Chapter 3: Plan

PLAN:

   "Listen to me, Kira, you have to make it over here yourself. I am tired already, okay? Please, pardon me." Evelyn said over the phone as she fried the eggs that she had mixed earlier.

   "You'd better start preparing something worth eating and tasty or else…" Kira threatened.

   "You will skin me alive, trust me, I have heard that multiple times from you. Just hurry up and get over here." Evelyn joked and ended the conversation.

She thought that she would be able to make it over to her side in the evening but then she changed her mind. She had no interest in taking one single step out of the apartment, especially not when she had just arrived in the Capital City. In summary, she was too lazy to do so.

Moreover, Kira didn't mind going anywhere as long as there would be a good food surplus.

   "Mum, I am very hungry," Tom said as he walked over to meet her, his tiny hands gripping his flat tummy. He just woke up from a nap. Evelyn looked at him and smiled.

   "Ha, I see. My boy is hungry, huh? Don't worry, I am almost done, darling. Just go and wait for me in the sitting room and dinner will be ready. Kira will be coming to visit now so behave very well and you will get extra chicken wings." 

When the boy heard this, his green eyes sparkled and he nodded with happiness before jumping away joyfully from the kitchen arena. Evelyn shook her head at how innocent he was before turning her full attention back to the meal she was preparing.

That was one thing about herself. For the past three years, she had nobody to look after her or even ask after her so she had learned to be there for her son and her well-being even though it wasn't easy at all.

Fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang repeatedly. No one needed to inform her that Kira was here, she was melodramatic of course so she behaved most times in excess.

   "I really hope you won't break down the door," Evelyn screamed from inside and went to answer her friend.

   "Evelyn!!" Kira yelled happily and jumped on her. Evelyn, due to the sudden jump, staggered a bit backward but later regained her stand.

   "I really miss you," Kira said.

   "And I can't carry you because you are taking both of us down at any minute." Evelyn groaned after saying this.

   "Oops, sorry." She smiled sheepishly.

In appearance, Kira had really changed. She did not look the way she was three years ago, she was now rather busty and her height was a few inches more than Evelyn's.

Evelyn and Kira had been best friends from 5th grade, they both went to the same high school and graduated at the same time. They had pretty much the same characteristics but there was one difference there. While Kira was fun to be with and was energetic, Evelyn was withdrawn and reserved more than ever but they suited one another.

   "At least, get off me first. " Evelyn muttered under harsh breath and Kira did as she said with a silly smile. She was wearing a pink shirt gown with white stripes on it to make the dress look more colorful, her hair wasn't long anymore. She had turned it into ' bob ' and had it styled.

When Evelyn communicated with her through video call before coming back to the country, Kira informed her that working with long hair was a bit disturbing and easily distracted her from working. She was working as an artist under one of the biggest Art companies in the country and she didn't want anything to go wrong with her work so she wouldn't get fired, nevertheless her beauty was stunning to look upon just like her friend.

 Tom came running over and shouting…

   "Godmother!!" 

   "Godson!!" She replied with the same energy.

Kira opened her arms wide for him and he ran into her embrace. She lifted Tom and turned him around before putting him back on the ground. Evelyn chuckled as they all went to the kitchen.

   "So, how do you like the house?" Kira asked as they settled to eat dinner.

   "You never cease to surprise me, my friend. I love it and thank you very much."

   "You are welcome. Tom, you are now a big boy." Kira praised him and the boy laughed cutely. It could be seen that he was pleased with that as he glanced at his mother, hopefully thinking that she would stop referring to him as a small child.

   "Don't make his head swell more than it ought to. He is just three." Evelyn rejected and drank a bit of the glass of water that was placed on the table.

Tom frowned, just like he thought but he continued eating and didn't dispute that fact any further. Kira stole a peek at him before looking at Evelyn who winked in return; without any words spoken, they already understood the situation.

The ' family ' of three had dinner with pleasure, they had a little fun chat till they were done eating. 

   "Tom, please excuse your mother and me. You can go and play with your toys in your room." Kira patted his head and the boy went in without any hesitation.

Kira faces Evelyn who was washing the plates and rinsing them one after the other.

   "So…" She started.

   "What's next?" She asked her.

   "I don't know yet, Kira. I just arrived so I am still taking my time to settle down but before coming here, I already did my research about schools and the available companies who need a secretary. I just haven't gotten one yet."

   "If I can get one overnight then I will quickly register Tom in a school ASAP. I don't want him staying at home even for a single day." Evelyn added.

   "Hmm, that is a good plan but Evelyn, are you sure that you are really going to be fine being in the Capital City? It's not too late to move to Central City." Kira asked worriedly. Evelyn turned off the tap and sighed, she looked at the plates and then at her friend before rinsing her hands off.

After she was done, she leaned against the cabinet and placed her right hand on it while her left was holding her waist.

   "Are we seriously going to have this conversation again?" She asked Kira.

   "Yes, we are going to. I just can't let you go like that without any further assurance that you will be fine. This is Capital City, the place where everything started years back. What if you run into any of your family members? How will you handle them? You are not yet healed to face them as they would only remind you of the past…"

   "But I can't stop myself…I can't stop fate. Sooner or later, I will have to face them and what then can I do? Whether I take the short or long cut, I will still have to appear in front of them. My past remains my past but learning how it won't affect me is not easy, Kira, it isn't but I can't stop myself.

Do you know one thing that has kept me going despite all the harsh thinking I had against myself? It's the love I have for my son, he deserves a better life and only this place is the safest option for him. I want to make him happy and make him not feel the absence of a fatherly figure." Evelyn explained and was about to start washing the dishes again when Kira asked:

   "What if he asks for his father, what would your response be?" 

This question was one of the numerous questions that she dreaded the most. She was clueless about who the father of her son was, she didn't even know what he looked like. The only memory that she had of him was his cologne which seemed powerful to her nostrils that night.

Well, who was to blame in such a situation? Herself or the stranger? It wasn't the stranger, everything was her fault. Her fault for entering the wrong room, her fault for not going against the self-desired sex, and her fault for not checking properly despite having the urges that he smelt different from Jade. Everything was her fault but now the pending question was, What answer would she give Tom if he had to ask after his father?

She looked at Kira hesitantly before moving her gaze away, "My answer remains simple, he is dead."

He was dead to both her and Tom. 

THREE YEARS AGO.

Evelyn woke up the next morning feeling all sore and tired. Her light brown eyes fluttered open and she blinked them repeatedly while trying to get herself off the bed.

After managing to sit up, she looked around the room with squinted eyes but she found nothing.

   "Jade." She called out and looked at her side. The side of her bed was empty.

   "Ouch." She winced while trying to stand on her feet. The lower part of her belly was paining her and sighting the stain of blood on the bed sheet, she believed that she had given her virginity to Jade last night so she smiled at the little moment they had.

She believed that this would strengthen their relationship but why did he leave her just like that without saying anything much? Was he busy or what? At least, he could have woken her up. She didn't have the chance to speak with him last night and also to apologize for her negligence in their relationship.

She reached out for her phone and dialed his number. It wasn't reachable again so she prepared her mind to go and pay him a visit in his penthouse but who knew that the visit was one thing that was unplanned in her life? She met the deepest shock of her life there.

TBC…