Josh Xavier It all died that day to be resurrected at a later time. I had quietly planned it all. The stylist, the dress, the diamond she wore on her neck. Everything. Like hell I even cut my beard, I had not worn a clean shave in over twenty years and yet for that occasion for that day, I did because I wanted everything to be perfect even when I ought to have known that it was impossible.“You're a fool”, that bitch Meredith often told me.And I would call her a fool and reject it.“You don't even want to know why”, she said one day.“I don't care”, that's what I remember saying. “I never cared for what that woman ever had to say. But she used to talk about my folly with so much intensity and seriousness. One would think she wasn't just being irrational and abusive but now I realize she was barely stating a fact, the truth I never listened to”, I said to myself sinking deep into thoughts about my lifeIt wasn't until that day, that event, that I felt this close to believing the tru
Josh Xavier The first step of my recovery was accepting who I had become. A crippled old man. “But it's only my legs that are crippled not the whole of me. I can't let these crippled legs stop me from being me”. That's what I told myself before I closed my eyes to rest for the night. These past few days since the conference have been the most difficult time of my life as crippled old Josh Xavier. It's funny because, I personally would have sworn that the most difficult period was the four to five months I spent in that damn hospital bed. But on the contrary all those months of lying in a hospital bed didn't count. “For the first month or so I was in a coma, the rest of the period, I spent lying in bed like some useless vegetable. How could those have counted for anything?” I asked myself in my moment of truth. “Yes, that's what these past five days have been for me, my moment of truth”. ****So when I slept last night I was determined to wake up a new man. “I may have lost these l
Josh Xavier “Hi Josh”, Kelcie said to me as I wheeled my way into the living room, as though she was seeing me for the first time.“Hi Kelcie, how are you doing?” I asked, joining the act.“I'm doing well Josh. Good morning Josh”, she answered smiling. “Good morning Kelcie”, I responded, and smiled back at her. “Are you my friend now Josh?” She asked, looking up at me with round pleading eyes.“Yes you are my friend Kelcie again”, I said, pinching her cheek softly.“Ms Lydia!” Kelcie screamed as she turned. “Hi Kelcie. How are you this morning?” Lydia asked, smiling at Kelcie. From the look of things, she had been in the kitchen all this while, when I was talking to Kelcie. “Good morning Sir”, she added, turning to me. “Good morning Lydia”, I replied with a neutral face. “It's a good thing you're here Lydia I would like some coffee this morning”, I added, maintaining my neutral facial expression.“Alright sir, I will go prepare your coffee now”, she said and turned towards the k
Josh Xavier “Everything I want for my birthday?” she asked, with her eyes open wide in surprise. “Like everything, everything?”she added, as she switched from her previous chair to the one closest to me.“Yes dear. Everything, everything”, I replied, smiling back at her.“Oh Josh I want so many things”, she answered and came to embrace with her little hands.“Well you have my undivided attention. Tell me everything. And I also want to hear about your last birthday celebration”, I responded prodding her on.“My last birthday celebration?” she asked, looking confused. “I did not have a celebration on my last birthday”, she said pouting. “Is that so?” I asked inquisitively.“Yes Josh it is”, she answered, nodding. “But mommy and uncle Ron bought me presents. Aunt Whitney also”, she added smiling. “But I will have a birthday celebration this time. That's what mommy said and I'm super excited. Yay!”, she said, jumping in excitement.“Yes Princess, you will have your birthday celebration
Charlotte McCartney After my brief meeting with Josh, concerning Kelcie's birthday celebration I still could not feel relaxed about the whole thing. “I have it under control”, that's all Josh said to me. I stood there waiting for him to say more. For him to tell me how he had it all under control. “It is my daughter's birthday celebration for crying out loud. Am I supposed to sit down and do nothing? And also have no clue? What will I tell my baby if nothing happens? How would my little girl feel if her mommy fails her?” All these questions kept bothering me for the rest of the night. But not this morning. This morning it was settled. This morning I was not going take just that vague reply. “It's not like I can't do this without him anyway. It's just that he said he wanted to take care of it, that's why I'm really asking. Plus this is his house it would be rude to not involve him. But today is the last day before Kelcie's birthday and I promised my daughter a special celebration
Charlotte McCartney For almost one week, I had been waking up later than usual. But today I did not. Today I woke up earlier than usual. “My baby has a habit of waking up before everyone else. So today I tasked myself to wake up earlier than I would on a normal day. Because today is my baby's birthday. Back home, this day was mainly a day for my baby and I because no one really seemed to care what day it was. Yes, mom had once hosted a party to celebrate Kelcie's birthday and Whitney may have given Kelcie a present or two, that was mostly all. “They both didn't care so much for Kelcie. Grandfather is the only one who would have truly cared for my baby. But here, in Josh Xavier's home, I know my baby has met people who care for her genuinely”, I said to myself as I sat, thinking.“Josh has promised Kelcie the best birthday celebration she can imagine. I also can't wait to see what he has planned out for her. But I can't let anyone wish my baby a happy birthday before I do. I cannot
Charlotte McCartney The door swung open before we even knocked and we were greeted by Lydia's familiar face and smile.“Ms Lydia!” Kelcie screamed, surprised to see Lydia. I was too but unlike my daughter, I expressed mine quietly.“Happy birthday baby Kelcie”, Lydia answered smiling.“Yes Ms Lydia. Today is my birthday. Thank you Ms Lydia”, Kelcie responded excitedly. “Mommy is organising a party for me. And Josh said my birthday party is going to be a really big one”, she announced. “Is that so? That is lovely. You're going to have a lot of fun today Kelcie”, Lydia replied, feigning surprise. “Yes Ms Lydia I will”, Kelcie said, beaming with joy. “You have to come also Ms Lydia. Promise you'll attend my party”, Kelcie said, with pleading eyes.“Definitely dear", she said, assuringly. “But before then,we do have some plans for your morning by the way”, she added, as though she was trying to not leave the important things out.“yay!!! I'm so happy”, Kelcie said at the top of her voi
Charlotte McCartney We stood in front of a huge building with the words “Majesty's Care” largely inscribed at its front.“Mommy what is this place?” Kelcie asked, as curious as I was or maybe a little more for at least I could read the sign board.“I think it's a salon”, I said, not entirely certain. Most salons around had similar names but this particularly looked different, way bigger to be precise.“Mommy is it for my birthday?” She asked, seeming more excited than curious now.“I guess there's only one way to find out”, I said, flashing a smile.The journey to this place had not exactly been exciting to me. It was true that Lydia had stated a valid point and I had taken it to heart to at least chill out just a little bit. But that couldn't change the fact that I was really anxious. It was even a little more different now we were being taken out of the house. “To where exactly?”, I asked myself worriedly.Ever since we moved to Josh Xavier’s country home, Kelcie had not gone out
Charlotte McCartney“Mommy are you okay?” Kelcie asked, during the course of our ride to the airport.In truth, it was pretty evident that I was not very much interested in the whole display that went on there.“I'm fine Princess”, I smiled, trying to conceal the anxiety and fear which had been aggravated after our appointment with Maketov.“Are you sure mommy?” she inquired further as though it was pretty evident that whatever I seemed to be hiding was not all that hidden.“Mommy is fine my baby”, I said, drawing her to myself this time. It was amazingly soothing holding her in my arms as she wondered exactly what was going on. “Mommy is just a little in doubt”, I explained, minutes into embracing her. “Though it's nothing to worry about, everything is going to be alright”, I added, holding her much tighter to myself.The whole appointment was a total displeasing experience. It was not because of any unpleasant situation or that the workers within the establishment were slightly unb
Charlotte McCartney“Oh that's a very splendid choice Madame, but would you mind if I asked you a question though”, Maskatev said, in an exquisite manner.“Oh no problem”, I said. “Go ahead and ask”, The man was evidently not the kind you denied such indulgence.“Why choose the cream colour?”, he asked a simple question, even though it was not one I had anticipated for at that moment my mind had completely gone somewhere else entirely.“I don't know”, I confessed. “I guess cream suits me a lot better. I like it, it's simple and looks comfortable”, I said trying to give an explanation.“But you haven't even tried it on yet”, he said with a little smile on his lips. “Come on, people get her into that dress for me”, he said and almost as soon as this was said, about five or six attendants hurriedly came to my side and escorted me to the end of the room where the dressing room was. The rest of them stayed back with Kelcie.The girls had me in the dress in no time and before I knew what w
Whitney McCartney “Hi mother”, I said, as I approached her. “Whitney”, Mother replied simply, without taking her eyes off the magazine she seemed to be engrossed in. For some reason though, I did not think she was really interested in the magazine. It felt like she was only acting to be interested in it just so she would avoid talking to me. I know this because I know Mother. If there was anything really intriguing about that magazine she would have been happy to talk about it.“Or maybe there is something intriguing in it and she is just too angry at me to want to tell me about it”, I thought. The thought of this cut me deeply. “This is all because of that stupid Charlotte that just refused to stay where she was supposed to be. I still don't know what was the need to do a wedding to solidify their stupid marriage in the first place. Talk more of making a big deal out of it so much as to come all the way here, to this mansion to inform Mother and try to rub his love for her in eve
Charlotte McCartneyMr Peter Masketov himself along with a chain of assistants were outside waiting by the time we got there. “Mommy is that for us?” Kelcie inquired as soon as we got to where the small crowd of people converged.“I don't know Kelcie, let's see”, I replied, “let's see”, I repeated in my heart. “Alright, let's do this”, I said out loud, as the car revved to a halt, talking to myself much more than I was even telling her. We got out of the car. And set to head on to meet with the small crowd that was already smiling at us, a gesture of goodwill and show of an anticipated presence.“Ma'am”, the driver called back as we were about to join the convergence. “What time will be convenient for me to come back? I already have a time set to return but the boss signified that I inquire if you may want to take out some more time to do some other things before I return to take you to your destination” he said, speaking politely.“The boss, Josh” I thought. Up till now, I had not s
Whitney McCartney For the first time in my life I feel so insignificant. This house, this mansion where I was born, where I have always called home feels like a strange land to me. “What is this?” I asked rhetorically, noticing a fading drawing on a small part of the mansion’s entrance. I walked closer to see what it was. “What is this? Why am I just seeing this?” I asked myself as I stared at the fading image of a lion. “Oh it's probably Grandfather's lion painting, the one mother was planning to have redrawn. So this is where it was?” I thought. I had not noticed it in all the years I had walked past that entrance.“Everything feels so unfamiliar. This unusual silence that is screaming so loudly only began after Charlotte’s uninvited and unwelcome visitation. Why did she have to come here anyway? Why could she not stay where she was? Why did she come here? She should have stayed there, where she belongs, with that broken piece of shit that calls himself Josh”, I thought, angrily.
Charlotte McCartney“Weeeeeeee! That's how the plane goes mommy, weeeee!” Kelcie said completely ecstatic. I wondered how it was possible to not have been infected by this cheerfulness. Evidently Josh had made it happen. Her dream of flying was finally coming through and yet I couldn't find it in me to be happy because I knew what happened and certainly what lay ahead may only have looked good but was not at all. “Before I forget, your friend Maddie will be joining you two at the resort”, Lydia informed me. “She will be coming with a couple visitors”, she added.“Which visitors?” I asked, a little worried. I did not mind Maddie joining us at all. She would even be good companion. “But who else would she bring?” I asked myself, not wanting strangers. “It would be easy to face my embarrassment with Maddie and Kelcie alone. Maddie could even defend me if the need arises” I thought.“Don't worry, it's not too many people. She will be coming along with her sister and her sister's daughter
Charlotte McCartney“Mommy! mommy! Get off the bed, we are already late”, Kelcie said, shaking me from my sleep.“I must have fallen asleep again”, I thought, recalling I wanted to shower earlier.“Late for what?” I asked, still very much asleep. Apparently, her shakes were courtesy of the fact that her baby strength had very little impact in doing what she had intended to do.“Come on now Charlotte, you can't still be this sleepy”, Lydia said. I hadn't even noticed she was also here too.“I'm really having a hard time knowing what I'll be late for”, I answered her.“Oh so you really have forgotten then?” she replied even in my daze I could hear the mild surprise in her voice.“Mommy, we're supposed to go and see the dressers today”, Kelcie replied this time.“Oh yes Charlotte”, Lydia joined in,”Your appointment was set for this date, today”.“Oh that”, I recalled loudly. “Is that even still happening?" I thought to myself. Today I was supposed to go to check out my wedding dress, fin
Charlotte McCartney By the time I came out of the bathroom my baby was no longer sleeping. She had turned on the bedroom light and was already out of the room as she usually did in the mornings. I looked up at the antique wall clock in our bedroom, “7:41am”, I said. “Kelcie must be having her milkshakes by now or just talking to Lydia”, I thought, then it hit me like a blow.“Lydia knows”, I said out loud. “She knows. There is no way she doesn't know. She was the one who called Josh to come and conduct the wine tasting. We were supposed to do it together but she excused herself. I'm sure she would have expected me to do the same as soon as Josh arrived but I stayed, foolishly”, I thought.“That's what mother always talked about. This is the same thing mother always said about me, the same reason she's always complaining. I'm so stupid. I never think before I act. I'm just so stupid. I could have left. There was nothing stopping me from leaving. But I stayed. Why? I could have left it
Charlotte McCartney “Baby”, I said as I stretched my hand to reach my baby. “Oh she's out already”, I concluded to myself as my outstretched hand met an empty bed. “She's probably watching the sunrise now”, I added, as I tried to sit up in bed. “There is something hard about this bed”, I thought, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand. “Did someone replace the bed when I was out?” I asked myself.I yawned and laid back down to sleep but my eyes flew open almost immediately and I sat up at about the same instance. “Where am I?” I asked myself, looking round to check my surroundings. “Where am…” I was going to repeat the question again, when realization dawned me. “This is Josh's room. How did I get here?” I questioned, quite confused.“Oh my God! No! No! It did not happen again”, I said, wrapping my hand around my naked body, as I realized I was lying naked under Josh's sheets. My clothes were folded neatly at the foot of the bed.“Oh God please! This did not happen. How could I ha