Chapter 77
Ariel
Unlike Dmitri who advanced to the Father’s mansion with so much poise, I rather dragged my feet across the interlogged ground; my heart pounding with apprehension.
Instinctively, he reached for my hand and entwined our fingers, then bent slightly so his mouth was at the same level with my ear.
“Are you anxious?”
I nodded vigorously as my lips took a momentary vacation at that point. Fortunately, he understood my predicament and gently pulled me closer to himself.
“Don’t worry. Your parents won’t do anything to you. They are just concerned about your health, that’s all,” He assured me confidently.
My fingers trembled even though he was holding them firmly. “But I made them scared. I didn’t even pick up their calls,” I managed to say.
“It’s fine, sweetheart. Everything will be alright, just take a deep breath,” He advised.
I did as he said and began to count slowly from from one to ten. Gradually, the yoke of unease slipped away and I gathered a level of confidence knowing that I wasn’t alone in this.
We got to the door and he pressed a switch that would alert them of our presence. The door was pushed open and Mama who was standing just by the door way stretched her arms wide.
I glanced at Dmitri who nudged me to go on and without thinking I lurched forward, wrapping my arms around her as I broke down in tears.
My mind was puddled with a roller-coaster of emotions-sadness, fear, happiness and relief, but all of them settled into one happiness, when I raised my head and found Father smiling warmly at me.
“Daddy,” I muttered and he joined us, towering over us with his intimidating height.
The family was complete again and right there, I made a vow not to disappear like that again. And even if I had to, they’d have a knowledge about my whereabout.
“Now I feel so jealous,” Dmitri whined behind us and I signaled for him to come over.
Still basking in the euphoria of our reunion, I dashed to the table and got a plate of donuts. For someone who just escaped death, I was too energetic and excited to be worried about my injury.
They joined me at the table and Nancy approached to our table with a bright smile plastered on her lips.
She squeezed my shoulders in a tender manner, then clapsed her hands. She was still as shy as ever. “I’m so glad to see you. I heard what happened and I hope you are well,”
I rose to my feet and gave her a side hug. “Of course, I’m well. It’s just the stitches that’s giving me a tough time,” I admitted.
Dmitri cleared his throat and I tucked my hair behind my ear. I shouldn’t have said that.
“Didn’t you say that you were fine when I asked about the stitch?” His expression was void of the smile it bore earlier, instead it was filled with concern.
My response had barely rolled out of my tongue when the audible clicks of heels traipsed into the living room. My breath hitched for a second when my gaze fell on our guests and realized that Guilia was among them.
Scratch that! It was her complete family-Her father, mother and even her annoying elder brother who wasn’t good at keeping his nose out of other people’s businesses, especially Guilia’s.
She flashed a glance at me and looked away abruptly as if she couldn’t bear to be around me even for a second.
My chest expanded with guilt and I judged myself. We couldn’t have a cordial dinner with this level of tension and I had to take the step because it was all my fault.
I crossed over to where she was about to pull out a seat and held her wrist less confidently. Her eyes swept through my hand to my face in a slow and distasteful rhythm causing my heart to melt into a puddle.
“Can we talk?” My voice quivered as the words slithered out of my lips.
She huffed and fixed me a mean stare. “I’m hungry and I have a doctor’s appointment soon so… no,”
I expected her reaction and since we’ve been friends for a very long time, I knew how to get her to do my bidding, but then doctor’s appointment?
“Why do you want to go the doctor? Are you sick?”
My mind reverted to our stroll at the lake side and what she said about the reminder of her routine drugs. Worry cloaked itself over me and I couldn’t help but become restless.
“That’s none of your business, Ariel. Please, allow me to eat,” She rasped and took my hand away from hers.
“If you want me to go on my knees just to get your forgiveness, I will. I just want us to talk. I’m so sorry,” Tears welled up in my eyes.
She regarded me for a moment and shrugged, poking her tongue against her cheek. “The attic,” She brushed past me and steered toward the direction of the attic.
A low whistle drew my attention and I took a glance behind me. My eyes met with Dmitri’s who gave me a thumbs up and a wink.
My cheeks heated up instantly and I smiled back at him then went after Guilia. I shouldn’t have been rude to her back at the cabin. She was the reason I was happy again and the only thing I could reward her with was my ingratitude.
She turned around when I opened the door to the attic. “So what’s up? Why do you suddenly want to talk to me? Am I no longer a reliable friend?”
“No, no. Please, ignore everything I said to you back there. I didn’t mean any of them,” I clapsed my fingers pleadingly.
“I know. That’s why I agreed to talk to you. To be honest, you hurt my feelings that bad and made me wonder if I was wrong to have tried to restore your relationship with your husband seeing how much he was willing to be with you again,” Her countenance was somber and the guilt within me increased.
“Guilia,” I began slowly while advancing toward her. “There’s no excuse for the ride words I hurled at you that morning, but I promise that it won’t repeat itself again. I would never be ungrateful for your help,” I promised and batted my lashes coyly at her.
The hard edges of her lips cracked into a suppressed smile and I threw myself at her. Relief spread over my heart when she held me tightly.
“Now that we have settled our issues, I want to know what’s going on with your health. Why do you keep talking about drugs and doctor’s appointments?” I interrogated.
The smile on her face faltered as she trained her gaze at the buildings adjacent to the attic.
She inclined her head and sighed, her hand caressing the back of her neck while she bit her lower lip nervously. “I feel like my whole world has crumbled,”
I tilted my head to the side and scrutinized her carefully, my heart pounding hard against my ribcage. “Guilia… What’s going on?”
Her body shuddered involuntarily and she reached for my hands after looking around warily.
“Guilia…”
“I’m pregnant, Ariel. I’m seven weeks gone,” She sniffed.
My eyes widened and my jaw dropped simultaneously. “You must be kidding me,” I snorted and let out a quick chortle.
She didn’t respond instead a tear cascaded down her cheek and I shrank backward.
“God, Guilia. How did it happen?”
“That’s not all, Ariel. I’ll be leaving for Paris in three days,” She dropped another bombshell.