Two weeks later "Daddy!". Gwen shook Jesse awake. "Wake up!". Jesse stirred and forced one eye open to stare at Gwen. He was hung over and felt like his head would come off if he attempted to lift it. He'd drank himself to stupor the night before after he and Aviva dropped Bella off at the airport. She'd insisted on taking a commercial flight back to Mexico and there was no talking her out of it so they'd let her and Aviva had cried on his shoulder making him feel like a horrible human being. He'd gone to the bar from the airport without inviting his friends but when he realized he'd drank too much, he called Olly who came to meet him and brought him home. "Daddy! Mommy is dead!". Gwen shook him. "Mommy is dead!". "Yes I know." He muttered. "Helena died months ago." "No! Aunt Bella!". Gwen exclaimed tearfully. Jesse's eyes flew open and he propped himself up on his elbow. "What?". "It's on the news." Gwen pointed to his TV. She grabbed the remote and turned it on, waited a fe
A week later "Can we talk Bella?". Jesse asked. Bella looked up from her laptop to him, surprised to see him but she only nodded and continued with her work. Jesse pulled back a chair and took a seat. He didn't say anything for a long while and just stared at her causing her to look up and raise a questioning brow. "Well? Are you going to say something or you are just going to watch me all day?". She inquired. "I'm sorry." He apologized. "For what?". She looked irritated. "For everything." "Okay?". She sounded bored. "I'm also sorry that I lied to you last week." He said. "You lied about so many things. What exactly are you sorry for?". Jesse took a deep breath. "I told you three weeks ago that I couldn't love you... well that was a big fat lie." He looked contrite. "I realized how much of a loser I was when I heard the news about your supposed death and all I could think of... was that I'd take everything back if I could get another chance with you." "Oh." Bella said. "So
Maitta's sleep was disturbed as she kept inhaling smoke wondering sleepily where it was coming from until she opened her eyes and let out a scream when she saw the fire licking at her door. Her room was already so filled with smoke that she could hardly breathe so she took her robe and covered her nose with it and called out to Trisha tearfully. "Mommy!". She didn't want to get up from her bed. "Mommy!". She screamed. It was like a very horrible nightmare that she couldn't wake up from. She got out of bed when she saw that Trisha wasn't answering or banging on her door and ran to her window. She drew back the curtains and opened the shutters and was grateful for the breeze that was blowing in until she heard her bedroom door give way to the intense heat of the fire and fall to the carpeted floor then she really got to see how unsafe she was in the house from the fire raging in the hallway. "Daddy." She sobbed. "Daddy please save me." She couldn't climb out of her window because it
"Jesse." Bella called. Jesse looked up at Bella in surprise. He'd not told anyone else except his mother and sister about Maitta's accident so he guessed that his mother must have called Aviva. "How's she?." Bella asked joining him on the sofa. "I don't know yet." He replied. "Gwen told me what happened." Bella said. "She didn't mean to do it." Jesse scoffed and said nothing. "She's not someone like that. You raised her." Bella reminded him. "Yes." He agreed. "But I didn't expect her to be so heartless that she'd hurt her own sister. I saw her smiling Bella." "Jesse... She's just a little girl." "Which is why I'm not raving mad right now." He said. "Everything will be fine." Bella told him. "You shouldn't have come. You need to be resting." He chided. "I'm pregnant, not an invalid." She said. Jesse chuckled and took her hand in his. "I'm glad you're here." He told her. "Family of Maitta Deacon?". The doctor approached them. "Yes. We're her parents." Jesse stood up. "
Months laterA phone ringing woke Jesse from his sleep and he reached out to pick it up from the bedside table, swiped the screen to answer the call and put the phone to his ear."Hello." He said groggily."Jesse! It's time!". Aviva exclaimed.Jesse's eyes flew open and he sat up in bed. "What's time?". He asked."Bella! The babies!". She said. "We're on our way to the hospital so meet us there.""Um... Okay. I'm on my way." He hung up, jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom to take a quick shower then came out and hurried to his closet to dress up.He was in the process of putting on his wristwatch when his bedroom door opened causing him to look up and saw Jessica standing there with an ashen look on her face."What's wrong?". He stood up.Jessica pointed towards Gwen's room but couldn't say anything."Jess? What's wrong?". He walked up to her."Gwen... Gwen..." She gasped leaning against the door frame as tears poured down her face. "She's... She's not waking up.""What?". He
Jesse opened the door to Bella's hospital room and poked his head in to see if she was awake and found her sleeping so he walked in and closed the door. He walked up to her bed and took a seat on the chair in front of her bed and just watched her sleep with a smile on his face. She looked even more beautiful than she was yesterday and he guessed it probably was because she was a new mom and… "You're staring." Bella said. Jesse blinked. "You're awake?". She opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him and frowned when she saw his red eyes. "Have you been crying?". She asked. "Uh... Well, not really." He shook his head. "I got to see the babies and uh... I couldn't help myself." "They're okay?". She asked. "Very okay." He replied. "We have three boys and a girl." "Three boys? Oh well." She smiled. "This means that I won't have to get pregnant again just to get a boy. I have three girls and three boys now." "Um..." He cleared his throat. "Do you know you just totally agreed
Jesse Billion trudged up the stairs tiredly to his apartment with his sleeping daughter in his arms glad that he’d been able to avoid seeing the landlord today concerning his house rent which he’d not been able to pay for about two months now but he knew he had no such luck when he saw the man seated on a plastic chair right in front of his door waiting for him rather patiently and there was a huge padlock on the door.“You’re here.” The man said. “Welcome.”“Good evening Mr Godwin.” Jesse greeted.“There is nothing good about this evening at all Billion.” Godwin snapped. “Where’s my money?”.“Can I at least go in and put my daughter down first? She’s not feeling well.” He said. “So you’ll lock the door abi? I was not born yesterday Jesse.” He informed him. “Today is January 31, surely you would have been paid since twenty fifth.”That was true but he’d used part of the money to buy drugs for his little girl – expensive drugs for her heart condition because without it, she was as goo
Aviva Arroyo frowned as she listened to her ex husband brush off her concerns over their daughter’s failed relationships. She knew Vincenzo Arroyo loved his first daughter Isabella very much and didn’t want to see her hurt but he had his other children to worry about too and Izzy was the only one she had and besides a man’s love for his child couldn’t be compared to a mother’s love.Her beautiful strong daughter had just been dumped by another man – the third fiance in four years and her girl was devastated.“She’s refused to see anyone.” Vincenzo replied when Aviva asked him if he’d gone to see her. “Her assistant told me she’s been holed up in her room for days.”“What she needs is a new environment. I’ve been pleading with her to come pay me a visit but she changes the subject every time.” Aviva huffed. “She’ll like it here in Nigeria.”“I never did so how could she possibly like it there?”. Vincenzo drawled.“The last time you came here was two decades ago Vince. Everything’s chan
Jesse opened the door to Bella's hospital room and poked his head in to see if she was awake and found her sleeping so he walked in and closed the door. He walked up to her bed and took a seat on the chair in front of her bed and just watched her sleep with a smile on his face. She looked even more beautiful than she was yesterday and he guessed it probably was because she was a new mom and… "You're staring." Bella said. Jesse blinked. "You're awake?". She opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him and frowned when she saw his red eyes. "Have you been crying?". She asked. "Uh... Well, not really." He shook his head. "I got to see the babies and uh... I couldn't help myself." "They're okay?". She asked. "Very okay." He replied. "We have three boys and a girl." "Three boys? Oh well." She smiled. "This means that I won't have to get pregnant again just to get a boy. I have three girls and three boys now." "Um..." He cleared his throat. "Do you know you just totally agreed
Months laterA phone ringing woke Jesse from his sleep and he reached out to pick it up from the bedside table, swiped the screen to answer the call and put the phone to his ear."Hello." He said groggily."Jesse! It's time!". Aviva exclaimed.Jesse's eyes flew open and he sat up in bed. "What's time?". He asked."Bella! The babies!". She said. "We're on our way to the hospital so meet us there.""Um... Okay. I'm on my way." He hung up, jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom to take a quick shower then came out and hurried to his closet to dress up.He was in the process of putting on his wristwatch when his bedroom door opened causing him to look up and saw Jessica standing there with an ashen look on her face."What's wrong?". He stood up.Jessica pointed towards Gwen's room but couldn't say anything."Jess? What's wrong?". He walked up to her."Gwen... Gwen..." She gasped leaning against the door frame as tears poured down her face. "She's... She's not waking up.""What?". He
"Jesse." Bella called. Jesse looked up at Bella in surprise. He'd not told anyone else except his mother and sister about Maitta's accident so he guessed that his mother must have called Aviva. "How's she?." Bella asked joining him on the sofa. "I don't know yet." He replied. "Gwen told me what happened." Bella said. "She didn't mean to do it." Jesse scoffed and said nothing. "She's not someone like that. You raised her." Bella reminded him. "Yes." He agreed. "But I didn't expect her to be so heartless that she'd hurt her own sister. I saw her smiling Bella." "Jesse... She's just a little girl." "Which is why I'm not raving mad right now." He said. "Everything will be fine." Bella told him. "You shouldn't have come. You need to be resting." He chided. "I'm pregnant, not an invalid." She said. Jesse chuckled and took her hand in his. "I'm glad you're here." He told her. "Family of Maitta Deacon?". The doctor approached them. "Yes. We're her parents." Jesse stood up. "
Maitta's sleep was disturbed as she kept inhaling smoke wondering sleepily where it was coming from until she opened her eyes and let out a scream when she saw the fire licking at her door. Her room was already so filled with smoke that she could hardly breathe so she took her robe and covered her nose with it and called out to Trisha tearfully. "Mommy!". She didn't want to get up from her bed. "Mommy!". She screamed. It was like a very horrible nightmare that she couldn't wake up from. She got out of bed when she saw that Trisha wasn't answering or banging on her door and ran to her window. She drew back the curtains and opened the shutters and was grateful for the breeze that was blowing in until she heard her bedroom door give way to the intense heat of the fire and fall to the carpeted floor then she really got to see how unsafe she was in the house from the fire raging in the hallway. "Daddy." She sobbed. "Daddy please save me." She couldn't climb out of her window because it
A week later "Can we talk Bella?". Jesse asked. Bella looked up from her laptop to him, surprised to see him but she only nodded and continued with her work. Jesse pulled back a chair and took a seat. He didn't say anything for a long while and just stared at her causing her to look up and raise a questioning brow. "Well? Are you going to say something or you are just going to watch me all day?". She inquired. "I'm sorry." He apologized. "For what?". She looked irritated. "For everything." "Okay?". She sounded bored. "I'm also sorry that I lied to you last week." He said. "You lied about so many things. What exactly are you sorry for?". Jesse took a deep breath. "I told you three weeks ago that I couldn't love you... well that was a big fat lie." He looked contrite. "I realized how much of a loser I was when I heard the news about your supposed death and all I could think of... was that I'd take everything back if I could get another chance with you." "Oh." Bella said. "So
Two weeks later "Daddy!". Gwen shook Jesse awake. "Wake up!". Jesse stirred and forced one eye open to stare at Gwen. He was hung over and felt like his head would come off if he attempted to lift it. He'd drank himself to stupor the night before after he and Aviva dropped Bella off at the airport. She'd insisted on taking a commercial flight back to Mexico and there was no talking her out of it so they'd let her and Aviva had cried on his shoulder making him feel like a horrible human being. He'd gone to the bar from the airport without inviting his friends but when he realized he'd drank too much, he called Olly who came to meet him and brought him home. "Daddy! Mommy is dead!". Gwen shook him. "Mommy is dead!". "Yes I know." He muttered. "Helena died months ago." "No! Aunt Bella!". Gwen exclaimed tearfully. Jesse's eyes flew open and he propped himself up on his elbow. "What?". "It's on the news." Gwen pointed to his TV. She grabbed the remote and turned it on, waited a fe
A few days laterBella sat in the gazebo working on her laptop when she heard the horn of a car that sounded very much like Jesse's and she suddenly lost interest in what she was doing and set her laptop aside.Jesse drove into the compound and pulled up in front of the house, alighted from the car and shut the door. He rounded the hood to open the door for someone and Bella saw a little girl get out of the car and her breath hitched in her throat when she locked gazes with Jesse and she wondered if he was going to come over but he steered the girl towards the house and they went inside.By the time Bella got inside the house and walked into the sitting room, she met her mother having an animated conversation with Jesse's daughter while he just watched them with an amused smile on his face.Jesse turned his head to look at Bella and his smile faded. He wondered why she was still around when she'd told him just two days ago that she was leaving and he'd told her goodbye but he really d
Gwen opened the door to Jesse's bedroom and slammed it shut when she saw Maitta sitting on his bed watching something on his laptop and laughing out loud but the door slam caused Maitta to look up at her in surprise."Oh, hi." Maitta said. "Want to watch Merlin with me?"."I don't like the movie." Gwen said. "What are you doing in my father's room?"."He told me I could stay. We were watching it together but he left to take a call." Maitta replied."I see." Gwen muttered."What do you like to watch then?". Maitta inquired."I watch movies like high school musical, Hannah Montana, Frozen and others." Gwen answered. "Merlin is an adult movie.""Daddy likes it." Maitta said.Gwen walked over to the bed and stopped in front of her. "Listen to me, I don't like you at all." Gwen informed her. "And just because you're his real daughter doesn't mean you'll take my father away from me with your miss perfect attitude."Maitta looked stunned. "But... I'm not trying to take daddy away from you."
"Maitta, this is the moment you've been waiting for." Trisha spoke up. "You've always wanted to meet your father and here he is. Say hello.""Hello." She waved shyly."Hi." Jesse said. He looked at the bear. "This is for you." He set the bear on the sofa.Maitta's eyes widened. "Really? It's huge!". She rushed to hug the bear."What do you say when someone gives you a gift?". Trisha asked her, frowning at her."Thank you." She said and blushed looking embarrassed."It's fine." Jesse said. "Can I take her now?"."Um... Sure." Trisha nodded. "She's eaten so she's good to go."Jesse smiled at Maitta and held out his hand. "Let's go?"."Okay." She shyly placed her hand in his and butterflies erupted in her stomach when Jesse's hand tightened around hers. "Bye mommy.""Have fun darling." Trisha bent and kissed her forehead. "Don't miss me too much okay.""Okay." Maitta nodded and left with Jesse.Trisha blinked back the tears that threatened to fall as she walked back to the kitchen to cle