Chapter 103

103 103- Above and Beyond

“I’ve talked to a doctor about Abigail,” he told her when she joined him in the small gallery of her apartment that didn’t offer much view except the other older buildings around.

She placed the two coffee cups that she was carrying, on the banister.

He glanced at his phone screen for the umpteenth time, “Sorry!” he showed her, his phone, “expecting a call from Joseph. He had assured me that he would call once he would talk to this surgeon. They used to be neighbors and were quite close.”

Marissa bobbed her head, “That’s great.”

“So,” she raised a shoulder, “What did he say? Did he have a look at Abigail’s reports?” Marissa had hope in her eyes when she handed him the coffee cup.

Throwing one arm around her shoulder, he pulled her to him, putting hist coffee cup back.

She found him observing the nearby buildings and felt embarrassed, “It doesn’t offer a better view here.”

He glanced at her head and kissed it, “A place where you are beside me, is the best place no matter what view it offers.”

She raised her eyes and found him still looking at her.

“You were telling me about Abigail’s doctor,” she tried to remind him with

amusement.

“Hmm?”

“Abigail. Our daughter. Her doctor,” she tried to swallow the mirth bubbling up in her throat.

“Oh, yeah. Our daughter. Abigail. Yeah…”

Marissa wanted to laugh out loud. Sometimes he used to make her feel like she held more importance in his life than she believed.

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103 103- Above and Beyond

He kept telling her about the doctor’s achievements along with the success rate of the surgeries he had performed.

It was one hundred percent.

However, he had to look down when he heard the sniffling sounds coming from her, “Marissa. Sweetheart!”

The word sweetheart made her more emotional, and she wept even more.

“Abigail will be able to run and jump and do all the things in the park,” she said controlling her tears and wiping her face.

“Oh, woman,” he hugged her tightly, “she would be as healthy as other kids.”

“She can take the rides in the park too, Rafael,”

“Yeah. Or in her lawn or the private garden,” she giggled through the tears when she heard him.

“We don’t have a lawn or a garden, Rafael,” he smirked and looked into her jet–black eyes. This was high time he should talk to her.

“What if I buy some property where kids can have their own garden and a lawn, and pool too,” Marissa pulled back thinking he was joking with her.

“I… I don’t… think that’s necessary… I mean… look at them…” her hand jutted out in the air, “they are happy here. They find this place amazing and…”

nose i

This time he not only hugged her but also nuzzled his the crook of her neck, “I know, Marissa. And you are the best mother I have ever seen.”

Marissa wasn’t prepared for this praise.

“Am I?” He could hear disbelief in her voice.

“You are,” his hand started rubbing her back and her arm, “Being a career woman you managed everything so well. My mom was never there for me.” Wait. What?

He never shared this with her.

Not even when he was too close to her after marriage.

“I’m sorry… maybe I sound judgmental but when I look at you always being

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103 103–Above and Beyond

there for our kids, you just…” he trailed off squeezing his eyes, “You amaze

me.”

“But now they are growing, Marissa,” he lifted his head, “They need more space. In no way, I’m challenging you or belittling your authority. Whatever happens, it will take place after I get your permission. You have been closer to them and know them better than me.”

Marissa couldn’t believe it.

All these years she was scared for nothing. Nina and Valerie’s presence might be dangerous for her kids, but Rafael was never a threat to them.

“They need more space,” he whispered and then she went still when saw him bending down and felt his lips touching her collarbone. Thankfully her cup was also placed on the banister otherwise she could drop hot coffee on them.

“Rafael!” it almost sounded like a moan. And then after his assurance for kids, she might wanted to let go a little bit. That was the reason she gathered her courage and said something that was unexpected, even to her own ears.

“I… missed you, Rafael,” his lips froze on her neck.

“Y… you did?” his hot breath touched her neck skin giving a ticklish. sensation.

“Yes. I… I missed us… I missed our long talks and… oh, God…” For some reason, tears again started sliding down her face.

He wasn’t responding at all. Even his lips had stopped moving there.

Did she get impatient?

Did she blurt out the wrong words?

“I’m sorry, Rafael I should have…” she started pulling back with an embarrassed smile when she heard him, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Do you know what I missed the most?” she wasn’t aware if he could see her or not, but she shook her head.

103 103–Above and Beyond

He kept telling her about the doctor’s achievements along with the success. rate of the surgeries he had performed.

It was one hundred percent.

However, he had to look down when he heard the sniffling sounds coming from her, “Marissa. Sweetheart!”

The word sweetheart made her more emotional, and she wept even more.

“Abigail will be able to run and jump and do all the things in the park,” she said controlling her tears and wiping her face.

“Oh, woman,” he hugged her tightly, “she would be as healthy as other kids.”

“She can take the rides in the park too, Rafael,”

“Yeah. Or in her lawn or the private garden,” she giggled through the tears when she heard him.

“We don’t have a lawn or a garden, Rafael,” he smirked and looked into her jet–black eyes. This was high time he should talk to her.

“What if I buy some property where kids can have their own garden and a lawn, and pool too,” Marissa pulled back thinking he was joking with her.

“I… I don’t… think that’s necessary… I mean… look at them…” her hand jutted out in the air, “they are happy here. They find this place amazing and…”

This time he not only hugged her but also nuzzled his nose in the crook of her neck, “I know, Marissa. And you are the best mother I have ever seen.”

Marissa wasn’t prepared for this praise.

“Am 1?” He could hear disbelief in her voice.

“You are,” his hand started rubbing her back and her arm, “Being a career woman you managed everything so well. My mom was never there for me.”

Wait. What?

He never shared this with her.

Not even when he was too close to her after marriage.

“I’m sorry… maybe I sound judgmental but when I look at you always being

103 103–Above and Beyond

there for our kids, you just…” he trailed off squeezing his eyes, “You amaze

me.”

“But now they are growing, Marissa,” he lifted his head, “They need more space. In no way, I’m challenging you or belittling your authority. Whatever happens, it will take place after I get your permission. You have been closer to them and know them better than me.”

Marissa couldn’t believe it.

All these years she was scared for nothing. Nina and Valerie’s presence might be dangerous for her kids, but Rafael was never a threat to them.

“They need more space,” he whispered and then she went still when saw him bending down and felt his lips touching her collarbone. Thankfully her cup was also placed on the banister otherwise she could drop hot coffee on them.

“Rafael!” it almost sounded like a moan. And then after his assurance for kids, she might wanted to let go a little bit. That was the reason she gathered her courage and said something that was unexpected, even to her own ears.

“I… missed you, Rafael,” his lips froze on her neck.

“Y… you did?” his hot breath touched her neck skin giving a ticklish sensation.

“Yes. I… I missed us… I missed our long talks and… oh, God…” For some reason, tears again started sliding down her face.

He wasn’t responding at all. Even his lips had stopped moving there.

Did she get impatient?

Did she blurt out the wrong words?

“I’m sorry, Rafael I should have…” she started pulling back with an embarrassed smile when she heard him, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Do you know what I missed the most?” she wasn’t aware if he could see her or not, but she shook her head.

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103 103–Above and Beyond

He must have felt her head moving because he chuckled, and his mouth moved towards her lips.

“This,” he kissed her lips too softly, which made her desire touch the roof.

“I missed this…” he kissed her cheeks one by one.

“This…” he kissed her ear lobes and Marissa closed her eyes in ecstasy. The worst thing for her was, the more he was kissing her, the more she wanted to

cry.

“Do you know what else I missed?” listening to his shaky voice made her tilt

back her head to have a better look at his face.

“Rafael!” he was also crying.

“I missed this…” his hand traveled up against her arm and then settled lightly on her bo*ob, “They used to make my hands so full. H…how… how I forgot

them?”

Marissa closed her eyes trying to control a hiccup. She placed her hand on top of his that was still resting on her chest.

“I’m sorry,” he whimpered in pain, “I’m so sorry, Marissa. Please don’t leave me again.” They both were crying hugging each other and didn’t know for how long they stayed like this when his phone buzzed.

“Hell!” he cursed, wanting to cancel the call without looking at the caller ID, but Marissa quickly reminded him about Joseph.

“He must be calling to tell you about that doctor,” he received the call after a nod and then made a face when heard Nina’s voice, “Rafael, my son!”

“Mom!” Marissa moved back when heard him and picked up her cup. She was about to walk away when he stopped her by holding her elbow and kissed. lightly on her lips.

“I’ll come in a while,” he whispered and saw her going inside after a nod. He got back to the call.

“How are you, Mom?” he asked her, and she got a little loud.

“Where is your wife, Rafael?” Rafael stared at his phone as if it had turned

103 103- Above and Beyond

into a zombie.

“I don’t know, mom.”

“You don’t know? You are her husband!”

“I’m not her dad!”

“Don’t you want an heir for the Sinclaire family?” she snapped, losing control, “And why does your voice sound so strange? Have you been crying?” she remarked on his hoarse voice.

“No, I’m not! And stop worrying about the heir!”

“Why? Even if you are interested in living in Kanderton, you should take Valerie with you. Contact her because she is your wife!”

“Wife my ass!” he grumbled under her breath.

“What did you say?” Nina yelled through the speaker, “And where are you? There seems to be some signal problem.”

“I’m in a seven–star hotel, Mom. My usual! You know me,” He tried to make his tone soft when the door behind him opened and someone stepped on the gallery.

Before Rafael could turn to look at the person a small, delicate voice drew his attention, “Daddy. I want to sleep with you.”

Rafael was quick to place his hand on the receiver.

“Rafael who is this? Was it a child? Was he calling you daddy?” Nina was now unstoppable.

“Bye, Mom,” He cut the call without any pleasantries and scooped up his daughter. My God. How would he convince his mom about it?

Marissa requested one thing and that was not to let Nina or Valerie know about the kids. He didn’t want to fail her this time.

He wanted to earn her trust and was ready to go above and beyond to do so.