Chapter 46
For the next two days Mavi struggled with telling Owen about the miscarriage. Every time she thought she gathered enough courage, she fooled herself. She would start speaking, Owen would look into her eyes.....and she would freeze.
It was like a non stop cycle that ran day and night.
Owen kept his patience with Mavi. He knew she was disturbed by what had happened to him. It was clear every time she looked at him. Her eyes would gloss over slightly and she would look away as if she had been staring at the sun. He wished there was something he could do to bring his Mavi back.
This new Mavi was so quiet.....she was always lost in her thoughts.......so place far away.
The evening that Rye discharged Owen from the hospital, Mavi decided to cook dinner for him. Owen insisted on helping her, but she was adamant about him taking it easy and just sitting.
"Is there anything else you need, princessa?" Hugo asked Mavi as he wiped his hand on the kitchen towel.
"No, thank you," Mavi said as she tied the apron around her neck.
Owen sat on a stool at the counter and watched Mavi work. A wonderstruck smile formed on his lips as he watched her every movement. He was smitten by the way she smiled when speaking to the kitchen staff. Her glossy hair nested in a neat bun at the base of her neck. Her creamy skin looked oh so soft and touchable.
Unable to control himself, once the kitchen staff left, Owen got up from his seat and went around the island to stand behind Mavi. He placed his hands on her hips and lowered his lips to the curve of her neck.
Mavi stilled as she felt his soft kisses. The potato she had been peeling fell out of her hand and rolled away.
"Shoot," Mavi laughed nervously.
"Opps," Owen laughed along with her in her ear. He went back to brushing his lips over her bare shoulder as she reached for another potato. This time Mavi was prepared. She kept a firm grip on the potato as she peeled it slowly, distracted by Owen.
Once the potatoes were done, Mavi moved on to peeling the cloves of garlic. Owen took the opportunity to undo her bun and set her hair free.
"Now you will have to hold it back," Mavi bumped him with her ass, making Owen grip onto her hips tighter.
"If that's my only job tonight then I shall execute it with perfection," Owen moved Mavi's hair over to one side and went back to torturing her with kisses on her neck and shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her as he watched the goosebumps rise on her skin.
"I should mark you," Owen said after a while.
"Now?" Mavi asked, a bit surprised by the topic.
"No," Owen shook his head. "But soon.......maybe when you agree to marry me."
Mavi frowned. She was grateful he was unable to see her face.
"I want the whole world to know you're my girl," Owen said as he trailed kisses up Mavi's neck, leaving her breathless.
Mavi gripped the edge of the sink to keep her steady as her head rolled back. The potatoes and garlics all forgotten in the sink. Owen turned her around and pressed her up against the sink. He dipped his head low and captured her lips.
Mavi let him kiss her as he pulled her face up. His playful mood was so contagious. She felt her heart begin to rise up like a hot air balloon as he moved her to the counter. Mavi gasped against his mouth as Owen picked her up and placed her on the countertop. He wedged himself between her legs and ran his hands over her thighs. The fabric of her dress moved up, giving him the perfect amount of exposed skin to run his fingers along.
Mavi moved her legs around his waist and pulled him closer. She let one of her hands slide under his shirt as her other hand gripped the hair at the base of his neck. Owen's fingers dug into Mavi's ass as she moved away from his mouth and began to leave wet kisses down his neck.
"Oh my god!" Caspian's voice suddenly rang out in the kitchen, making Owen and Mavi freeze like ice.
"Is this how you cook dinner in this house?" Caspian covered his eyes with his hand as Mavi hopped off the counter adjusting the straps of her dress. "I can never unsee that.....Ugh, Mavi, why??"
"Don't you knock?" Mavi blushed as Owen bit down on his lip and ran a hand through his hair.
"To come into the kitchen?" Caspian asked. He moved his hands away from his eyes and placed them on his hips. "Does your mother know what you're doing, young lady?"
"Oh please I'm sure dad and her have done much worse in here," Mavi rolled her eyes.
Caspian gagged as Owen cringed.
"Ah too much information!" Owen said laughing.
Mavi's heart almost stopped as she heard him laugh. He had never looked so carefree. She rushed into his arms and buried her face in his chest.
Surprised by her sudden action, Owen looked down at her and gave her one of his dimple smiles.
"I'm still here!" Caspian shrieked.
"I don't understand why," Owen joked looking over at the man.
"I liked you better when you acted like a statue," Caspian narrowed his eyes. "I came to tell you I bought pizza."
"But I was cooking dinner," Mavi looked back at her forgotten craft.
"Exactly why I brought it," Caspian said. "I will never forget the last time I ate something you made.
"The paella wasn't that bad!" Mavi protested.
"It gave Exton food poisoning!"
"No," Mavi shook her head. "That was from your risotto!"
"Owen, darling," Caspian ignored Mavi. "Poor Gemma doesn't have the strength to bring you back again, so please don't eat what she makes."
Owen laughed once again. Mavi faked a pout as he kissed her cheeks.
"Go help Adam," Caspian said, moving into the kitchen. "I need a bottle of wine."
"I'll help you find it," Mavi shook her head. She looked up at Owen and kissed the tip of his nose. "Go see what Adam needs."
Owen gave her one quick kiss before he unwrapped himself from around her and walked out of the kitchen. Caspian watched their little interaction silently and waited until Owen was out of ear shot.
"So...." he started as Mavi and he walked into the large pantry. "Have you told him yet?"
Mavi sighed. She began to chew on her bottom lip as Caspian searched the wine rack.
"No," Mavi frowned. "I.....I just can't seem to get the words out."
"Understandable," Caspian said calmly. "Did I ever tell you about Cleo?"
"Who?" Mavi raised a brow.
Caspian straightened up and looked over at Mavi standing at the entrance of the pantry.
"When Toby and I first wanted a child, we had hired a surrogate," he revealed.
"Oh," Mavi blinked in surprise. "I didn't know...."
"We didn't tell many people," Caspian shrugged. "So anyways, our surrogate conceived and it was a girl.....we were going to name her Cleo."
"What happened?" Mavi had a feeling she knew what happened and her heart began to twist in that familiar ugly way that it had been for the past several days.
"Our surrogate lost the baby at six months," Caspian looked down at his fingernails, avoiding Mavi's eyes.
"Caspian....." Mavi's heart began to shake and shudder. "I'm so sorry...."
Caspian didn't say anything. He began to turn his wedding band around his finger as his eyes got lost in old memories.
"Toby and I didn't know what to say to each other," Mavi heard the man speak up after a while. "We decided to put our feelings into writing......it was one of his greatest ideas. As we read each other's letter, we realized we were feeling the same grief......dealing with it became so much easier."
Mavi took several long deep breaths as she listened to Caspian's words. Maybe she should give that idea ago.....
"You will be a mother, Mavi," Caspian said looking up. His fingers continued to play with his ring. "I've seen it......beautiful children in your arms with big brown eyes."
Mavi gasped. Her broken heart dared to correct itself as she let Caspian's words sink in.
"Really?" She coked out.
"Yes," Caspian smiled. He turned to the wine rack and pulled out a random bottle. "Shall we head back?"
Mavi wasn't ready. She urged Caspian to go ahead as she hurried into the bathroom. Tears of mixed emotions began to pour down her eyes as she placed her hand over her mouth trying to muffle the sound of her sobs.
Where are you? Owen mind-linked her.
Mavi marveled at how just his was enough to calm the raging storm inside of her. She removed her hand from her mouth and took long deep breaths, feeling the whirlwind of emotions inside of her settle down like a dust storm.
Bathroom, Mavi linked Owen back. I'll be there in a second.
She quickly splashed some cold water against her face and grabbed a hand towel. After drying the water off, she pinched her cheeks to give them some color. Owen would definitely notice something was off, but that was the best she could do at the moment.
With a brave face, Mavi walked into the family room of the palace. As she entered, she stopped in the doorway to look around at all the faces of the people she loved.
Rye snuggled up against Xavier's chest with a glass of wine in her hands. Exton rubbed Gemma's swollen feet on his lap as she laughed over a bowl of ice cream. Toby and Caspian slow danced in the middle of the room with everyone laughing at them. Adam cheered his dad's one from the couch.
And then there was Owen.
He was the most radiant of them all. When Mavi's eyes landed on him she couldn't see anything else. He turned his head towards her with his sparking eyes and held out a hand.
Enchanted by him, Mavi walked into the room and sank into the seat next to him. Owen pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head.
"Everything okay?" he whispered into her ear as the family laughed and chatted around them.
Mavi nodded with a light smile. She kept her eyes on her family and basked in the feeling of her lover's arms around her.
That night, as Owen slept next to her, Mavi pulled out a pen and a piece of paper. She stared at the blank sheet of paper for a very long time, not knowing what to write or where to start.
When Owen stirred in his sleep next to her, she ran a hand over his hair and kissed his forehead. She smiled as he sighed and fell back into his slumber. Mavi continued to play with his hair and watch him until she decided her letter didn't need to sound perfect. The man before her would know her heart no matter how she said it.
Once the letter was drafted and neatly folded, Mavi decided on giving it to Owen over dinner the next night. She really wanted to finish making him dinner. As she placed the letter in her nightstand drawer, Mavi had the bright idea to take Owen up to her parent's cabin.
No one would intrude there.
The next morning, Owen returned to work. Mavi sent him off with a kiss and a beating heart, knowing things might change between them by dinner time. She walked him down to the Beta's office and kissed him once more before he went in.
"Maybe I should take a day off?" Owen teased her, leaving kisses all over her face.
Mavi laughed, "No, no....go. Basil needs you."
"Yes, your grace," Owen said with a frown as Mavi pushed him into the office.
For the rest of the morning, Mavi worked with Xavier over some pack matters. In between phone calls she asked him about the cabin and he happily handed over the keys.
"Make sure you tell Mardick what you want sent up there," Xavier said to her.
"Will do that right now," Mavi thanked him and left to find the old man.
Once the plans were all set for the dinner, Mavi began to head upstairs when she noticed a bunch of delivery boxes being hauled upstairs.
"What's all this?" Mavi asked curiously.
"For the twins," Mardick said.
Mavi hated the way her heart sank a little bit in her heart. She had no ill will against Exton and Gemma. She was truly happy for them.....but it was painful to watch them at times. Especially when Exton rubbed Gemma's belly when he thought no one was looking.
Not being able to stop herself, Mavi walked up to her old nursery. She took a deep breath as she pushed the doors open and stepped inside.
Gemma was surprised to see her. She stopped folding the little dresses and sat staring at Mavi from the floor.
"Do...do you need some help?" Mavi asked awkwardly.
Gemma nodded. She tried to hide the joy from her eyes and act normal but she failed. As Mavi sank down onto the floor next to her, Gemma opened her mouth but Mavi shook her head.
"I don't want to talk about it," She said quickly. "Yet."
"Okay," Gemma said. She took a deep breath and smiled.
Mavi picked up a little neon pink tutu dress and held it up.
"You brother," Gemma groaned. "Don't ask."
Mavi laughed. She folded the little dress and placed it near Gemma's neat pile. She picked up another and then another, working away quietly.
Where are you? Owen's voice suddenly asked Mavi through her link.
In the nursery, Mavi informed him.
She got up from the floor and helped Gemma up. As she began to carry the little dresses over to the dresser one pile at a time, the doors to the nursery swung open.
Mavi stilled as Owen stormed in with Alec behind him.
"Mavi," Alec started right away. "I'm so sorry."
That was all it took for Mavi's world to turn upside down.
No no no no no no no...... she chanted in her head like a prayer. This was not happening.
Mavi's hands began to shake as her eyes moved to Owen. His warm brown eyes were dark with rage, his hands were in fists. Mavi felt as if she might throw up from now nervous she was. Her stomach turned as if she was stuck on a forever roller coaster.
Owen was shaking in front of her.....shaking with rage.
"I thought he knew," Alec said with an apologetic look towards Mavi.
Mavi couldn't take her eyes off of Owen. He had her pinned to the stop where she stood with just one look.
"Is it true?" He asked. Mavi knew he tried to control his voice, but she heard the anger in it. It sent icicles into her heart. "Did.....did we....?"
Mavi felt as if her world was crashing down on her. She felt everyone's eyes on her and knew they were all judging her.
"Mavi," Owen took a step closer. "Is it true?"
Mavi felt her walls break down. They came crumbling and crashing down like madness as she began to cry. She didn't need to say anything. But her tears had given Owen all the answers he needed.
What will happen now?