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23 Unwanted Responsibilities
Huling Na-update:
2020-10-29 02:12:00Miranda and I haven’t seen each other in weeks. We’ve texted each other, but for different reasons, it has been impossible for us to meet in person or even talk on the phone. We’ve never had this problem before and I know it has something (or everything) to do with the fact that secretly she doesn’t really want to see me. Once we see each other face to face we are going to have to talk about the fact that Barney dislikes me and that he has probably advised Miranda to keep her distance from me. Miranda is in the awkward position of choosing between the two of us; I know she’ll choose me, but she has been infatuated with Barney for so long I’m sure it’s difficult for her to break up with him. It’s easier to avoid me for a while than to face reality. I get
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Flowers for Olivia 24 A Strange ride to Work
My alarm clock appears to be sounding louder than usual, when I reluctantly open my eyes I realize it’s because it’s been buzzing for half an hour! I’m super late for work! I jump out of bed and run to my closet, I pick a simple black dress and tie my hair back into a messy ponytail. No time for showers, I just splash my face with cold water to help me wake up, I have to be in the office in fifteen minutes. I can’t believe I overslept, but I’ve been feeling so worried for the last couple of weeks that I haven’t been sleeping much; after my talk to Roxana last night I was able to relax and I guess I fell into a very deep sleep that compensated all the sleepless nights I had.
Huling Na-update : 2020-10-31Flowers for Olivia 25 An Indiscretion
I can hear the racket inside my house just by standing on the front porch. There’s music and laughter coming from inside, the lights from every floor are on and I can see thru the windows people coming and going. Such a change from the usual silence that rules in my house. Most of my relatives arrived by plane, but the ones that live nearer drove here, so there are more cars than usual parked in the front. Among them there’s a blue BMW M8 Coupé, I grin from ear to ear and rush inside.I’m received by a wave of greetings from my relatives. I hug and kiss my way thru the dining
Huling Na-update : 2020-11-02Flowers for Olivia 26 Not Ready to Know
“What did she just say?” Stefan asks with an astounded expression on his face.I have no idea if he’s just startled, angry or if he’s getting a heart attack, all I know is that he’s not happy. I often wondered how Stefan would react when I told him and I secretly hoped that if I was, in fact, pregnant, he would stand by my side and face this with me. But that’s clearly not going to happen. Maybe he hates children or the idea of being a parent repulses him; or maybe I’m the problem, just because he often joked about us getting married doesn’t mean he actually
Huling Na-update : 2020-11-03Flowers for Olivia 27 How naive are you?
I wake up really early. Everyone is still sleeping, the house is as quiet as usual, no surprise there, I heard laughter and clinking glasses until dawn. My relatives really like to party, but I was feeling pretty downhearted after the rudeness everyone showed Stefan last night so, after he left, I went up to my room and stayed there ignoring the good time everyone was having downstairs.I go to the park for a run, exercise is always helpful to clear my mind and get me in a good mood. When I get back home the house is still quiet. I go in, aside from our maid cleaning the mess in the living room, there’s no movement inside the house. I’m starving so I go into the kitchen to make some breakfast. I open the fridge, I’m craving an omelet or something substantial, but if I start cooking and someone comes in, I’m going to have to prepare an omelet for that person too and then for the next one that comes and so on and so on. So no, I’ll have to settle for a coffee and toast. As I’m filling th
Huling Na-update : 2020-11-05Flowers for Olivia 28 As long as I am with you
Someone knocks on my door. If it’s uncle Gus I’m going to start shouting until someone calls the police. Luckily, when I open the door, it’s Stefan who is standing under the doorframe.“Hi, doll, am I interrupting?” He asks as he lets himself in. “Are you ok? You look really upset.”I shake my head energetically. “No, not at all.” I don’t w
Huling Na-update : 2020-11-07Flowers for Olivia 29 The smartest thing you ever did
Luck is on our side. My family has no idea I spent the night out. When I come back home, my parents are so busy saying farewell to our relatives that they barely notice my presence. I stand next to them on our front porch while we hug and kiss an endless line of relatives. Short afternoon the house is empty again. My parents, Stefan and I are the only ones left, and the time to tell them what’s going on arrives.I ask my parents to come to the dining room to talk, but instead of coming right away, they take their time. I wait for them as I nervously bite my nails, Stefan gently grabs my hand to
Huling Na-update : 2020-11-09Flowers for Olivia 30 It’s never too late for anything
Monday morning. I go back to the office a different person that left on Friday. I’m a mother-to-be and an engaged woman. It’s funny how much a life can change in just one weekend. I hide the engagement ring in my purse, this past weekend was exhausting and the last thing I want is to answer a bunch of questions from my nosy coworkers. David Gleason calls me to his office, I get instantly on the defensive. Did I forget to do something last Friday? I try to remember if I completed all of my chores before leaving, but last Friday seems like an entirely different life from my present. Ugh, I
Huling Na-update : 2020-11-11Flowers for Olivia 31: Open your Eyes
I explain to David the reason I can’t accept his generous offer. He’s disappointed, but he gets it, Miranda’s mom is a stay-home-wife so he can relate to my case. Unfortunately, this means this will be my last week here. Judith, the original assistant, comes back next Monday.The following days have a strange sentiment, I feel nostalgic about leaving my first job, but also excited for what’s coming. On my last day of work, I get a little more emotional than I expected, I even shed a few tears, but I assume pregnancy hormones had something to do with it.
Huling Na-update : 2020-11-14
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Flowers for Olivia Epilogue
I light the big Buzz Lightyear shaped candle on top of the carrot cake Agatha made. Alex loves Buzz Lightyear, so our house is full of toys and stuff from that cartoon character. He likes it so much we were afraid his first word would be Buzz, luckily it wasn’t, it was “dad”. He is even wearing a Buzz t-shirt that I bought especially for him to wear today on his 1st birthday. I step out of the kitchen and into the dining room, Alex gasp excited as he sees the candle, he is sitting on his dad’s lap. Agatha starts to sing happy birthday at the top of her lungs. Rebecca and Stefan share a mocking smile discreetly and then start to sing along. It has been hard for Rebecca to reconnect with her brother, but she wanted to be part of ba
Flowers for Olivia 54 The kidnap
At dawn, we hear a loud bang followed by multiple shots and a lot of shouting from Romano’s men. We are being attacked. Rebecca and I immediately get to the floor, I cover my baby with my trembling body. A tall man with dark hair comes into the room agitated.“They found us! We have to get out of here, come with me.” He yells at us. “Hurry!”We get up and start following him downstairs. My baby is crying loudly, but it’s barely noticeable in the midst of all the gun noise.“Let’s use the back door!” The man shouts.We go to the kitchen and thru the back door, but Gustavo’s intruders are already waiting for us. They shoot the man who was leading us and he falls to the ground. We run back inside the house and they follow us. They try to get to me, but Rebecca gets in the way. One of the intruders pistol-whips Rebecca in the head so hard she loses consciousness. He then sprints to me and tries to take my baby out of my arms. I yell and kick him in the crotch. He stumbles back and another
Flowers for Olivia 53 No limits
On June 21st, I gave birth to a healthy beautiful boy with big blue eyes. Rebecca helped me delivered it, she is an important Gynecologist with her own private practice and she took great care of us. She also hired me as her receptionist and she helps me take care of little Alex whenever I need it.I have to admit, I get sad sometimes that my baby boy is never going to meet his dad, but Rebecca always makes me look on the bright side: we are safe, safe from Romano, saf
Flowers for Olivia 52 The Escape
Luckily, Romano’s men don’t come with us to Rio, only Diogo, Agatha’s driver, and bodyguard, accompanies us to the city. We go to a big mall, buy an iced coffee and start going through the different shops. I keep on the defense, in case Agatha starts trying to persuade me to give Romano the information he needs, but she doesn’t even mention the subject, instead, she seems nervous. She constantly looks over her shoulder to check if Diogo is near us, I guess she is scared someone might attack us as they did to Stefan.
Flowers for Olivia 51 Whose side are you on?
I stay in bed until morning comes, I’m overwhelmed by emotions: the loss of my parents, the fear of losing Stefan, and the concern for my own safety. Romano’s men are still standing outside the bedroom door, they haven’t moved an inch. I don't feel safe, they can come in any second and shoot me or do whatever Romano tells them to. I’m completely vulnerable. I can’t be alone, I have to be near Agatha or the grandparents so they can intervene if Romano tries to harm me. I ask the guards to let me go see nonna Julia. They seem reluctant, but finally they agree. They walk next to me to nonna’s bedroom and stay outside the door in case I try to go out. I don’t, I stay with her the entire day. We eat there, watch TV and keep each other company. She is really sad about her grandson’s health and she appreciates having someone near since Agatha went to the hospital to visit Stefan as she has done every day for the past week. I stay with nonna until dawn and then go back to my room. My heart acc
Flowers for Olivia 50 The Proposal
A week goes by and Stefan's condition has not improved one bit. I resent Romano for not letting me go to the hospital, but at least he hasn’t come near me since the day he ordered his men to go through my belongings, he spends most of his days out of the mansion, probably in the hospital or searching for the people who did this to his son.I’m waiting for Agatha to come back from her daily visit to Stefan when I hear a loud bang on my door.“The boss wants to see you,” one of Romano’s men informs me.I step out of the room and follow the man to the library where Romano is waiting for me. My heart is pounding in my chest, what does he want? The man goes away leaving Romano and me alone. I get goosebumps thinking about the fact that Agatha is not home to defend me; I’m going to have to defend myself. I stand near the exit, in case he intends to attack me and I need to run.“I’m about to tell you something you are not going to like. I need you to stay calm and listen carefully, spare me a
Flowers for Olivia 49 The Main Suspect
The firsts rays of sunshine slip through the beige curtains, I haven’t slept at all, I feel exhausted, but I can’t stay in bed any longer. My head is going to explode with all the fears and thoughts I’m having. I jump in the shower, wishing that refreshing my body will help me clear my head too, but it doesn’t. My whole body is trembling, I can’t control my nerves. I step out of the shower and hear a lot of noise in the bedroom, I wrap my body in a towel and I peek out the bathroom door to see what’s going on.
Flowers for Olivia 48 The Attack
I still feel full from all the food that we ate last night, but that doesn’t stop nonna from serving me a big portion of scrambled eggs and potatoes. Romano is not having breakfast with us, so at least we get to have a harmonious morning. Unfortunately, my joy doesn’t last long. “Lucas is going to the docks to see the shipment off. I suggest you go with him, you know what to do.” Romano says as he walks in the room followed by a
Flowers for Olivia 47 A brother just like mine
We go downstairs to the dining room, but dinner is still not ready, for some reason, Agatha wants us to wait until midnight to eat. Instead, she takes us to the library, where the rest of the family is gathered, including Romano who is once again drinking scotch. He makes a grimace when he sees me come in and then looks the other way, ignoring my presence. Nonna Julia waves at me so I get close to her, I walk pass Romano ignoring him just as he is ignoring me.“I know we are supposed to wait until tomorrow to exchange gifts, but I’m old and I don’t like to wait. I knitted this for your baby,” Nonna Julia hands me a tiny baby blue sweater with a big yellow ribbon on top.I gulp, it’s the first piece of clothing I have for my baby.“Thank you,” I say moved.“Mamma, you shouldn’t have bothered; we don’t even know if it’s Stefano’s,” Romano exclaims right behind me.Hearing his voice so close to me makes my skin crawl.“Father!” Stefan shouts furious.“Ro, you promised you were going to be
