Chapter 8
The next day, Diego kept his suprise a suspence. After getting in the car on a particular hot carribean morning, I found myself sitting with a blind-fold on and a smile plastered on my face.
Last night Diego had fallen asleep before me, his hard mouth relaxed and I found myself wondering what genes our babies would take from us. Diego was unequally the most handsome man I'd ever met and I hoped that my children would take on his good genes along with his sun-kissed skin.
That morning I woke cheerily and dressed in a plain white soft cotton sundress. After arriving upstairs for breakfast, I actually found Diego looking casual in a pair of shorts and buttoned shirt, sipping coffee at the breakfast bar whilst Breonia tossed pancakes.
In all my time of knowing Diego, I'd never seen him so casually dressed... Or in a good mood for that matter.
He greeted me with a kiss on the cheek and a smile on his face. He centered his attention exclusively around me and I attempted to weedle my surprise from him.
As the car came to a stop, I felt a soft kiss touch my cheek as he whispered, "We're here."
Diego helped me from the car, his arm pinned to my waist, his protective hand spread over my small swell. Immediately I could hear the sound of gushing water, birds singing an exotic tune around me, and the rush of the waves in the near distance.
"Are you ready, Gatito?" Diego whispered in my ear, his breath tickling my ear as I inhaled his divine aftershave.
"Yes!" I enthused, grinning with eagarness to see my surprise.
The blindfold came away and as my eyes adjusted to the bright morning, I began to take in my surroundings.
Directly infront of me stood a gaping stone fountain with a dolphin leaping over a golden letter "M".
Instantly, I knew this was the famous aquarium Diego held on the island, home to stunning marine species that the rich and famous came to see.
It was a known fact that in another resort Diego owned, his zoo was second to none in their successful panda breeding center and it was rumoured that in that zoo, Diego had recently signed to take on a programme of critically endangered animals to attempt to breed and release in the wild.
Before re-encountering Diego, I had followed the rumours on the internet and it was the only thing that I couldn't bring myself to hate him more for.
I loved animals.
As I took in the tropical surroundings, Diego took my hand in his own calloused ones and kissed the back of my hand, centering my attention on his.
"I remember how you once told me of your love of animals and thought this place might be well suited for today. All areas are yours to explore today."
It was whispered here that Diego held the longest surviving Great White shark in captivity. A known fact that these animals did not survive long.
I smiled warmly at him. I couldn't wait to see the conservation work they were doing here with marine animals. "Thank you."
A young gentleman with deep mocha skin and warm brown eyes shook hands with Diego and introduced himself as Keon, our guide for the day. He congratulated us on our happy news as he began to take us into the park.
By now everyone on Isle Lujo knew that I was expecting Diego's triplets. All except Diego's mother as he felt that with the pregnancy being so risky he wanted to make it to a safer point for premature babies before his mother knew. I understood his decison. If it weren't for Diego's mother being termally sick, these triplets wouldn't be in my womb. And with his dying mothers dream of seeing her grandchild before she left this world, Diego must want to make absolutley certain before telling her.
The excitement I had initially brewed began to dim as Keon guided our way around the park, giving us talks about the marine life and what they do.
In the underwater adventure, a stunning aray of sealife swam around us, over us, and under us. Hammerhead sharks and rays gracefully swam along with an aray of fish.
It was breathtaking to see.
My heart sank as spoiled rich kids smacked their fists on the glass walls, scaring the fish away. The parents were too interested in getting Diego to converse with them rather than teaching their children the respect these animals needed.
Diego kept excusing himself through the tour to take various phone calls. He didn't see my brewing unhappiness at his surprise as I initially had.
It became apparent that Diego had no conservations within the park. These creatures were here purely for the rich and famous to gawk at.
At one point, I found myself staring into a blue window as a bottlenose dolphin named Venus swam around attempting to dodge the bangs againt the various walls as the children attempted to gain the animals attention.
My hand fell to my stomach as Venus glided past me, her intelligent eyes focusing on my frame through the glass. Inqusitive, she begn to hover around me, inqusitive as she began making a buzzing sound.
"Some experts believe that dolphins can see a developing featus in the womb. That noise you hear is Venus intensifying her echo location. Many experts believe that a dolphin and a pregnant woman share a sacred bond during her pregnancy." Keon informed us, his voice in the distance as I took in the majestic creature in front of me.
A tear began to slip down my cheek as my hand touched the glass softly, "Why is she here?"
"She was brought here to us as an infant, injured and withoud her pod. Another one of our dolphins - Marma - mothered her. Venus recently lost her first offspring a couple of months back. Her young had been born weak and although Venus was a good mother, the young didn't survive the week." Keon replied, his voice without any emotion.
I could see the pain in Venus' eyes and I became overwhelmed in sharing her pain and grief. She wasn't happy here. She mourned her baby as any mother would.
As a gate opened, in the tank, the people around us began mulling to the exit in excitement.
"I have to take this call, Alley." Diego's voice interupted as I watched Venus swim through the door, my heart ready to break. "Please follow Keon. I'll meet you shortly."
I sensed rather than saw Diego leave, not bothering to wait for a reply. My eyes fixed on the closed gate as I came to terms with what I had just witnessed.
"Miss Knight?" Keon interupted, "Please follow me."
My mood plummeting, I followed Keon in a lift and was lead to a huge VIP area on a balcony overlooking a huge tank with a stage and platfom in the middle.
One by one trainers began introducing themselves and giving information on their bottlenose dolphins residing here. And then the trainers began entertaining the rich crowd with the dolphins performing.
One trick included a dolphin named Tilly using her tail to bat a ball into the crowd of children. That child holding the ball won a free encounter to come on the stage and stroke a dolphin.
I couldn't look anymore. Tears filled my eyes, but my ears were haunted by the soft cries of the dolphins. The crowd mistaking them as interacting when really, to me, they were crying for help.
I was a firm animal believer that any animal in captivity had to be nessesary for the animal. Conservations along with myself were firm believers in rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing animals back into the wild where they belonged.
Not performing for an audience.
Trainers manilpulate their natural behaviours into tricks. And because they done it over and over, these animals slowly lost their freedom to behave.
They were trained to jump at a whistle and perform tricks for fish.
I couldn't take anymore.
Keon stood next to me, his hands clapping along with the audience as the child stroked the dolphin that had beached itself on the stage, attempting to engage me in the show.
Leaping from my seat, I began to make my way back to the lift, the tears that I had attepted to hold back were now rolling freely down my cheeks.
A sob ricochered around my chest as I pressed the button and waited.
As the doors to the lift opened, Diego stood in front of me angry at first and then suddenly becoming alert to my unhappiness.
I heard Keon attempting to explain to Diego what had happened and that he was confused by my sudden behaviour.
"What's the matter, Gatito?" Diego took my chin in his hands and I looked into his concerned silver eyes. "You do not like my surprise?"
I shook my head, my voice faltering. I couldn't get the image of Venu's intelligent eyes looking into my own so unhappy and sad.
I knew that some dolphins that were unhappy in captivity took the ultimate suicide and refused to surface to take their breath.
"Keon, go to the Great White unit," Diego barked, "we need all hands on deck."
"What's the matter?" I suddenly demanded, my voice a little angrier than I intended.
"Theres a problem with our Great White shark." Diego muttered, disinterested. His gaze focused on me, his hands on my shoulders "What's made you so sad, Alley?"
Angrily I shoved his hands off my shoulders and began following Keon in the direction he went.
With Diego shouting behind me, I saw Keon take some stairs down and turn a corner. I continued marching angrily, and from there, I followed the signs to the great white enclosure.
Keon disapeared behind a door and as I went to open it, the door locked. I began yanking at it, people around me thinking I was crazy as Diego's voice became louder and louder behind me.
His meaty hands gripped my shoulders and spun me around, "What is the matter with you? You're acting like some kind of lunatic!"
Diego's voice was thick in spanish as he grappled to understand what was going on with me.
"Open the door, Diego." I hissed through my teeth, my fury building. "You said yourself all access areas were ours."
"Alley, this behaviour is not good for the babies." His thick accent bit out, his own behaviour becoming apparent that he did not want me to see what was behind that door.
"Open the door, Diego or so help me God!" I cried, shoving him away from me. "Open it now!"
For a moment I thought Diego was going to argue back, until he breathed out a sigh and pressed his finger to a panel, scanning his thumbprint.
"Access granted." A robot voice confirmed and a click unleshed the door.
I spun on my heels and barged into the door.
Four employee's were in a pool walking around with the young Great White shark, its mouth encased as they supported it to stay afloat.
But its white belly was already up.
The magnificent animal had already taken its last breath.
Diego had tried to do the impossible and raise this animal in captivity. And because of that decision the creature had took its last breath.
Tears poured down my cheeks as I took in the event before me, the trainers leaving the pool fearing what Diego might say or do.
"I'm so sorry," One employee began to apologise to Diego and explain what had happened to the animal.
This was the pressing business Diego had left me at the Dolphin enclosure to deal with.
I turned on Diego, my voice venomous. "It's you who should be sorry! It is you, and you alone who killed this creature."
Fury finally caused me to explode, my blood boiling. My fists began flying at Diego's broad chest and against my violence, he did not raise his hands to stop me.
I recoiled away from him, his face along with the employee's stunned at my outburst.
"You are sending animals here to die!" I cried, my tears flowing. "Your animals aren't happy here, Diego! I can't comprehend why you would think that me seeing animals in distress would be a happy surprise for me!
"Alley animals die all th-" Diego began as my own behaviour began to click, before I cut him off explaining.
"-No Diego. Don't sugar coat this." My voice broke as I locked on the dead shark. "Everywhere I have been today, I've seen animals being abused by your richly visitors. I've seen those dolphins being paraded about and tortured. I thou-...I thought that with such a priveledged facility you'd be conservating here, like your famous zoo... Instead, you parade these animals to their death. And all for some rich brats pleasure!" I choked out the last word as my lip quavered, "I cannot - I will not stand for this!"
"Alley, pleas-"
"No, Diego," I warned, thrusting my hands out as he began to take a step towards me. "I'm going home. I suggest you stay here and take a good look around this aquarium and see past all of the glamour and actually look at your animals. And if you're half the man I think you are, you'll make some serious changes. I will never forgive you if another animal dies here under this torture!"
And with that I turned and marched out of the door. At the exit, Jones had already pulled the car around with the door open for me.
"Miss Knight." Jones inclined his head as I reached the car and extended a tissue from his pocked. Gazing down at it, another tear slipped down my cheek. "Please take it, Miss."
I thanked Jones as his concerned eyes met my own and entered the car, dabbing my tears away. Softly, I stroked my hardening bump and visioned the sadness in Venus' eyes.
Jones attempted to console me on the journey home but I wasn't much for conversation.
I thanked him as I arrived home and went straight downstairs to the bedroom.
Observing the marine life down there, I could see a distinct difference in what I had seen today. These fish were free to come and go as they please and breed in the coral around the house.
They were happy.
My mind in overdrive, I attempted to distract myself by sitting on the decking facing the sea underneath a parasol. Busying my mind, I began looking on the ipad for baby things - but to my continuous attempt, I couldn't focus.
I placed the ipad down and stared out to sea.
Unsure how long I lounged there, I watched the carribean sun fade into an orange glow as it began descending on the horizon.
Breonia brought food for me, and passed on Diego's apologies that he wouldn't be returning home this evening and would be staying in the hotel itself.
Glumly, I thanked Breonia and dimissed her for the evening. After consuming the plate in front of me, I placed the plate in the dishwasher and retired to bed unable to sleep.
The next day, Bobby arrived at Diego's request, but with the bags under my eyes from lack of sleep, I wasn't so sure I could entertain Bobby and his energetic personality.
He confided that he had been worried sick about me after seeing Diego carry me from the ballroom covered in blood.
At high afternoon we took a dip in the ocean to cool off.
Despite my lack of energy, Bobby was really good to have around. He confided that he thought Nicolas was embarrassed by him around his business men and that their relationship had been tense since he'd taken me shopping. Nicolas felt that Bobby had been too much himself around his boss's "girlfriend"
Outraged I gave Bobby a pep talk about just how lovely he really was and that on this island... he was my only friend. And I would never have him change himself in any way.
We both had tears by that point as Bobby confided that I was also his "BFF" and we both told eachother of our childhoods, Bobby had grown up in care. Bobby told me about how him and Nicolas had met all those years ago and it was love at first sight.
Bobby spoke about Nicolas with deep love. He really did have a heart of gold under all of that sass.
I confessed my secret glamour modelling to help keep my family's business afloat and how I was treated after they found out I was pregnant to Diego - Even Bobby knew of the rivalry between The Knights and Diego.
As the sun set, Diego still didn't arrive home. I contemplated calling him, but if he wanted to talk to me, he would have called himself.
Bobby and I bunked down on the huge sofas and watched endless chick flicks, both of us crying at the right times and going all soft at declarations of love - Mine was mostly hormones, I didn't know what Bobby's problem was.
At one point past midnight, with a mouth full of popcorn and tears in my eyes, I pointed at the screen as Bridget Jones after she figured out he single-handedly released her from a Thailand prison, "Now that's love, Bobby." I muffled through the popcorn as Bobby wiped his eyes. "That man has gone from hell and back to get Bridget!"
We cheered Bridget on as she rushed to tell Mark Darcy she loved him!
As Everlasting Love the song played in the background we jumped up and started dancing and singing our lungs off like banshees.
It was then that we heard a sound behind us and I swivelled around to find Diego leaning against the wall, suit dishelved and a crooked smile on his face, watching us.
My eyes locked upon his tired silver eyes and awkwardness set in.
"I should go," Bobby humed next to me softly, "Nicolas will be wondering where I am."
"Don't worry, Bobby." Diego replied softly, "stay as long as you like, you're a welcomed guest here anytime."
"Oh thanks boss!" Bobby mewled, kissing my cheek. "But today has been amaze-balls, but my man will be missing me."
I kissed Bobby's cheek and thanked him for today. I really felt a close bonding friendship with Bobby and hoped that he nd Nicolas sort through their issues.
Waiting until Bobby was safely in the car with Jones shutting it behind him, I gave a little wave to Jones and turned to find Diego sipping a glass of wine with his tie off and his shirt unbuttoned in the den Bobby and I had made.
"Sorry for the mess," I apologised awkwardly, coming to sit back down.
Diego regarded me with his piercing eyes and took a sip of his wine. "Do not worry about it, Gatito. You are well?"
"Yes, we are fine." I answered, picking at the leftover popcorn.
Diego breathed, "It is a pleasure seeing you so happy for a moment."
I went to open my mouth to reply but Diego cut me off.
"You are right, Alley."
Silence swam between us as Diego emptied his glass. I could smell hard liquor on his breath and the bags under his eyes had deepened.
"I enjoy seeing you happy, Alley." Diego began, his voice soft as he took his hand in mine. "I did not see what you had saw yesterday and for that I can only apologise.
"I never really took much note of my aquarium until you brought me to its attention. Things will change, but not overnight. I've closed the aquarium down and I'm in talks with many marine conservations to assist me in this task. I have experts flying out and together, with your help aswell, we will make that aquarium a sight to behold. My vets I have employed are the best of the best and my animals will be happy again."
I sat in silence, taking Diego's words in.
"Say something... please," Diego murmured softly, his voice hoarse.
"All this time, you've been there," I whispered, awed. "Doing all this, for the animals?"
"Yes," Diego replied tiredly, eyes heavy. "For you aswell. All for you, Alley."
"But why?"
Diego breathed, "Because I care about what you think, Alley. And I see, finally, what you had to see. And I'm not proud of that. You're right always. That's why the aquarium will be turned into a facility that will only rescue, rehabilitate and release marine animals. I will work with the best of the best to give my animals the best in life and focus on rehabilitating then ready for release. All sick animals will be welcomed to the aquarium and no visitors will come without learning about conservation. My aquarium will thrive, Alley."
He cared about what I think? Pride filled me as I took in this God before me who was going above and beyond to correct his mistake.
Before I knew it, I took Diego's face between my hands and pressed my lips against his softly. Diego's own hands held my own, holding me to him as he savoured my mouth.
As the kiss broke I looked into his tired eyes and pressed a kiss on either of his tiring eyelids whispered, "Thank you."
"Alley," Diego breathed, kissing my thumb.
"Come on," I stood taking his warm hand. "You need to sleep."
Without a word, Diego followed me downstairs to our bed and we readied for bed. But not before Diego came up from behind me, his hands splaying across my stomach. I felt his breath on my shoulder before his lips touched the skin.
Goosebumps broke across my skin and I shivered, turning my head towards him, eyes dilating with desire. His lips crashed down on mine, taking my mouth firmly - hungrily.
The hand splaying across my bump stroked up to my sensitive breasts and he cupped the mound in his hand, rolling my nipple between his thumb and fore-finger. His other hand rolled my nightdress strap down and I gasped in pleasure, breaking his demanding kiss.
"Alley," He whispered in my ear, fighting the need just as much as I had.
Turning into his embrace, I gripped the back of his neck and brought his mouth back down to mine, hungry for more. A small sound of need escaped my throat as he pulled the other strap of my nightie down, the silk cascading to the floor.
My hands travelled to his naked chest and I took delight in hearing him moan. His tongue thrust into my mouth as his other hand cupped the mound of my behind.
We collapsed on the bed together, limbs entwined, desire fogging our eyes as our lips locked. I ran my hands through his hair as he began to pleasure me in ways I had past forgotten.
This man was the first man I had ever allowed into my body. He was the only man that had known my body. Our children grew inside me. He had stamped my soul and left his mark on my body.
We made love to eachother as if we had known eachother for years, hungry for more. Desperate to take more and and give more at the same time. He pleasured me over and over, going over my body as though it was a treasure map and his lips explored every inch until he found his treasure.
"You're mine," He whispered breathlessly in my ear just before we both exploded with pleasure together.
I felt completely and utterly owned by Diego.
That night I held Diego as he slept against my breast with his hand against my stomach and I knew I was a gonner.
I had fallen hook, line and sinker in love with Diego Mendez. And this time there was no getting over it.