(Jessamine’s POV)It was the best wee hours Aiden and I had until I woke up and caught the scent of whatever Deborah was cooking in the kitchen. I covered my mouth immediately, afraid I might puke on the bed or, worse, at Aiden, then dashed to the bathroom.Whatever my friend was preparing this morning, my tummy wasn’t liking it very much. As if the butterflies inside me were in chaos, causing my stomach to lurch and gurgle, I threw up what I had eaten last night with Luke. I groaned, forcing my hand to open the faucet while my other hand rubbed my stomach, hoping it would calm down.I splashed cold water on my face when I felt my stomach relaxed. My skin was cold, and I quivered, catching my breath as I leaned against the sink and pinned my eyes on my reflection in the concave mirror. My eyes were wide, horrified, brushing off quickly at whatever my brain told my body of what was happening to me.“No…” I whispered, terrified at the thought that it had happened again.I swallowed hard
(Jessamine’s POV)Again.I blinked at the doctor, hearing her, not listening, as she blabbered about the words I sometimes thought were scripted if her patient was pregnant. My emotions were mixed but unknown. When she handed me the prescription, like a robot, I took it, smiled, and thanked her. I even promised to return on the date I had hardly heard of.I am pregnant!I should be jumping for joy, thinking of running to Aiden to tell him the news… if it was good news for him. I swallowed hard, my heart thumping loudly in my chest as I exited the clinic. My feet were heavy, dragging them to the hallway and hoping to reach the hospital’s exit door, but as I entered the elevator, my finger automatically pressed the floor number of my brother. I lied to Deborah. I didn’t visit the hospital to check on my brother’s gift. If our present were like last year, it would be fun to accept the claim that Benedict and I had the same thinking, except for the ‘being meekly obedient’ to our mother.
(Jessamine’s POV)“Hi,” Aideen greeted me, glancing at his wristwatch.He walked out of the bathroom looking like a Greek god who had just finished bathing in the fountain of youth. He stopped walking and stood still instead of advancing toward the closet. “Hi!” I smiled nervously, glancing at the towel wrapped around his hips. I didn’t need to ask for the time. It was past three in the afternoon, and I had just returned after I left early this morning. I could read the worry in his eyes because he had called and sent me text messages about my whereabouts, but I spent most of my time at the lake, crying instead of calling him back or replying to him.“I’m sorry for not answering you. I was at the lake in Adilene’s. Reflecting,” I explained, placing the formal dresses on the bed. “Reflecting?” His eyes narrowed, asking in a suspicious tone. “Reflecting about what?”My lips twitched, smiling nervously. “I’m seeing my Mom later. She’ll…” I closed my eyes, breathing deeply.“Jess, are
(Aiden’s POV)Sasha had forgotten to give me a heads-up about Coleen’s birthday party. Like Jessamine, she was probably not expecting this family affair would be grandly celebrated in a five-star hotel. It was a surprise, after all.Benjamin kept his mouth shut. Benedict and Shayla smiled, hiding their amusement. Colleen did not say anything, but her eyes showed a bit of disappointment. She was supposed to be the center of attention, the most beautiful woman in her birthday celebration… until we arrived at the hotel. Sonia would probably ask her daughter to change her dress if not for the guests. My fiancée was more beautiful and elegantly dressed in her borrowed evening gown than the celebrant. As Sonia kissed her daughter on the cheek, she grabbed her arm firmly and whispered something to her. After that, Jessamine tried to avoid being seen in the crowd unless someone from the relatives asked for her or the photographer had to take pictures of the whole family.I sighed, returning
(Aiden’s POV)“Do we really have to go here, Aiden?” Jessamine pouted, stepping back when the elevator door opened. “Can’t we just go home? I’m tired.”Benedict sent me a message telling me to go to the family room they booked instead of returning to the function room. He may not tell me, but the tone of his message told me Sonia was furious with us for leaving the party.It was on the seventh floor, so the time for this long discussion about going there or home was insufficient. We needed a hundred-floor building, then maybe we could decide without making her mad at me.“Aiden…” She whimpered, not moving inside the lift as if her feet got stuck on its floor.“Yes,” I said firmly, pressing the hold button. “We have to see your mother. I had to talk to your parents. We can’t be engaged, planning the wedding without them knowing. After that, we’ll go home.”“Aiden,” she grabbed my arm, stopping me from walking. “We haven’t exactly planned our wedding.”Jessamine stared at me, her eyes w
(Aiden’s POV)Gasps escaped our mouths when Sonia lifted her hand, slapping Jessamine in the face.“Why do you always have to do this, Jessamine?” Sonia’s body was shivering in anger.Benjamin dashed to her when she raised her hands, attempting to grab her daughter.“Stop it now, Sonia,” Benjamin shouted, perhaps the first in so many years of their married life because his wife’s eyes widened, shocked at him for raising his voice at her.“Stop it?” As if she fell apart, she cried and turned to me. “You knocked up my daughter without thinking of your future together? How will you raise your family? You don’t even have a job!” she snarled. "How will you feed my daughter?"I opened my mouth, but Benedict, standing behind his mother, shook his head, stopping me from answering. I closed my mouth, pressing my lips tightly.“You chose this perfect day to get back on me,” Sonia whimpered, clutching her chest and turning back to us. “Sonia,” Benjamin murmured worriedly and dashed to her side
(Aiden’s POV)“God, you scared me,” Deborah jolted after turning the lights on; her hand was still on the switch.She stepped back, startled when she saw Jessamine and me sitting in the dark kitchen. Her face was filled with questions, switching her gaze from her housemate to me as she walked toward the refrigerator to get bottled water, then leaned behind my back.“Now, you’re really scaring me,” she murmured, her eyes on Jessamine. “She’s still breathing, right?”“What happened?” Xavier asked, glancing at the time on the wall clock, and squinted to see it was only three in the morning.He walked toward Deborah and took the bottled water from her. Like her fiancée, his eyes did not leave her even when he drank water.I sighed, unsure where to start or how to tell them she had returned the engagement ring and broken up with me. If I weren’t worried about us getting into an accident, I would have wanted to cry with her on our way home. When we entered her apartment, she went straight t
(Jessamine’s POV)“Jess!”There was horror in Aiden’s voice when he grabbed my shoulders. He was trembling as his hands lowered, scanning me quickly and grazing my arms. He seemed to stop breathing when his hands reached my hips.“The baby,” he murmured, parting his lips as if filling his lungs with air. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” His eyes were wide as he asked.“I’m okay,” Vincent groaned and chuckled as he answered, raising his hand, hoping Aiden would help him stand. “I’m…”He winced when he didn’t. Aiden stood before me; his eyes were wide open, still looking shocked even when they all learned I was not the one who slipped and got hurt. I wondered if his heart ceased to beat and why his eyes were pinned on my belly.“Thanks,” he said, forcing a smile on Xavier, who took his hand.“Vincent, what are you doing at this hour?” Deborah asked as she hung the sweater on my shoulders.“Are you okay?” My heart still hammered in my chest, terrified after seeing him trip and fall.“Yeah,
(Aiden’s POV) Two years later… “Go!” Deborah chuckled and gestured her hand, telling me it was okay to leave. “We’ll bring Kyle to the hospital later,” she promised. I nodded, picking up the bag Jessamine and I prepared last night. I walked toward the couch, kissed my son, sleeping soundly on the seat, and patted Charlie’s head. He wagged his tail but didn’t bother to follow me. Kyle and Xyla had become his new best friends. Wherever they were, he would be there. Xavier brought Deborah and their daughter, Xyla, last night when Jessamine told them she was in labor. I didn’t know if it was because Jessamine was carrying our second child that everyone seemed relaxed. Only I was panicking, unsure what to bring or how to take my wife to the hospital. “We have a driver, Aiden. Why are you panicking?” Jessamine asked calmly last night as she climbed the bed. Benedict and Xavier raised the same question. Perhaps it was not the reason why my heartbeat was pounding fast. I would love to h
(Aiden’s POV) “I don’t know, Aiden,” Jessamine murmured sadly. “You love lying to me.”I shook my head and lifted my hand, gently wiping the tears on her cheeks. “I was honest when I told you I broke up with every girlfriend I had in the past, including my engagement to Naomi. Our dads set our marriage up, not me.”If I had to choose freely whom I wanted to be with for the rest of my life, Naomi would never be on my list. She was part of my rebellion, which I regretted when she got pregnant.“Eliza,” The tears streamed down my face as I struggled to speak through the lump in my throat.My heart ached for the little one when I heard her call Jessamine ‘momma’. Eliza didn’t deserve a mother like Naomi. I opened my mouth to explain but closed it again. “You named her after your grandma’s name,” she said.I shook my head. “She named her after my grandma’s name. Not me,” I corrected.If only Jessamine knew how we fought that day but gave in because Naomi was still weak in the hospital.“
(Jessamine’s POV) “Ha! Ha!” I raised my eyebrows and glared at Aiden. “You know what? It’s too late for that. Whatever you want to say, I don’t care.”I could walk away, but I didn’t move.“Jess, please,” Aiden begged.“Fine! Go ahead with your confession. Let’s get this over with. I just want to go home.”Yet, it would be my biggest lie. For almost a month of staying here in Adilene’s, I knew I was home. Leaving here would scar my heart. Forgetting Aiden would be hell. However, he is getting married, and I don’t want to be the best friend in his love story who hinders his happiness. My sarcasm didn't appear to bother Aiden. He inhaled deeply and fixed his gaze on me. It was for a while, then he turned around, pointing at the lake.“On the other side of the lake is St. Rose Property. I bought it and opened a new business there, a law firm, and I invited Xavier to head the company,” he said, ignoring what I said. He turned to me, blinking once while waiting for my answer.I opened my
(Jessamine’s POV) Awkward? Yes. Angry? No. Maybe.I stood on the porch, staring at Aiden as he kissed our son. He took him from my arms, and my trusting son didn’t even cry. My baby continued to babble ‘Ba-ba’ba’, and guess what? Everyone found it adorable. “Yes, he’s Dada!” Mom muttered excitedly, not considering the feeling of her hurt daughter.I was invincible to Sasha and Aaron. I wanted to scream that it wasn’t their house, but they greeted Deborah and my mom, said something nice to Kyle, and eagerly went inside when my friend invited them for a coffee. They should have at least waited for me, and then I pouted, remembering it wasn’t mine either.Aiden turned to my mother. “Is it okay if I talk to Jessamine alone?”“Of course,” she muttered. “You have all day,” she chuckled with her joke.I opened my mouth, wanting to protest, but I closed it again because it was also the same thing I wanted. Deborah was right. Every time he returned, something happened. He would sweep me of
(Jessamine’s POV) I inhaled to smell the sweet scent of fresh air in Adilene’s from the porch, but instead, I caught the whiff of the aroma of the coffee bean Mom was grinding from her hand-cranked grinder. I glanced at the crib, checking on Kyle. A while ago, he played with his toes, putting them in his mouth. Perhaps he thought of them as built-in toys. This time, he rolled over, reaching the tail of the giraffe stuffed toy.Kyle just turned four months, but he could do many things—normal baby stuff. He could bear weight on his legs when sitting upright, rolling over, grabbing toys or Charlie’s fur, and babbling a combo of vowel and consonant letters. When I asked him something, and he didn’t cry, it was up to me to decide what it meant. Deborah and my mom thought differently. My friend bet that when Kyle reached the age of six months, he could count numbers and recite the alphabet. Mom proudly told her he was probably like me, a history of my life she now loved to retell.‘Jess
(Jessamine’s POV) I caught Aiden wincing when I hissed, cringing as Colleen pressed her finger on my scalp. My sister must be waiting for us to be alone. I knew that my crying didn’t help, but she would understand why I wailed like a baby on the staircase. I would explain everything to her later.Colleen sighed and turned to Aiden.“Don’t worry, Aiden. She’ll live. Long enough that the two of you will probably see your ten to fifteen great-grandchildren, in case you get back together,” she muttered jokingly instead of giving him her prognosis of my condition.“When did you become a fortune teller?” I arched my head to see her face.Colleen shrugged and grinned. “It’s one of my many talents, you know,” she said, turning around and walking toward the crib. “Want to see the garden, Kyle? Let’s give mommy and daddy some privacy. What do you think?” she asked gently, scooping my son from the crib.As if it was Aiden’s cue, he held the door open and closed it gently as soon as my sister an
(Aiden’s POV) My heart was still racing, and my breaths came in ragged gasps after sprinting all the way from the driveway to reach Jessamine. My body was still buzzing with adrenaline, but when I saw her crying, I was like sucked into a vortex, returning me to the first time I saw my best friend.I was nine years old again for a split second, seeing a cute little girl in a braided pigtail, curled up in the swing, holding the same math book I had in her arms. At first, I thought she was hurt, but when I approached her, she was perfectly okay and told me, between hiccupping and crying, that she didn’t know how to answer her homework.Of course, she couldn’t. I doubted if she could even read the sentences in the book. She must be five or six years old. She should be in the preschool building, enjoying learning the alphabet or numbers instead of worrying about the word problems in the book.What was a little girl doing in front of the classroom of the third-grade class? She must have mi
(Jessamine’s POV) I reached for the doorknob, but before I could grasp the exquisitely crafted knob, I clenched my hand and immediately concealed it behind me as if opening the door was a sin. I was reluctant to leave the bedroom for a few reasons, but Anne informed me that Susan was waiting for me in the family room and wanted to speak with me.If only there were another way to the staircase without passing Naomi’s bedroom.“She went out to see her doctor,” Anne muttered.“Huh?” I turned around, lifting a brow, pretending not to understand what she said.Anne’s lips curved into a shy smile. “If you were worried about seeing Ms. Naomi outside, she left to see her doctor,” she said, repeating the message, perhaps thinking I didn’t hear her the first time.“Ah,” I chuckled and sighed in relief. “Thank you for telling me, Anne. I don’t want to have part two of our encounter in the garden,” I joked. Partly.She laughed briefly. “Don’t worry about Kyle. I’ll ask someone to get you if he c
(Jessamine’s POV) “Ouch!” I winced when Aiden pressed his finger on my scalp.It was a light touch, but the tingling on my scalp worried me that I would go home bald or I might be wearing a wig on my wedding day. Maybe my hair would have grown an inch or two at that time. Still, I would feel bad. I imagined having my hair loosely braided vertically and horizontally on that big day, but after what happened, I should think of another hairstyle.Aiden clucked his tongue, sighed, and sat on the edge of the bed, turning the chair I was sitting on to face him. I was still mad at him, but sometimes I tend to forget whenever I get stunned by his gorgeous face. I hissed, cursing inwardly and lowering my head to avoid his gaze.“Does it hurt?” He asked worriedly, lifting my chin to meet his eyes. “Tell me, Jess.” When I didn’t answer, he continued, “I’m bringing you to the hospital now.”I squinted, shaking my head. “I’m okay. This is nothing serious. Why don’t you check on Naomi?”He scoffed,