A Perfect Stitch

Chapter 28 | drawing many conclusions

Her eyes softened as she stood in front of me and gazed into my flickering ones.

She caught me doing the act and no excuse of mine could take off my guilt, but the tension in her voice added more meaning to the pictures in my grip, and eagerness to know overwhelmed me.

"What's special about the pictures Camilla? Is it his kid which he has out of his marital status?"

I raised a brow at her, stood on my feet, and peered at the date; my breath shifted."Camilla, these pictures were taken six years from now, who is this?"

"His kid?" She laughed and motioned her hand, telling me to forget about it. "Lisa, those are Liam's sonogram pictures and Dwain decided to keep them himself. By the way, where did you fetch this kid issue out of marital status from?"

Camilla tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and scratched her head, her eyes moving between the pictures and my eyes.

Something about this issue wasn't right, if they were Liam's sonogram, why would Camilla be as tensed as she was, scratching her head, avoiding my eyes, and laughing sheepishly. . . Not forgetting her last question which spilled more doubts in my mind.

The black box, the Lady in the passport-size photos flooded my thoughts and lit a bulb in my head.

What if the sonogram pictures were hers?

Maybe she was pregnant and Dwain was the father?

Shit!

This couldn't be true.

"Lisa, are you okay?"

Camilla touched my cheeks and shook me out of my reverie. "Do you need a glass of water? Your face looks pale and your eyes are weak."

She hurried to the cupboard next to Dwain's bed where a bottle of mineral water and a glass sat still.

"I'm fine." I squared my shoulders and declined her offer. "It's a misplaced notion about the number of girls Dwain possibly dated before me and him tying the knot and so on. . ."

I thanked my tongue for such a beautiful piece that made Camilla cackle.

She dropped the glass of water and moved towards me, her eyes tearing into my soul and her lips spreading into a smile. "Lisa, forget about the other women. Mr. Horton took you to the alter not them."

She brushed a strand of hair out of my face.

I gulped.

"Camilla, why did you come up here?"

She yanked her hand from my face and released a puff of air.

"Tasha wants to talk to you. She's in the courtyard, in front of the foyer, " she mumbled and walked to the door."That's why I came."

Out of sight, my eyes glanced at the sonogram pictures and returned them to the drawer.

Tasha's talk with me preoccupied my mind and reminded me of all her insults towards me.

If that was the sole purpose of her call, I wasn't going to take it as usual.

Throwing a polo shirt over my head and discarding my nightgown, I picked a pair of blue jeans to go with it and untangled my hair with my fingers.

Fumbling with my wristwatch, and mobile in one hand, I stepped out of the room.

OUT OF THE FOYER, in the prestige of fresh air and swirling palm trees, Tasha and Brielle were perched around a circular outdoor table.

In front of them, a tray of pastries and three cups of coffee rested.

The sweet aroma swarmed my private space.

Tasha sipped from her mug and munched a croissant with the same craving she had during our first talk.

She acknowledged my presence as I approached them and invited me to take a seat opposite hers.

Brielle flashed me her white dental formula as I plopped my butt into the comfort next to me.

Odd enough, Tasha didn't utter a word, so I braked the hush."Tasha, you demanded my presence."

Dabbing a napkin over her mouth, she cleaned her lips and then scrunched the napkin. "Cultured ladies, don't talk with their mouths full. They make fools of themselves if they do. Are you one of them?"

She teased and a grin spread across her lips.

"Stop this mum." Brielle interrupted and gave me a reassuring smile. "You won't judge her because of what happened between her and Dwain. Your favorite son is guilty here and she's only a victim. The last time I checked, your wedding with dad was arranged."

"Silly, silly, silly." Tasha scoffed and raised her eyes to Brielle. "Don't get me into an argument with you, nutty daughter of mine. I'm not over your modeling career nonsense yet, instead of the business administration your father sponsored you for. You failed Edward."

"I did what my heart wanted mum."

"Peck your lips and fold your tongue. My outlet doesn't need silly girls."

Tasha heaved a sigh and rolled her eyes from Brielle to meet mine. "Mrs. Pole Horton. . . Ops, I mean Elizabeth Horton, I summoned your presence to give you a strict instruction."

"Which is?" I asked in fading confidence.

"Don't mess with my son's heart."

Thoughts fluttered in my mind and my heart flipped; my brain couldn't handle the shock from Tasha's words.

"Is that all?" My voice was stiff, my gaze fence and lips dry.

Tasha didn't make a fight out of our talk.

Her words amazed me.

"Shocking enough, Elizabeth, my son is happy these past days but it might take time for my heart to accept you. I can't fight my son's happiness but I will fight his unhappiness, young lady."

"I remember telling dad that you were weird mum and now I have no doubts." Brielle sucked her lips.

"Get a life, you silly."