Chapter 17
Once Alex put Emilia down they were both breathless with sleepy smiles on their faces.
“I love you Emilia.” Alex said as he kept his hands on her face. Emilia opened her mouth to say the say back, but nothing came out. Alex understood if she wasn’t ready yet and he didn’t mind because he could no longer keep his feelings for her trapped away.
“How about we go inside.” Emilia suggested as she took a step back from Alex. She wanted to return the words she longed to say, but not until he knew the truth about David. Alex followed Emilia inside and helped her bring in the finally bags.
‘Where’s Aiden?” Emilia asked as she put the kettle on for Alex.
“He is at home with Maria’s parents.” Emilia stopped what she was doing and faced Alex with wide eyes and a shocked expression.
“I rang them today and we came over and talked things out.” Alex shrugged while Emilia was gobsmacked.
“Turns out Maria knew she was going to die. She didn’t want me to choose between her and Aiden so she gave up her life so Aiden could live.” Alex said sadly, even though he got to say goodbye it didn’t hurt any less knowing that she didn’t tell him.
“Are you ok Alex?” Emilia didn’t know what to say and knew this news would have shocked Alex.
“I am ok I guess, I feel lighter then I have in years knowing it is not my fault. Plus I finally got the courage to go and see her and say goodbye.” Alex looked at his hands and Emilia came over taking them into hers.
“Did all this happen today?” Alex nodded and leaned his head on her shoulder as his body went limp.
“I did it for us. I knew I wouldn’t be able to love you the right way until I let Maria go and I did.” Emilia was shocked that she didn’t know what to say. She knows how much Alex loved Maria you would have to be dumb and stupid not to see if and for him to say goodbye she just didn’t know what to think.
“I don’t know what to say Alex.” Alex smiled at Emilia and was ok with that. He was ok with the fact that she couldn’t return the words because he knew the day would come when she would open herself to him fully the same way he is doing, by letting go of the past and looking towards the future.
Alex stayed at Emilia for a few hours before he had to head home and get dinner ready for Aiden and Maria’s family.
“I love you.” Alex said kissing her as he got into the car.
“I will ring you soon.” Emilia said and Alex understood that she needed a few days alone to gather her thoughts together.
“I will miss you.” Alex said sighing as he started his engine.
“I know, but it will only be for a few days Alex.” Alex nodded and gave her hand a squeeze before letting go. Emilia blew him a kiss as he drove away.
When Alex arrived home it was around 5 in the afternoon. When he walked into the house he heard the chatter of Aiden as he talked about his toys that he had.
“Daddy.” It was like Aiden had a third sense to be able to tell when his daddy was around.
“Hey buddy were you good for nanny and pappy?” Alex placed his keys in the bowl near the door and walked into the lounge room where everyone was sitting.
“Thankyou for looking after him. I was wondering would you like to stay for dinner.”
“It was no problem Alex he was an angel anyway. We would love to stay for dinner.” Alex smiled and rolled up his sleeves as he picked up some of Aiden’s toys that he was more than likely to trip on.
“Do you guys want anything in particular?” Alex pulled his shirt out of his pants realising he was still in his work suit.
“Anything will do Alex.” Alex nodded as Aiden followed behind him.
“I am just going to change then I will start dinner.” They all watched Alex walk upstairs and they looked back to Aiden who was giggling as he ran away with something in his hand.
“Aiden what are you doing.” Logan asked watching his Grandson hide what looked like a shoe.
“Nothing.” He said giggling as the dimples in his cheek showed.
“Aiden.” They all heard Alex yell from upstairs as Aiden kept on giggling.
Alex as furious as he looked at his walls in his room which were covered in blue lines.
“Aiden Fabian Costa you my son are in so much trouble.” He walked out of the room holding the blue pencil in his hand. He walked downstairs where Aiden was giggling with an innocent smile on his face.
“Did you draw on my walls?” He asked in a stern voice as Jeremy tired his best not to laugh at Alex’s red face and Aiden innocent face.
“No Jacob did.” Alex gave his son a look knowing he was lying.
“Are you lying to me Aiden? You know what happens to little boys you lie to me.” Aiden looked down at the floor and pouted.
“I sorry.” Aiden said and Alex relaxed, but still knew he had to punish Aiden for lying and drawing on his walls.
“I think you need to go into the naughty corner and think about what you have done wrong.” Alex grabbed Aiden’s hand who followed willingly to the corner that had a chair. Alex sat Aiden down who stared at the wall with silent tears running down his face.
Alex hardly ever did punish Aiden because he hated to do it. The only times he ever really put Aiden in the naughty corner was when he lied or was really naughty.
“Sorry about that.” Alex said rubbing the back of his head and looking at Aiden who sat perfectly still on the chair.
“It’s ok Alex.” Suzie said. She knew that children needed to be punished when they were naughty and she could tell that Alex hardly did punish Aiden because you could see the guilt on his face when he had to put him in time out.
“Is he normally naughty?” Suzie asked wanting to know more about her grandson.
“No he is the most well behaved kid. I don’t understand how because when I was his age I was a menace.” Suzie laughed and patted Alex shoulder. Alex didn’t leave Aiden there for long before he went and out him out.
“Daddy I sorry I lied.” Aiden sobbed as Alex ran his fingers through his hair.
“It’s ok baby you know daddy hates putting you there, but I don’t like when you lie to me.” Aiden nodded and Suzie could see why Aiden was such a well behaved kid. Alex was tough in a kind way. He set boundaries for Aiden to teach him the right morals that were needed in life.
“Ok let’s get dinner started.” Alex cooked a chicken stir fry as he talked to Suzie about Aiden. Once dinner was ready Jeremy helped get the plates still remembering where they were when he used to visit his sister when Alex was at work.
“So how have you guys been?” Alex asked as he helped feed Aiden and himself.
“We have been good. Nothing has changed much with us these last few years.” Alex smiled at them before turning to Jeremy.
“What about you Jeremy you find a special someone yet.” Alex asked as Jeremy’s face blushed.
“There is this one person I like, but I am too scared to ask them out.” Alex smiled taking a sip of his drink.
“One thing I learnt is that life is too short and you need to embrace it to it’s fullest. If you wait too long then your chance will be gone and you will regret it.” Logan and Suzie looked from Alex to their son and noticed that Alex has grown up so much in these last few years. He always was mature, but he has a knowledge that many don’t possess.
“I guess you are right.” Jeremy said the more he thought about what Alex just said.
“Daddy when Emmy coming round again?” Aiden asked and Alex sighed sadly.
“Soon buddy, she just needs a few days to herself. Like when daddy send you to grandma so I can work.” Aiden nods his head and goes back to eating.
“Everything alright Alex.” Logan asked when they noticed Alex looking a little bit down.
“Yeah, just working out a few things that’s all.” After dinner was finished Logan helped clean up while Aiden got a few more minutes of play.
“You have a good schedule set up for Aiden.” Logan said as he noticed the timetable on the fridge.
“Yeah if I didn’t life would be chaotic. Between work meetings and making sure Aiden has everything he needs without it nothing would get done.” Alex said pulling the drain plug as the dirty water disappeared.
“So what happens with Aiden know?”
“Well I give him a bath and bed. Then its clean up, get a load of washing on so before I go to work I can hang it up. If that is finished before 12 then I get time to myself, but most of the time Aiden wares me out so I just go to bed.” Logan nodded knowing how hard and draining it was to look after young children.
Once the dishes were put away Alex excused himself to get Aiden ready for bed. Aiden was good tonight and tired so when Alex put him to bed he showed no trouble and fell right asleep. On the way out Alex picked up his toys before walking downstairs to see Suzie putting away the last of Aiden’s toys.
“You didn’t need to do that Suzie.” Alex said as he walked into the room.
“Pst it is no problem, Alex.” They all sat down on the couch as Alex put the tv on a background noise.
“How did you do it Alex?” Jeremy asked wondering how on earth Alex was able to look after Aiden and work.
“I would like to say it was easy, but it wasn’t. When Aiden was first born was the hardest. The nights he wouldn’t sleep or would eat and just throw it back up were hard. It didn’t help that I feel into my own spiral of depression. I took time off work, but I was a mess. I drank a lot and got frustrated when Aiden would go to sleep.”
“I never hurt him, but I would walk out the room frustrated and would leave him crying for an hour or two before I was ok again. A few weeks after Maria, mum came to check up on me. I was so tired I had Aiden with a bottle in one hand and a beer in the other. I hadn’t showered in days and my health was declining. Aiden was fine cause I made sure, but I was so focused on Aiden and my depression that forgot to look after myself.” Alex blinked back tears as he remembered how hard it was without Maria beside him to help.
“Ma took Aiden for a few weeks and bought him over to see me until I was able to get myself back on my own two feet. Once I was steady again and I was settled into a pattern with Aiden, then did I finally go back to work. It was hard, Ma looked after him while I was at work and I would crash at her place most night. By the time Aiden was 10 months I was working with Philip. He allowed me to bring Aiden into work as he was too young for day care.”
“When I had meetings my assistant would look after him for the few hours I was gone.” Suzie eyes were wide and she was shocked by how hard Alex had to work.
“When did he go into day-care?” Logan asked.
“They didn’t take him until he was two once I explained the situation to them however that bought on even more problems. For the first month all he did was cry and scream when I left. The day-care rang me many times to come and pick him up or for Ma to. After about a month of this I took Aiden to our doctor where we ran a few test on him.” Suzie was shocked again, why would they run test on her grandson.
“It wasn’t bad Suzie. They wanted to see how I interacted with Aiden and what happened when he was left alone. We found out he had separation anxiety. The doctor said it was common within children who had lost a parent and spent most of their time with one parent. They said we could put him on medication, but I refused so the doctor gave us some exercise and after a few weeks we saw a huge improvement.”
“He is better now, but there are still times when I go to drop him off that he is clingy, but all I need to do is talk to him and tell him I will be back soon and he is fine.” Suzie and Logan didn’t know what to say they were shocked that Alex and Aiden had to go through so much in only a few short years.
“What about now?” Jeremy asked knowing how hard it much of been for Alex during all that time.
“Now we are fine, we have a good routine set up and it works.” Maria’s family stayed for a few more hours asking questions and looking at photos before they bid farewell to Alex telling him that they would be at Aiden party in two weeks’ time. Once they left Alex left out a deep sigh and felt even more weight lift off his shoulder’s. He didn’t feel any guilt from keep them from Aiden and he no longer blamed Maria’s death on himself. When he finally went to bed for the night he was so light a relieved that when he fell asleep he didn’t stir once.
The week flew by and Alex was at the top of his game. At work he was sprouting out ideas and he finished the Mai Melrose project who was coming over a week after Aiden birthday. At home he somehow found more time to be with Aiden and found more time to play with him once he got home from work.
The only thing that was missing was the fact that he had yet to hear from Emilia. It was Sunday and he was on the phone to Jessica about Aiden’s party when the doorbell rang. Even though he wasn’t talking to Emilia she had managed to get the invitations done and sent out.
“Hang on Jess someone is at the door.” He walked over and opened it surprised to see Emilia standing there looking as beautiful as ever in a white and yellow sundress that came to the floor.
“Jess I will call you back, Emilia is at the door.” Jessica understood and bid Alex farewell.
“Hey Alex, can I come in?” Emilia asked unsure of her herself. She hadn’t talked to Alex all week as she gained the courage and face what happened with her ex.
“Sure, Aiden has been asking where you have been. We both missed you.” They walked into the lounge room and sat down when Emilia noticed that Aiden wasn’t here.
“Where is Aiden?” Alex smiled.
“He is spending the day with Maria’s parents. It is only fair considering they missed his first three years.” Emilia nodded her head glad because it meant she could talk to Alex without having to worry about Aiden.
“That’s good because I wanted to talk to you.” Alex nodded as his palms started to sweat. He was scared that she was going to say that he was going to leave him because she didn’t love him or didn’t want to have a son.
“I don’t know how to start this.” She whispered and Alex felt himself go pale. This was it, she was going to leave him. Taking a deep breath Alex took Emilia’s hands into his ready to beg her to stay.
“I didn’t tell you the whole truth with my Ex David.” Alex felt himself able to breathe knowing that Emilia wasn’t going to leave him because from what Emilia told him her ex David was a scum.
“It’s ok Emilia, I will listen to whatever you have to say.” Alex gave her hands a reassuring squeeze and it made Emilia smile.
“Not even my family know this. They just know that David left me to go with his family, but the truth was he was going to leave his family and be with me.” Alex didn’t understand why after all the lying he did, why would he leave his family to be with Emilia? No man would leave there family for another unless. Alex looked at Emilia with a look of knowing a disbelief.
She knew Alex was a smart man, but she didn’t expect him to pick up so quickly why David would leave his family for her.
Alex didn’t know how to react. He kept his hand in Emilia’s as he felt his blood boil beyond belief. He wasn’t made at Emilia from keeping it from him, but made at her ex. After taking a few minute to calm himself down, Alex looked at Emilia calmly nodding her to continue.
“What happened Emilia?” Emilia closed her eyes ashamed and saddened by the man she thought she loved once upon a time.
“By the time I found out I was pregnant we weren’t together anymore, but I thought he had the right to know. When I told him he was over the moon and I moved in with him to his apartment. He said he was going to leave his wife and children to be with me and I stupidly believed him. I was only 19 at the time.” Alex nodded and pulled Emilia into his arms as they both laid on the couch.
“You don’t need to tell me Emilia, it is ok.” Emilia shook her head because she needed to get past this and trust Alex completely.
“I was about a month into the pregnancy. David kept disappearing all the time and would come home distant. I knew he was cheating on me, but I didn’t say or do anything. All the stress David was causing caused me to miscarriage. I was alone, scared. David was meant to be home and I was getting worried when it happened. I rushed myself to hospital where I stayed for two day before I was allowed to go home.”
“When I got home David was accusing me of cheating and never being home. I broke down in tears and told him I lost the baby. Do you know what he did?” Emilia asked and Alex shook his head wrapping his arms around her trying to comfort her. He knew what it was like to lose someone you love.
“He blamed me saying it was all my fault the baby was dead. He said if I was a better mother then the baby would still be alive. He kicked me out onto the streets that night. He put my clothes in a bag and said he never wanted to see me again. The last words he ever said to me was ‘never see me again you baby killer.’” Alex clenched his fist wanting to kill the scum. How dare he do that to a beautiful women like Emilia? No man should ever kick a women out after she has lost a child. No man should ever kick a women out the way he did.
“I spent the next few weeks at a friend’s place before I went to live with my parents. They never found out about the pregnancy and I have kept that guilt since that it was my fault I killed my baby.” Alex held Emilia tight as she cried out her grief. They both have been through so much. Alex thought as he held tight onto Emilia.
“It wasn’t your fault Emilia. The first trimester is a delicate one. There could have been various factors that contributed to you losing your baby, but let me tell you it wasn’t your fault. David is a low life scum you doesn’t deserve your love or time Emilia.” Emilia nodded and her cries turned into soft sniffles.
“I know it isn’t my fault, but that still doesn’t make it feel any better Alex. I mean I have one job as a women and that is the ability to carry a child and I could even do that. I am scared that I won’t be able to carry your children.” Emilia said quietly, but Alex still heard. Alex thought about Emilia carrying his children a lot. He could imagine her round with child as she carried another child on her hip swaying softly to get the infant to sleep.
“Oh Emilia, you have nothing to worry about I promise you. You have more jobs than having children. Your job is to love and be loved Emilia. You are so much more than a child carrier.” Emilia snuggled further into Alex and closed her eyes. At the start of this year she started to see someone to help her deal with everything that David did and the child that she lost and she found it very helpful and talking to Alex helped more then she thought. She didn’t feel like she was hiding anything from him now expect the fact that she loved him.
“Alex.” She hummed after some hours of relaxing on the couch having a nap.
“Hmm.” Alex replied still half asleep.
“I love you Alex.” Alex hummed before he was wide awake realising what Emilia just said. Emilia chuckled when Alex eyes opened quickly and he looked at her with shock and love.
“Say it again.” Emilia sat up with Alex and grabbed his face between her hands.
“I love you Alex Costa and nothing in this world is every going to change that.” She rested her head against his and Alex smiled like a child of Christmas.
“Please say it again.” Emilia giggled before whispering it is his ear.
“I love you Alex.” Alex shivered at her words and pulled her in for a kiss. The moment there lips touched Emilia felt fireworks explode from all over her body as Alex ignited a fire inside of her she didn’t realise she possessed or had. She felt like tiny little butterflies were swimming inside her and felt like sun should be shining through her fingertips.
“I love you Emilia.” Alex whispered as he pulled away.
“I love you to Alex. Both you and Aiden.” Alex pulled Emilia back down onto his body and they both laid there with their fingers entwined giving each other sweet, soft kisses until Aiden came home.
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This chapter isn't as long and I am sorry, but I still hope you all enjoyed it.
So their are no more secrets between Emilia and Alex and they both confessed there love for each other finally.
This is not the end by a long shot there are still at lest 10 chapter still to go and a few extra chapters at the end.
My goal is to finish this story before valentines day I hope. Anyway remember to vote and comment I love hearing from you all.