FOR THE LOVE OF DAHLIA

🌹Chapter 16🌹

Just wanted to give my wonderful viewers a quick Saturday update.

I apologize for the typos ahead of time.

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After giving my baby girl a warm bath, I let her pick out her pyjamas. She decided to wear her yellow frock wear.

"I personally like this one too sweetie." I told her as I zipped it up. She turned around so I could have a better view of it. I chuckled at her cuteness. "I already saw it baby."

She smiled. "I'm a big girl now mommy, I'm gonna start school soon." She said proudly.

I kissed her forehead. Her vocabulary had really improved. "Of course my baby. You're ready for school. And you know I promised to send you to the best schools right?"

She nodded with a knowing smile. "So I can be a doctor and cure many sick people." She said giving me her sweetest smile. I pulled her in for a tight hug.

I rubbed our noses together. "I'm so lucky to have you sweetie. I love you so much."

"I love you too momma." She said proud of her new name for me.

I looked at her curiously. "Momma?"

She nodded. "Yes. Nanny Rita says momma is a combanating of both mommy and mama."

I laughed at her poor use of term. "Dahlia baby it's combination. And that's super sweet of you and Rita. I like momma, but I guess mommy fits me better."

"Combi what?"

"Combination. Now come on baby,  Zach would be here any momment from now. Let's ....."

Her eyes lit up with excitement. "Zach's coming over?"

I nodded. She loved Zach a lot.

So what if she likes Zach, her daddy is here, you wanna deprive her of the one thing she really wants?

I shake off my inner girl. She was pricking my conscience. I know Dahlia wants nothing more than being with her father but what about me? I don't want anything to do with him again.

"Mommy?" Dahlia ask.

I nod with a forced smile as the door bell rings. "Yes baby. That must be him at the door."

I smiled as little feets hurriedly made their way to the  door. "Hey Zach." I greet as I usher him in. I look at the bags he's carrying.

He leans down and carries Dahlia with one hand. "My darling Dahlia, I've missed you so much. How are you?"

Dahlia giggled as Zach kept placing multiple kisses on her face. Suddenly my mood dampened. Ian would be more than happy to do this. He always wanted to have kids with me. Its always been his dream. But he left me when I needed him the most.

And now that he's back, wouldn't  you atleast tell him he has a child.

What if he's not ready to be a father? Or worst still, what if he wants full custody of Dahlia? I'm driven out of my thoughts when Zach tells me he bought dinner instead. I raise my brows.

"Don't give me that look sweetheart. I figured it'd save time if i just cooked at my olace and brought it here, unless you actually had naughty thoughts of me walking around your kitchen naked." He said giving me a foolish grin.

I spank his arm. "Stop being cocky in front of my daughter."

He set Dahlia to her feet as she made her way to our small sitting room. "So I can be cocky only in front of you? That's greedy Miss Donovan." He said wiggling his brows as I chuckled and led him towards the kitchen. My house wasn't big. It was in fact very small but it was mine and Dahlia's and anything that involved Dahlia made me happy. I could sense Zach's discomfort due to how small my kitchen was.

"I know you're not used to this, but it's not like you're gonna cook in here.  I just want to dish out the food and we can sit in the living room since it's got a fan." I try to explain.

He smiles at me. "Anywhere is fine by me. And besides, I'm gonna be with you and Dahlia. That's what matters." I flash him my best smile. I didn't see that coming.

We all had a wonderful dinner and I had to admit, Zach was the greatest cook ever. Dahlia was sleepy so I tucked her in and went back to the living room to talk with Zach. "You have an amazing kid." Zach smiled at me.

I smiled back. "Thanks."

"I know all of this is too much for you but I want 'us' to work out. I really like you Tori. You're beautiful inside out, hardworking and a wonderful mom."  Zach was suddenly serious. "Tell me more about you. Surely there must be something more amazing about you that I don't know."

I scratched my forehead. I wasn't ready to open up to anyone just yet. My dirty past wasn't something I was proud of. "Zach there's nothing amazing about me. Look at me, a mother at 22 who doesn't have a college degree."

Zach scooted closer to me. "Education matters a lot but there are thousands of people who have made it big time in life without sitting in a classroom."

I smiled at him. "I didn't peck you for the inspirational type." I teased and he chuckled.

"Tell me about your family." He asked casually and I tensed.

I looked away from him. "I don't want to talk about them."

He massaged my palms and kissed it. "I don't have a family as well. I've got only Ian's parents and our grandma. My parents  died when I was only 15. And the worst part is, they died in car accident. They died with my baby sister, Jena." He said and I could feel it was hard for him.

I hugged him.  "I'm sorry you had to go through that at a tender age Zach."

He gave me a distant smile. "It's okay. That was 14 years ago. I'm stronger now."

I felt the need to tell him about my family too. It was going to be unfair if he opened up to me and I didn't do same. "My parents and sisters left me when they found out I was pregnant."

That seemed to get his attention.

"They were ashamed of me. I mean an eighteen year old having a baby was disgraceful. They didn't want to tarnish thier reputation. Worst of all, the guy who got their daughter pregnant was  30000 miles away from the country and wanted nothing more to do with her." A tear slipped out as I remembered that day. Zach wiped it away.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it sweetie." Zach said in consolation as more tears slipped out of my eyes.

I shook my head. Might as well just tell him. "I thought my sisters were going to defend me since they always did but they were ashamed too. There's nothing worst on this earth than being called a disgrace by your own family Zach. I felt so alone. I felt like I wasn't worthy enough. I thought it was a joke until I came back home on that fateful day to see my things on the threshold. They'd sold the apartment and moved away. They wanted me to go back to the man who got me pregnant. I had no money and all my friends didn't want a pregnant independent girl crashing at their houses.  Everyone hated me." At this point I was sobbing hard. I didn't realize how painful it was for me to have a repeat of that night.

Zach kissed my forehead  passionately. "It's alright sweetheart,  I'm right here and I sure as hell don't hate you"

I wiped my tears and continued. "Of course I had to drop school and start working. Didn't even go to college. I even considered an abortion but I just didn't have the courage to kill my own baby. Zach I was so afraid. I loved him but he left me when I needed him the most. My love soon turned to hatred which eventually led to anger and right now, I feel the need to take revenge. After everything i went through,  I know the heavens would help me out if I decided to punish the man who hurt me the most." I said as I looked him in the eye.

Zach's eyes were full of anger too. "I'm gonna help you out. Just tell me who the fucker is."

"Ian Weizmann. He's Dahlia's father."

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Oh yeah! She finally told Zach. I just wanted you all to have an insight of what Tori went through when Ian went. How do you think Zach would feel knowing Ian is Dahlia's father?

Go check out my other books "THE MAFIA'S PRINCESS" and  "THE SEDUCTRESS."

Do vote if you liked this chapter.  Next update.......Tuesday