The Rejected Wife: Chapter 55

This morning, two days after the incident at the pool, the doctor discharged Serene. He confirmed she was well enough to travel, and we made the decision that it would be best to move Serene back home as soon as possible. With that in mind, Tyler hired a doctor and nurse to accompany us on the flight back. He also sourced a private aircraft already kitted out with everything needed to transport our daughter.

The main bedroom on the flight is equipped with a medical bed to ensure Serene’s comfort. There are IV poles on hand, as well as an adequate supply of medical-grade oxygen with an easily accessible mask. Tyler insisted on adding medical monitoring equipment, a defibrillator, and an emergency kit. The pilot confirmed there’s sufficient power sources for medical devices, as well as a backup power supply. The filtration system was upgraded to ensure her immune system is not compromised. And of course, there are extra blood units of the correct blood type—mine—as well.

There’s an additional bed in the room for one of us to sleep in, as well an adjoining bedroom where we can retreat to for some privacy. Tyler’s attention to detail is astonishing. He personally supervised everything. It’s a testament to just how involved he is in Serene’s well-being.

Sinclair, Summer and Matty, as well as Connor, are traveling with us. The grown-ups have insisted on relieving us by taking turns spending time with Serene. Serene trusts all of them. And she’s happy to have Matty with her. The boy marched in with his books and toys and hasn’t left Serene’s side since we took off. With the presence of the doctor and nurse onboard the flight, I feel reassured that Serene will be fine.

We’re halfway through the flight home. Sinclair, Connor, and Matty are with Serene. Tyler and I are seated in one of the double club seats, and Summer is in the one next to us across the aisle.

I left Serene smiling and enjoying Matty’s company. Sinclair and Connor are keeping watch over them. With my head pillowed on my husband’s shoulder and a soft blanket covering me, I feel warm and secure.

My phone buzzes with an incoming FaceTime call. It’s Zoey, so I answer it.

‘Oh, my God, there you are, finally! We were so worried.’ Zoey’s face fills the screen. ‘How is Serene? And are you okay?’

‘Serene’s doing much better. And I’m fine.’ And it’s all thanks to Tyler.

As if sensing my unspoken words and confirming to me again that he can read my mind, Tyler lowers his chin and presses a kiss to my hair.

‘Is that Tyler? Oh my gosh, you guys are so cute,’ she cries.

I pull the phone back so Tyler can smile at Zoey. ‘How are you doing?’

She flashes him a smile. ‘I’m good.’ Then she sobers. ‘I’m so pleased Serene is better.’

‘She’s a survivor. She’ll pull through, and hopefully, there won’t be any lasting damage from what happened, neither physically nor emotionally.’ His jaw tightens.

‘I’m going to step aside and talk to Zoey, so I don’t disturb you and Summer, okay?’ I kiss his cheek and rise to my feet, walking to the far end of the aircraft where there’s a meeting area, complete with a bar, a couch, and a coffee table. I sink onto the couch and look up to find Tyler’s eyes are on me across the length of the plane. He responds to something Summer asks, but his gaze is fixed on me. There’s no mistaking the possessiveness or the love on his face, even at this distance. He’s sprawled in the club seat, and the solidness of his body seems to take up all the oxygen in the space. With those broad shoulders, his arm flung over the seat, and his long legs kicked out in front—he’s an impressive specimen of male virility. And warmth. And sexiness. An apex predator at rest.

One side of his mouth kicks up. There’s a teasing glint in his eyes. A combination of affection and possession which makes me blush. Damn, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to seeing the lust in his eyes and realizing it’s for me.

I hear the low murmur of Summer’s words as she says something else to him. With a last heated glance, he turns to her. My muscles slump. I feel like I’ve broken free of a riptide I didn’t know I was caught up in.

‘Priscilla, you there?’ Zoey frowns.

‘Yes, of course. What were you saying?’

‘Harper and Grace also want to join the call. Is that okay?’

‘I’d love to talk to them.’

She brings them on. Harper and Grace appear in their squares on screen.

‘Hey bish, I’m so happy to see you,’ Harper cries.

Grace looks at me closely. ‘How are you holding up?’

I smile, grateful for my friends’ concern. ‘I’m not bad, considering.’

‘So sorry you had to cut your honeymoon short. But Serene’s fine, and that’s all that matters, right?’ Harper’s eyes soften.

‘She’s a trooper.’

‘And she has the best parents in the world. She’s going to be fine,’ Zoey says with so much confidence, it makes my heart swell in my chest.

Grace, who’s been eyeing me with growing intensity, interrupts, ‘What’s up with you? Tell us everything.”

I glance away, wondering how much to confide in them. Yes, they’re my friends, but these details feel so intimate. On the other hand, I feel like I need some perspective on what happened. And help in understanding my panicky reaction to Tyler’s declaration of love. So, I pop in my earbuds, then sink down on the couch, so I’m no longer in direct line of view with Tyler. Mainly, so I can concentrate on what I’m saying. Then, in a low voice to make sure I’m not being overhead, I tell them everything that happened.

From Lauren showing up, to Serene hitting her head and falling into the pool. Tyler saving her, the scramble to the hospital, and then finding out my blood type matched Serene’s. And then, of course, the big reveal of my turning out to be Serene’s biological mother. And then, Tyler’s confession that he loves me.

When I finish, there’s silence. Even the normally unflappable Grace is staring at me, open-mouthed.

Harper is the first to recover. ‘You’re her mother. That’s great. It’s what you wanted all along.’ She grins at me.

Grace widens her gaze. ‘It’s not that simple, is it? It’s mind-boggling when you think of the odds that something like this could take place.’

‘But he loves her; he told her so,’ Harper addresses her comment at Grace. ‘It may have not happened in the conventional fashion, but she has her family. Isn’t that what matters?’

‘I think it’s more complicated than that,’ Grace says again.

I watch her intently. It feels good to hear her say what’s on my mind, but I’ve been unable to voice.

‘Why not?’ Harper scowls. ‘He loves her. And she certainly has feelings for him. And they have a beautiful child. They found each other. It’s a ready-made family. And they all lived happily after.’

‘But did he tell her he loves her because he found out that she’s Serene’s mother?’ Grace’s eyes wear an astute expression.

‘Is that what you’re worried about?’ Zoey tilts her head.

‘Partly,’ I admit. ‘Also, it might be that it all feels too new? That I’m Serene’s biological mother, and that Tyler loves me?” I rub at my temple. “Maybe it’s because I’ve wanted to hear these words from him for so long, and now, doing so is making me run scared?’

‘Perhaps, you need time to accept it, is all,’ Harper says slowly. ‘I mean, you do love him, don’t you?’

I nod. Of course, I do. It’s why I’ve never gotten him out of my mind, since I met him. And yes, I want to be with him. So why am I unable to come out and tell him how I feel?

‘Is it because he didn’t tell you he loved you when he asked you to marry him? And with you turning out to be Serene’s biological mother, it feels too tidy for him to tell him about your real feelings?’

I rub at my temple. ‘I’m sure that’s part of it too. It’s confusing, to be honest. On the one hand, nothing matters because I am where I’m supposed to be, regardless of the drama that came before it. And yet… A part of me tells me I need to wait. For what, I don’t know.’ I look into the screen and recite from memory. ‘The desire for a more positive experience is itself a negative experience. And paradoxically, the acceptance of one’s negative experience is itself a positive experience.’

‘Is that from one of your self-help books?’ Grace’s voice is amused.

‘I forget where I read it, but it seems to ring true right now.’ I lean back against the cushions of the couch. ‘It might feel like the world is collapsing around me, but on the positive side, I have Serene. And I’m her mother. Her biological mother. And then, I’m in a luxurious private jet, married to the man I thought I’d never have, talking to my friends, and surrounded by people who care for me. So, you know, it’s not like I’ve come out so badly.’

‘Exactly.’ Harper brightens. ‘You just need to go with the flow. Give yourself a chance to accept everything, until things feel normal.’

She’s right, of course. And everything I’ve said rings true. If not for that tiny niggling something in the corner of my subconscious, a bit like how the pea gave the princess a backache—I’m actually good. ‘What do you think, Zoey?’ I ask my friend.

She gives me a small smile. ‘I think you should follow your instincts. No harm in making the man sweat a little before you tell him the words, I’m sure he wants to hear.’