Chapter 333

I stay at my parents‘ house a little longer. Iris is eating up the attention that is being given to her by her grandparents. Although she is small, she loves attention, especially if the attention comes in the form of belly kisses.

Looking at her, I wish that my life was that simple. Was I the only one who’s ever desired the life of a child? They didn’t have a worry in the world except food and dirty diapers. Their innocence is like a balm to a wounded and troubled soul.

Then they grow up, life happens, and they become jaded. If I could save both my children from this thing called love, I would, but I know ultimately I can’t because they have their own destiny to follow, whether it will be full of happiness, heartache, or a mix of both.

I continue watching as both sets of grandparents play with my daughter on the grass. Nora was holding a laughing Iris. You want to know what she was laughing at? Well, apparently, she found it really hilarious seeing Theo roll on the grass.

I get her too. If I was in a better mood, I would also find it funny. Who would have thought that one of the most powerful couples in the city would be like this with their grandchild?

I don’t remember the parents of Kate and James, but what I remember is them being really cold and stoic, but maybe it was just towards me. As for Mother and Father, even though they loved Noah, I never once saw them behave like Nora and Theo. Their warmness warmed my heart.

I take a sip of my drink, trying so hard to fight against the decision I was sure I had to make. Part of me thought I needed time, but the other knew that Rowan and I couldn’t continue the way we were. It took that memory to destroy everything I thought we were building since I woke up.

I felt the sincerity in his words, but I was having a hard time letting go. This time around, what threatened our relationship wasn’t his lack of concern and love for me. This time, it was the echoes and memories of his past mistakes.

“Is something still bothering you?” Nora’s voice startles me, mainly because I’m so lost in my thoughts that I don’t even see her come towards me.

“I forgot to tell you the reason why I asked for a meeting,” I answered, trying to dodge the question.

Of course, a lot of things still bothered me, but I wasn’t going to burden her with that. This fell wholly on me. I was the one who was struggling. The one that this whole thing fell on. I didn’t want to dampen others spirits with my troubles.

“That’s not important,” she tells me softly. “Not when you’re clearly still struggling with I just stared at her. Maybe what I need is fresh air. I felt a bit suffocated. A bit unhinged. I felt uncomfortable in my own skin.

“I’ll be okay. I’m just struggling with what I need to do and what decisions I need to make.”

She nods her head in understanding before pulling me into her arms. Her warmth and care make me want to cry. I felt so overwhelmed, so burdened by everything. I felt lost, like I was just drifting. Fighting the tears back, I pull away from her.

“Is it okay if I leave Iris with you for a couple of hours?” I ask, trying to control the tremble in my voice. “I want to go pick a gift for Noah.”

Her eyes sear into mine. I know she knows I’m using this as an excuse, but she also understands that I need to breathe and be alone.

“Sure, my love. No problem,” she smiles at me. “Take as much time as you need.”

After I said my goodbyes, I left. I tell Boris to drive me to the mall.

I already had an idea of what I wanted to buy Noah, and maybe a little shopping will give me an escape from the constant turmoil of my thoughts.

We get to the mall, and without wasting time, I start going from shop to shop. Noah wasn’t subtle, and he dropped obvious hints about what he wanted. All of them combined made a whole list. He wasn’t spoilt, but he also knew that neither of his parents were lacking in the financial department, so he was comfortable asking for whatever he wanted.

“Ava!”

I had just finished buying the last item on the list when I heard her voice. Turning around, I found Letty and Corrine rushing towards me. They both embraced me in a bear hug before stepping away.

“What are you doing here? If we had known we would all be here, we would have organized lunch,”

Letty all but screams, her happiness at seeing me clearly evident.

“I decided to come last minute to shop for Noah’s birthday gifts,” I answer, giving both of them a smile.

“Where is Iris? Is she with Rowan? I still remember how he left work to babysit her simply because you wanted to go shopping,” Corrine says in a dreamy voice.

Gosh, why was this so hard? She looked so hopeful and so happy, and in her own world, dreaming about how happy Rowan and I were. I don’t say anything. I won’t say anything until I’ve made a decision.

“Do you want to get lunch?” Letty asks. She probably assumed that Corrine is right and Iris is with Rowan.

“Sure”

We walk to a nearby restaurant, with Boris following behind us. We get a table, and immediately a waiter comes to take our orders.

Immediately, Corrine and Letty start chatting. Today I wasn’t in the mood, but I needed a distraction.

Something to take my mind off things with Rowan.

“So, has Reaper been by to see you again?” Letty asks, her excitement evident.

Corrine bites her lips, telling us all we need to know.

“Yes. In fact, he did more than just visit,” she beamed, her eyes sparkling with admiration. He rocked my world the entire night.”

“Get out!” Letty shrieks, almost getting out of her chair. “Give us all the tea, woman. Don’t leave us hanging.”

I wasn’t interested before, but this got me interested. I didn’t think that she would go through with it, but it seems like I was wrong. Even after she said she would consider it just to aggravate her father, I didn’t take her seriously.

“Well, he showed up again; I let him in, and then he proceeded to fuck my brains out,” Corrine smirked, still clearly on cloud nine.

“Seriously? That’s all you’re going to tell us.” Letty looks offended by this. “I want the spicy details: how big is he, what positions did he take you in, how long did he last, and how many times did you cum?”

I chuckled at that. Letty looked like she would die if she didn’t get the answers to her questions. She looked eager and was sitting at the edge of her seat. I couldn’t hold it in anymore, and I ended up laughing. It was damn hilarious, and she had this comic look on her face that made it all the more funny.

“What?” she asked, looking at me as if she couldn’t understand what I found so funny.

I laughed harder. “You. Why are you so desperate to know what her tumble in the sheets was like? Do you want a threesome or something?”

She glares at me, but I know there is no heat behind the loo. She knew I was just joking.

“No, thank you… I just want to know if they did a position I’ve yet to try since I like experimenting in the bedroom. Trevor’s dick is enough for me.‘

“That is disgusting.” I made a look of disgust as she smirked at me. She’d just gotten back at me in the best way she knew how.

They both laugh at me as I try not to gag at the image she painted. If I’m honest, I don’t know what she sees in Trevor, but love is love, and maybe my bad experience with him has clouded my judgement when it comes to him.

Anyway, as much as I would want someone else for my friend, I wasn’t going to interfere. If she loved him, then I would have to deal.

“So, is it a one–night kind of thing, or will he be back for more?” I ask curiously as I push thoughts of Trevor out of my mind.

“Since we both liked it, we agreed to be acquaintances with benefits.”

Letty looks puzzled. “What the fuck is that?”

“You know, like friends with benefits kind of thing. We aren’t friends, and we don’t really know each other, so acquaintances with benefits suit us perfectly.”

Slowly laughing, I stare at Letty as she looks at Corrine, like she said the most absurd thing she’s ever heard, For the first time since everything went sour with Rowan, I was laughing and having fun watching the bickering between Letty and Corrine. They managed to do something no one else has been able to do these past few days. They managed to get my mind off my problems.

“So you’ll continue seeing him?” Lettie asks.

“If you mean, will I continue fucking him? Then yes. The sex is good, and there’s no strings attached, just the way I like it.”

I don’t say anything, but for some reason, I stare at Letty to find her looking at me. A smile creeps on her face because we have the same thought. Something told me that one of them or both of them were going to fall.

“By the way, did you decide on what you’ll do?” Corrine turned to me.

I’d told them how I was struggling to stay at home doing nothing. Re–learning things is working, but the progress is slow. At this point, I think it’ll be years before I can go back to teaching.

“No. I still haven’t figured things out.”

“What about your foundation?” Letty asks, sipping her lemonade.

“What foundation?”

They tell me everything, taking turns to explain things to me. By the time I’m done, I’m shocked at all the progress I’ve made. I remember feeling sorry for a boy in my class and wishing I could help him.

Turns out I birthed an idea and saw it through.

“Mary held back because the doctor had warned about stressing you and wearing you down. She’s managed to keep the foundation running, but I’m sure she’ll be happy to have her boss back. That woman literally worships the ground you walk on,” Letty gushed, making me feel shy for some reason.

I didn’t know this, Mary, but to hear that she adored me was a bit disconcerting. That quickly faded away when I realized that I could actually work. That I didn’t have to stay home all day long, and since the foundation houses had other kids, I could always bring Iris with me.

“I’m sure you could find something to do there that doesn’t put a strain on you,” Corrine adds. with a warm smile.

I return the smile. “You’re right. If it’s a big foundation, as you put it, then I’m sure I’ll find something to do.”

We continue chatting until our orders arrive, and then we eat. Once we are done, we chat a bit more before we decide to call it a day.

I was just getting out of the restaurant, and I’d said goodbye to both Corrine and Letty when I felt a chill run down my spine.

I look around, but I don’t see anything or anyone out of the ordinary. Wrapping my hand around myself, I continue walking towards the car.

Boris helps me, but it doesn’t chase away the fear that all of a sudden overcomes me. Boris didn’t seem to notice anything and just drove off, but I felt it, the chilling stare of someone who wanted to harm me.