Sophia“Oh, he’s absolutely gorgeous!” I gushed as my eyes soaked up the little bundle of perfection in Philip’s arms.He was standing with his son securely wrapped in his fatherly embrace while Ellie was shooting a beaming smile towards them from the bed she was resting on.“Yes, he is.” Philip proudly whispered so that he wouldn’t disturb the baby’s precious sleep.The baby had perfectly plump skin and a smidgeon of sandy blond hair, a cross between his parents’. His eyes were tightly shut, and I couldn’t see their color, but something told me it would be a mix of blue and gray.“Have you decided on the name yet?” I whispered.“Christopher.” Ellie proclaimed, and I yelped in helplessness.“Oh, Ellie.” I stepped closer to the bed and pulled my sister in a hug. “You named him after our father?”Instead of answering, Ellie nodded, her eyes welled up with tears. But I couldn’t allow the happiest moment of her life to be destroyed by the sad memories we shared.As if he could sense the s
SophiaMy back was resting against Kieran’s front as the bubbles emerging from the water gently massaged us. The lights were dimmed, and the surrounding silence only added to the atmosphere. Who would have guessed my husband had this romantic note in him?His hands softly pressed the tense neck muscles, following the invisible trail down to my shoulders. The little game he was playing brought exactly what I needed – relaxation. My hands caressed his bent legs, and occasional grunts of pleasure told me how much he enjoyed my touch.“What’s bothering you?” I hated to ask, but I didn’t like seeing him weighted by unspoken thoughts.“When did you get to know me so well?”“When I married you?” I tilted my head to see his face, to ensure he was OK, but he planted a kiss on my cheek instead. I leaned back on him and took a few deep breaths, not pressing any further, giving him time and space to tell me when he was comfortable to do so. “I missed this. Just you and me, alone... These past few
SophiaTouch as light as the butterfly’s wings followed the invisible trail across my bare back, tickling me, lighting every cell in my body like a Christmas tree. I moaned and wiggled, wanting more of that touch, but it stopped and a soft laugh filled my ears.“Wake up, sleepyhead,” Kieran whispered into my ear, chasing away the last traces of somnolence.Fingers were replaced by lips for a moment before I was deprived of them, too. Irritated at my torturer, I turned around lazily to see Kieran standing by the bed, fully dressed.“What time is it?”“Almost nine,” Kieran said as his hands fixed the indigo tie I bought for him last month, confident it would accentuate his eye color. And I was right. “You want me to drop you off at the hospital?”“You have a meeting with Finances before Tanya.” I shook my head. “Don’t worry. I’ll get a taxi.”“That’s it. I’ll be hiring a driver for you today.” Kieran understood my lack of enthusiasm for driving and stopped pressing me about it long ago.
Sophia “What are you doing here?” I blurted out, absolutely shocked by Nora’s appearance in Ellie’s hospital room. “Don’t be like that!” Nora remarked in her characteristic sickly-sweet tone. Oh, how I despised her voice! “I had to congratulate the young mother here. And you, of course. You’re an aunt now! You’ll do anything for your little nephew?” My heart grew cold from her words; I knew this couldn’t end well. She was here for some wicked reason other than what she stated, I could swear. I just failed to understand it. “Who’s this woman, Sophia?” I heard Ellie’s inquiry, but I kept my stance straight. I couldn’t take my eyes off Nora, not even for a second. “She’s leaving.” I gave my best to sound stern and confident, but there was no help for the slight tremble my voice carried. Nora ignored me entirely and stepped further into the room, closer to Ellie’s bed. Driven by the pure instinct to protect my sister and her child from the cloud of evilness that came in with Nora, I
SophiaIn and out. In and out. In through the nose and out through the mouth.It was a well-practiced way of calming down and collecting my thoughts. Since my parents died, I have used the same technique to hold myself together for Ellie. This time, though, Ellie was safe, and I could focus on my survival.Because that’s who I was. I was a survivor.Maybe for a moment there, I lost all hope that I would get out of this alive. Maybe the fear for an innocent baby’s life blinded me so much that I couldn’t think rationally, but now I was back to my old self. And I had every intention of seeing Kieran again and telling him I loved him.The only problem? Nora was all in, and she was not letting me off the hook easily. She came for me at the perfect moment, when I was the most vulnerable, and now that she had me…I stared in front of me, remembering the sweetest moments of my old life — when my father taught me how to drive. A sad smile adorned my face as I buckled up the seat belt and set t
KieranThe meeting with the financial director took place at 10 a.m. sharp. Mr. Perkins expounded on his latest plan for the expenses and how it would affect the goals I set for the end of the trimester. With a few adjustments and constructive arguments, we were done by 11 a.m., and all I had on the schedule for the day was Tanya.Even the thought of Nora’s best friend was like a disease; it infected my good mood, threatening to destroy it, and I couldn’t let that happen.A smile crept up on my face as I invoked the memories of my sweet wife. Sophia. I couldn’t stop the rush of emotions that would overtake my heart and mind every time I said her name. She was mine, only mine, and what a pleasure that knowledge brought!If a year ago, anyone had told me that today I’d be whipped for the woman I married, I would have laughed. No, I would have punched them in the face because who could ever predict Sophia coming into my life? Who could ever predict Sophia becoming the center of my univer
Kieran“Simon,” I said as soon as I laid my eyes on Philip.“Already called him. He’s on his way.” He was on the phone. “And I have the captain on the line.”Good. With how much money I donated to the Police Department just this year, the President of the fucking country should be on the line!The only thing that kept me from succumbing to the despair that lurked around me in the shadows of my rationality was Sophia.She needed me sane now more than ever, and I couldn’t afford to fall apart.“Yes!” Philip nodded as if his interlocutor could see him. “All right, Captain. Keep me updated.” With that, he cut the call and focused solely on me.“The highway is blocked, and the pursuit has visual.”We were standing in the hospital parking lot where he rushed to meet me, assuming he didn’t want me anywhere near his wife, who had just given birth and witnessed her sister being abducted.And he was right.If I looked half of how I felt, I for sure didn’t appear as anything less than a monster.
KieranFree of the desperation that broke my body and mind, I ran through the hospital, aiming for the rooftop. Security stopped me from entering the elevator, so I tried the stairs, but they caught me on the second floor, delivering a message from my brother to stop acting crazy.Though Philip was right, I’d reconsider the new CT scan donation I promised to the director.Two guards led me to the waiting area, and moments later, a nurse exited a room and came straight to me.“Mister King, our best team of doctors is with your wife. They’re doing everything necessary to make sure there are no hidden threats to her health.”Barely comprehending what the brunette was saying, I headed to the room, but she stopped me, blocking my way.I pulled my hands into fists, directing the fury for the woman into them. Should I kill her right now?As if she could read my mind, she cast her eyes down to the floor, trying to hide from my murderous intentions. but still didn’t move.“Sir, I can’t let you