Chapter 5 - Tears

Chapter 5 – Tears

Allister Cross

POV

The week has gotten away from me, at least my daughter’s mother is back in the states and able to fetch our daughter from school, I’ve been busy all day, I’ve had meeting after meeting, finally getting home around twelve the night.

But my night didn’t end there, I had a video call with our Paris branch in ten minutes. So, I’m going to take a quick shower before the meeting.

Getting dressed for bed yet walking to my office. I walk into my office I take a look around the room, it was right next to my bedroom, when this house was built I had it connected to my bedroom, but after going and forth with the architect he told me to separate it because my wife wouldn’t like it, playing the good husband I let him have his way.

I had a minute to connect my laptop to the call, so I didn’t waste any more time.

My meeting took two hours after it was done, I went to bed.

I didn’t even get that much sleep, because I was woken up by an early phone call, when I check the caller ID, I ignored it. my mother should be asleep, it’s three thirty in the morning. What the hell was she doing up and calling me at that.

Well, if you grew up in the Cross home, you’ll know that was a bad idea. My mother wasn’t one to be ignored.

Around five in the morning I was up and getting ready for work.

I take a quick shower and get into a navy suit, a white shirt and navy tie.

When I walk back into my bedroom fixing my watch my mother is sitting on my bed.

I frown stopping dead in my tracks. “What are you doing here mom?” I ask her.

My mother glares at me, as always, she’s dressed to impress, her blonde hair in a sleek pony take, not a hair out of place, her green eyes look as though she could kill me at any second. I’ve been busy all week, there’s no way I could have upset her.

“What is it mom?” I ask her.

My mother stands smoothing her dress. “Have you seen the news, what were you thinking Allister?” she asks.

I look at my mother confused. “Mom, I have no idea what you’re talking about, I haven’t seen the news either…” I tell her honestly.

Taking my phone from the nightstand. I do a quick g****e search, it hits me like a ton of breaks. There are pictures of Larce and I, I have no idea why they’re making such a big deal out of it, all we did was talk that night, we danced a couple of times as friends. We didn’t do anything else.

I run my fingers through my hair and looked at my mother. “What is all of this? All we did was talk it’s not like we fucked in front of the world…” I tell her.

My mother glares at me. “Oh, so should I tell my granddaughter her father isn’t fucking his ex-girlfriend no they’re cheating on an emotional level…”

I bite back a response. “Mom it’s too early for this. I don’t have time for whatever this is… I don’t feel that way about Larce anymore. we were just catching up. She’s getting married in June next year, nothing happened, and nothing will ever happen.” I tell her honestly.

Larce was happy with the man she’s with now, and I don’t feel the way I did about her back then anymore.

“If that’s true then fix this. Imagine how Tony must have felt when she saw this yesterday. She returned and bombarded by the press as soon as she got out of the airport.” My mother goes on, but I focus on searching Antonella’s name.

She did get bombarded by the press. She didn’t look upset though, if anything she looked happy. How did she manage to lose more weight?

"Mom please calm down, I’ll talk to Antonella tonight…” I tell my mom.

"You live in the same house talk to her now." my mother demands.

"I have to leave for work right now. I don’t have time to do it now. I need to get to work…” I tell her.

My mother doesn’t take it the way I hoped she would. But before she could say anything Aaliyah rushes into the room.

“Grandma…” she hugs my mother’s legs.

My mother bends down to her and for the first time my mother’s eyes soften, she hugs my daughter and talks to her sweetly.

I run my fingers through my hair.

“Leah where’s your mother?” my mother asks.

“Mommy’s still sleeping. Mommy doesn’t feel well, uncle Dean is going to take me to school…” she beams.

My mother eyes me over my daughter’s head.

I sigh making my way out of my bedroom and to my wife’s bedroom on the other side of the house.

I push her door open. She wasn’t sleeping, she was sitting up on the bed, on the phone. But she did look a little pale.

She looks at me holding a finger up for me to wait.

“I’d appreciate it Erin, you have no idea how much your help means to me. If you don’t have time, I could fly out to Miami to meet with you…”

She pauses. “I don’t mind I’d love to meet her…”

“Okay, thank you again…” she hangs up.

“Is everything okay?” she asks me.

I lean against her bedroom wall, I take in the room, the walls are a light shade of pink, her room is decorated as a girl’s room, her bedding is shades of pink and cream. The pictures on her wall are of her, her cousin Louisa and her family, her friend Dean, and our daughter. None of her.

“I came to inform you about my trip to Miami next week and speak about the media…” I tell her.

She nods. I’ve never seen her look more unbothered than she does now. “I’m fine. and I know there’s nothing going on between you and Larce. Though if there was it’s none of my business…” she says.

I glare at her.

“I’ll be in Miami for work as well, we could take Aaliyah with us or have your parents look after her while we’re away…” she suggests.

I nod, “I can ask my parents, since we’re going to be busy it’s best to have them watch her. You don’t want to ask your parents.” Now that I think about it, she never has Aaliyah visit her own parents. Aaliyah is either left with my parents or your friend Dean.

She shakes her head. “That’s the last thing you want is to have our daughter near my parents. You don’t have to pretend to consider my feelings…” she bites back.

I don’t even know why I tried to speak to this woman. I shake my head and walk out of the room.

===================

Antonella Ricci-Cross.

POV

I close my eyes as Allister leaves the room. I hated how he looked concerned for me. I didn’t want him to make any considerations for me. I hate that I won’t be able to protect my daughter from my family once I’m gone. I just pray Allister keeps her away from the toxic family...

I get up off my bed, I quickly make my bed and take a quick shower.

I make my way downstairs. I didn’t want to eat but I knew I’ll feel terrible if I didn’t.

I make a quick sandwich that wouldn’t give me heartburn or burn the living hell out of my stomach.

When Aaliyah and her grandmother come down the stairs I’m surprised.

I greet my mother-in-law and my daughter.

"How are you feeling dear?" she asks.

I swallow and give her a friendly smile. “I’m fine thank you; I think I ate something bad last night; I think I got a stomach bug…” I lie like I always do.

I’ve gotten so used to that excuse, it doesn’t even feel like an excuse anymore, I’m starting to believe my own lie.

“Do you want me to drop Leah at school?” she asks.

I shake my head. “It’s okay, my friend Dean will get her on his way to work…” I look at my daughter. “Are you ready bun Uncle Dean will be here soon to pick you up…” I remind her.

She nods happily. “Can I have caption crunch please?” she asks.

I nod and start with her cereal. I busy myself so I don’t have to talk to my mother-in-law. Allister and I have been married for almost a decade and I’m still not comfortable around his family.

“Have you seen the media reports?” she asks.

I pause and turn to her. I wonder where she’s going with this. Is she trying to dangle Larce in my face or is she trying to be nice?

I nod turning away from her.

“I spoke to Allister, he said nothing is going on between the two of them, they just caught up, Larce is engaged to be wed, she invited the two of you to her wedding…”

I don’t say anything.