LOVING THE REJECTED BILLIONAIRE

FAST FORWARD. TWO DAYS LATER

We park at the hospital’s parking lot and step out, Andy hooking his hand around my small waist as we make our way to Angel’s room. He is becoming so overprotective as days go by, and I can’t lie that I don’t like it.

As I had anticipated, the news of our baby has blasted his mind. It seems like an accomplishment for him, and I can’t be less enthusiastic. As early as now, I can’t wait to hold my cute little angel in my arms when it’s born. I just can’t wait.

We stroll to where Ambrose and Rita are perched on the leather couch just outside the door, and they stand to acknowledge our presence. They have been of tremendous help these past three days. We have been alternating shifts to watch over Angel, and for that, among many other things like bundling me to my prince charming, I will always be indebted to them for. They indeed are friends worth keeping.

We hug them, and rack in front of them. This guy beside me has been procrastinating on talking to them for the reasons that I don’t know. Every day he says tomorrow, but today is today. We are taking our daughter home today, and holding a dinner to introduce her to my parents and siblings. I have no doubt that he wants these two to be part of the special dinner, just like I wouldn’t want them to miss, and they can’t go this way. They have to resolve their issue now.

“Andy has something to tell both of you.” I speak on his behalf, the four eyes in front shooting at me first, then at Andy.

He sighs after casting me a glance.

Well, if he didn’t know how to approach them, there. I did it for him. Now he just have to say sorry and that will be all, right? Eyes roll!

“Do you want us to do anything for you, boss?” Ambrose speaks.

“Call me boss again and you are fired!”

Huh! Is that anywhere close to an apology?

I shoot my eyes at him, and he is just staring at Ambrose. They seem to be holding a stare challenge for a while, until Ambrose looks away, smirking.

“You are impossible dude.” He mumbles, looking at Andy again, a broad smirk on his face that kinda confuses me. More of overwhelming me. “You don’t need to hurt your ego by apologizing. Just say it’s over and we will put all this behind us and start afresh. Like the friends we once were?” He adds.

Ego, huh! Ambrose knows him pretty well.

“It’s not about ego, dude.” Andy mumbles after clearing his throat, and we all give him our ears. “I’m thinking that I should have approached this from a different angle. From the positive perspective of it.””Wh… ich is?” Rita queries, gazing up at and with a straight face for the first time since this whole fucking fiasco started. She has always had her head hunched down whenever Andy was around.

“That your mistake bore the best and the sweetest fruit. It brought about my happiness. Something that was amiss in my life since I was brought into this cruel world. Well, it no longer is cruel, now that I found my one true love – my soul mate.” He pulls me closer, his grip tightening on me. “For this reason alone, thank you, and sorry. I would like to put this charade behind me and restart, because I miss my friends.” He finishes, and they encompass us into a bear hug.

The beginning feels nice already. Yes – the beginning, because this is the beginning of our happy ever after. Me, Andy, our babies, and our friends. This couldn’t be any exciting. My baby must be leaping inside with joy. We pull away.

“Well, I’m sorry I created all this mess. But on a lighter brighter side, I’m glad that I united two beautiful souls. You two deserve each other. May you be happy.” Rita says.

Andy pulls me for a sweet kiss which I don’t object to. Well, this bitch friend of mine better not say anything because she told me this is how love is. We can do anything we fucking feel like anywhere, anytime. Well, except fucking. Not here in public. But kissing him like this, I wouldn’t care if the sky is taping us, because I would like the world and heavens to know that this man right here, is mine, and I love him to the moon and back. I would fight the entire world for him – my sweet Andy.

Ahem!

“I guess I will have to quit looking for hot blonde babes for you then, huh!””You better, Ambrose, because I will kill you and that bitch before she lays her eyes on my man!” I can’t even rationalize how I pulled away from the kiss to snap at this jerk.

Everyone is shocked at my outbursts. I am not joking, and every bitch out there should know this. I would gouge anybody’s eyes before they can start admiring my Andy.

Ambrose raises his hands up. “I wouldn’t want to leave my beautiful wife all alone in this world. We still have a lot of babies to make. I’m rooting for you two. Heavens bless you.” He adds.

“Thank you, buddy. And to solemnise our reunion, I would like to share some news that we haven’t shared with anyone else.” Andy says, pulling me in front of him and hugging me from behind. His hands are in their newly found favourite spot – my belly. I can’t count how times a day he caresses my belly. Even at night, his arms are always resting there, on his baby.

“What?” These two chorus together, their gazes stern us.

Andy pecks my neck before announcing the news to them. “As she puts it, we, Adrian Ashton and Tania Lawson, are fucking pregnant.””Noo!!” They exclaim together again, Rita covering her mouth with her hand.

“Yes. Ania and I are expecting our first child.” He asserts when they remain thunderstruck.

“Congratulations both of you. I’m sure even Angel will be over the moon with a new doll to play with. You better make me its godparent, Tania.” Rita says.

“Mmh. I’ll think about that.” I tease. Well, who else can fit that position?

“It seems you really didn’t forget how to drill, huh? I thought that tool of yours forgot how to even erect.” Ambrose with his dirty mouth rumbles.

“You want me to test it in front of you? We can use your wife as an experiment.””HEY!” Ambrose and I snap at him, while Rita’s jaw drops to the floor.

“Just kidding, babe. This jerk just enjoys fucking with my nerves.” Andy soothes me, turning me around in his arms and kissing me.

They are buddies of a kind. He is not innocent either when he decides to get on Ambrose’s ass, but that is just how they roll, and I admire them. I’m happy that they are back to their usual selves.

“TANIA!”

I pull away, and peek through Andy’s shoulder in the direction of that voice.

AUNTIE! Maria’s mother?

She has never shown her face to us ever since she received the news of Maria. Mom told me that she went berserk after she told her about her daughter’s demise, and even accused me of killing her only child. She also didn’t give a fuck before when I phoned her to let her know about my and Maria’s predicaments. She even arraigned me to wrecking her daughter’s home. I hope, though, that she has come in peace.

I pull Andy behind me so that I face her, but he ended up beside me, his hand in a protective stance around my waist.

She nears, standing before us, so cool that I feel kinda pity for her, but still keeping my sixth sense on. “I should have listened to you, Tania. Maybe I should have saved my daughter. I had a chance of preventing this, but I did nothing. I have paid a bigger price by losing my only child. I’m sorry, Tania, for all my daughter put you and Adrian through.” Her plea is melting my heart, but, do people change overnight?

“It’s alright, auntie. It wasn’t your fault, and maybe your love for your daughter blinded you, but that doesn’t make you bad. I’m sorry things ended that way for Maria, but…”She cuts me off.

“It hurts, Tania. No mother would want that for her child, but I guess we all have to pay for our mistakes in one way or the other. And karma doesn’t reveal its ways of getting back to us, right?”Well, no, right?

I shake my head.

“I just have one request for you Adrian and Tania.” She wipes a drop of tear that escaped her eye, composing herself once again.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

I never got to know her well as we were distant from the beginning for the reasons I and my siblings never knew, but I must say she is a strong woman to be this calm in the midst of all this.

“What is it?” Andy queries.

“Please, don’t keep me away from my grandchild. I want to make up for my daughter’s shortcomings by being close to her daughter. She is the only thing I have left now.” Tears are flowing down as she pleads, but something in her doesn’t seem right. There is this look in her eyes that terrifies me, somehow. I saw it in Maria whenever she was about to strike. Could I be putting some meaningless meaning to an innocent look? “Please, sir Adrian, allow me to be close to my grandchild.”Adrian looks at me, and I look at him. Ambrose and Rita are looking at us, and the pitiful woman is waiting for our response. Deep inside, I feel like telling her, no, but I understand the pain she is going through right now. The desperation and anguish. The loneliness and hopelessness amidst the sorrow.

“If that is all there is, being close to my daughter, then I can’t deny you that right. But taking her away is a big no. I’m her father, and Angel stays with no one but me.” Andy ascertains, being as clear as he could ever be.

“Thank you, Andrian. At least I can now get to know you too. And don’t worry, I don’t intend to take the girl away from you.” She says, and dries her tears, walking to me.

She pulls me in for a hug which doesn’t feel right at all. Maybe it’s my mood swings, but she feels odd. I gently push her away without seeming so alarming, and we pull away.

“I’ll go now. Thank you so much both of you.” We nod our heads, and she turns to leave. Three steps away, she turns to us again. “Ooh, and, congratulations. I’m sorry, I overheard you sharing the news with your friends.”She was there all along?

“It’s a beautiful feeling to be a mother, sadly, we don’t get to decide how our children turn out in the end. I hope your child brings you nothing but happiness and joy. I hope to be there when you hold it in your arms for the first time, Tania?”That came out as a quest at the end, a small grin flickering to get lips.

Huh, what’s with all the riddles and requests?

Why get so close to me more than she ever was to her sister, my mother? They never were close, and the rift was extended to us the children. Did the death of her monster daughter change her this much? Or is it a mask?