Classic Novel
Home calling
Chapter 21 Home Calling
DESIRE KING’S DINNER PARTY, LOS ANGELES.
Darby squared her shoulders and she held up a wide smile to Leo’s shock. He had thought she would give off an hurtful reaction but instead she seemed hard to read. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr Robin.” Darby said, nodding at him. She wanted to escape the awkward meeting by any means.
Chloe nudged Leo on the side to respond as he looked lost in thought. “Oh, sorry, Miss Darby. Nice to meet you too.”
“Please excuse me you two. I need to get to the restroom really quick.” Darby said excusing herself.
It took her a long while to get the restroom. Her breath was stuck in her throat when she got to the restroom. She couldn’t understand why she feels affected by the thought of Leo getting married. Staring at her colored face in the mirror, Darby turned on the faucet and splashed water on her face. Anger and disgust surged through her again at the thought of him approaching her like he missed her. She felt sick to the stomach that he came to her because of her son.
“That bloody bastard!” She screamed, causing the person who stepped out of the toilet to glance at her in worry.
Taking a deep breath, Darby calmed herself down. She had gotten swayed by his breathtaking look for a moment and her treacherous heart fluttered because of him.
“Get a grip on yourself, Darby. You both are strangers to each other. Act neutral.” Darby cajoled herself.
Rounding up her business in there, she stepped out to returning to the party. She had missed Desire’s entry. Making her way towards the celebrant and wife while trying her best to avoid Leo’s unrepentant eyes trailing her every move.
“Hello, Desire. Happy birthday, sir.” Darby waved at them.
“Hello there, my darling.” Desire stood up to hug her. “It’s so nice to have you here. I didn’t think you will make it considering your busy schedule.”
“Thanks for coming, miss.” Her husband smiled back before turning his attention to others who wanted to congratulate him.
“I just had to come around. You are my golden client, there is no way I would turn down your invite.” Darby said.
Desire blushed, waving her off. “Thank you so much, you are too kind.”
“I don’t think I will be able to stay for long. I need to get back home and get some good sleep in for tomorrow’s work. I just had to show up no matter what.”
“And I feel very special for that. Thank you. See you some other time.” Both ladies exchanged kisses and went separate ways.RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only
Darby kept fuming in the car cause she had missed a chance at eating all of the delicacies because of Leo. She felt a bit guilty towards Chloe. To keep Chloe happy, it would be best to hide the fact about Sinclair from any of them. She already considered Leo to be dead to her five years ago and it has to remain that way for the sanity of everyone.
Her phone rang jolting her out of her thoughts. It was Zac, a small smile appeared on her face as she picked up.
‘Do you always have plenty of free time now that I am away?’ She teased.
Zac coughed lightly on the other line. ‘Can’t I check up on you without getting grilled?’
A snort escaped her lips. ‘It’s just like you to keep calling every second. How are you today?’
‘I’m good, thank you. But you don’t sound like you are. Is everything okay?”‘
Darby wasn’t sure of which news to give to Zac, the both of them have become so close that they do not hide things from themselves anymore. Clearing her throat, she sat up turning her face to the window to get a glimpse of LA’s busy streets.
‘I met Leo.’ She said biting on her lips.
‘Sinclair’s sperm donor?’ He asked sounding quite spiteful.
Darby giggled. ‘It sounds really odd when you call him that. Anyways, I met him and he is soon to be married.’
Zac apparently did a victorious punching of the air. ‘That’s good news. You won’t have to worry about him then.’
‘He has seen Sinclair and claims the boy is his. I had to lie that his father is in San Francisco and…that should be you.’
When he stayed quiet, Darby was beginning to regret her action. “I am sorry, Zac. It was just the spur of the moment, I needed him to back off and not bother me about it again.’ She explained.
He laughed into the receiver. ‘You don’t have to be sorry, Darby. As long as it gets him off your track and puts your mind at rest. I am very fine with being Sinclair’s father, any reasonable man will love to father such a loving child. But how did you find out he was engaged?’
Darby felt tired remembering the exchange that had happened a while back. ‘His to be bride is Desire’s cousin and my new client and I am making her wedding dress.’
‘Do you think that would be a problem?’ He asked.
She stayed quiet for a brief second, unsure on how to answer the question. ‘I don’t know if it would yet, Zac. I am sure he got the warning I rang in his ears clearly. He wouldn’t do anything stupid. It’s not like we dated or something in the past…’ Her voice was beginning to break. ‘You know what, Zac. Let’s talk later.’
She hung up, biting hard on her lips when the hot tears rolled down her eyes. For some reason she questions herself over how things turned out for her. Chloe seems so happy with Leo, no one would think he was the same person who had called her a slut and had rendered her homeless. She still remembered him referring to her as a gold digger indirectly. Her dignity was dragged through the mud and she was ridiculed.
Wiping the tears off her face, Darby swallowed hard. “Driver, can you stop at any cinema nearby? I still have more time to spare, don’t worry about your pay. I would tip you.” She assured him.
“Alright ma’am.” The driver responded turning the car around.
Staring up at the building when the car stopped, Darby got down from the car and entered the space to book her ticket. She has no interest in what movie was being played, she just needed the darkness to surround her and she gets to let out all of the emotions holding her down.
Sitting in the dark theatre far back away from the other people, hot burned tears rolled down her eyes. It felt like her entire life was the one playing out on the screen in place of the actual movie paid for. Thoughts of how happy and more fulfilled she would have been if her mother didn’t cheat and Leo didn’t deny the pregnancy. After crying for a little while, Darby chided herself out of the blue for being ungrateful to the opportunities life gave her.
What if she never met, Zac? That would have been the end for her, since she had no actual plans when she ran away from home. Many heart wrenching stories have been heard about pregnant teenagers who ran from home lose their lives or get mixed up with the wrong gang. But fate has been good to her. She would be clocking twenty three in the next two months, she has a flourishing business, an amazing son and two good friends who always look out for her.
Darby chuckled as she wiped her tears. She seem to be looking for affection in the wrongest of places. Sinclair’s innocent love is just enough for her to feel alive. Feeling quite better, she left the theatre to her car.
Holding up a smile as she got into the car, she said. “Sorry for keeping you, you can take me home now.”
The home calling sounded very genuine.