Martina POV
The silence that enveloped us after Briana left was deafening.
Marcus and I looked at each other.
“I am sorry,” I said, full of remorse.
The siblings should not be arguing because of me. Now, their relationship was strained.
Briana and Marcus used to be thick as thieves. I saw their bond grow for years.
“Go and talk to your sister. Don’t let this misunderstanding create a gap in your relationship.” I told him, feeling a constriction in my chest.
While I was happy that Marcus defended me and took my side, I did not want to complicate his relationship with his sister or any of his other siblings.
Their bond was admirable, especially when they found Briana. Her presence completed them.
Moreover, Briana loves him and is only looking out for him.
What he said must have hurt her, too.
“You love Briana. She is your clo
Martina POVWhat he said had me worried.I was in a hospital, and judging from my surroundings, I was in an expensive suite.Alarm gripped me in worry.I can’t afford to pay the exorbitant fees here. If truth be told, I cannot be hospitalized.Hospital expenses would mean I will be buried deep in debt, and I can’t have that. I would rather save the money I will spend here for the children’s needs and expenses.“What are you doing?” Marcus asked, askance when I started pulling on the IV drip attached to my wrists.
Martina POVOh my god!I was hyperventilating. The intensity in his gaze was too much.And his words.Was Marcus telling me something important here?What did I miss?My lips pursed, and my eyes felt pinpricks of pain.I shook my head.“I don’t deserve it, Marcus. I betrayed you and hurt you. You should be angry. You shouldn’t treat me kindly.”“Martina, listen. You already told me the real reason you left. That was enough explanation for me. From now on, I want us to leave the past behind and to start anew.”“But…but…” I stuttered. My chest constricted. My breathing became labored as I tried to assimilate what he meant.“Are you saying….” My voice trailed off.I was so afraid to voice out what was in my head.Shivers run down my spine at the inte
Martina POVThe door to the room burst open, and a team of doctors and nurses barged in on us. “What is wrong with the patient?” The head doctor asked, noting the way Marcus smothered me. Marcus pulled away and cleared his throat. “Doctor, when can we leave the hospital?” He asked with excitement that he could not contain and laced his voice. The doctor frowned. “Mrs. Ford still has two rounds of IV therapy. I thought I already explained she had to be admitted overnight.” I was surprised by the address. I never used Marcus’ last name before, and being addressed with it now feels surreal. It speaks of a permanency that I hadn’t thought about us. While I looked surprised, a quick look in Marcus’ direction told me how he was conflicted by the doctor’s verdict. I had to butt in. I was sure he was excited to meet our children. “I feel fine, doctor. Can we leave now and then come back tomorrow?” I asked and squeezed Marcus’s hand to tell him I got him on this. He squeezed back
Marcus POVI squeezed my eyes shut.“I should have listened to my instinct and not filed the divorce papers,” I said.My voice was full of regret. It caught Martina’s attention as she eyed me curiously.She tapped my hand, prompting me to cage her hand between mine.“I don’t blame you. I asked for it. I was the one who initiated the divorce, not you. Don’t think that I feel bad because you finished what I started.”Now, Martina was the one sounding remorseful.I
Marcus POVI grimaced when Martrina mentioned that part of the city where the poor live.I am not looking down on those people, but what pains me is knowing my children are living under those conditions.Their father is a billionaire, and Martina came from a wealthy family in Redwood but was forced to live in an impoverished community because of desperation.“I wanted to blame myself. I should have scoured the earth to find you, but what did I do? I moped and turned to drinking.”I sighed when the traffic lights turned red, and Martina tapped my hand.
Marcus POVThe twins looked curiously at me. But it was a quick look because they turned their attention back to their mother.When Martina got their attention, I saw her swallow to clear the lump in her throat before speaking, forcing a cheery note into her voice.At the same time, she addressed the two, looking enraptured by her voice and face.Their eyes were glued on their mother like she was the world to them. Their grins covered their chubby cheeks.They were plump and pink and smooth. I itched to touch them with my fingers.Then, Martina’s voice distracted
Marcus POVI pressed my face to their downy heads, closing my eyes as I inhaled their baby scent. The sweet feel of them in my arms was incomparable to anything I ever had in my entire life. It was wonderful. It was intoxicatingly sweet and powerful!I don’t feel like relinquishing my hold on them for a while. While I enjoyed cuddling my twins in my arms, I felt a light tap on my shoulder and opened my eyes to see Martina. Her tender expression was one I did not see all the time, and I basked in it. It was a rare kind of high. “Your muscles are going to be sore after some time. The kids, if you noticed, are not lightweight. Let us put them on the bed first, and then we will talk.” She informed me. Talk?My brows furrowed in confusion. What is there to talk about? I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket but ignored it. I don’t want to release my hold on the children yet. There was this yearning inside me like I could not get enough of them even when they were nestled in my arms
Martina POV“Are you sure you wanted us to live with you?” I asked Marcus.“Of course. It’s a non-negotiable for me, Martina. We will live as a family, which we should have done years ago. We shouldn’t have gotten a divorce.”“But what about Briana? Is she still mad at you?”Marcus sighed.“Briana will come around. Don’t let her become a problem for us. We lost years apart, and I don’t want to add to the number of days we weren’t together. I wanted to live together - you, me, Marky, and Macy.”