Promises

Chapter 53

"We're gonna walk you in, yeah," Zayn replies. "But we're not staying." How blunt.

"Why my friend is not gonna stay wid me? He go'd to da oder school wid me."

"Because he's not old enough to be in your class," Zee further explains. But knowing Marley, this won't be enough of an explanation.

"Oh. Him gonna go'd next time? Cause we gonna play and-and I thinked him's wants to write him's name like me cause I can do da M-A-R."

I smile at him. "When he's three he can go to preschool. But he's only two, baby."

"Oh. Dat's okay. But mummy, I gonna showed him da letters when I comed home?"

"Of course. When your teacher shows them to you, you can come home and show them to Adrian."

"Okay. I gonna do dat. And-and mummy?"

"Mhmm," I answer.

"Where you gonna go when I gonna be at school?"

"To work, but I'll see you when I get home." He's quiet so I know the little wheels are turning, hence why I continue. "You're gonna have the best day and then daddy and your friend and Li Li will be here to pick you up, okay? And then when I come home, you can tell me all about how it went."

He looks troubled for a second. "Oh. But you not gonna get da boo boo, right? When I in school?"

I frown; it's been roughly two weeks now since I lost the baby, and it's been tough on all of us, especially Mar. But we're slowly learning to cope. Now, it's more of the what-ifs-what if I can't have anymore children (not that we've been trying because I'm not really in the mood to have sex). I don't know where Zayn gets the strength from, but every time my thoughts get the best of me, he's there. "No, honey. I'm not gonna get the boo boo. I'm gonna be just fine."

"But dey gonna called me if you got da boo boo? Dey gonna called my teacher?" He states, matter-of-factly. "Cause I thinked my teacher gonna telled me and I gonna be dere."

"He is just like you." Bryson nods to Zayn before pulling open the door to the school. "Just like you. All protective and shit."

Only Mar would be apprehensive about the first day of school because he's scared for his mom. "You bet they will, but you don't have to worry because mommy's not gonna have a boo boo."

//

"Why am I trying to find a dress in September?" I take in the very, very high end white rectangular room, surrounded by well-lit walk in closets that house every possible style wedding dress. Honestly, even the fricking hangers look expensive.

"Please, do have a seat," one of the women dressed in black from head to toe instructs.

Bryson whistles, taking in the place along with everyone else. "Shit, my poverty might rub off on the couch if I sit on it."

"Charlie, listen to me," Talia says, chuckling as she rolls her eyes. "Some women have their dresses picked out for a year or better. You're actually kind of late."

Ouch.

"But not to worry," she rushes, noticing the wounded look on my face, I'm sure. "I've booked Atelier and I'm sure we're going to find something here. They always have something. It's no Kleinfeld, but it's absolutely fabulous and one of my all time favorites." Her enthusiasm and excitement are contagious, I must say. And I'm sorta kinda glad we stuck with her. Go figure.

But because I'm me, I haven't really given much thought to style. And Talia's throwing out names of different cuts- Mermaid, A-line, ballerina; then there's lace, tulle, sequin, strapless, long-sleeve. And then she's asking me which kind of train I want...like, I dunno. I just want to...well, I want to elope now, is what I want.