AUTHOR’S POV
IT TOOK GIL ALL his pride to drive to Sofia’s house.
He tried to calm his racing heart after knocking on her door.
“Since when do you get nervous because of a woman Gil? Get yourself together.”
Gil’s heartbeat was all over the place when Sofia opened the door. He had made sure to come an hour after her closing time so he’d meet her home.
Sofia looked shell-shocked seeing Gil. She didn’t think he’d try talking to her again after ignoring his calls. She was happy to see him, however she didn’t want to read much into it.
He basically called her a whore in his conversation with Gabriel.
Maybe he showed up because he wanted a taste of her again. She’d show him.
Gil resisted the urge to stare her up to down.
With a grin plastered on his face, he said charmingly, ” Hi.”
Sofia crossed her arm around her chest trying to look intimidating. ” What’s it?”
” Aren’t you going to invite me in first?”
” No, I don’t trust you’d keep your hands to yourself.” And she couldn’t trust herself to resist him.
Gil’s grin fell. Was there something he did wrong? He couldn’t think of anything.
He stared at her for a while before saying, ” You didn’t pick up my calls; why?”
” I didn’t feel like it.” She said curtly.
Gil was speechless. Didn’t feel like it? Was she pulling his legs or what? If she was, it was a very stupid joke but he’d forgive her. Just once.
Sofia spoke in his silence, ” If you aren’t going to say anything, can I close the door? I was on dish duty before you interrupted.”
Gil opened his mouth to speak, but his ability to speak was faulty at that moment.
When he didn’t say anything, Sofia took a step back, ready to close the door, but he grabbed her by the wrist and pushed her into the house, then used his feet to shut the door.
Sofia gasped and flushed at his stunt. She was aware of their proximity; she wanted to run her hand down his chest, but she knew it would only make his ego swell, so she yanked her hand from his and put some distance between them.
” Um… Please leave my house.” She said, her heart racing.
Gil frowned at her. ” Why are you being distant all of a sudden?”
” There isn’t any need to be close anymore.”
Gil felt like a missile was shut to his heart. She was right, he wasn’t even meant to get close to her. He should be the one saying this not the other way round.
Yet, he couldn’t stop himself from asking, ” Since when Sofia? I… I er thought you wanted to be close?”
Not the way he saw it.
” I’m not interested anymore. Blake, please, I need to get back to washing the dishes.”
He took a step closer to her and she took none back.
His fist clenched. He tried to stop himself from saying anything that would hurt him later but he couldn’t seal his mouth.
” But I’m still interested, Sofia. Still very interested.”
Sofia sneered at him. He must be only interested in sleeping with her then when he’d get tired, he’d leave her.
” I’m not doing this anymore Blake. In case you didn’t know, I overheard your conversation with Gabriel. If that’s all you think of me, then it’s fine, but I’m not just some girl you sleep with for fun. Since I’m no different from the other girls you’ve slept with, you can leave my house and go spend a good time with them.”
What he said was a lie and he knew it. He’d want to tell her she’d been the only one he’d slept with since they started going out together but he couldn’t.
If he did, there would be no going back and he’d have to risk getting heartbroken again.
He said faintly with a nod, ” Sorry for the inconvenience; I’ll leave now.”
Sofia’s shoulder slumped. A part of her thought he’d say he didn’t mean it. Anyway, she can’t force someone to feel what they don’t.
Gabriel stared at her, battling with thoughts in his head before he slid his hand into his pocket, walked to the door, and dropped a blue velvet-coloured box on the wall side table.
She’d shown interest in a particular necklace in a jewelry store the time they went to get lunch together. He paid the debt he owed and used the savings he had left to make half payment for the necklace.
Last time he’d do anything for a woman again. He reckoned and shut the door behind him.
Meanwhile, Emily and Ethan were enjoying the tranquil view of the woods from Gabriel’s house at night time. They sat on a bench, talking as they stared at the view. While, Sydney and Gabriel sat on the stairs leading to the backdoor, watching them in silence.
Sydney felt a wall building up between her and her children. They hadn’t been as close as they were ever since they learned of her and Gavin’s issue, and Sydney didn’t have the guts to go talk to them.
She thought they were blaming her for everything that had happened over the past months, from Xavier’s death to her and Gavin’s divorce.
Gabriel glanced at her and said, ” I think you should go talk to them before you lose them. They look like they need their mother back.”
Sydney said nothing but looked at him as he stood.
” I’d be inside watching a less pivotal series if you need me.” He smiled cheekily and left her alone.
Sydney sat back for some minutes, trying to gather her wits so she wouldn’t break down in front of them.
Eventually, she got up and walked to them, when they saw her approaching, they fell silent. Sydney sat in between them and released a long breath.
She looked at the trees surrounding them and said meekly, ” Remember when we went camping in the woods?”
She looked between both of them. Ethan looked away, hiding his face, while Emily seemed grimly interested in Sydney’s question.
” Yes, I got stung by a bee, and Daddy and Ethan got chased by a stinky stunk.” Emily stifled a chuckle. ” You were so scared you hid behind a hornet-infested tree and fainted when you realized.”
Sydney chuckled wistfully. The first five years of her marriage were the best years of her life. They weren’t so rich and didn’t have desperate paparazzi on their tail 24/7.
” Good times.”
Emily shifted close to her mother and rested her head on her hand. ” I miss those days a lot.”
Sydney wrapped her arm around Emily’s shoulder, ” Me too. I’m sorry for putting you both through this. If I could turn back the hands of time and do things differently, I would.”
The first mistake she made was letting her past ruin her mind, making her believe everything Avery told her.
Sydney looked at Ethan and smiled feebly, ” I can’t think straight when you bear grudges with me Ethan. I’m sorry, sweetheart; I’m sorry for everything I said and did to you.”
Ethan was a very stubborn and malicious kid but also emotionally charged. He couldn’t hold grudges with his mother for so long. He’d missed talking to her a lot, he’d missed the time they spent together.
He sniffed and quickly wiped the tears that slid down his cheeks, ” I’m not keeping grudges; I’m just angry you didn’t tell me about Daddy and Grandmummy earlier.”
Sydney’s eyes gained moisture seeing him cry. She’d hurt him more than she thought.
” I was scared to tell you. I didn’t know how you’d react. But, it doesn’t justify my actions; I’m really sorry, sweetheart, I miss talking to you.”
Ethan shifted close to her and hugged her. He burst into tears and said in a watery tone, ” I miss you too, and Daddy. I miss him a lot, too, but you won’t marry him again, would you?”
” No, you shouldn’t. He doesn’t deserve you; he is a very bad man, and he doesn’t deserve to be called your husband.”
Sydney’s heart broke at his words. Gavin must have been a terrible husband, and she was no better anyway, but he was at least a good father. She’d said awful this, but deep down, she knew Gavin loved his children, and she didn’t want them to hate him because of what had happened.
She pushed Ethan away gently and cupped his cheek.
” Please, sweetheart, forgive him, he loves you and your sister very much. You should speak to him I’m sure he misses you too.” Sydney’s eyes pleaded.
Ethan fell silent and he stared into the endless darkness. Even if he talked to Gavin, he’d give him a piece of his mind, and if Gavin shouted at him, he would shout even louder, end the call, and never call him again!
Undeniably, Ethan wanted to talk to his father again.
He finally replied with a nod and said, ” Fine.”
Sydney smiled happily, grabbed Ethan, and placed a big, wet kiss on his cheek.
Ethan pulled away immediately and wiped his cheek fiercely making Emily and Sydney burst into laughter.
Blushing with embarrassment, Ethan yelled, ” I told you not to kiss me that way!”
” You should be glad it’s from me.”
Emily laughed mischievously making Ethan shift away from them.
Emily always gave him a big sisterly kiss on the cheek when he was very mad at her. It was really embarrassing for him because he mostly got mad at her at school.
Emily’s head bobbed up to look at Sydney like she just remembered something.
She asked with her lips puckered, ” Mommy, please, can Daddy come to my spelling Bee contest next week, pretty, please?”
Sydney’s smile fell off her face immediately. She didn’t intend on seeing Gavin face-to-face anytime soon. What if Avery tagged along?
Sydney could pull up an indifferent look, but deep in her, she knew anything relating to Gavin affected her much more than she wanted to, but she wouldn’t let her insecurities affect Emily’s contest.
So, she agreed and prepared for the worst.