fact that you laid your hands on my woman. Isabelle ”
“I was unable to stand that ”
“I apologize. ”
“Are we good now?”
“Definitely. ”
“Just keep your hands off her.”
James chuckled. Justin nodded and they both shook hands.
I stood and watched my past and present makeup like nothing ever happened. I was surprised but happy.
With their reconciliation, things were going to be easier I thought. Maybe, just maybe.
” YOU GOT YOUR KIDS BACK. ”
“9 pm, you will get my job done.”
“Don’t mess this up, Isabelle.”
“I took your children once, I won’t hesitate to take them again. ”
“This time far away from you. Trust me”
Dean’s messages rolled in.