Diamond’s POV I didn’t want to stress what could have been perceived as normal.Aaron could have been a family friend after all. Besides, he was just looking at one framed picture.And in the spirit of not stressing things more than they should be, I went back to the kitchen to make his coffee the way I knew he preferred it.Two spoons of sugar and condensed milk.For a doctor, he took a lot of sugar.I held the steaming hot coffee in my hand as I walked back to the living room.Thankfully, he had dropped the framed picture now. He was staring at something else.I walked further into the room and Lennox turned to look at me.“Why isn’t Karl in any of these pictures?”I didn’t understand the question until I looked down at what he was holding and I was met with the sight of my worst nightmare.Lennox had moved on from looking at the framed picture to the photo album I had made of the boys.It contained pictures of the day I gave birth to the boys as well as other memorie
Diamond’s POV I was surprised to see Karl.We had spoken to him earlier in the morning and last I checked the time it was mid afternoon already. I was sure he was in Texas when we had the phone call with the boys. Although the journey from Texas to New York wasn’t a long one, especially if you were using a flight.Either ways, I wasn’t expecting him anytime soon.He didn’t mention that he would be back in New York.Or was it an attempt at a surprise?The situation he found me in didn’t look so good though.I was in a heated conversation with Lennox when he walked in.The expression on his face showed that he disliked everything about the situation.“We were just talking. I’ll excuse myself,” Lennox said and left the room.Karl frowned and walked towards me.“I didn’t know you were coming back today? You didn’t say anything over the phone.”“I missed the boys and I missed you. I wanted to see you guys, so I caught the next flight to New York”, the frown never left his
Diamond’s POV I was surprised to see Karl. We had spoken to him earlier in the morning and last I checked the time it was mid afternoon already. I was sure he was in Texas when we had the phone call with the boys. Although the journey from Texas to New York wasn’t a long one, especially if you were using a flight. Either ways, I wasn’t expecting him anytime soon. He didn’t mention that he would be back in New York. Or was it an attempt at a surprise? The situation he found me in didn’t look so good though. I was in a heated conversation with Lennox when he walked in. The expression on his face showed that he disliked everything about the situation. “We were just talking. I’ll excuse myself,” Lennox said and left the room. Karl frowned and walked towards me. “I didn’t know you were coming back today? You didn’t say anything over the phone.” “I missed the boys and I missed you. I wanted to see you guys, so I caught the next flight to New York”, the frown never
Diamond’s POV Rebecca stepped out of the car. She was wearing her hair in a bun different from the normal waves she usually carried outside the hospital.She was wearing a long red sundress with wedges too. She rarely wore dresses, long ones at that. If she wasn’t in her scrub then it was a jean or fitted skirt.She walked towards us with a black bag in hand.“Surprise!!”, she grinned.“How are you here?”, I asked utterly shocked.“Let’s save that talk for later girl,” she smirked then tilted her head to look at Lennox who was standing beside me.Well her outfit had changed but not her persona. I smiled and introduced her to Lennox.“Rebecca this is Lennox. Lennox this is Rebecca.”Rebecca rolled her eyes.“You didn’t have to go both ways you know. And you forgot our little friend here.”She looked down at Natalia who was holding unto Lennox’s hand.She bent slightly and patted her head.“What’s your name darling?”“My name is Natalia Winthrop.”She smiled at Natalia
Diamond’s POV Rebecca was too stunned to speak.She just kept staring at me in awe.I smiled knowingly and took the knife from her hand. I got a plate to cover the vegetables she had chopped. I reduced the heat of the cooker then I led Rebecca to the living room.I was going to tell her everything and we needed to sit because it was going to be a long story.I didn’t even know where to start from I didn’t know how much details to give regarding certain parts of the story.Aaron.I didn’t know whether to speak about him.Taking in a deep breathe, I decided to tell the story as it came to me.“We need to be seated for what I’m about to tell you Rebecca. But I need to make sure you’re following okay?”She nodded.“Lay it on me.”I leaned back in the couch.“Well, four years ago I used to stay in New York. I basically grew up here. My family owns a hospital here. The Caddell hospital. So I was once called Diamond Caddell. I used to be a kiss ass. To my family, hell I becam
Karl’s POV Seeing Lennox and Diamond together made memories from my past flood into my head.The feeling I got when I would see them together where being reiterated.I was furious.It felt like she was slipping away from my hands again.I had gone to Texas for a few days and Lennox thought he could have his way?It took everything in me to not go into the room and punch him in the face.From the look of things it seemed they were having an argument.But I wasn’t bothered by that, they should be having arguments.They should be fighting.Not being together in the same damn room.I was as angry at Diamond as I was at myself for letting him get this close to her.When the kids had told me about their playdate, I felt a huge rush of adrenaline to every part of my body.Was it fear?I knew I couldn’t let them be together alone while the kids had their playdate.Besides Lennox was probably using his kid to get back into Diamond’s life.Maybe she was too innocent to see it b
Diamond’s POV In the next few hours, I would be having dinner with my parents.I had mixed feelings about the whole situation.It had been four years since I last saw them. A part of me missed them and wished they missed me too.Of course they had hurt me in the past, but I was ready to put that behind me.The kids where spending the day with Rebecca so that gave me enough time to prepare.Karl had left the house before I got up too.I was confused on what to wear. It seemed I hadn’t really changed.I still cared about what they would think of me.‘The new Diamond’, that’s who they would be expecting.So I threw on a simply dress and tied my hair in a bun.I was done sucking up to them, or trying to impress them. I dressed up how I would have on any other day.I left the house and I got into my car.I drove to their house.My heart beat accelerated as I got closer.I arrived at the house. I sat in the car for a full 20 minutes just staring at the house.I remembered
Lennox’s POV My thoughts were garbled.I kept thinking about what had happened during the playdate.It was a Sunday morning, and as usual I sat close to the window in my room watching the rain pour.Bonus points for it being a rainy day.The weather was just right.Humid and cold. I let the cool wind blow into my face as I stared out the window.Lately I had spent my Sundays studying.The textbook the professor had given us to read was just a bunch of repeated information. But I was well aware of those sort of text books. They had hunted me back in medical school.You think it’s repeated crap and you toss it aside to focus on more ‘complex’ materials. And then you receive a question filled with that repeated crap. You think it’s easy but no, you are asked to explain it exactly how it was stated in the textbook.And the lecturer says he is not a fool for saying you should study that material.So I forced myself to read the repeated crap. But on this gloomy day, I could
Diamond2 years later…I looked around happy with the table arrangement. Lennox would sit beside me of course, the kids and then Karl and Rebecca beside each other. The oven dinged and I went over to check the chicken. Rebecca loves her chicken golden brown and properly crisped, so I left it in for a few more minutes.Rebecca and Karl were coming over for dinner and final preparations for their wedding tomorrow. She had always wanted to go on her honeymoon the night of her wedding, so I won’t get to see her for a while after tomorrow. That only reiterated the need for this dinner. Lennox and I would be hosting them, alongside the kids. We were happily married now and might I say, this two years have been the best of my life. A lot had happened within the span of two years. My parents and I were finally on good terms although we don’t speak frequently because that can’t just change after so many years. I had gotten a permanent job at the hospital. After the incident with Tim, he an
Diamond My hands were trembling as I made my way to Lennox’s room. Karl was behind me and I could sense that he was equally as anxious as I was. Rebecca had gone to inform Lennox’s parents about his condition. I slowly knocked on the door before letting myself in. I turned to see that Karl wasn’t following me in. He nodded and closed the door behind me. Lennox was staring at me intensely as I walked across the room to the bed. “Hey”, I said as I sat beside him. “Hi”, his smile was wide and genuine. He took my hand in his and brought them up to his lips, placing a small kiss on my knuckles. “I was so scared…”, I began as tears filled my eyes, “I’m sorry”, I said cleaning the tears off my eyes. “What are you sorry for, you didn’t do anything” “Exactly, I didn’t do anything. I couldn’t do anything, I…I thought I was going to lose you. I couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing you again, of not having you in my life.” “Diamond…”, he squeezed my hands gently and looked into my
Karl I paced around the hospital hallway after my discussion with the doctor. He had spoken to Diamond first since I was nowhere to be found. After making sure Hayden was alright, I left the hospital to go search for Agatha and Lennox since they both had mysteriously disappeared. Rebecca had to stay with Diamond and the kids for emotional support. But during my vague search, I saw on the news that Lennox had been shot by an ex-convict. I had never been more sacred in my life. I began panicking and stumbled over anything and everything in my way, but I didn’t bother to pick them up. I had been to the bar I met Lennox in. At that point I just searched everywhere Lennox would normally be that I was aware of. The bartender and a few drunk men yelled at me as I exited the bar but I payed no attention to them. I immediately ran to my car, fondling with my keys, before I finally opened it. I hopped in and sped off quickly in the direction of the hospital. A lot of things went through my
DiamondHayden was awake and could finally have visitors. He’d have to stay in the hospital for a few days before he could be discharged. The doctors had to monitor his progress and recovery. “Put that down”, I ordered Braden who was accessing some of the equipment on a tray“I know you’re curious, I was too at your age, but these are sharp objects and not something you play with”, he pouted and stepped away from the tray, “I’ll get a nurse to take the tray out”Jayden was sitting beside Hayden on the bed, he had not left that position since we came in to see Hayden. I hated having to put them through this, it was my mess, they didn’t have to suffer for it too.I left the room to get a nurse to come clear the tray.I was about entering the room when I turned to see Rebecca running to me. She got to where I was standing, breathing heavily.“What’s wrong, Rebecca? Why are you running?”She was still panting heavily but managed to get her words out.“Le...Lennox, he was rushed to the ho
LennoxI had never felt more scared in my life. My heartbeat elevated as we ran into the hospital. I tried to collect my thoughts. I felt so guilty. I never should have let Natalia out of my sight. If anything happened to her it would be my fault and I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.We rushed to the security office. Rebecca was there, in a heated argument with one of the security guards.“What’s going on?”, I asked as we neared them.Rebecca turned to me and said the man wouldn’t allow her see the security footages. I mentally smacked myself in the head, why didn’t I think of this first before running to the police station.Agatha walked passed me and began threatening the guard who seemed unfazed by her words.We had to get permission from the board in other to view the footages but there was no time for that. So I stepped forward willing to plead with the guard. To my surprise he recognized me, and his tone changed to one of respect.“Dr. Winthrop, are you with t
AgathaI wasn’t sure I had heard right.“What did you say?”, I asked, anger and disgust clear in my tone.Diamond stood her ground looking as confident as ever.“You heard me…”“Diamond”, Lennox called and my eyes immediately flew to him.I couldn’t believe it. Lennox was the father of these bastards?How is it even possible?They are probably a year younger than Natalia. So when did it even happen?Where they still seeing each other behind my back?So many questions swirled in my head. I assumed a variety of conclusions.But deep down there was one final conclusion which I didn’t want to accept. And it seemed like the most reasonable…She had gotten pregnant before their divorce.That would mean he didn’t cheat on me or betray me.I turned to look at the two boys with identical faces. I had never seen it before, mainly because I never bothered to observe them, but there was a resemblance to the Winthrops…to Lennox.I shook my head in disbelief.Turning away from the b
DiamondWe were in the waiting room, expecting the feedback from the doctors in the OR.Everywhere was tense. The boys clung to me tightly.Rebecca had gone to get coffee, even though it was pretty late for that.She came into the room with a plastic cup of coffee at hand. She had asked if I wanted some but I declined.She gulped down the entire cup before assuming her position of resting on the wall again. Even when there were many available seats.Lennox was also in the room, although I didn’t dare look at him.Our conversation earlier was pretty heated. And it ended with me leaving the rooftop in tears. I didn’t even know when he entered the room since I was lost in my head.It hurt so much because everything he said was true. I hadn’t really thought about it then. But I could see now that what I did was wrong, not only to Lennox but to my boys too.Could you really blame me though?I was humiliated and I had no one. And my boys deserved the best. They still do.The door
Lennox‘His father’s blood is a match’The words kept replaying in my head. I didn’t understand.Why would the doctor call me Hayden’s father?Maybe he made a mistake.“What are you saying Doc?”, I asked.“Well you know how we are incorporating new technology into every field in this hospital. So we used the STRs for a more accurate and faster result”The STRs…It is a specific genetic marker.That method would not just check the compatibility of the blood group but also genetic similarities.No I couldn’t believe it. I shook my head turning away from the doctor.“Here are the results”, he said for more confirmation.I slowly took them from his hands, eager yet scared to see what it was.I unfolded the paper.Positive…Match…Applicable…He was right. The Doc was right.So many thoughts swirled through my head. I didn’t even know where to start.“You can come in for the transfusion whenever you’re ready”, he said, bringing me back to reality.He turned away from me
Diamond I blinked a million times. Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me. I couldn’t believe that was Hayden on the floor. Rebecca shook me yelling my name before I finally snapped out of it.The realization dawned on me.I quickly ran to Hayden who was lying unconscious. The boys began to cry tugging on Hayden. He was bleeding from his head. I looked up at Natalia, her expression had gone from angry to frightened.I turned to her sharply and yelled.“Why did you do this? Why did you push him?”, I was so furious now I couldn’t think straight.“What the hell is wrong with you?”“I don’t…I” she stammered, and her eyes widened in shock when she saw the blood flowing from Hayden’s head.The boys kept crying now and fought the tears that threatened to fall.I hurriedly carried Hayden in my hands and Rebecca ran to get the keys to the car.No communication was needed.I rushed to the car and placed an unconscious Hayden in the back seat and I hopped in sitting beside him