*DAMON*
"I honestly don't know what to do with her anymore Aria. I am this close to snapping," I said taking a bite from my toast. It was breakfast time and Andrea had just gone to check on the twins. My sister on the other hand was sleeping as usual. Aria and I rose earlier than usual since we were both heading to work and the morning's stellar orange sunrise brightened up the day.
"I too, maybe she should not have left San Diego. She is still adamant on her refusal to go for her therapy sessions," sighed Aria and i reached for her hand on the table.
"Don't worry. Today she-"
"Good morning my beautiful family!" Aramina chirped walking majestically into the room her arms outstretched as she held on to our heads giving both of us a light kiss on our foreheads. I eyed her suspiciously as she opened the fridge and cabinet towards the left side of the fridge. I heard the gas turned on momentarily and she settled next to me with a bowl in hand. I raised my brow as she poured milk all over her cereal and took a bite.
"What? Am i not allowed to eat anymore?" She asked looking at Aria then at me as she settled her empty spoon back in the bowl.
"What, no liquor today?" I ushered at her cereal.
"Nah I'm done with that. Besides, i am not expected to show up drunk to work now am I?" She smiled through her chewing. I had totally forgotten about today being her first day back since her maternity leave. I had not even noticed her change in attire as her familiar long maroon sweater dress clung to her body. The black heels she rocked should have been a dead giveaway when she walked around the room but given her usual stomping i had not really noticed.
"Well let me finish breakfast then i can drive you to work," I said finishing off my toast.
"No. I don't need a chauffeur anymore bro, I can take care of myself. You don't have to worry about me anymore," she said kissing my temple with a fast side hug then got up to clean her bowl. Aria's eyes widened and i raised my shoulders in confusion.
"Look, i know that ever since we got here i haven't exactly been the best daughter and sister but now that i am myself again everything is going to be fine," she smiled waving at us as she headed towards the doorway car keys in hand.
"Aren't you going to work?"
"Oh yes. It's just that i am so used to riding alone that it just became a thing for me. See you later," I said hugging her and quickly rushing to the driveway before Aramina left without me.
I jumped at the car's front waving my hands dramatically as Aramina stopped the car. "What are you doing?" She asked irritatedly sticking her head from her window.
"I'm coming with you," I answered settling myself in the car and buckling my seatbelt.
"Get your own car brother dearest"
"You are driving it," I stated ushering around us. Her face relaxed in realization confirming with the car keys. "But if you want to drive it then then drive it."
She beamed as we sped abruptly to the highway. "Whoa! Slow down you have two kids. Besides, I don't have a death wish."
"I'm just excited to head back to work"
"I am starting to feel grateful to the guy who nailed you last night," I said glancing at her crimson coloured cheeks.
"Damon!" She exclaimed punching me playfully then added, "Please don't talk about my sex life. You are my brother so it is weird."
"Sorry for stating the obvious," I chuckled as i reached for the radio and turned it on. We sang along to the lyrics of the songs that came on until we arrived at the familiar building. We took our time in walking in as my sister received warm acknowledgements from everyone around us all the way to our offices. We got an alert for a meeting seconds later and headed there together. I had to admit it felt great to work and have my sister with me.
"Ah, Miss Cole it's good to have you back," welcomed Heather as she stood to lead the meeting.
"It's good to be back and actually it's Mrs Mendoza," she said proudly. What?
"Excuse me?" I stared at her and saying that i was utterly shocked was the understatement of the year.
"Oh you heard me right," she said to me then smiled at the rest of the shareholders. Okay something was totally going on with her. She was kind of starting to freak me out a little.
Heather looked confused and seeing as we were running out if time i cleared my throat. The air in the place was becoming thicker and i was not willing to deal with the awkward silence that followed. "Umm, okay Mrs Mendoza it's good to see you."
The satisfactory look on my dear sister's face was really crazy. The whole time Heather spoke i was kind of fazed out and lost in my web of thoughts. Was my sister really going crazy? We could be taking this really lightly and this denial of hers could get worse. First she becomes a shell of a person and makes us swear never to mention Blake or anything about him yet now she was calling herself Mrs Mendoza? I needed to get through to her and make her seriously see the therapist because this was getting out of hand. The next thing i heard was the sound of chairs being pushed back as they rose when the meeting was adjourned. I shook my head and came back to reality just in time for my sister's question.
"When were you going to tell me about the Masquerade?" She asked one hand on her hip.
"I'm sorry i totally forgot to tell you about it. I did not even think you would want to come," I shrugged.
"It's a masquerade ball Damon of course I'd want to come"
"What the hell was that?"
"What the hell was what?"
"The whole 'Mrs Mendoza thing'?" I asked confusion clearly etched on my face.
"What would you like me to say about it? I am Mrs Mendoza. It's time i finally acknowledged my name," she said staring at her rings. Don't even get me started on how she had still been wearing them even after repeatedly telling us not to remind her about Blake. She was stubborn and i knew it the day i met her.
"I thought you were going to stick to father's name"
"I am but i am married. You on the other hand can stick to it. Plus, it's not as if i have completely abandoned it because my children bear the name."
"I think you need professional help," I said rising from my seat. All this was more than weird to me.
She looked at me with disbelief etched on her face. "You seriously think that i am crazy?"
I raised my shoulders while biting my lip. I did not know what to think anymore. She scoffed and shook her head before turning to walk away from me. I ran my hands through my hair and checked my phone. It was twenty minutes into my lunch break and was surprised to see how much time had flown. I mentally smacked myself for being late. I had promised to meet with her and was about ten minutes late.
Rushing out of the conference room i called a cab since i did not want to inconvenience Aramina even if it was my car and asked to be driven back home. I found Andrea busying herself with laundry and said a quick hello to her. For most of the lunch breaks I've had i usually came home and had lunch since it was close by then went back. I sneaked into the children's room and found them both awake playing with each other. I smiled at the wonderful sight before me then reached for the stroller to place them both into their seats. I opened the door to the room then bumped into Andrea.
"Damon, what are you doing?"
"I'm taking the twins to the park if you don't mind"
"Of course i don't mind. Just have them back by five"
"Sure thing Andrea," I said lifting the stroller and carefully cascading the staircases. I was lucky that the park was nearby and walked slowly ensuring that the cuties were getting their share of fresh air and vitamin D. On arrival i took my phone out to text her until i heard her call me.
I turned to see Fernanda in all her glory in dark jeans accompanied by a white and blue tank top, her hair let lose for a change. I smiled as she practically ran towards me and i engulfed her in the tightest hug that i could possibly give.
"Does your sister know you are here?" She asked when we finally parted.
"Of course not. She also has no idea that we have been keeping in touch all this time," I said and she smiled giving me allowance to meet my lips to hers longingly.
"Do you remember when you said that you'd never have a thing for me?"
"Shut up," she smiled pushing playfully at my chest.
"I was about to say i told you so but i won't," her eyes bore into mine as she gave me a fierce look folding her arms.
"If you keep up with this I'm going to leave," she threatened weakly.
"Okay without further ado Miss Fernanda Alcocer, there are people i would like you to meet," I smiled pulling her to the stroller next to me. I watched her eyes light up as she took notice of the twins sucking on their pink pacifiers. She sighed in happiness bending to the level of the strollers to have a better look on them.
"Oh my God," she cried picking Lorenza first then ushered me to help her with Melody. I half cried looking at her while she kissed the babies' foreheads.
"How can you tell the difference or is it only a mother's thing?"
"Well, it was but I'm her brother so she let me in on the secret. Harmony Lorenza Cole Mendoza has a unibrow but Melody Carina Cole Mendoza doesn't"
"Wow, i can't believe she named the children with our last name. Lorenza and Carina, they are my new favourite people in the world," she hummed as they innocently looked up at her.
"Maybe we could get one of these sometime"
She looked utterly shocked i thought she would drop the children and held out my hands just in case. "Whoa! You just skipped a whole lot of steps there"
"I was kidding," Maybe i wasn't. Nah, i totally was and it was worth it because her reaction was priceless. I dug my phone out of my pocket to check the time and realized i had ten minutes tops.
"Fernanda i should get going because my lunch break is almost over and if my sister dares find out that i took Mel Mel and Enza to meet you she would skin me alive," I stated holding out my hands to pick the kids.
"Too late pal!" I heard a familiar sharp voice say and the look on Fernanda's face confirmed my suspicions.
I turned to see Aramina's already fuming face staring at me angrily. She rushed to pick the kids from Fernanda's arms and gently placed them in their strollers. After making sure they were secure she turned to face me in disbelief.
"Are you kidding me right now? Why would you give my children to her and what is she doing here in the first place?"
"She-"
"No wait, don't answer that question because i know you Damon and i know that you kept contact with her this whole time. It totally makes sense because you were not as miserable as i was when we decided to move here. What you need to get into your thick skull is that these children are not yours and you cannot just go introducing them to anybody you feel like introducing them to much less the Mendozas. Don't you dare cross me brother because as easily as you became my brother you could just as easily become my enemy and trust me, you wouldn't want that," she spat venomously and pushed the strollers to the car driving off after ensuring the twins were safely buckled in their seats.
~°~°~°~°~°~°~
Hello peeps I'm really sorry if this chapter was suckish (if that is even a word) but i was working through writer's block when writing this chapter (I still sort of am). It felt sort of strained heck i was even confused when writing this chappie but i hope it was worth it. I hadn't really plotted the 50's but i promise to make the rest better.
To be honest i was supposed to write how much Aramina had moved on with her life with her kids and even started thinking about dating / being courted by other guys from work but it just didn't seem right for Blake to have already found the pregnancy test and decided to give up on her yet she was carrying his children I mean, how many guys would be willing to do that? Plus the timeline wouldn't have made sense if she moved on.
So as much as i would have loved to prolong their sweet reunion i couldn't because if i changed that then the whole plot would be ruined and all of you have already read the previous chapters. Besides, i did not want to start writing sad chapters showing how much they missed each other and all. It would have been too depressing and let's
face it, I am not a depressed person; those who know me can vouch for me.😉
For those who don't know me, well we can work something out if you message me and i promise to reply to each and every message. Oh believe me i am social and all about making new friends. Anyways, I hope all is well with all of you and would like to hear your views on how you are coping with this corona virus pandemic.
ON THE BRIGHT SIDE;
YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!
WHAT YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW IS THAT THE TITLE CHANGE IS TEMPORARY AND IF YOU ARE SENDING LINKS TO YOUR FRIENDS SEND BOTH, AS LONG AS THEY SAVE THE BOOK TO LIBRARY WE ARE GOOD.
I WILL TELL YOU GUYS WHEN I PERMANENTLY DECIDE ON A TITLE BUT I THINK FOREVER SUITS IT. TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THAT TOO.... OF WHICH IS VERY URGENT. GIVE ME REASONS ON WHY I SHOULD CHANGE THE TITLE AND WHY I SHOULD NOT.
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