ALESSIA
I had no words to best describe how I felt that very instance. During the time when I was with Claude, I never had a chance to meet any of his friends, I didn’t even know their names. At my end, he only met Garet, and it was not even a good meeting at all.
I took all the effort to keep Maven away from Claude’s radar. Surely, Maven knew about him, but it was just my ex-husband’s name that she knew of, other than, I was sure Maven knew nothing more.
“Mom, where are we going?” Adrian asked, his face lit up with a smile.
Just last year, Maven and I chanced upon each other again when I went to an International Book Fair. Since then, we’ve been video calling regularly. I often had Adrian with me when we talked. Then, last month, Maven said my son would be the ring bearer at her upcoming wedding. I initially declined, but my best friend insisted. She also promised to help me find a good doctor for Adrian. So here we are now, traveling for hours to attend Maven’s wedding.
I finished tying his shoelaces before turning to him. “We’re going to a wedding. Aunt Maven is getting married, and you’re going to be the ring bearer,” I replied, smiling along with him.
“What’s that, Mom?”
“It means you’ll carry Aunt Maven’s and her soon-to-be husband’s ring,” I explained.
“Aren’t you leaving yet?”
I glanced back at the voice.
“Pia, aren’t you really coming with us?” I asked as I stood up and approached her.
“No, dear. You and my grandson will go. I’ll just wait for you here. I’ll get tired from the trip. I’ll just wait for you here.”
I just nodded. I had been trying to convince Pia to come with us since last night, but she kept refusing.
“Okay. We’ll come back immediately after the wedding.” I turned to Adrian. “Say goodbye to Grandma so we can leave,” I ordered him.
He approached Pia, and the old woman hugged him.
“Goodbye, Grandma!” Adrian said with a wide smile as Pia released him.
I packed the backpack and my sling bag, then approached Pia.
“We’re leaving now, Pia. Take care here.” I kissed the old woman on the cheek. Then I took my son’s hand and led him out of the house.
Outside, a cab was waiting for us.
“Take care on your journey!” Pia shouted as Adrian and I boarded the cab.
We waved as the vehicle drove away, and I couldn’t help but glance back at my nanny.
It had been five years since I had been with her. On the day I slipped on the stairs and bled, I was immediately taken to the hospital. Fortunately, the doctor intervened in my condition. I almost lostAdrian, and I was advised to take extra care of it.
I was in the hospital for only one day and was discharged the next day. Two days later, Remi, Nanny Pia’s only child, arrived. She said she would pick us up and take us to her place, where she had married a doctor. It would be better for us to live there so I could be taken care of by her husband, who was an OB-GYN.
Nanny Pia was pleased and immediately agreed to Remi’s wish. So we lived there from then on. We lived together in one house. But a month after Adrian was born, Remi and Cameron migrated to Hawaii. That’s where they had children.
Last year, the couple vacationed with their younger son Sam, who was a year younger than Adrian. Grandma Pia also followed them to Hawaii. Then she returned to the US last week for vacation. She would be back in Hawaii next week.
I was content with my life. Even though I didn’t finish the last semester of my uni, luckily I still had a decent job. I worked a writer for an online writing application, earning a few thousand dollars each month. Besides, I also managed a bookstore where I sell second-hand books and rent them out for those who coldn’t afford to buy.
I was earning enough to live decently for me and for my son. I also saved money for whenever Adrian gets sick. He was born with a weak heart, his condition made us frequent the doctors and the hospital.
It was his first time traveling this far, and I was careful not to tire him out. If it weren’t for his excitement, he wouldn’t agree to be the ring bearer at my best friend’s wedding.
We arrived at the Starlight Hotel in the afternoon, where my best friend and some of her entourage were checked in.
When we arrived at the hotel, a room attendant accompanied us to our room. The room was beautiful, and the bed was spacious enough for me and for Adrian.
“Mom, are we going to live here? Aunt Maven’s house is so beautiful,” Adrian said.
I chuckled at his words, but there was a slight pang in my heart as I remembered what happened to me before. If Claude and I hadn’t separated back then, Adrian would surely have lived a more comforatble life too. Perhaps hotels and resorts would just be ordinary scenarios in his eyes.
With Claude’s family’s wealth, they could easily provide everything Adrian needed and wanted. Despite regretting what happened between Claude and me, I’m still thankful because my life was now peaceful. What good would luxury be if I were a problem in Claude’s life?
It was better that way, just the two of us, Adrian and me, together. Even though I couldn’t give him a luxurious life, at least I could love and take care of him with all my heart. That was why I chose to stay away from Claude and his family, because I was afraid my life would be chaotic with them. Claude didn’t want me, and only his parents cared about me. What guarantee was there that they would accept my child too?