He was just too much. What was with him, questioning me about any guy he saw me with. Why was he here and who had told him where I was? I put the phone away before looking up to a very pissed Yale. I opened my mouth to say something but refrained from doing so when I saw the flask in his hand. Taking the flask, I offered him a quick thank you before brushing past him and heading straight into the building. I didn't answer to him and I wasn't going to start now with explaining who Adam was.
Putting the flask and my phone inside my bag, I hurried to the elevator. No one was waiting and those inside were all getting out. I stepped inside and got ready to close it only to have Yale also step inside facing me with his scowl still very present staring daggers at me. Not taking his eyes off me, he pressed the button to close the elevator.
"Who was he?" He asked again in a clipped tone.
"What is it to you?" I threw back at him raising my eyebrows.
"I need to know what kind of people you come near my daughter."
Rolling my eyes at him, I took a step back folding my hands across my chest and ignoring him. Was he serious? What did he think, that I went around mingling with the opposite sex and then introducing them to my daughter? He still kept his gaze on me not blinking and still very mad. He could explode for all I cared.
The elevator came to an abrupt stop all of a sudden making me loose my balance for a second. My gaze flew up to Yale after steadying myself, he still stood strong and hadn't even flinched. I made my way over to the buttons to press on any of them in an attempt to get it moving again but nothing.
"No no no no no." I uttered still frantically pressing on the buttons.
This couldn't happen now, I couldn't be stuck with him here, why did he have to follow me in here and why did the stupid elevator have to stop now? I thought to myself as I stopped hitting the buttons.
"Did you have to follow me in here? Why can't you just focus on getting to know your daughter and stay out of my business?" I bitterly complained making my way back to where I was earlier.
"You can stand being around other men but can't stand being stuck in here with me or me touching you?" He asked taking his hands out of his pocket to run it over his face.
I ignored him again, closing my eyes and messaging my temples, I could already feel a headache coming on. The next thing I knew, my back was against the wall of the elevator which made me snap my eyes open. Yale's face was an inch away from mine with his arms bracing each side of my neck trapping me in.
"Answer me." He whispered with his eyes transfixed on my lips staring at it.
My breath hitched up from having him this close to me again with my heart anxious beating inside of me. Some stupid part of me made the mistake of licking my lips which had suddenly gone dry and that was it. Yale wasted no time crushing his lips on mine and snaking his hand around me to pull me against his body.
My hands which had suddenly gone limp found its way to his chest to try and get him off me but to no avail. I moaned out in protest but that only fueled him, his right hand left my waist and made it's way to the the nape of my neck to steady my head and also deepen the kiss. My eyes shuttered close with that with my moans of protest coming to an end.
I surrendered, kissing him back with all the desire that had awaken in me now. He had done it, he had managed to weaken my resolve and proved how weak I was. My bag dropped to the floor giving me the full opportunity to wrap my hands around him. This was so wrong and I was clearly not thinking but it felt so right.
Yale's free hand crept up from my waist and trailed up my side to my breast to cup it. He let out a grunt pushing me further against the wall and I could feel my nipples hardening and my body coming alive. His lips left mine to trail open mouthed kisses along my jawline with his hand reaching down to grab my ass in the process.
The elevator started working just when he was about to claim my lips again making him stop to rest his forehead against mine. Eye still closed, I could feel Yale's breath on my face with his hand in my hair caressing it.
"Get one thing straight Faye, you are mine and only mine. You've always been mine and there's nothing or no one that's going to take you away from me." He whispered to me meaning every word he said before letting go of me.
I still had my eyes closed not wanting to open them for fear of having a shame spiral. This was bad, very bad, the very thing I had trained myself to do had all gone to waste at just a touch and a kiss from him. What had even happened?
The elevator dinging made me open my eyes only to find Yale stepping out with his back to me. He didn't turn to give me a second glance until the elevator doors close leaving me staring ghastly at it. My feeble fingers reached up to touch my now sensitive lips.
What had just happened and what did he mean by I was only his. God he was such an egotistical jerk. Why the hell had I kissed him back? Picking up my bag, I smoothed imagery wrinkles off my clothes before running a hand through my messy hair. I finished putting myself together just in time for the elevator to stop on the top floor.
Taking a second to myself, I took in a deep breath, plastered a wide smile on my face before getting out of the elevator. Heading straight to my office I passed Holly's desk but she wasn't there, only her bag.
'Yeah you better run' I mentally said picking up some of the candy bars she kept on her desk and continuing to my office.
~~~
It was almost a quarter past twelve pm and Holly still wasn't at her desk or anywhere to be found. I had asked for her but no one knew where she had disappeared to. And I hadn't been able to concentrate on anything, the kiss Yale and I shared kept playing over and over in my head. It had been so different than any kiss I had shared with him....It was engraved in my mind and what he had said....was he jealous?
Bringing my hand to my lips, I closed my eyes, tracing the outline of it with a small smile playing on my face.
'Are you for real? What happened to the strong woman you claim to have become. He kisses you again after four long years and you become putty in his arms and you are here acting like a lovesick teenager. Shame on you Faye, shame on you.'
My sub-conscience chided at me making me drop my hand with the smile disappearing from my face. What was wrong with me today? I quickly got up from the chair to pace up and down rubbing on my forehead in the process. A knock resounding at the door made me stop in my stride, I turned to the door wondering who it was.
"Come in." I called out to whoever was behind, going to take a seat.
The door opened with a bouquet of white lilies being the first thing to be thrust through the door being held up by someone. My face scrunched up in confusion, was it Yale......was he the one behind them. Please don't let it be him, I have had enough of him for today. Rolling my eyes, I got to my feet and made it across the room to open the door and tell him to get lost.
"Yale..."His name died off my tongue when I realized it wasn't him but rather a Holly, looking all pouty with sad eyes.
"Please don't kill me, I come in peace." She uttered holding the flowers out to me.
I kept a straight face not smiling whatsoever, I had already forgiven her the moment I stepped out of that cafe but it wouldn't hurt to toy with her a little bit, would it? Folding my arms across my chest, I made my way back to sit, ignoring and leaving her standing there still holding unto the flowers.
"C'mon Faye, I said I'm sorry. I should have told you what I was up to." She entered closing the door.
"Sorry? I specifically told you no on this whole dating nonsense and you went ahead without my consent to set me up with your cousin without my knowledge? No that was just out of line." I snapped at her.
"I said I'm sorry. Please....forgive me?" She pleaded with an anxious look on her face.
Ohh this was getting good.
"No, I can't and you are fired, with immediate effect." I bluntly stated turning my chair away from her to hide a rueful smirk.
"Fired? You can't be serious. Please Faye, you can't do this, you willing to throw away our friendship because of this." I heard her say with her voice breaking with each word.
"In fact, I do. Now if you'd show yourself out. I have important things to do."
I heard a sob escape from her and I had to bite my inner cheeks to stop myself from breaking out into fits of laughter. I couldn't believe she was buying all this crap, I was mad at her but she should know better than that,?I'd never go to the extreme no matter what. I turned my chair back around just as she was about to leave wiping tears from underneath her eyes.
This was such a sight to behold, the fierce Holly crying over a trivial issue as this? I couldn't contain it anymore, throwing my head back, I broke out into fits of laughter.
"And where do you think you are going?" I asked amidst laughter which made her look my way with a bored expression on her face.
"Are you serious?"
"That will teach you not to set me up on dates when I tell you not you."
"Geez Faye, you are mean."
"I'm not, you deserve it, you should have seen your face, that was priceless."
She joined in the laughter coming back to take a seat.
"Really, don't ever do that again, play with our friendship like that, my heart broke." She said in all seriousness.
"Awwww I'm sorry but I'm not sorry. I'm still mad at you though and where were you?"
"I went to get you the flowers."
"You were gone for hours, how long does it take to get flowers." I questioned her not believing a word.
"Why did you you call me Yale though?" She asked changing the subject. I averted her gaze staring at my nails.
"Are you already seeing someone? Is that why?" She continued.
"Ummm...."
"Who is he? Ooooo tell me everything." She wiggled her brows at me with a glint in her eyes.
"Ummmm, ahhh I'm not seeing anyone and Yale is Winter's father." I admitted tapping my finger tips on the table.
She blinked at me with her expression changing, she obviously couldn't grasp what I was saying.
"Wait, you mean to tell me, that you have been in contact with him all this while and you didn't tell me?" Holly asked squinting at me.
"Sort of, it all happened so fast and it kind of slipped my mind." I lied, knowing Holly, if i had told her she would have probably done something extreme and everything would have been compromised.
She let out a sigh, adjusting the ring on her finger. From the look on her face I knew she had a lot to say but for some reason she was keeping quiet.
"Just say it."
"Say what?"
"What you are dying to say but biting your tongue."
"its nothing, but are you sure this is what you want to do? After everything you told me he put you through?"
"Yes, I think I have been selfish long enough. And you should see how great he is with Winter. Besides, there are a lot of things I still haven't told you about....." I trailed off staring into space.
"Hello?! Waiting.." She waved her hand in my face to bring my attention to her.
"I'm too hungry to talk anymore."
"Come on then, I'm hungry myself." She got to her feet leading the way to the door.
"Ahhh... I'm not paying." I got up from my seat gathering my stuff because I wasn't going to come back to the office.
"Yeah yeah, my threat." She threw back at me existing my office.
~~
"That's pretty much it. He didn't know he was infertile. So its kind of a stretch." I finished off taking the last bite of my food. We'd been talking about everything that had happened so far for the past few minute at my favourite Italian restaurant. And yes, I had developed a taste for Italian food thanks to Yale.
"But Faye you can't seriously be fine with this, he's going to use Winter to manipulate you and get close to you and you being Faye are going to fall into his hands again and get hurt." Holly explained.
"I'm not fine with this but its the only way, I don't want to do anything that will lead to him taking my daughter away. And I know better, trust me."
"I do but do you trust yourself around him. You had his kid and try as much as you want to deny it, there's still some part of you connected to him and you can't play with the devil and not get hurt...again" she emphasized making me set my glass down.
She was right, after the kiss in the elevator today, I wasn't sure I'd be able to curve his advances towards me. His words from earlier on chose that very moment to pop into my head. I wasn't "his" and wasn't about to "become his".
"Well, you don't need to tell me that, I have laid with the "devil" and I'm not going to get hurt." I uttered out getting a little bit defensive at what she just said.
"No need to get defensive, I'm just worried about him taking advantage of you because you're sweet and kind and you have the softest of heart Faye." She said taking my left hand into hers to squeeze it for a moment.
We both fell into silence after that with me playing with the stem of my glass and her getting back to her food. My mind was in a whirlwind, was this going to start something I wasn't ready for? She finished eating and quickly pushed the plate to the side and grabbed hold of her phone.
"What's his last name?" She asked staring up at me.
"Who?" I asked not knowing who she was referring to.
"The jerk?"
"Why, what do you need his last name for?"
"Will you just tell me?"
"Yale, Yale Adkins-Benenati." I murmured taking another sip of my white wine, a rather long sip.
Holly fingers started moving on her phone but stop after a while with a doubtful and confused look on her face.
"Wait, Yale as in Yale? The Yale Adkins Benenati?" She pointed out turning her phone's screen towards me, to show me a picture of Yale.
I kept silence, pouring myself another glass of wine. It was obvious from her expression she didn't believe me. She laughed out when no response came from me.
"Good one Faye, good one." She managed to say in between laughs.
Me not joining in on the "joke" made her stop, she lean forward in her chair towards me with shock written all over her face. Why would she even think I'd joke about something as important as this? My phone rang just when she about to talk making her hold back. I picked it up and checked the caller ID and it was from Winter's school. My brows furrowed in confusion as I stared at it. Why would they be calling me? Ohh no, was something wrong with my baby? I thought to myself in panic picking it up immediately.
"Hello?" I spoke into the phone with worry gnawing at me.
"Miss Wilson, this is Anne, I'm calling from Principal Makey's office an..."
"Is everything okay? Did something happen to my daughter?" I urgently asked cutting her off.
"Actually Winter is fine but she got into a fight with another kid and she ahh bit her." The woman explained from the other line.
"What?!"I asked in utter shock, drawing people's attention to us, clearly not believing what I had heard.
My Winter was a calm innocent girl, she had never gotten into a fight so what was this woman talking about.
"You presence is required here Miss Wilson."
"I'll be right there." I cut the call picking up my bag in the process.
"Is everything alright with Winter?" Holly asked when I got up, apparently she had heard everything.
"Keys. I need your keys." I stretched my hand out for it not answering her.
She fished them out of her pockets handing them to me.
"Do you want me to come with you?" She asked getting up herself.
"No, thanks though." I threw back at her already at the door.
I rushed of the car the minute I pulled up in front of the school, making my way inside. Luckily, I knew where the principals office was and headed straight there. I got there and saw Winter sitting there with her knees tucked underneath her chin sniffing and it was evident she had been crying.
"Hunny?" I called out to her, not acknowledging the secretary or whatever she was who sat at her desk at the corner.
"Mummy."
She bolted out of the chair and made her way to me. I scoped her up into my arms with her wrapping her arms around my neck making me hug her back.
"I want to go home mummy." She sniffled out, wrapping her arms tighter around me.
"What happened sweetie?" I asked her rubbing her back to soothe her.
"She said I was lying about daddy being real and called me a bad name." She cried out lifting her face up to mine.
"But that was no reason to bite her sweetheart."
"I didn't bite her mummy. She bit herself, I just pushed her and then she told our teacher I did it to get me in trouble." She explained.
I knew it, no way my sweet girl was capable of doing such a thing and I knew she was telling the truth, call it a mother's instinct. Wiping the tears off her face, I set her back down and knelt in front of her.
"I believe you hunny, why don't you sit here for a minute while I go clear things up with your principal okay."
She nodded her head in understanding. I got to my feet and place a quick kiss on her cheeks before going to knock on the principals office. I entered after that not waiting for a response.
"Miss Wilson. Please, have a seat." The strict looking woman said from behind her desk not looking up from her laptop.
"Thanks."
"I believe your daughter has already briefed you on what happened. We do not tolerate any form of violence in this school and as such I'm left with no choice but to suspend her for three days." She lifted her head up to explain not even blinking.
"Suspend a three year old?! Are you freaking kidding me? For something she didn't even do. Did you even listen to her side of the story?" I angrily burst with a scowl on my face. This was just not right.
"Mind your manners Miss Wilson. There was no need to hear her side and everything pointed to her. Clearly she must have lied to you when she realized she was in trouble and..."
"I believe my daughter and if she said she didn't do it, she didn't do it. Besides you can't just listen to one part of a story and ignore the other. Obviously you need to listen to both girls and reconsider your decision."
"I'm sorry but my decision is finally. And she has to apologize to the girl she bit."
"I'm sorry too but there's no way, my daughter is going to be apologizing for something she did not do. And this is so not over." I pointed out, getting up from the chair still mad as hell.
I stormed out of the office and matched straight to the desk of the secretary and asked for the name of the student Winter had allegedly bitten.
"Jenny Makey." She gave out the name but looked like she had more to say.
Looking around the place she signaled for me to come closer.
"She's the principal's granddaughter and she's pretty rotten and gets away with anything. I believe Winter too, she's such a great and loving kid and has never gotten into trouble." She admitted looking Winter's way with a smile on her face.
Ohh so that was it, because she was her granddaughter she believed her over Winter. This was so not over. I thank her for that bit of information before heading back to my daughter.
"Come on pumpkin, lets go." I stretched out my hand for her to take, smiling so she could also smile but that didn't seem to have been working.
She was still down and that was very much getting to me. I couldn't stand seeing her like this.
"Am I still in trouble mummy?" She asked on our way to the car.
"No sweetie, you did nothing wrong." I cheerfully said.
She smiled after hearing that which made me also smile.
"Why don't we go get some ice cream." I announced fully getting her to her old self again.
"I want a strawberry, vanilla, chocolate and lots of Oreo toppings." She listed out what she wanted and we weren't even on our way yet.
"Okay okay sweetie." I chuckled out opening the door so she could get in.
I helped her with her seatbelt before throwing our bags in the backseat. Letting out a sigh, I closed the door before going over to the driver's side. We set off after that with me thinking of ways to handle that Principal and not get Winter suspended anymore. Maybe my mom could help, she was good at handling people like her.
"Mummy, music." Winter said breaking into my thoughts.
I gladly obliged, turning on the music player for her but regretted it the moment I heard Kanye's "I love it' playing. I quickly turned it off not wanting her to hear another lyric of it. I had totally forgotten this was Holly's car and her taste of music was very explicit.
"Ahhh maybe later, okay."
"Okay mummy."
I return my concentration back on the road, staring straight ahead. My eyes accidentally snapped to the rear view mirror and that's when I saw the black SUV car behind us. A feeling of dread settled over me for no reason but I shook it off. I was just being paranoid. I took my mind of it speeding up just a little bit.
The car also sped up coming much closer than before. This was very strange and scary, I had watched scenes like this from movies. Taking my phone out of my pocket, I handed it to Winter.
"Call Juju sweetheart." I said to her, still keeping my eye on the car and trying not to panic.
The car sped up once more but this time, it came up beside me. The next thing I knew, it rammed into my side making me turn the wheel so fast that I lost control. Winter screaming out in fear scared the living lights out of me as I tried my possible best to gain control again. Luckily I did, bringing the car to an abrupt stop with my hands shaking and my heart beating widely in my chest.
My gaze instantly shifted to my daughter who was okay but shaken up. I closed my eyes for a moment thankfully she was fine, I was so relieved that a sob escaped me.
"Are you okay hunny?" I asked in a broken voice reaching over to check for any wounds or injury on her body.
"I'm fine mommy." She replied back reaching for the phone she had dropped.
I got out of the car after that and rushed over to get Winter out and check her one more time. I hugged her close to me showering kisses all over her. My heart was frantically beating inside my chest and I could feel all the blood in my body run cold making me feel lightheaded.
Who had just tried to run us off the road and why? I asked the million dollar question. With shaky hands I took the phone from Winter to call my Judo to come pick us up.
Mmmmm....things are getting interesting. And who could the attacker possibly be? Anyways I'm just so glad this chapter is done, school is out and I'm much much better. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support, I'm so so grateful and I appreciate each and everyone of you. Anyways enough of the blabbering.😂
Don't forget to vote and comment as always. Ohh and there's going to be consistent updates now since school is out for the holidays☺️☺️.
Until the next update.......I love you guys.❤️❤️