All Chapters of Pretend to be mine : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

It was a Saturday morning. Lucia say down in front of the balcony letting her hands run through her hair. “He misses you, and he’s not doing good,” she heard a voice say behind her.She turned around and saw Diana standing a few feet away from her. She smiled and held out her hand for Diana to sit next to her.“What are you doing here? Should you even be here?” she asked as she kissed Diana on the cheek.“I’m fine. Martins drove. He's in the car , talking to his boss. I don’t want to talk about me. How are you doing?”“I’m okay,” she said as I looked into her phone.“No, you’re not. I know you, Lucia, and you miss him just as much as he misses you.”“I’m so mad at him, Diana. How could he do that to me? How many times do I have to tell him not to keep things from me before it sinks into that thick head of his?”Diana smiled at her and then looked at her. “Sometimes, we don’t always make the right decisions under pressure and stress. Need I remind you of a few times you didn’t make

It was Asher's first birthday and party. Lucia and had spent the last two months planning for his birthday. Lucia worked from home and occasionally went into the office. Caterers had been in and out of the house all day, preparing for Ashers party. He had just started walking and took his first steps. His first word was “dada” and Lucia was not happy with that. All around the house were balloons that were hanging everywhere, Avon walked up to Asher's room, where Lucia was getting him ready for the party. The minute he saw Avon, he said, “Dada” and smiled. As soon as Lucia put on his dress on him, Asher walked over to Avon and hugged his legs. “Can you keep an eye on him while I go and get ready?” Lucia asked. “Of course I can,” Avon said as he picked up Asher. Avon took him out of the room and went downstairs. He smiled and pointed when he saw the balloons. “Those are for you,” he said as he kissed his cheek. Asher looked at Avon and then screamed to hold one. Avon

Avon walked into the living room, where Lucia was sitting on the couch, reading a book. Asher was playing with his toys on the floor, and Lucia’s belly was noticeably rounded with their unborn baby. “Hey beautiful,” Avon said, giving Lucia a kiss on the cheek. “ I need to talk to you about something.” Lucia looked up from her book curious. “What is it?” Avon sat beside her. “I’ve been invited to attend a medical conference in Chicago with some other doctors, including Dr. Kim. It’s a great opportunity, but you have to be careful. You’ll be traveling with other doctors, but you still need to watch other for yourself. Avon smiled, reassuring her. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I’ll be with a group of doctors, and we’ll be staying at a hotel in the city. I’ll be perfectly safe.” Lucia nodded, seeming to relax a bit. “ okay just promise me you’ll be careful .” Avon promised, then turned the conversation to Lucia. “How are you feeling ? Will you be okay taking care of Asher and …?” He g

The New Year’s Day sun streamed into Lucia’s cozy living room, painting golden stripes across the floor. Avon, Lucia’s husband, was already up, his hands busy making pancakes. The kitchen buzzed with happy chaos. Six children – two of Lucia’s and four of her sister Susan’s and Carolyn’s – tumbled over each other, giggling. Their shrieks of laughter mingled with the sizzle of the pancakes and the clinking of mugs. Eight year Lily, Susan’s eldest, was carefully arranging tiny plastic reindeer on the windowsill. Her younger brother, six-year-old Tom, was attempting, with limited success, to build a tower out of pancake batter. Baby Ellie , was gurgling contentedly, clutching a bright red ball. Across the room, Carolyn’s children, ten-year-old Chloe, seven-year-old Ben, and Asher were engaged in a boisterous game of hide-and-seek. Susan herself bustled into the kitchen, her cheeks flushed with the cold morning air. Behind her trailed her husband,carrying a large,decorated cake. Carolyn

Few years later….. Asher, now a handsome and confident 18-years- old, stood tall at 6’1” with broad shoulders, chiseled features and a bright, charming smile. His once-messy brown hair was now styled neatly, framing his bright blue eyes that sparkled. He stood by the door way with a suitcase in his hand. Lucia couldn't help but feel a lump form in her throat as she looked at her son. How had time flown by so quickly? It seemed like just yesterday she was changing his diapers and singing him lullabies. Avon put a reassuring arm around her shoulders. “Hey, its okay,” he whispered. “He's going to do great things. We're so proud of him.” Lucia nodded, trying to hold back tears. “I know, I just can't believe he's leaving us already.” Asher smiled, his eyes shining with excitement. “I'll be back, mom. I promise. And I'll stay in touch.” Ellie, who had been quietly observing the scene, suddenly piped up. “I'm going to miss you, Asher! Who's going to play with me now?” Asher chu