"It failed again."I sighed when she told me the bad news. I just stared back at her, not knowing the right words to say."Say something," she urged me, looking downcast."Let's give it some time before we try again," I said softly."But what if i doesn't work?""I don't know Aurora, I don't know." I sighed."Your mom is going to come for my head," She was crying already. That did nothing to help."She's not."Aurora vehemently shook her head. Of course she did not believe that. "Leo what if I never give you a child?" She asked, looking genuinely scared.I shushed her, "Don't say that." "But what if I don't?" "Adoption?""No." She shook her head quickly."Surrogacy?"I thought about it for moment. It made sense. If we tried that and it worked out, it would perfect for both of us.~"Hell no!" That was my father's reaction. I knew the rest of our parents, especially my mother would kick against it."You two just have to keep trying.""But we've tried and failed how many times.""Ke
"Maybe you should just leave her." "Mom please stop.""Don't you get it Leonardo? She's barren. How many more failed IVFs do you want?"I listened from the hallway although she was loud enough for me to hear it from my bedroom."It's just four failed IVFs mom and we are still trying. We'll have a baby soon enough.""Get yourself another woman who has a functioning womb." "Mom I'm not going to cheat on her, not again.""It's not cheating if it is a pointless marriage. You wouldn't look outside if she was the least bit good enough. I blame your father for this." I just wanted her to stop talking. Her words bit straight into my skin and I knew she knew I could hear her. She said those venomous words to hurt me and unfortunately it was working.I went into my bedroom, sprawled on the floor with my back against the door, I cried my eyes out.The fear of never having a child crept into me and it poured out the tears even more. I had taken those painful injections with high hopes that I w
It was so hard to watch my friend mourn and become a shadow of himself. Rick always seemed lost these days. I had done everything in power to make him come out of his state of depression but it all seemed to be futile."Rick you have to come out of this." I said on one of my many visits to his house that had become a mess. "My life is meaningless without her dude." He said, staring straight up at the ceiling, lying motionless on the floor of his bedroom with empty drink bottles splayed all over.I heaved a sigh. Love could do a lot of things to people but when it came with grief like this, it was destructive."Listen, I booked you a vacation." I said in an excited tone, hoping he'd catch on to it."I don't want to go anywhere," He groined, covering his face with a blanket."Too bad because I already paid for everything." "Leonardo," He glared at me."You're going to thank me for this." I said as I pulled him up and shoved him into the bathroom to take a shower. I tried my best to pa
"You're sketching again. That's good." He said, leaning over my shoulder."Yeah," I sighed. "How was your day?" I asked, shutting my sketchpad."Good. How was yours?""Great.""I got you something." He said.I stared at the gift bag he held, stretching it towards me. "No thanks.""No? You haven't even opened it yet.""I don't want any presents from you.""Aurora I know you're still upset over what you saw but I promise you it's not what you think.""Yeah right." I said, looking away from him."Look at me." He softly held my chin and tried to turn it towards him. I did not budge. "I'm sorry, I truly am."I shrugged off his apology, sure that he was going to do this again. It was only just a matter of time."Please say something.""What would you like to have for dinner?""Aurora," He groaned out his frustration but I paid him no mind. I was just going to be that traditional wife he wanted and not question him about his infidelity anymore. I had cried enough and would not let myself ge
Just as I expected, my mother in-law was seated waiting for me when I came down the next morning. Leo was fuming."Good morning." I said, not looking surprised to see them both. "Not only is she barren. She's also a whore." Lauren spat viciously."I beg your pardon?" "Mom don't say that." Leo said, pausing his angry pace."Oh shut up!" She said to him and turned to face me swiftly. "You have some nerve trying to stain my family's name like this.""Aurora is it true?""What are you talking about?""You're having an affair with Lucas? And you were out with him yesterday when you said you were going shopping?""Yes." I paused watching his eyes bulge. "I went out with him but I am most certainly not having an affair."His mother piped up just then, "Lies! I saw them with my own eyes." "Not everyone is like your son." I stated."Really Aurora?" Leo said, palming his face in frustration.I faced him squarely, "You've cheated on me so many times and no one is blaming you for it. Why am I
It was our fifth anniversary. This was when it all came crumbling to the ground. Everything we had built. Or what I thought we had built. "We need to talk." He said, sounding tensed. "I'm all ears." I said to him, turning away from the mannequin I had been working on. I watched him pace for a bit before letting himself blurt out the last thing I expected to hear. "I don't know how to put this in mild terms but," he sighed. "I think we should get a divorce." Divorce. The words rang in my ears a couple of times and I felt my head lurch. "Divorce?" I repeated, not wanting to believe I heard right. "Yes. I'm sorry but Aurora this isn't working anymore and we can't continue like this. I deserve to be happy, you do too. There was really no point in all of this." He said. "The deal is over isn't it?" I asked knowingly. There was no other reason he would have the courage to do this. His father was surely in the know and that meant that whatever deal he had with my father had grind
"Hey, come here." Her arms were wide open the moment she spotted me in the middle of the busy airport. It was a long hug. I sank into it with a sigh, realizing how much I needed that. "It's going to be okay." She said, patting the back of my head with a tenderness I had not experienced for as long as I could remember. "I hope so." I said, blinking back tears. I fought to not let myself cry, there was no room for tears at this point. She reassured me with a warm smile, "It is. You're so strong, you'll get over this in no time." River was so sure. I didn't believe that for me. "I don't think I'm as strong as you think." I told her honestly. "You've never proven me wrong," "Even with all the stupid decisions I've made?" I asked like a child. Trust me I had made lots of them. "Even with all the naive decisions you've made." She corrected. She led the way to her vehicle, we dropped my stuff in the trunk and soon we were driving into Manhattan, New York city. "Thank you, River,
"Why did you bring me out here?" I groaned as River pulled me along in the busy mall. I had not been out since I arrived in New York and she practically dragged me all the way out here."You need to get out of the house more and we have shopping to do." She said with her determined face on. There was no deterring her when she had this face on."I don't need to shop. I have enough clothes already." I pointed out frustratedly."Right..." "What does that mean?" I scowled."It means that for a fashion designer with impeccable talent like yours, your dress sense is a no-no." She stated plainly."Ouch River," I stopped."Don't get mad. I did not say that to hurt you. I just want you to stop wearing baggy clothes. You have such a beautiful body." "It doesn't look beautiful to me." I said. If the folds on my stomach were anything to go by, it was not beautiful at all."Don't say that." She said as we stopped in front of a clothing shop."River," I was reluctant.She shushed me, "Shhh, let'
~One year later~Settling into married life had been not much of a hassle. Lucas and I had become a team and were working on big projects together so we put childbearing on hold and focused on raising Dante as well as our various businesses.It was a year later. It had been a whole year of bliss being married to the best man God could ever give me. I had no regrets whatsoever.I looked at my son and grinned. My fast growing three year old who kept making a raucous at school. Being a boy mom to a hyperactive toddler was no easy feat."Mommy!" He ran to me, looking more disheveled than I remembered him being that morning. This was the story everyday. I drop off a prim and proper child and at the end of the school day, I was met with the exact opposite. Today was even more special because there were missing buttons on his shirt. I sighed. "My baby." I said, picking up his heavy self as I placed a kiss on his left cheek. "How was school today?""Fun." He showed off his little teeth with w
~Aurora~Exhausted after a hectic wedding day? Nah, not me. I had been celibate for as long as I could remember. There was no way I was going to miss out on any action that night.Lucas was just as energetic as me as we made out in the elevator, hardly waiting till we got to the penthouse suite where we would be staying for the night before flying out for our honeymoon.As intentional as he was, he had the whole place decorated for us. Oh it was about to a be a night!He had taken it upon himself to take out the many bobby pins that held up my updo hairstyle while I unbuttoned his shirt and pants in one swift move.At the tap of a button, the mood lights changed and the song played at our first dance came up, slowing things down. I leaned into his touch as we made it into the shower, briefly washing ourselves up from all the sweat and grime the busy day had brought with us. He carried me out of the bathroom after toweling me dry and gently placed me on the bed, caressing every side o
~Three months later ~"I'm so happy for you Aurora. No I'm not trying to make you cry but girl you did that! Look at you. You're so happy. Aurora of a few years ago would be so proud."I grinned, ready to appreciate her for her kind words but she was not done yet. "I feel like a proud mom," she hiccupped, fighting back tears. "You are so strong, so resilient. Seeing how far you've come and you finally getting the love you deserve, makes me so happy.""Oh my God I'm going to ruin my make up.""Girl come on, you can hold it in." River immediately said, fanning me frantically.I looked up at the ceiling, the bulbs on the chandelier right in my gaze as I tried to chase the tears that were fighting to fall from my eyes back in."Okay, okay I'm good." I sighed. "Thank you River. I don't know what I'd have done without you throughout this journey. You've helped me become this version of myself. You've been here since day one, cheering me on and now we're here. You never got tired of me, neve
~Lucas POV~"Lucas!" I heard the all too familiar voice I had grown accustomed to. How did she know how to find me? I wondered. Then it clicked. She had obviously spoken to my mother."I know you're in there. I just want to talk please." I heard her voice from downstairs while I was stuck in my bedroom in my mother's house. I shut my eyes and groaned. I ached to see her but then again, I did not want get my heart broken yet again. What if she was here to return my ring and tell me she had chosen to go back to her ex? That would kill me."Lucas please!" I heard her yell again.Letting out a sigh of resignation, I decided to step out of my room only to be met face to face in the hallway as she found her way to me."Lucas." She breathed a sigh of relief as she fell into my arms. I held her tight and sniffed her hair. At least if she was here to break my heart, I would hold on to this tender moment."I'm so sorry." She said, breaking down in tears. "I'm sorry that I made you feel like a
Loud clattering ensued after that statement and it was none other than his own mother, proof that she was not aware of this stunt he just pulled prior to this time. From the looks of it, my mother and his father were aware. I fumed in my seated position, throwing a glare in my mother's direction, upset about her conspiring to throw me under the bus. What did she take me for? A fool?"Leonardo, what is the meaning of this?" His mother hissed harshly."Mom, please stay out of this." He said to his mother and turned to me."Aurora I know the reason you didn't accept my proposal is because of my mother and I'm here to promise you that she would never interfere in our union ever again, if only you give me another chance." Leo said like it was a necessary romantic declaration. Why did he not do this while we were married? This was simply medicine after death."Wait. He proposed to you?" Lucas piped up, looking appalled.I shut my eyes tight as I cussed under my breath. "Shit.""Lucas I can
Telling Lucas about my trip to Washington had begun to look like a hassle. I had pondered on it for a while and I kept rethinking if it was a good idea."Something wrong?" He asked me before chewing on the grapes I had gotten for our picnic. We were seated under a tree in the park that weekend, enjoying our day and I did not want to spoil it."I need to tell you something." I finally breathed out."What's up?" His arms immediately went around my hips. "I need to go to Washington."The concern on his face decreased a bit."Okay? You wanna see your family?" He asked."Something like that." I said after a bit of hesitance. He noticed."Aurora what's going on?"I sighed, figuring that honesty was the best foundation to lay our relationship on."Leo wants to see Dante and I and he's asked us to come." I said."For what reason?" He frowned."He did not say." I said with a shrug."That's odd.""Is it?""Yeah." He nodded, sitting back down and staring into the vast premises apparently thinki
It felt surreal when he slid the ring on my finger as I laid next to him. He had kept on with high hopes that I was going to say yes to him eventually. The heart shaped diamond glimmered on my finger so gracefully.I may have not been fully in love with him yet but I was sure choosing him was the best decision I was going to make."This feels like a dream." He said, bringing my knuckles to his lips. "I love you Aurora and I'm going to try my very best to love you the way you deserve."I was almost teary eyed at his confession. I just pulled him close and let my lips settle on his once again. When he dropped me off at home, I literally skipped into the house to see River and Dante, unable to contain my excitement."Where have you been? I've been worried sick!" She exclaimed on sighting me as my son jumped into my arms. If the incessant calls and texts were anything to go by, she was really worried. She even called Leo of all people."It's a long story. I can explain." I said almost b
"Aurora will you marry me?" My glass almost fell out of my hand as the question rang in my ears. "I know it seems too fast," He said nervously, picking up on my reaction. "It is. What happened to dating?" I asked, appalled by his forwardness. "We have been going out on dates." "What happened to asking me to be your girlfriend?" He chuckled slightly, "I don't want to wait any longer. You're the woman I want to be with and I do not doubt what I feel for you." I swallowed nervously, "Lucas I've been through so much. I'm not ready for any of this." "But you are over Leo, aren't you?" He asked, looking hopeful. "Yes I am but then, I have my son." I said, feeling my voice shrink in worry. "I'm more than willing to love Dante as my own and you know it." I let out a shaky breath. Why did he have to put me on the spot like this? "Lucas I need time. I need time to think about all of this. This is too fast." "I'm sorry for making it seem like I'm rushing you." He apologized, reachin
We were planning Dante's first birthday.River had taken it upon herself to plan the small indoor party we were throwing to mark the celebration. I was thrilled. Every time that I looked at him, I reminisced on how fast the year had gone and how so many things had changed during the time period.Leo took it upon himself to pay for everything whilst, Lucas volunteered to present through the planning process, helping me run errands when necessary."This guest list is so short." River said and I almost gaped at her. "We have small circles and there's really no need for a crowd, don't you think?" I said to her as I set him down. The fact that he could walk did not make it any easier for him to sit still. Dante was all over the place, trying one thing or the other that could raise my blood pressure. Indeed, I was a boy mom."Mama." He called out to me, reaching for my hand."Yes baby.""Mama," he said again and I grinned. How I had always wanted to hear this and now that it was happenin