“Hey, Fur!” Estrella called as she entered Sia’s house and spotted Fur moving around.
Michelle refers to her movements as ‘exploration’ as she’s trying to familiarize herself with the environment.
Fur barked when Estrella extended her hands to carry her.
“She’s just pretending. Settle down first and you’ll see how she’ll jump into your lap.” Michelle said as she walked outta the kitchen.
She’s setting the dining with Sia’s breakfast when Estrella walked in.
Looking up, Estrella traded glances with Michelle and giggled.
“Good morning, Michelle.” She greeted, earning a reply from Michelle.
“Mrs. Monson will be down in a few…”
“Michelle!” Sia’s voice reverberated from the stairs. She wore simple Jean shorts and a crop top with her penguin flipflop.
“Aha! Speaking of the devil!” Michelle commented as she and Estrella stared at Sia.
“Omigod! Estrella.” Sia exclaimed in astonishment when she reached the base of the stairs.
“Surprise!” Estrella said playfully.
Spreading her arms, she tugged Sia into a warm embrace.
“Why are you here?” Sia asked as they hobbled to take a seat in the dining.
It’s already been a week after the incident at Sia’s office and a few days from Estrella’s wedding.
“Hello! My wedding is in a few days! I need to get other things fixed. My wedding gown will arrive today and we need to go pick it up. And also visit the confectionery shop to see how the cake preparation is going.” Estrella rambled as she shoved a forkful of her lasagna into her mouth.
“I actually thought we’ve everything prepared. That’s by the way.” Sia hummed, downing her glass of juice. “Where are you guys going for a honeymoon?” She winked at Estrella.
“Hawaii maybe?”
“That’s not bad. But why don’t you go to Ischia? There are good beaches and resorts there. Good for a honeymoon.” Sia suggested as she wiped the corner of her mouth with a paper napkin.
Fur inched closer to her and clambered on her lap. Sia tickled her before eating again. Ischia is where she dreamed of going when she got married to Mr. Monson but it didn’t work out consequent to the family issues Silas prompted.
Remembering the heated banter Silas and Monson had in the meeting made Sia cringe. Days after Silas saw her, he went to elder James and lied that Monson married a whore into the family.
It didn’t start today, Silas has been a pain in Sia’s ass since the day she walked into this family.
The issue led Monson to cancel their trip to Ischia. To amend that, they traveled to Hawaii and spent a few days there.
“I wanted to choose a location in Italy but Ethan got a contract that requires his attention. So we definitely won’t go far. But to make up for the trip. He offered we can go on a cruise trip sometime this year and have loads of fun.” Estrella rattled like a toddler.
“Cruise trip!” Sia exclaimed, smiling. “That’d make a lot of sense.” She commented.
“And you sure are going to come with us.” Estrella added.
“Wo! Wo! No! I can’t stand you fucking him the way you did the last time!”
Remembering that they both erupted into laughter. They finished the food fast and headed to the boutique where Estrella ordered her wedding gown. After that, they moved to the confectionery shop where she ordered her cake too.
“I think this design will be more exquisite, right Sia?” Estrella asked, showing her the photos of the cake designs the woman showed them.
Peering at the phone, Sia pointed the one she deemed better for the wedding.
“C’mon, Abbey. Hurry.”
Sia and the rest inside the shop heard some noise and paused their conversation.
Sia looked over her shoulder and saw two little girls prancing into the shop with their hands laced together.
“Omigod!” Estrella exclaimed in shock, standing from her seat she rushed to the little girls and hugged them.
“What’s your named cuties?” She asked kissing them. Sia was mesmerized. The girls’ beauty enticed her making her wish she had a child.
“Sia!” Estrella called, earning Sia’s look. “This girl has a striking resemblance to you. Can’t you see?” She asked, tugging Nica’s arm.
The girls muted watching both women. Although they both recognized Sia. Estrella’s words made Sia curdle.
“What!? Don’t be silly.” She said wearily.
“Look at her nose it’s the same as yours and her lips, just that her eyes are coffee brown.” She said with a shrug. “Honestly, now I know people do resemble one another. God, I can’t believe this.”
Sia peered at Nica who stared up at her, eyes blinking rapidly. For the first time, Sia took cognizance of these features. Nica has brunette hair just like her but her eye color is just as coffee brown as Lucas’s.
Sia shook her head. This isn’t possible. The girl might share the same features as her but she’s not her blood.
“Are you Okay? You like her?” Estrella asked, scooping Nica up.
“Hi, big lady.” She waved at Sia but she’s in a catatonic state. She couldn’t budge nor talk except looking at the girl and remembering the night that confiscated the life of her little one.
The baby she didn’t hold with her arms.
“Sia!” Estrella called, shaking her arms.
With a jerk, Sia’s mind returned. She hefted her hand and canoodle Nica’s face.
“Hey, little girl.” She said with misty eyes. “How are you?”
“I’m cool, big lady!” She gleefully exclaimed. A light chuckle drifted from Sia’s lips. She reached for the girl and carried her, placing a kiss on her cheeks.
Estrella got a hold of the change in Sia’s demeanor. She wondered why Sia’s eyes turned misty. Did she say something wrong? Estrella doubts but she can’t shake off the concern rolling through her mind.
“What you guys doing here?” She put the girl down and gathered her friend closer.
“We came to buy a cake!” They both chirped.
“A cake? What for?”
“Our chaperone’s birthday is today. We raised fifty bucks to buy a cake for her.” Abbey responded.
Sia was beyond surprised. How were they able to raise fifty bucks? She wondered but instead, she decided to ask.
“And how were you able to raise the money?”
“We sold our candies!” They yelled.
Sia sighed knowing that this is their actual reason for selling their candies to her the last time.
“You know what. You, girls, are amazing. I’ll pay for the cake. And you get to buy something else for your chaperone with the money you have. How about that?” Sia said shooting to her feet.
“Yay!!” The girls exclaimed.
Sia held the girls by their hands and moved to the countertop where the owner of the shop stood. She allowed the girls to select the cake they wanted so she’ll pay but being little kids, they selected cupcakes.
The joy hovering over their hearts was beyond control as they held the cake. When done, Sia walked them outside and asked about their house but Nica told her it’s not very far from here so Sia allowed them to head home alone.
She watched as the girls walked away, her soul brimmed with emotions and Estrella took note of that.
She’s confused as to what would trigger Sia to be shedding tears like she is now. All Estrella concluded is that there’s more to it than it meets the eye.
Sia silently pranced into the shop so they can round up their deal. She’s already feeling weird at the moment. Her memories are back to haunt her. Only this time it’s haunting her in a broad daylight. Sia held in the tears forming at the corner of her eyes. It’s hard to rein on. So hard.
Unable to rein on it again, she rushed into the restroom where she bawled her eyes out.
“Sia!” Estrella called. It’s already fifteen minutes and Sia’s yet to come outta the restroom and it’s time for them to go.
Gathering her bearings, Sia wiped her eyes clean but the evidence that she cried still surfaces.
When she flung the door open, Estrella read the look on her face.
It’s somber. Dejected.
“What’s wrong, Sia?” She asked, holding Sia’s shoulders. Feeling her legs buckling, Sia almost fell on the floor but Estrella held her strong. She began tearing up again.
It’s too much to hold in. Despite wanting to keep that part of the painful memories to herself, it’s hard to keep.
She wants to share that pain. She wants someone to hold her arm and console her.
Grabbing her hand, Estrella walked her outta the shop and they hopped into her car. She muted, giving Sia some minutes to school her features before asking the question pinned in her mind.
“What’s wrong with you Sia? Why’re crying?”
Inching her hand closer, she sew their fingers together. She could see the heavy heaving of Sia’s chest as if she’s having an asthmatic attack.
It’s time to crawl deep into the embrace of agonizing memories. Sia wants to take the trip and relive that night today. A night she had a ray of hope for a new start but that night was clawed by the fangs of fate. Instead of being a night of joy, it became a night awash by sorrow and dark images.
“My baby died.”
Like a balled fist, the words pummeled Estrella’s heart.
Clutching her chest to halt the pains clawing at her, the pains she feels for Sia, Estrella hooted.
“You had a baby?” She asked, the skin between her brows shriveled.
Shaking her head, Sia said, “Yes.”
“What did Mr. Monson say?”
“Wrong! The baby wasn’t I and Monson’s.”
Estrella drew back, shock scribbled on her face. Is it what she’s thinking?
Is what her mind told her true?
“For Lucas?” She asked and Sia nodded.
“For Lucas.”