My luck has clearly run out and my time is up. This is the long-awaited moment of truth that should have taken place ages ago. I pace the lobby nervously waiting on Aliyah to come over so I can talk to her. My palms are sweaty and I’m starting to develop a pounding headache.
I should’ve told Aliyah the truth from day one. It’s bad enough I had anything to do with Romina, but adding in the possibility of Andrew being my son make me certain this relationship could be heading over a cliff.
After a slow breath, fighting my lightheadedness, I look to the glass door. I’ve gone over my speech hundreds of times, but I’m still not mentally or physically prepared for this conversation.
What if she blows up before ending things abruptly?
My heart sinks considering the possibility of never seeing Aliyah again. I’ve had a million chances to tell her the truth and it will serve me right if she does decide to walk out of my life.
Rachel always seems to be out of the country when I need her the most. I despise hotels, and now I'm stuck in one, spending money I should be saving, especially given my recent layoff. I consider my next move after rolling onto my back and staring at the ceiling. I wasn't mentally prepared for what had happened over the last few days, but perhaps this was the push I needed to get me on the path to my heart's desires. My phone rings for the hundredth time, and I immediately regret turning it back on.If it's not Jordan at the end, it's Romina, and neither of them deserves my attention right now. They can save their apologies for someone who genuinely cares.If they really need to talk to someone, they should call each other.I grab my phone and hit the ignore button without looking at it. It's past time for me to start thinking about myself and prioritizing my own needs over those of others. My hands tremble as I scroll to the name I want and press the call butto
For the millionth time, I checked my phone, but Nathan had not responded. Despite the fact that my world was collapsing around me, I dragged myself to work every day, sitting through one boring meeting after another. Contracts and business transactions used to consume all of my waking hours, but now all I want to do is go out and find Aliyah. I can't even pretend to be interested in the proposals being put forward.Nate assured me that he would find her and that I should simply trust him and his abilities. He's never let me down before. I stare off into space, completely unaware that my name is being called and that everyone in my office is staring at me.""Wait, what?""We're still waiting from you to agree to terms and sign off on everything so we can keep moving forward," Joe says, waving a thick stack of papers at me. "Have you had a chance to review the documents? We were hoping to resolve this today.""As I sift through the massive stack of papers i
The sound of his voice on the other end of the phone ends up taking my breath away, and the cloud nine I'm riding on falls to the ground. My emotions come into conflict, and I'm not sure which one is correct. Part of me is happy to hear a familiar voice on the phone, while another part recalls everything Romina revealed.I'm on the phone with both the first and last people I want to talk to, and I'm not sure what to say. If he hadn't been the source of my grief, he would've been the first person I'd called for comfort, but he is the source. He is the sole cause of this disaster, and he had the ability to stop it at any time, but he did not. Jordan made his bed, and now he must face the consequences of his actions. He does not merit my time or attention."How did you come up with this number?" And why are you bothering to call me? " I yell angrily.It's suddenly difficult to breathe, and every breath I take feels like a labored exercise as I force myself to confr
My plan is in shambles, and I can't stand listening to Aliyah sob into the phone like this. She requires my assistance immediately. I'm not sure what made me think I'd be able to straighten things over the phone, but I was completely wrong, and I need to think up a new strategy because I need her as well.I walk over to the elevator and press the button for Aliyah's floor, with no specific plan other than to get to her.“Aliyah? Hello? Can you hear what I'm saying? ”She's no longer screaming and shouting at me, but I can hear her crying in the background, so I know she's still there. This isn't what I had in mind. Hearingher cry and listening the pain in her voice twists my heart like a knife. I can only imagine what she's going through if I'm in this much pain.Romina clearly lied to her about the specifics, but I hope Aliyah will allow me to clear the air and set a record straight.I charge out of the elevator and down the hall
Do I cling to the past, or do I let go and move forward with the man who has my heart? My mind is in an emotional fog, and I'm at odds with myself. Jordan's kiss is tender, but I can tell he's reading my body language. He's waiting for me to take the initiative. The last first move as I realize our relationship has progressed to a new level.I recline on the bed and pull Jordan to me in an attempt to begin the healing process. No man has ever made me feel the way he makes me feel, and I believe him when he says he and Romina had nothing in common.The realization that he is Andrew's father is both shocking and relieving. It broke my heart to think I'd never see the boy I'd grown to adore again. Knowing I'll be able to keep my relationship with Andrew is only a bonus to Jordan's reasoning, whether he realizes it or not.My body is craving a primal but necessary release right now. I reach for Jordan's shirt and unbutton it slowly. I run my hands down the front of
a year laterIf you had asked me a year ago where I thought I'd be now, I'd have said curled up on the floor with Andrew having to play with a pile of toys. I might have even mentioned cleaning and cooking and doing other job that fell under my responsibilities as a baby sitter. Never in a million years did I imagine myself sitting on a stage with six other graduates, listening to my culinary mentor speak about how far we've come.More than that, I never imagined I'd have both. And understanding what awaits me after this celebration is almost as exciting as what I'm accomplishing today.Fortunately, I'm surrounded by friends who not only believedin my food, but also in me. Tanner and Ray have both been helpful in my development, and I would not be where I am today without them.As I look out at the crowd thathad gathered in our honor, I fidgetednervously. Rachel smiles and waves at me, and I reciprocate with a small wave. M
For a split second, my heart stops beating and time slows to a crawl. Everything around me is moving at a snail's pace, and my eyes well up with tears. I turnedaround to see if I'm dreaming or if everyone else is seeing what I'm seeing. My father has his arm around my mother's waist as she clutches Andrew in her arms, and Rachel gives me a positive reaction as she points her camera in my direction.The room has fallen silent, and all eyes have turned to me. Jordan coughs a few times as I turn my head to face him."This journey with you has been thrilling since the very first time we met. We've got to share so many wonderful moments together, and I want to continue sharing them with you as my wife. You've been everything I could have wished for: a supportive and loving partner, a wonderful mother to our son, and an ambitious and stunning woman in your own right. I don't deserve you, Aliyah; I've never deserved you. But I've always adored and loved you, and I don't
I stood at the deli cash register, staring out the window into the empty store. I'd been scheduled to train to bake bread at a ridiculously early hour. So far, it's not going well; my coworker, Gwen, is too busy rushing around trying to get everything done to teach me anything. Fortunately, I've done this before as a teenager, so I believe I'll be able to do it again."We're getting ready to open. Are there enough sandwiches? " Gwen inquired, terrified.“Yep. "We're full up there," I replied. "I even had time to brew some coffee."“Oh. So, did you pay attention to my training? ”“Yep.”“Oh. Okay. Then I'm going to take a break. "Could you please keep an eye on the last round of bread?"“Yep.”"Excellent, thank you."I didn't turn to watch her walk away. I think I have another five or ten minutes before I have to return to the sandwich grind. People usually don't start coming in un
"Hey sweetheart," Dad said as he stepped outside to join me on the porch.I'd been estranged from both of my mom and dad for about a week. Zach hadn't been to the market in a week, either, or I hadn't started to notice him. I still felt so stupid for treating him that way and then fleeing. It terrified me that he'd gone to such lengths just to prove to me that he was deserving of me. All I wanted was for him to get sober. That was it."I noticed you've been a little down lately," Dad said as he sat and rocked a few times. "Boy problems?" ”"How come you didn't tell me?" " I couldn't help but inquire. "That his mother died?" That he'd gotten sober? That he purchased the plaza? ”"You went through so much when he overdosed. I didn't want to reopen old wounds.""I assumed he died.""He actually died for a few minutes.""That's not the same thing.""He was in a coma for a while.We assumed he would perish. Then he
"I can't believe you're going out with that lad again," Mom said as I arranged my artwork in a way that would allow me to transport it easily."I'm not going out with him," I said flatly. "He said I could sell my art at the tattoo shop where he works, so I'm going to do that.""He's just simply attempting to get a hold of you.""Well, if he sells all of this art, I think it's a pretty good ploy.""Honey, he works in a tattoo parlor.He's not much of a catch."I rolled my eyes and decided not to respond to her any longer. Dad sat on the couch, staring at us as we argued."Why don't you start leaving her alone, Maureen?" "Dad explained. "She's an adult now, and she's free to do whatever she wants."Mom turned to make an argument with him, and I took advantage of the distraction to sneak out of the house unnoticed. Dad nodded as he began to argue more vehemently to keep Mom interested in nag
I stood at the deli cash register, staring out the window into the empty store. I'd been scheduled to train to bake bread at a ridiculously early hour. So far, it's not going well; my coworker, Gwen, is too busy rushing around trying to get everything done to teach me anything. Fortunately, I've done this before as a teenager, so I believe I'll be able to do it again."We're getting ready to open. Are there enough sandwiches? " Gwen inquired, terrified.“Yep. "We're full up there," I replied. "I even had time to brew some coffee."“Oh. So, did you pay attention to my training? ”“Yep.”“Oh. Okay. Then I'm going to take a break. "Could you please keep an eye on the last round of bread?"“Yep.”"Excellent, thank you."I didn't turn to watch her walk away. I think I have another five or ten minutes before I have to return to the sandwich grind. People usually don't start coming in un
For a split second, my heart stops beating and time slows to a crawl. Everything around me is moving at a snail's pace, and my eyes well up with tears. I turnedaround to see if I'm dreaming or if everyone else is seeing what I'm seeing. My father has his arm around my mother's waist as she clutches Andrew in her arms, and Rachel gives me a positive reaction as she points her camera in my direction.The room has fallen silent, and all eyes have turned to me. Jordan coughs a few times as I turn my head to face him."This journey with you has been thrilling since the very first time we met. We've got to share so many wonderful moments together, and I want to continue sharing them with you as my wife. You've been everything I could have wished for: a supportive and loving partner, a wonderful mother to our son, and an ambitious and stunning woman in your own right. I don't deserve you, Aliyah; I've never deserved you. But I've always adored and loved you, and I don't
a year laterIf you had asked me a year ago where I thought I'd be now, I'd have said curled up on the floor with Andrew having to play with a pile of toys. I might have even mentioned cleaning and cooking and doing other job that fell under my responsibilities as a baby sitter. Never in a million years did I imagine myself sitting on a stage with six other graduates, listening to my culinary mentor speak about how far we've come.More than that, I never imagined I'd have both. And understanding what awaits me after this celebration is almost as exciting as what I'm accomplishing today.Fortunately, I'm surrounded by friends who not only believedin my food, but also in me. Tanner and Ray have both been helpful in my development, and I would not be where I am today without them.As I look out at the crowd thathad gathered in our honor, I fidgetednervously. Rachel smiles and waves at me, and I reciprocate with a small wave. M
Do I cling to the past, or do I let go and move forward with the man who has my heart? My mind is in an emotional fog, and I'm at odds with myself. Jordan's kiss is tender, but I can tell he's reading my body language. He's waiting for me to take the initiative. The last first move as I realize our relationship has progressed to a new level.I recline on the bed and pull Jordan to me in an attempt to begin the healing process. No man has ever made me feel the way he makes me feel, and I believe him when he says he and Romina had nothing in common.The realization that he is Andrew's father is both shocking and relieving. It broke my heart to think I'd never see the boy I'd grown to adore again. Knowing I'll be able to keep my relationship with Andrew is only a bonus to Jordan's reasoning, whether he realizes it or not.My body is craving a primal but necessary release right now. I reach for Jordan's shirt and unbutton it slowly. I run my hands down the front of
My plan is in shambles, and I can't stand listening to Aliyah sob into the phone like this. She requires my assistance immediately. I'm not sure what made me think I'd be able to straighten things over the phone, but I was completely wrong, and I need to think up a new strategy because I need her as well.I walk over to the elevator and press the button for Aliyah's floor, with no specific plan other than to get to her.“Aliyah? Hello? Can you hear what I'm saying? ”She's no longer screaming and shouting at me, but I can hear her crying in the background, so I know she's still there. This isn't what I had in mind. Hearingher cry and listening the pain in her voice twists my heart like a knife. I can only imagine what she's going through if I'm in this much pain.Romina clearly lied to her about the specifics, but I hope Aliyah will allow me to clear the air and set a record straight.I charge out of the elevator and down the hall
The sound of his voice on the other end of the phone ends up taking my breath away, and the cloud nine I'm riding on falls to the ground. My emotions come into conflict, and I'm not sure which one is correct. Part of me is happy to hear a familiar voice on the phone, while another part recalls everything Romina revealed.I'm on the phone with both the first and last people I want to talk to, and I'm not sure what to say. If he hadn't been the source of my grief, he would've been the first person I'd called for comfort, but he is the source. He is the sole cause of this disaster, and he had the ability to stop it at any time, but he did not. Jordan made his bed, and now he must face the consequences of his actions. He does not merit my time or attention."How did you come up with this number?" And why are you bothering to call me? " I yell angrily.It's suddenly difficult to breathe, and every breath I take feels like a labored exercise as I force myself to confr
For the millionth time, I checked my phone, but Nathan had not responded. Despite the fact that my world was collapsing around me, I dragged myself to work every day, sitting through one boring meeting after another. Contracts and business transactions used to consume all of my waking hours, but now all I want to do is go out and find Aliyah. I can't even pretend to be interested in the proposals being put forward.Nate assured me that he would find her and that I should simply trust him and his abilities. He's never let me down before. I stare off into space, completely unaware that my name is being called and that everyone in my office is staring at me.""Wait, what?""We're still waiting from you to agree to terms and sign off on everything so we can keep moving forward," Joe says, waving a thick stack of papers at me. "Have you had a chance to review the documents? We were hoping to resolve this today.""As I sift through the massive stack of papers i