__________...~ ~ ~ O L I V I A ~ ~ ~."Monkey is not going to be happy that you left without meeting her," I told Harry as he wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off the ground and giving me a shake before putting me back down."I will come visit. I really need to go this time." He mumbled as he stepped back. "Give her all the gifts. I tell her I sent them, not that I was actually here. Thanks for having me.""No, thank you for spending time with me when your schedule is so packed." I smiled.He nodded and put his hand out to Jackson who took it. "It was good to see you, man."Jackson simply nodded, not saying anything. He was awfully quiet since lunch. And I think I know what this is about.I waved until the cab disappeared and turned to Jackson. "Jackson, it's all in the past." "I didn't say anything." He muttered before abruptly turning on his heel and stalking into the house.I rolled my eyes before following him. "So you are not pissed Harry was with me during the preg
____________...~ ~~ O L I V I A ~ ~ ~."Mommy!" Kelsey squealed as Jackson dipped into the water with her in his arms.I laughed at the scene, taking out my phone to capture the moment.Jackson looked over, the water droplets glistening on his tanned skin. "Want to join us?"I hesitated, feeling the warm sand between my toes. "I'll just watch for a bit," I said, trying to keep the sadness from my voice. The breeze picked up, carrying the scent of saltwater and sunscreen.Kelsey giggled as Jackson splashed water at her, her eyes lighting up with joy.I sat on the picnic blanket, watching them. The sun was setting, casting a soft glow across the beach.Jackson's eyes met mine, and I tried to smile again, the problem at the kindergarten getting to my head. I am pretty sure it was more of a grimace than a smile at that point.He waded out of the water, Kelsey still in his arms, and approached me. "Your turn," he said, extending a hand.I shook my head, my eyes wide. "I am not going i
__________...~ ~ ~ O L I V I A ~ ~ ~ . "What's wrong?" I asked as soon as she opened her front door. My best friend looked ready to kill someone. "Where's Kelse?" Her voice was hoarse as if she was either crying or yelling, but by the looks of it, I guessed it was the latter. "What's wrong?" I asked her again. Sarah grabbed my arm and pulled me into the apartment and closed the door when she realized that Kelsey was not with me. "Why didn't you bring her?" She asked as she walked back into the living room, dragging me with her. "I told you to bring her!" Her voice rose as she sat down, filling two glasses with whiskey. She held one up to me. "You want Monkey here when we are going to sit and have a drinking marathon?" I asked, raising a brow at the almost empty bottle. "I failed." She sighed. "I failed as a lawyer and I failed as a best friend." She said as she rubbed her face with her palms. I looked at her confused. "What are you talking about?" I asked as I sat down nex
_________...~ ~ ~ O L I V I A ~ ~ ~.I parked my car in the garage, and walked out to stare at the lights on in the living room through the window. Jackson had called me twice, but I didn't pick up. Should I have picked it up? I don't think so. It felt right now as though the more I talked to him, the more I was giving him opportunities to manipulate me again. I did a mental checklist of all he had done. One, he approached me and my family five years ago to take revenge on my mother by hurting me, a revenge that I could not understand to date. What did he gain? My mother did not even feel a tremor of the earthquake that shook my life forever. And he had succeeded in his revenge. In his own twisted way. Two, he did not let his dying mother not have a glimpse of her grandchild. Why? Because his ego was bigger than her dying wish. Three, he decided that it was time for a comeback when his interests got involved in this message. He did not care about me. He did not care about
__________ . . . ~ ~ ~ O L I V I A ~ ~ ~ . "ABOUT the wedding." I almost yelled at him. "Let's get married again." Jackson stared unblinkingly at me for a long moment. A very long moment. And what did he do after that? He snorted. Like I was a clown cracking a joke. I was THIS close to cracking his skull! Jackson held up his hands in surrender again, before stepping forward and pressing the back of his hand to my forehead and then my cheek. "You don't seem to be having a fever..." He murmured. He stepped even closer, his lips inches away from my face. He took a sniff. "Not drunk either..." I shoved his face away, harder than necessary. Actually, it was necessary. That was what he deserved. "Ouch!" He laughed, he actually laughed at me. "Aren't you going to look for any head injury?" I asked drily. "Should I?" He laughed. "Did you hit your head somewhere?" I will hit you in the head. He laughed. Shit, I had said that out loud, hadn'
_______ . . . ~ ~ ~ J A C K S O N ~ ~ ~ . I called William as soon as I reached my office. But the motherfucker didn't pick up until I rang three times. "You know," He spoke as soon as he picked up, without any greetings. "If I am not picking up your calls, it obviously means that I have no interest in talking to you so early in the morning and ruining my mood, Reign. Why the hell are you acting like a desperate girlfriend?" I rolled my eyes. "I have news." I told him, knowing how much this asshole loved gossips. "What? Olivia wants to divorce your ass?" He snickered like a retard making me wonder if he was drunk in the morning? Or had he not gotten his first cup of coffee yet? "Yeah, she wants the divorce." "What? Really?" I could hear the chair creak suddenly as he must have hopped off it. "What happened to 'I am going to get you better and ruin my own life in the process'?" He did an unflattering imitation of her which made me cringe. "Please never do that agai
_________...~ ~ ~ O L I V I A ~ ~ ~ ."Jackson left Monkey with you?" I asked as I stepped out of the elevator and walked to the exit of the company. "Yeah. He said he had some work to finish and that Kelse was missing Pickles." I sighed. I was missing Pickles too. "Maybe I will also come over, spend some time with Pickles." "What's left of the renovation anyway?" My Mom asked. "I thought most of it was already done before you three moved in." "We are pet-proofing the place and getting in a high fence. I don't want Pickles or Monkey to wander into the water unsupervised." I explained to her. "Well, you should have thought it all through before getting a beach house for your permanent residence!" She exclaimed. I rolled my eyes. "I remember you telling Jackson what a wonderful idea it was." "I wasn't thinking about the practical implications then. What do I know? I am a airhead socialite. How can you expect me to figure out what you corporate moguls haven't figured out?"
_________...~ ~ ~ O L I V I A ~ ~ ~ .The dude did not even let me see what he got for Kelsey.He went straight to the parking without any shopping bags. I wonder if he got her some jewelry that fit in his pocket or something. That would be stupid. She was four. She was not interested in jewelry. But he was stupid, wasn't he? And it was not like he was going to put in any real effort because... why would he? He wanted to pretend to be the good father so he was going to get something to make her happy, without putting any thought into whether she liked it or not. I rolled my eyes as I put the bouquet and the shopping bags in the backseat of my car after making sure that the idiot was nowhere in sight. I sighed. Should I get her something else? I knew she would love the toys. And she had been asking for more toys for Pickles. But still... What if she felt disappointed by what her Daddy got her? I slumped my head against the roof of my car. Well, I guess she would just
_________...~ ~ ~ O L I V I A ~ ~ ~ .The dude did not even let me see what he got for Kelsey.He went straight to the parking without any shopping bags. I wonder if he got her some jewelry that fit in his pocket or something. That would be stupid. She was four. She was not interested in jewelry. But he was stupid, wasn't he? And it was not like he was going to put in any real effort because... why would he? He wanted to pretend to be the good father so he was going to get something to make her happy, without putting any thought into whether she liked it or not. I rolled my eyes as I put the bouquet and the shopping bags in the backseat of my car after making sure that the idiot was nowhere in sight. I sighed. Should I get her something else? I knew she would love the toys. And she had been asking for more toys for Pickles. But still... What if she felt disappointed by what her Daddy got her? I slumped my head against the roof of my car. Well, I guess she would just
_________...~ ~ ~ O L I V I A ~ ~ ~ ."Jackson left Monkey with you?" I asked as I stepped out of the elevator and walked to the exit of the company. "Yeah. He said he had some work to finish and that Kelse was missing Pickles." I sighed. I was missing Pickles too. "Maybe I will also come over, spend some time with Pickles." "What's left of the renovation anyway?" My Mom asked. "I thought most of it was already done before you three moved in." "We are pet-proofing the place and getting in a high fence. I don't want Pickles or Monkey to wander into the water unsupervised." I explained to her. "Well, you should have thought it all through before getting a beach house for your permanent residence!" She exclaimed. I rolled my eyes. "I remember you telling Jackson what a wonderful idea it was." "I wasn't thinking about the practical implications then. What do I know? I am a airhead socialite. How can you expect me to figure out what you corporate moguls haven't figured out?"
_______ . . . ~ ~ ~ J A C K S O N ~ ~ ~ . I called William as soon as I reached my office. But the motherfucker didn't pick up until I rang three times. "You know," He spoke as soon as he picked up, without any greetings. "If I am not picking up your calls, it obviously means that I have no interest in talking to you so early in the morning and ruining my mood, Reign. Why the hell are you acting like a desperate girlfriend?" I rolled my eyes. "I have news." I told him, knowing how much this asshole loved gossips. "What? Olivia wants to divorce your ass?" He snickered like a retard making me wonder if he was drunk in the morning? Or had he not gotten his first cup of coffee yet? "Yeah, she wants the divorce." "What? Really?" I could hear the chair creak suddenly as he must have hopped off it. "What happened to 'I am going to get you better and ruin my own life in the process'?" He did an unflattering imitation of her which made me cringe. "Please never do that agai
__________ . . . ~ ~ ~ O L I V I A ~ ~ ~ . "ABOUT the wedding." I almost yelled at him. "Let's get married again." Jackson stared unblinkingly at me for a long moment. A very long moment. And what did he do after that? He snorted. Like I was a clown cracking a joke. I was THIS close to cracking his skull! Jackson held up his hands in surrender again, before stepping forward and pressing the back of his hand to my forehead and then my cheek. "You don't seem to be having a fever..." He murmured. He stepped even closer, his lips inches away from my face. He took a sniff. "Not drunk either..." I shoved his face away, harder than necessary. Actually, it was necessary. That was what he deserved. "Ouch!" He laughed, he actually laughed at me. "Aren't you going to look for any head injury?" I asked drily. "Should I?" He laughed. "Did you hit your head somewhere?" I will hit you in the head. He laughed. Shit, I had said that out loud, hadn'
_________...~ ~ ~ O L I V I A ~ ~ ~.I parked my car in the garage, and walked out to stare at the lights on in the living room through the window. Jackson had called me twice, but I didn't pick up. Should I have picked it up? I don't think so. It felt right now as though the more I talked to him, the more I was giving him opportunities to manipulate me again. I did a mental checklist of all he had done. One, he approached me and my family five years ago to take revenge on my mother by hurting me, a revenge that I could not understand to date. What did he gain? My mother did not even feel a tremor of the earthquake that shook my life forever. And he had succeeded in his revenge. In his own twisted way. Two, he did not let his dying mother not have a glimpse of her grandchild. Why? Because his ego was bigger than her dying wish. Three, he decided that it was time for a comeback when his interests got involved in this message. He did not care about me. He did not care about
__________...~ ~ ~ O L I V I A ~ ~ ~ . "What's wrong?" I asked as soon as she opened her front door. My best friend looked ready to kill someone. "Where's Kelse?" Her voice was hoarse as if she was either crying or yelling, but by the looks of it, I guessed it was the latter. "What's wrong?" I asked her again. Sarah grabbed my arm and pulled me into the apartment and closed the door when she realized that Kelsey was not with me. "Why didn't you bring her?" She asked as she walked back into the living room, dragging me with her. "I told you to bring her!" Her voice rose as she sat down, filling two glasses with whiskey. She held one up to me. "You want Monkey here when we are going to sit and have a drinking marathon?" I asked, raising a brow at the almost empty bottle. "I failed." She sighed. "I failed as a lawyer and I failed as a best friend." She said as she rubbed her face with her palms. I looked at her confused. "What are you talking about?" I asked as I sat down nex
____________...~ ~~ O L I V I A ~ ~ ~."Mommy!" Kelsey squealed as Jackson dipped into the water with her in his arms.I laughed at the scene, taking out my phone to capture the moment.Jackson looked over, the water droplets glistening on his tanned skin. "Want to join us?"I hesitated, feeling the warm sand between my toes. "I'll just watch for a bit," I said, trying to keep the sadness from my voice. The breeze picked up, carrying the scent of saltwater and sunscreen.Kelsey giggled as Jackson splashed water at her, her eyes lighting up with joy.I sat on the picnic blanket, watching them. The sun was setting, casting a soft glow across the beach.Jackson's eyes met mine, and I tried to smile again, the problem at the kindergarten getting to my head. I am pretty sure it was more of a grimace than a smile at that point.He waded out of the water, Kelsey still in his arms, and approached me. "Your turn," he said, extending a hand.I shook my head, my eyes wide. "I am not going i
__________...~ ~ ~ O L I V I A ~ ~ ~."Monkey is not going to be happy that you left without meeting her," I told Harry as he wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off the ground and giving me a shake before putting me back down."I will come visit. I really need to go this time." He mumbled as he stepped back. "Give her all the gifts. I tell her I sent them, not that I was actually here. Thanks for having me.""No, thank you for spending time with me when your schedule is so packed." I smiled.He nodded and put his hand out to Jackson who took it. "It was good to see you, man."Jackson simply nodded, not saying anything. He was awfully quiet since lunch. And I think I know what this is about.I waved until the cab disappeared and turned to Jackson. "Jackson, it's all in the past." "I didn't say anything." He muttered before abruptly turning on his heel and stalking into the house.I rolled my eyes before following him. "So you are not pissed Harry was with me during the preg
_____________...~ ~ ~ J A C K S O N ~ ~ ~ .Stress. I guess when God made me, he accidentally poured a whole tanker of stress into my life. I rubbed the back of my neck as I stared at the message from my asshole best friend. WILLIAM HARVEY: It's taking longer than I thought. Both of the works. I swore as I threw the paperweight across the room. I wiped the sweat off my forehead. "LILIANA!" I yelled. "LILIANA, GET IN HERE!" My middle-aged PA hurried in, looking wide-eyed at the shattered paperweight on the floor. "Why isn't the air conditioner working?" I spat at her. She looked at me weirdly. "WHAT?" "I will get it checked right away, Sir." She said. "And get one of those paperweights." I waved dismissively at the wet mess on my floor. It was a gift from Olivia when we were first engaged. I didn't know if she had noticed it the last time she had visited, but if she did she would make some other pathetic assumption about the whole situation. "Of course, Sir." She pick