She looked as if she was going to say something, if I was not wrong, she wanted to apologize but she insisted against it and her expression hardened. She turned away, slammed the door and left. Why I felt sad was because she was making total sense. I went to my bed and snuggled under the covers.
It took a very long time before I started to feel comfortable again. I could still picture mother as a round ball, on the floor.
She had made too many bad decisions and they were haunting her. What if we never knew Christian.
I recalled Kylee’s words, Christian would clear them. As they were nothing but specks of dust. Where would I be if it wasn’t for him. I’d be ragdoll for the Russian mob.
When I woke up, I was confused and I didn’t know where I was, my mind still thought I was at the island and I was expecting a round bed with Christian laying buck naked beside me.
It’s been days and he’s not answered any of my calls or returned my texts.
“You’re awake, I’ve been coming to check up on you since I woke up” Kylee said.
She was wearing a silk robe that had her initials on it.
The robe was beautiful and she was dead gorgeous.
“I came to apologize, for how I sounded last night”
“I’m sorry Kylee, I should be the one apologising ”
“No, you heard your mum was in trouble and you went to save her, there was nothing you would have done. Next time, be more careful ”
“Would there be a next time?”
“Remember what I told you, that Marcellino was too occupied to be hitting your mother. Well, Christian has cleared the entire mob, not even one of them is remaining. Marcellino has time on his hands now, I think he beat her for the share”
“So you think he would still continue?”
“He might, he might not. Marcellino is an asshole. The things he did__” she stopped talking and shook her head. “Tell me you’re hungry ” she said with a bright smile.
“I am” I admitted.
***
“Everyone, Mr Christian sent gifts” Merritt said walking into the living, the entrance door was wide open and she was holding a box of cards.
A big cart was being pushed inside by a young male and I thought it was the only one, but he pushed twelve carts inside the living room.
Mr Alexander grimaced at the size of each of the boxes.
“What are the gifts for?” Mr Alexander asked.
“For Christmas”
“Christmas is not here yet!” Mr Alexander complained.
“For Christmas acknowledgement ” Kylee mused.
“Here” Merritt said handing Regalia a card a that had her name on it, then she handed one to Jeandre, Mr and Mrs Alexander, Kylee, Josef, Elisa, Marcellino and then me.
“I get the pink boxes” Regalia said and she ran to the carts, there were a total of five pink boxes.
“Jewellery!” She yelled when she opened one box. The other boxes had shoes, handbags all from designer brands.
“I get the green boxes ” Jeandre said and he dropped his card, I peeked inside.
Christian’s handwriting was an instruction that simply said ‘You get the green boxes, Jeandre ‘
Jeandre picked his boxes, there were three and he didn’t open any of them, just stared at them with uneasiness and joy.
“Silver boxes for me, I hope there’s some damn cash in there” Kylee said and she ran to the boxes.
She got ten boxes, the first one she opened, piles of money spilled out.
“He never disappoints” Kylee yelled.
“Golden boxes..” Josef said and he stood up. “I’ve never met him before, I didn’t even know he knew I was here, how would he know what get to me?”
“Just pick your boxes” Kylee said and Josef licked two golden boxes.
Inside one was a pack of condoms.
“Dear Go, save me” Josef exclaimed with a grimace and he shoved the package back into it’s box with an embarrassed look.
Everybody couldn’t stop laughing.
“No one told me he had a wicked sense of humour” Josef said and he refused to open the second box in front of anyone.
My mother got a yellow box, while Marcellino got a small crimson box, I could only wonder what was inside.
“A pen…” Marcellino said staring inside his box… “He got Regalia jewelries but he got a pen”
“For signing your divorce papers ” Jeandre said reading from the card that Marcellino didn’t bother to read completely.
Marcellino’s face went red wine rage.
“So this means you’re not marrying Brien Cooper ” Marcellino said glaring at me.
I turned away from him in order to keep my cool. I felt like stabbing him with the pen.
I didn’t know what was in my mother’s box, she opened it and her face went pale so she shut it and clutched to it as if it was going to escape.
When Mr and Mrs Alexander took theirs carts were empty.
“Jenna didn’t get anything” Regalia announced smugly.
I tore open my card, it was the only one that was sealed with an envelope.
Everybody’s eyes were on me, were staring knowingly other were just expecting.
I pulled out my card, I noted that it was the most beautiful too. My heart did a somersault in my chest.
‘My love, I tried to find you a gift but nothing was good enough, nothing in the world could be an appropriate gift to show how happy I am to celebrate our first Christmas as couples, so I hope, I am enough”
I frowned and dropped the card.
“What does it say?” My mother asked me.
I smiled and just waved it off.
“My gift is being delayed ” I told them and it seemed to be an appropriate answer.
Few minutes later, the revving of an engine sounded in the driveway. My heart beat started pounding, I didn’t want to show the happiness in front of everyone.
Merritt ran to the door as the door bell sounded.
“Are you expecting anyone?” Jeandre asked his grandfather.
“No…” Mr Alexander said.
The door opened and Christian walked in. The entire house seemed to agree with him, he blended into the luxurious vibe of the place and intensified the entire thing.
The living room morphed into the court of a high king, everybody in the room could feel the shift and everyone stopped what they were doing to watch his arrival.
He searched the crowd and his eyes landed on me, it softened momentarily before it hardened again.
“Mum, dad… I’m home”