Marianne's POV
Oh my goodness!
I honestly can't believe that just happened.
And during the stir, in trying to get le.to the car, Luke neglected to take his own car and got into this one with me, but fortunately, Sam offers to arrange someone to pick it up and drop it off at his apartment for him.
"Must be nice to have people do things for you like that huh?" he mutters and i shake my head at his sarcasm.
Looking out the window, with my heart on my chest, i feel my heartbeat start to calm down.
"It will pass right? I am literally the least interesting person i know, people will get bored and stop talking right" I ask Luke.
He is a journalist, he should know.
But he just shrugs in response.
So much for for wanting a quite life.
It's one thing for people to be interested in your life, and another for them to make distateful comments as if they have a right or know the whole truth.
I just hope this frenzy ends before school opens in the next two weeks, I would hate to imagine what that will be like.
Which also reminds of the the baby. I don't really know how that will work out. I don't want to be standing infront of a class my my belly grows, i wouldn't bare it. So i will have to stop work before i start showing, which is a shame because i love my work.
Then after the baby is born, i can start teaching again, if they will still have me, if not, i will find somewhere else to teach.
Angelo and i haven't discussed this part, and i will have to tell him my decision about it later.
"Hey"
"Yeah?"
"What are you thinking about?" Luke asks.
"Never mind" I murmur, then turn to give him my full attention.
At the airport, we find a not so busy Kiosk and find a sit at a corner, keeping to ourselves.as we wait for the plane to land.
Like usual, we quickly fall into our usual selves, talking and laughing about this and that.
"Do I have some amazing news to share with you."
"What news?"
"I wanted to wait until the official announcement is made, but a friend of mine knows someone at the academy and it turns out, that article I submitted that you wrote 'Beyond Boarder line", won first place in the ATC Journalism and Media award."
"No way"
"Yes way....they are making the office announcements on the winners tomorrow."
"Oh wow"
"Yeah.....you are an amazing writer Mary...i am so proud of you" he says.
"So does the award come with a price"
"Yep"
"How much?"
"What do you care, you have a rich boyfriend now, and riding in expensive SUV's with bodyguards" he chuckles.
"Well like you said, he is the rich one, not me."
"Look, even though it hurts me to admit, I can see how much he cares for you. I doubt he is stupid enough to let you go."
Shortly after that, Eli comes up to us to tell us my family has arrived.
"Just to avoid any possible.....' incident', I will escort you to the car, and Sam will collect them and bring them there." He says seriously.
"Is that really necesary?"
"Just a precaution" he utters.
I look at Luke briefly and decide not to argue. Honestly, i would do anything to avoid any attention, especially when not all of it is pleasant.
"I will go with him and join you later" Luke says as Eli and i start to walk away.
We wait in the car for about fifteen minutes, before they show up. I see them coming through the tinted window and open the door, quickly stepping out.
"Hey" I utter, opening my arms wide to hug both of them at once"
"Hey you" Mom responds, but Jade gives me a hard glare.
"What?" I ask.
"Ain't you full of surprises." He smirks.
"Let's go" I shake my head and step into the car.
*
"So this is how you have been living huh? I should start teaching too" Jade says sarcastically, observing his surroundings, after we walk into the apartment.
"It's not really my place" I utter, saying the obvious.
"But you live here?"
"Currently"
"I really don't know you at all do I? Why all the secrets?"
"I wasn't keeping secrets, we just never had the chance to........"
"....Get to know each other? I know" I says apologetically.
"I guess" I say, walking into the living room.
"I know i was really shitty to you before, and..."
"Jaden, you don't have to apologise to me every time you see me. You have said it already a hundred times" I murmur.
"I know...and i will say it a million times more......I really am Arie....I can't take back the past, but i promise to do better in the future." He says solemnly.
"Me too" mom whispers.
I look at her and she is already shedding a tear.
"Enough of that....who's hungry?" I murmur and just on cue, Selene walks in to let us know lunch was ready along time ago and just waiting for us to arrive.
*
After lunch, i show them around the apartment with the intention of watching a movie afterwards, but after showing them Angelo's workout room, Jaden is completely blown away by the different types of excercise machines and equipment, such that we end up spending a long time listening to him explain what each is machine is called and what it does.
Coming back downstairs, some time in the late afternoon, we end up in the kitchen where mom offers to prepare dinner, complete with baked desert.
After some time, sudden deep voices in the foyer let me know Angelo is home and i quickly, excuse myself from the kitchen.
He is with AJ, Eli, Sam and two other people, i don't know, that are dressed formally, one of them a woman.
"Hey" I say, walking towards his out stretched arm.
"Hai" he utters, holding me to his side.
"You ok?" I ask.
"Good, you? Anything eventful happen?" He asks, traces of slight teasing evident in his voice.
"I know, i asked for it .....but I am not going to hide in this house forever" I mutter.
"Utter girl" he quips and introduces the two strangers as my additional security to look after me.
" 'Look after'?" I drawl, as i stare at him.
"Yes, I......" He starts to say, but gets cut off when Jaden walks into the room.
"Hey.........oopps, am i interrupting" he asks awkwardly.
"..No..." I mutter and realise, the two haven't met yet. Just then, mom walks into the foyer too and suddenly the space looks crowded.
AJ excuses himself, and the others, leaving us alone with Mom and Jade.
"You two haven't met yet right?" I say nervously.
"Angelo, this is my brother Jaden, Jade, my boyfriend Angelo Morreli" I mumble, feeling nervous for some reason.
"Hello" Angelo murmurs.
"Hi, it's great to finally meet you......"
"Likewise,...." he says, then turns to look at mom.
"Mrs Wright"
"Mr Morreli" she responds and i frown at their formality. Is it necesary to be so extra.
"It's good to have you back here, I trust everything is ok?" He adds
"As can be, under the circumstances." she responds.
"Why don't you get changed, and join us in the kitchen. Mom's cooking" I suggest.
"Speaking of which, I should go finish up before time runs out..." Mom utters, turning to go towards the kitchen.
"Why don't you stay the night? Spend some more time together?" Angelo suggests, surprising me.
"That would be cool" Jaden murmurs, touching mom on the shoulder and I smile at her expectantly.
"Are you sure, we wouldn't want to be an incovinience"
"Not a problem. This is Marianne's home, you are welcome to stay any time" he says.
"Well thank you....I guess one night won't hurt" she murmurs, surprising me even more.
"Great" I utter.
"Ok, well, I still have to check on the food, excuse me" she says and walks away, Jaden following behind her.
"Mrs Wright?..can you not call her that???" I utter when we are alone.
"I don't think she will let me call her anything else." He shrugs, starting to walk upstairs.
He stops when he realises that i am not following behind him.
"Not coming?"
"I'll be in the kitchen" I reply.
He starts to walk back towards me.
"What did i say about greeting me properly" he mutters and i smile at he memory.
Standing up on my toes, i try to reach up to kiss him, but he leans back.
"Not here" he says.
"What?..No.. " I giggle
"No? No?" He cocks his eyebrow.
"Yes, No. I am not going up with you right now." I chuckle.
He frowns.
"No? Ok"he says, looking thoughtful.
"I know you....if I come up with you, we are going to get distracted.....and..."
"And???"
"Angelo!!!....just go ok?..please" i utter, pushing him towards the stairs.
He walks half way up then i call his name.
"I love you" I whisper, when he turns back to look at me.
"No? Ok" He keeps repeating, ignoring my words of endearment and I know that this is not the end of the matter.
*
I am in the kitchen with mom and Jade making a chocolate cake for desert later and don't even notice when Angelo joins us, and stands at the door, watching.
I almost get startled, when i see him standing there.
"So, Jaden, what excercises did you get your sister into exactly....because when she came back home, she was literally crawling on her feet from exhaustion and restlessness" Angelo asks, as he walks into the room.
Honestly, i feel abit nervous about these two.
Mom is abit uptight and forward in nature, but she is usually diplomatic about it. Dad was the opposite, and thats where I get my temperament from. Cool, reserved and diplomatic. Jaden is not. He is all of mom and then some.
He is impatient, presumptuous and impulsive, not to mention hot tempered....problem is, so is Angelo.
I am nervous about them rubbing each other off the wrong way.
"Oh, that, I did give her a fair warning though" he chuckles, leaning over the counter.
"He did" I murmur in his defense.
"Is that so. What did you make her do?" Angelo asks casually, standing on the other side of the counter opposite him.
I tense up and watch them. Jaden is my only other family member, I would really like it if atleast he could get along with Angelo.
"Battle ropes, legs lifts, squats and stuff." he shrugs.
Angelo looks at him then glances at me accusingly.
"All at once?" He asks.
"She asked for it.." he mutters and his eyebrow go up in disapproval, before shaking his head at me.
"I showed Jade your workout studio, he loved it." I say, changing the subject.
" Oh, yeah, cool equipment you got" Jaden utters, his interest peaked.
"Thanks" Angelo says, as he walks to the fridge and grabs a beer and gets back to his position at the counter.
"Actually, the place is nice place. I like it." Jaden says, referring to the whole apartment.
"Thanks, but we are actually moving out pretty soon anyway."
"You are?" Mom asks, looking at me.
Really Angelo?
He looks at me as if he has done nothing wrong.
"Yeah..we are moving into a new house" I say.
"New house? What's wrong with this one?"
"We are thinking more of a family home, big yard, a lawn, something a bit more long term, permanent" Angelo chips in.
At this rate he might as well just tell them about the baby.
So you two are really really serious huh" Jade asks, getting serious.
"Yeah" I murmur.
"So if you are that serious, why don't you get married, instead of this casual living together arrangement you have got going on" he asks, looking at Angelo.
"Because we are adults, and this suits us just fine." Angelo mutters.
"Well, you had no problem being married before"
"Well, i am not now"
This is turning into a Jade and Angelo fiasco and it's making me uncomfortable.
"Do you love her?" The questioning continues and i feel like i should put a stop to it.
Angelo looks at him before turning to me, holding my gaze for a second.
"More than anything" he says, more to me than him.
My heart literally melts at the intensity of his gaze. He means it and it scares me as much as it excites me.
Angelo is fervid with every thing he does. When he commits to something, be it work or family and now me, he goes in all the way, no half way with him. I can tell to him, this is the highest level of commitment and i know he means these words with all his heart.
I smile warmly at him and turn away in time to see both Jade and Mom look at us, then at each other from opposite sides of the room.
That response literally shuts Jade up this time, and the rest of the time is not so tense at all.
After a few more minutes in the kitchen, we have dinner together at the table.
My initial fear about Angelo and Jade not getting along, soon vanishes as they feed off each other's energy. I don't know if it's a guy thing, or the fact that Jade is the same age as Andre, so he kind of knows how to interact with him, but whatever it is, it's working.
Later, the two disappear to the gym, leaving me with plenty of alone time with mom, which today, i am not able to enjoy, because i feel as if she will see right through me and figure out that i am pregnant.
Throughout the evening i withheld, with great difficulty the nausea from the smell of the cooking, so not to give myself away.
"Let me show you where you are sleeping" I murmur to her, when she declares her exhaustion after some time has passed, and i welcome the declaration, desperately needing the rest too.
The noise from the gym, catches our attention and curiosity makes us deviate there. We find them both dripped in sweat, talking over loud punk music, obviously Jade's selection.
"Hey" I shout.
"Hai"Angelo murmurs, grabbing a towel and walking towards me. He is shirtless and sweaty and shirtless!! His shorts hanging low.
I don't know why any form of nudity gets me blushing, but it does, and right now i am blushing purfusely, especially having Mom here. He however, looks unbothered and unaware.
But, when i look at mom, she looks uncomfortable too, and avoids to look at him and somehow, that makes me want to laugh.
"Can i join you guys" i tease.
"Very funny" Jade chuckles.
"I was going to show Mom where she to sleep. Jade you are down the hall, last door on the left.
"Got it."
*
Last night went well.
I must admit, I was abit worried about not getting along with Marianne's brother, much like her mother, but we got on great by the end of the night. So now it's just her mother i need to win over and even with her, i can see she is already starting to warm up to me abit more now.
I have a number of commitments at the office today, and an appointment at 4pm with Marianne at the hospital, which is the biggest highlight of the day.
"I've got to go, i will pick you up at 3pm"
"Ok" she murmurs, still lying in bed.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
She wakes up pretty early these days, so i am surprised to see her still in bed.
"I have nowhere to go and nothing to rush for" she says.
"Is that so? No coffee or breakfast today?" I ask and she grins, shaking her head.
"Well that has ended fast" I mutter, to her amusement.
" I will do it tomorrow, I am on time out today"
"Love has no time out" I utter and she smiles.
"You didn't do any extensive excercises with your brother in my absence yesterday in the afternoon now did you?" I ask suspiciously.
She laughs.
"No"
"Ok" I lean over, kissing her forehead
"I will see you later." I whisper.
"By the way, Mom and Jaden are leaving at around noon today, so......."
"......Jaden wants to stick around town for the weekend and visit some friends, I told him it was alright to stay here" I inform her.
"When did he say that?"
"This morning...."
"But Mom........"
" ..........He is over eighteen, he doesn't really need her permission, but she said it was ok"i say, stoping at the door.
She looks lost for words and i wink at her, before dissappearing passed the the door.
*
I don't want to accompany mom to the airport, because it's in the opposite direction of the hospital, and i don't want to be late, so i tell her i can't go because i am trying to keep a low profile, which she believes.
Thankfully, Jade left to meet up with some friends earlier, so I don't have to make an excuse about where i am. L.k
am going to him..
Later, after Mom is gone, Angelo arrives just in time to pick me up, but waits in the carpark and does not come up the building.
"Hey" I utter, when i reach the carpark downstairs to find him on the phone. Eva is with him too along with someone else, and they appear to be coming from somewhere and dropping him off to me.
"Shit!" He says upon hanging up.
"What's wrong" Eva asks, taking the the words right out of my mouth.
They talk between themselves about a 'situation' that has come up and needs his attention immediately.
"Why don't you go, I can go along". I offer, pulling him to the side.
He looks at me and looks away, running his fingers through his hair.
"Angelo, it's ok....this is obviously serious...you can go takecare of it" I insist.
"Baby.....it's not like we don't already know the results, it's just confirmation, it's really ok." I say again when i am met with silence.
"This is important to me, to us. I don't want to miss our first appointment"
"I know, but...life happens....it's ok." I murmur, taking his hand in mine.
I can see that he is really conflicted, but I also understand that after being away for some time, he must have some really important stuff to attend to.
"It's ok" I say.
I can tell he wants to accept, but he doesn't want to dissappoint me at the same time.
"Eva, you guys go ahead. I will be see you another time." I say to her and kiss Angelo on the cheek to move him along.
"Go"
He nods.
Before i get into my car, he pushes me up against the door, kissing me softly.
"I am sorry, this is not how i wanted to start things"
"I know.... it's ok"
"Maybe i should call someone to accompany you, I don't want you to have to do this alone" he whispers.
"It's just a blood test baby..I think i will survive."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, now you are wasting both our time now...go"
*
On the way to the hospital, Angelo, texts me to say how sorry he is for not being here and that if I have changed my mind, he will come here instead. I appreciate him, but I really don't mind the new situation, and i tell him that.
Today, i am with Sam and Tamara, the new guard, and they both lead me inside the hospital and straight to the Gynaecologist's office. I find that it's a woman, and she is expecting me.
She asks me alot of questions and then takes my blood for a sample.
I wait there anxiously, getting even more nervous every minute i wait for the lab results.
I don't know why i feel so nervous all of a sudden, it's not like my condition is not known to us.
After browsing through the magazine without reallying understanding anything, my results come back and the doctor asks for me to join her again.
*
A day's work now behind me, i can hardly wait to get back home. I haven't spoken to Marianne since we parted, but she texted me to let me know she was home after her appointment. I didn't ask about the results because i want to find out face to face.
As I get home, every thing feels like it's moving in slow motion and not moving fast enough.
Finally reaching the apartment, i meet Selene in the foyer and she tells me Marianne is upstairs in the bedroom.
Walking in, Ii find her on the bed, half of her body covered in a blanket.
"Hey" I say, walking towards her and standing at the foot of the bed.
"Hai" she whispers, sitting up.
I try to read her face, get some clues, but she is giving off nothing.
I don't know why i am so anxious.
"How did it go?" I ask, wanting to get straight to the point.
"She looks up at me,and folds her legs against her chest and rests her head on her knees, and says nothing.
It feel a cold wind wash over me.
I don't know if she is sad because she is pregnant because of her previous reservations about marriage and pregnancy, or sad because she is not pregnant, taking onto consideration her change of heart.
But whatever it is, i am too afraid to ask.
Having a baby was not something i planned, but when it happened...when i thought it happened, the idea sunk into my head again and now it's all i want.
"Mary...??"
"I am so sorry" she whispers looking up.
The blood drains from my face.
I nod.
Ok.
Ok.
It's ok.. I mean... No need to feel bad.
It's not like she lost the baby or anything. It was just never there.
I rub my hand on my face and look at her again.
"Are you ok?" I ask.
"I don't know." She says faintly.
I don't know what to say, but i feel the need to sit down.
"What....." I clear my throat. What exactly did the doctor say though?" I ask.
She reaches for an envelope on the bed stand and pulls out a paper, extending it over to me.
I reach over and take it.
Opening it, i quickly scan the words, noting the words Marianne Wright, Lab Results etc..and my eyes stop on one word.
I read the sentence to get the context and look up at her over the sheet of paper.
"What the fuck" I shout, feeling a great deal of anger brewing at her sick joke.
"I am sorry" she murmurs, a small smile appearing on her face.
"Fuck!"
"Fuck!"
"Marianne?????" I grunt as i walk around the room.
She smiles and gets up off the bed.
I turn to find her clutching her cheeks, a big grin plastered on her face.
I glare at her for a couple of seconds, wondering what to do with her.
I start to take long purposeful strides towards her and she starts to back up.
"Angelo!"
"Angelo, calm down, it was just a joke. I am sorry" she shouts before dashing out of the door.
She turns to find me hot on her tail and sprints down the corridor towards the stairs, screaming bloody Mary.
I catch her just before she reaches the top of the stairs and anchor my arm around her torso while she screams for help.
I push her up against a wall, holding her arms to her side, as her screams continue.
Like her, i am out of breathe, not from the short chase, but from the adrenaline of the past fifteen minutes.
"What the hell Marianne" I mutter.
Just then, Mario, Seline and Jade, who i didn't know was back from meeting his friends, come running up the stairs.
"What happen, what's going on?" They ask, responding to Marianne's cries.
The little rascal in my arms suddenly bursts out laughing and i can't help the smile that appears on my face, from how adorable she looks, her hair a wild mess now, breathing hard and laughing hysterically.
"Nothing...nothing, everything is fine" I say, unable to take my eyes off her.
"Arie?" Jade asks. And I realise he wants to make sure i wasn't hurting her on anything.
She makes the 'ok' sign with her fingers.
"Everything is fine. Angelo is just bad at taking jokes." She says, looking at me and i release her arms,
"That wasn't funny. It wasn't appropriate or even....."
"I know, I know...I am sorry" she pouts.
Wrapping her arms around my neck, she reaches up and kisses me.
I kiss her right back, needing somewhere to direct this pent up anger.
"Gross" I hear Jade say before walking away, along with everyone else and leaving us alone.
*
"I am still mad at you right now"
"I know, i just wanted to play a little prank on you, that's all."
"I had been anxious all day, and then you do that to me" I frown.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time, then you freaked out really bad, and i realized it was a really bad joke."
"It was"
"I said i am sorry"
"Don't ever do something like that again."
"You sure give out alot of instructions"
"I am serious Mary"
"I know. Ok." She mutters.
"So how did the meeting really go? What else did the doctor say?"
"I was really nervous too at first, and i didn't know what i was hoping for. But when i saw the words positive, i felt a sense of relief, and i realised i really really want this" she says happily, as she tells me a few other things they discussed.
I rub her cheek with the back of my finger.
"I can see that."
"So when do we tell everyone?"
"In two weeks, when you are atleast over eight weeks pregnant....is that ok?"
"Ok" she whispers.
"Come here" I murmur, sliding her bum across the counter to the edge towards me, and pushing away the ice cream bowl we are eating from at 2am in the morning.
"I missed you today, i got so used to being around you everyday, that the whole day felt like hell" I tell her.
" I missed you too"
A/N. Thanks for the wait guys.. it's been another rough week for me with being busy.
Feel free to vote and comment as usual. Much love.
BTW, i changed the title so you haven't skipped any chapter.