Thursday morning, Gisele was discharged from the hospital. Little did she know that this day was going to be a major turning point in her life.
âAre you all right? Do you need anything? Water? orange juice? lemonade? applââ, Slate started frantically.
âIâm fineâ, Gisele said, covering a laugh. Slate had been fussing over her since she had been discharged.
Slate sighed at her, exasperated. It was that moment that Callie decided to enter the room, skipping happily. It was like the episode of the other day had not happened at all, in fact she loved Gisele now more than ever.
âGigi!â, she said enthusiastically upon seeing Gisele. âI missed youâ
Gisele cooed internally. Callie was too cute.
âI missed you too, honey.â, Gisele replied and opened her arms for a hug. Callie ran into her arms and hugged her with all her might.
On his side, Slate was happy to see this reunion. Gisele was a very important part of his life, one he could not imagine living without her. He just couldnât waitâ¦
***
âGisele, I need to speak to youâ, Slate said abruptly, after a while. Gisele nodded calmly, but she felt very scared.
What if Slate wanted to tell her to go away now that she had recovered? What if he didnât want her any longer? What if he had found someone better? What ifâ
âGisele, donât over think itâ, Slate said with a nervous glint in his eyes.
She nodded, and wondered if she had not imagined what she had seen in his eyes. Surely not! A nervous Slate was one completely new to her.
âIâll be going out for sometime, I thought it best to inform youâ, Slate said, the nervous glint disappearing.
Gisele was confused; he sounded so like her boss from a few months ago, and she felt really disappointed. She didnât know how to act around him when he got like this.
âUhmâ¦okayâ, Gisele said, masking her hurt and disappointment.
As soon as Slate left and Callie was sleeping, Gisele called Lizzie over. In about thirty minutes, she was there.
As Lizzie was entering, her joking manner took over. âWow, I still canât believe Iâm entering a billionaireâs house, all because my best friend is going down and dirtyââ
Gisele slapped Lizzie lightly, fighting a smile.
âLizzie, donât say stuff like thatâ, she admonished.
âWhat, isnât it the truth?â, Lizzie asked rhetorically before continuing, âI bet you guys fulfill your fantasies and Iâm not talking about the ones you have of owning a library full of books. Nuh-uh. Iâm talking about s**ââ
âLizzie!â, Gisele whisper-yells, full on laughing, âdonât say stuff like thatâ
âHey, at least it put a smile on your face. Look at that cute smile.â, Lizzie said, enjoying her best friendâs discomfort.
âCut it outâ, Gisele said tiredly.
ADVERTISEMENT Lizzieâs smile disappeared just like that and she asked, âHey, mon coeur, whatâs wrong?â
âHe just keeps sending me⦠mixed signals. I donât understand him. One minute heâs fussing over me, and the nextâ¦the next heâs just so cold and aloof.â,she said, choking over a sob.
Lizzie shook her head internally. She knew Slateâs intentions, but he was not going about it the right way!
She was going to spank him when next she saw himâ¦. Okayâ¦that sounded a lot dirtier than she intended.
âLook, honey, Slate loves you, okay? He just doesnât know how to show it! His first marriage was an arranged one, so he probably doesnât know the basics of romance. And for girls after her, he didnât need to court them, his looks and his money were enough to get them running towards him. So just give him the benefit of doubt?â, Lizzie said, taking a deep breath afterwards.
Gisele looked down, feeling a bit foolish. Then she straightened her stance with a confident look in her eye, and said, âIâll try, Iâll definitely tryâ
***
Slate was pacing; he felt so nervous. He hoped Lizzie had comforted Gisele. He regretted being so harsh. But he couldnât go back in time, so heâd have to perfect the future as well as he could.
He had done everything and he hoped Gisele was going to love it.
***
âUh, hey Giseleâ, Gisele heard from behind her. Of course it was Slate.
She turned around and replied with a sigh, âYes, Slateâ
âLook Iâm sorry about before. Itâs just I was quite nervous about inviting you to dinnerââ, he started.
âYou wanted to invite me to dinner?â, Gisele interrupted, very surprised.
âYes, yes I did, for tomorrow. As I said, Gisele I love you so much, I just have a s***ty way of showing itâ, he finished, looking so apologetic that Gisele didnât have the heart to refuse him.
âYes, Iâll go to dinner with you, but next time you scare me like that, Iâll castrate you. You had me thinking you had gotten tired and wanted to get rid of meâ
âIâll never get tired of you, Gisele, I love you so muchâ, Slate said, cradling her face in his hands.
âAnd I love you, Slateâ, Gisele said after a moment of hesitation.
Slateâs eyes brightened and he smiled crazily, âYou love me?â, he asked.
Gisele nodded, smiling shyly.
Slate let out a whoop of joy and turned with Gisele, round and round.
âSla-Slate stopâ, Gisele said, giggling foolishly.
Slate stopped finally and still looked dazed. âYou meant it? You really meant it? You love me?â
âYes, Slate, I love youâ, Gisele said, fighting a goofy smile.
ADVERTISEMENT ***
âIâm so nervous I feel like Iâm going to spontaneously combustâ, Gisele said, fanning herself with her hand.
âHey, hey Gisele. Look, take in a deeeeep breath. Thatâs it, inhale, exhaleâ, Lizzie said, trying to help her calm her nerves.
Gisele did what Lizzie told her to do, and, she didnât feel a mite better.
âIâm still nervous. What if he realizes that he doesnât really love me?â, she said, almost hyperventilating.
âHe wonât, because he loves you with all his body, soul, heart and spiritâ, Lizzie rea**ured.
âI hope so, because Iâm so fùcking in love with himââ, she said, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Lizzie widened her eyes and rushed to interrupt Gisele. Her best friend never swore, so she knew Gisele really meant it when she said she loved Slate.
âMon amour, please. Donât stress yourself out, hmm? He loves so you better get that into your pretty little head, okay?â, Lizzie said, looking at Gisele intently.
Gisele nodded and let Lizzie continue doing whatever she was doing on her face.
âThere! Iâm throughâ, Lizzie said when she had finished, admiring her masterpiece.
Gisele was in a black strapless knee-length dress, silver sandals, and long red and silver earrings. She completed the ensemble with a red clutch and a silver watch Slate had given her.
Lizzie had kept it simple with the makeup, putting n*** eyeshadow and pink lipstick.
âYou look fantabulous. Now go get your manâ, Lizzie said with a smile.
Gisele smiled shyly and ran out to find Slate.
***
Slate was waiting patiently for Gisele, but he was not prepared for the vision in front of him. It was like his Gisele had metamorphosed into a goddess overnight.
His. He liked that. Gisele was his, and nobody elseâs.
Gisele was waiting with a bit of panic for a reaction from him, so when he bent to whisper in her ear, she let out a little sigh of relief.
âYou look beautiful in that dress, but Iâd bet youâd look even more beautiful naked in my bedâ, he whispered.
Gisele blushed bright red. It was the first time Slate had said something naughty to her.
She didnât reply, because she didnât exactly know what to say to him. She just smiled and let him lead her to his sleek black car.
The car was so Slate. It fitted his personality. She entered thd car, and off they went.
ADVERTISEMENT ***
After exchanging pleasant nothingness, Slate put on a serious expression.
âGisele, I know Iâve hidden a lot of my past from you, but today, Iâd like to apologize. Itâs not that I didnât trust you, I did- and still do, but Iâm not just too used to the idea of opening up to people.â, he started.
Gisele kept quiet, not wanting Slate to stop, wanting him to talk, wanting to know him as he did her.
And talk he did. Slate spoke of his fatherâs death, of his mother raising him alone, of his betraying ex-
wife. Gisele started to understand why he was so closed up, and so aloof.
But he hadnât finished. âBefore you, Gisele, I thought all women were gold diggers, ready to squeeze money out of me. But I realized that you are different. Thereâs just something about you, Gisele and I realized I couldnât let you goâ, he stated.
Gisele already had tears in her eyes, and when Slate went down on bended knee and removed a ring box from his pocket, she couldnât contain her gasp.
âGisele, I know Iâve ignored you, Iâve not always given you the love and care you wanted, Iâve humiliated you, hell, Iâve caused you a lot of pain. But I love you Gisele, Iâd go to the sun if you wanted me to. I canât promise not to misunderstand you sometimes, I canât promise not to hurt you sometimes, but one thing I can promise is Iâll love you forever. Gisele, will you marry me?â
Gisele was full on crying by the time Slate had finished his speech. She nodded and said YES tearily.
Then repeated, âYes, Slate, Iâll marry youâ.
Slate put the ring on her finger, stood up, and kissed her pa**ionately.
Silence had fallen when Slate went down on bended knee, and as soon as they kissed, applause resounded.
***
âYou need to let me in on all the deetsâ, was the first thing Gisele heard as soon she entered the house with Slate.
It was Lizzie, of course. Callie was jumping up and down with excitement. Then she ran to Gisele, looking at her with bright anxious eyes, and asked the million dollar question.
âGigi, does it mean youâll become my mommy?â
Gisele laughed, a joyous sound, showing she was more happy than she had been in a long time. She looked at Callie with stars in her eyes, and nodded slowly.
Callie let out a whoop and clung on Gisele like an octopus to its prey.
Looking up, Lizzie met Giseleâs eyes and smiled warmly. After all the troubles her friend had gone through, it was definitely time for her to be happy.
Lizzie decided to give them some family time, and carefully sneaked out.
She met Slate on the way and whispered to him, âMake her happy she deserves it.â, then went out.
Lizzie smiled sadly. She wondered when she would have her own family. She wondered if she would ever even have a family. But she wished all the best to her friend.