Tempted (Complete)

Chapter 24

Vanessa

4 years later...

When I look at Davina I am forced to remember a time I've shoved at the back of my mind, swore it'd never define me, people make mistakes, learn from them, grow from them, or not.

I had made a mistake but I don't regret it, I hate myself for hurting her, but I wouldn't have done it otherwise.

It pains me that my daughter will never know her father, maybe that was my punishment, but I'll take it and sit my ass down, raise my daughter into an amazing woman.

Liam was there, as always. And I was forever grateful for him.

"Mommy! Mommy! Uncle Liam is here!" Davina exclaimed as she jumped up and down staring outside the window where Liam was parking his car. I stood beside her and watched him get out of his car and open the backseat door where he produced plastic bags and started towards us.

I smiled.

"Uncle Liam!" Davina flung her arms around his knees.

"Hi little pumpkin!" Liam dropped the plastic bags full of groceries and treats for Davina and carried her in his arms. He played with her for a while, showered her face with kisses and tickled her until her face turn red.

"Mommy save me!" She cried reaching out to me. Liam let her loose and she run to her bedroom to hide.

Liam and I remained in the sitting room laughing. Then our laughter died when we locked eyes. Liam started picking up the plastic bags and I offered to help. We journey to the kitchen where we put everything in place.

We were catching up when Liam complained about his mom nagging him. "She's just worried about you!" I raised a point.

"I am perfectly fine on my own." He groaned, "plus I'm too young to settle down." He added, "it's because of you and Beatrice that she keeps nagging."

I laughed, "me and Beatrice?"

"Yeah, you have a child and Beatrice just got married last year." He explained.

I rolled my eyes, "stop giving your mother lame excuses, just tell her the truth."

"What truth?" He grumbled.

"That you want to fall deeply in love with someone before marrying them."

"Ha!" He laughed.

"You'll find them." I assured him.

He sighed and muttered under his breath, "I already did." When he realized I'd heard him he quickly added, "they didn't love me back."

"Who wouldn't love you back?" That came as a shock really, Liam was so far the best guy that ever lived.

"You." There he said it, point blank.

I froze, me? Then I laughed, "yeah right!"

"No, I'm serious Nessa. You never loved me back."

I was at loss of words, "I didn't know you liked me!" I defended myself.

"Would it have made a difference if you did?" He asked.

I shrugged, "I don't know."

Liam just shook his head.

"Mommy can I go outside and play?" Davina asked.

"Sure, go with-"

"I'll go with her." Liam offered, something about the way he said it made me think he just wanted to get out of my space.

I watched Liam and Davina play outside and thought of what it would have been if I loved Liam back back then.

I pictured my life ten times easier, happier and smiled.

Ian

"How are you even a millionaire?" Wellington would often ask me. My decisions have been proven to be  irrational. I fell for a girl at first sight like I was in some teen flick. I slept and slept with this girl even against my better judgement, then I left my wife to be with this girl, risking everything I built. Then I left this girl to live with my ex wife. What the fuck was I doing? Going back and forth like a yoyo! Wasn't I a grown man that could stick to one god damn decision?

Four years ago when I left Vanessa to go live with Irene without (let me say this) discussing it with any of them I thought: yay! It's time for me to do the right thing. I made my life a living hell.

Irene hated my guts and she made my life miserable. Constant fights, non-stop nagging, insults flying around, there was no peace for me. Perhaps this was my karma? It was as if she was showing me how bad she could get since when I wronged her she was an angel in flesh. I took it all. I deserved it.

Now day drinking was my norm. I'd constantly play scenarios in my mind back and forth thinking if I'd done one thing different where would I be? Would I have met Vanessa that day and never see her again? Would Irene and I be happy parents by now? Or would it be Vanessa and I? I heard she moved, Beatrice won't tell me where she moved to, she'll not show me what my daughter looks like so I'm nice to every four year old girl at the Mall in case she's my daughter.

I didn't look for them, I knew Vanessa didn't want to be found, what I did to her was beyond cruel, but the main reason I didn't look for them was I wasn't sure I wanted to find her. What will I say? So what if I said all the right things, and then what?

So I sit at this bar every free time I get, drink and think of the could have beens.