EMBRACING HIS GUILT

THREE YEARS LATER

Lila looked up at the sky; she had not seen the wall out of the prison in three years; it felt like a whole new world out here. She was expecting that Gavin would come today but no luck. He frequently visited her during the first six months of her being here, but shortly after that, he suddenly disappeared, claiming that he was expanding and could not be there again. Her only hope of seeing him was through the images on the television screen once in a very long while. 

"Helen's estate," she said to the cab driver as she entered the cab. 

As the cab moved down the road, she could vividly remember that day three years ago when she stood before the judge. He had sentenced her to seven years in prison because she was unable to pay the fine, not because she did not have it but because both her husband-to-be and her brother refused to bail her out. 

"You are foolish," her brother proudly said to her face. He knew very well that Lila was afraid to drive at night and would most likely not drive when it was raining. Yet she had not ignored his pleas and asked him to come clean. 

"The company is facing a difficult time now, so I cannot be paying any fines," he had said, and that was final. 

She was so happy to be out; after she turned herself in, she discovered that she was pregnant. After delivery, Gavin swooped in and took the baby before she could do anything. She wanted to hold her baby and Gvain as well. 

She looked at the house that she had to leave just to go in and serve time for Gavin; she would be lying if she said that she did not miss it. Of course she did. She had planned to be a diligent housewife and spend all her time being a good wife and mother to their kids. By now she should have been expecting another. 

"Carlos," she greeted as she walked in. The expression on the man's face was as if he had seen a ghost. "Is Gavin in?" she asked, stopping to face the man. He shook his head, and she nodded. 

"I will wait for him inside then," Carlos opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something. His mouth closed and then opened again. She did not have the energy or time to be doing this with him, maybe any time later. 

She walked into the house; the decorations inside had changed so much it was weird. While she lived there, Gavin had said no to every change she had wanted to make, and now the interior was looking different. It was like he hired a professional to get it looking so good. 

"Who are you?" a voice called from the hallway, walking down to her. 

"I am Lila, and I should be asking you that." Lila stopped herself and pressed her lips together.

"Or are you the new nanny?" the woman asked as she continued to take slow and noisy steps towards her. 

"Nanny? I am not. Who are you?" Lila could have sworn that this was the nanny who had been taking care of her son while she had been serving time. 

"I am Evangeline Holt," the voice echoes. Lila remembered this hallway; it was not as long as this woman was making it feel, and Holt? 

"Holt? As much as I remember, Gavin does not have a sister or NY family, so who are you?"

"Wait, you think I'm Gavin's boo sister?" The woman said, and now she was standing before her. 

Lila's eyes widened in shock at the sight before her; this woman was literally bikini, her breast hanging out every corner of the bra as it was obviously too small for her. She stood with heel sandals strapped around her legs. 'Why would anyone in their right sense dress like this at home?!' Lila thought to herself, Why would she be dressed like this at home? 

"Gavin boo? Who are you?" Lila asked. Why did she need to meet a naked girl on the first day she got back home? All she wanted now was to make a family with Gavin, the family she had always dreamt about. 

"I am Evangeline Holt, supermodel and wife to Gavin," she said, putting her hand on her waist and staring into space like she was being interviewed by an imaginary crew. 

"Gavin's wife?" Lila coughed and began to choke. There was no way that was possible; Gvain could not be married. He had promised her that they would get married when she was out; she was supposed to be reunited with her son and him to make the perfect family. 

"Impossible," Lila burst after the coughing and choking went down. Evangeline had not even made a move to help her stop the choking. 

"What is so impossible about it? We got married about two and a half years ago. I asked before, but it seems like you did not hear me," she said, rolling a finger in the air before pointing to her. "Who are you?" 

"I am Lila Carson, Gavin's fiancee." 

"Oops," Evangeline said and began to giggle. From her reaction, she knew who she was now. 

"What's funny?"

"Nothing, I guess," Evangeline said with a shrug. "You can wait up for Gavin; he should be home soon," she said and began to walk away. 

Lila could not understand how this woman was being so calm at this time. "Wait"

"Oh, do you have goodies you brought from prison?" Evangeline said answering her questions without waiting for Lila to ask first; it was like she read her mind. 

"So you do know me? You know I went to prison?"

"Of course I do," she said, tapping the tips of her fingers together happily. 

"And?"

"Andddd... I don't care; you can wait for Gavin to get back in there." She pointed to the living room before striding off into thin air. 

"What is going on?"