Broken Inside

67 - The Trio

Alex spent the whole of Saturday with Neesha, Raj, Devan and Ethan. Unfortunately, Ian couldn't come to London due to work commitments. 

Paul was sweet enough to let Alex run off with her friends for the day, as long as they could all have dinner together. So Alex agreed.

With the trio back together again, plus Raj and Devan, they played tourists in London. They went to the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels, they rode the London Eye on the South Bank, and they went to Buckingham Palace to watch the Changing of the Guards. They ended the day with a picnic in Hyde Park, letting Devan run around with Raj and Ethan chasing him.

"I can't believe how big he has grown," Alex said to Neesha. They were resting on the blankets on the grass, watching the boys.

"I can't believe it either," Neesha said. "Before you know it, he'll be off to college and breaking some poor girl's heart."

"That is if he takes after you," Alex said pointedly and Neesha rolled her eyes. "But I'm pretty sure he's like his daddy, a hopeless romantic."

Neesha chuckled and exhaled in contentment. "Sometimes I wonder how it all came to this."

Alex looked at her. She looked genuinely happy. "Sometimes I wonder, too."

Neesha grabbed a bunch of grapes and started eating them. "I've been meaning to ask you about your ring," she said, while munching. Alex looked at her new engagement ring and smiled happily. "Didn't you have a different one yesterday?"

So Alex told her what happened after the party last night. Neesha paused eating and touched her heart.

"OMG, I'm gonna cry," she said, her eyes glassing over.

Alex laughed. "Paul is really something else."

Neesha tilted her head and smiled. "You really love him, don't you?"

"I really do," Alex admitted. "But I'm also scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Whether I could fit in," Alex explained. "I mean, you've met his mother and his friends."

Neesha shrugged and said, "Yeah, a bunch of people with sticks stuck up their asses." She watched the boys for a while, then she said, "Don't let that scare you. I mean, if Princess Diana can do it, so can you."

"Princess Diana died in a car crash," Alex said pointedly.

"Not that part," Neesha said dismissively, popping a grape into her mouth. "She was the people's princess. Everyone loved her! Just by being herself. You can do that too."

Alex chuckled and lay down on her back. "I'm not gonna change myself just to get them to like me, that's for sure."

"That's my girl," Neesha said proudly.

Devan appeared out of nowhere and dropped himself on Alex's chest, causing her to double over. "Aunty Alex!" he yelled.

Alex grabbed him and tickled him. "Oh no, Devan! You woke up the tickle monster!"

Devan's laughter filled the air.

*****

After the park, Alex went home to get ready for dinner. Paul was in his office, talking on the phone. Alex peered in to let him know that she was home. He smiled when he saw her. She blew him a kiss before going upstairs to take a shower. 

After the shower, Alex was browsing through her clothes to figure out what to wear to dinner, when Paul walked in. 

"Did you enjoy your day?" he asked, hugging her.