Elli alighted from the car she is riding as she finally arrived home from Paige’s off-site clinic appointment. She was silently glad that Paige made that arrangement for her instead at the hospital. She thanked her father’s long-time butler, James Garcia, who also knows her and her mother.
“Where’s Betty?” She asked softly.
“She went to her therapy, Madam,” James answered formally. He followed few paces behind her. “Shall I have some refreshments brought up to your room? Your father called, reminding us that once you arrived home that you will be resting.”
“That’s alright. I ate together with a friend after my check-up,” she answered. “If dad calls, please tell him not to worry. He’s making me crazy.”
James smiled and nodded.
Elli carefully made her way up to her room, sitting on her bed when she entered.
“You’re glowing,” Paige commen
SJ waited anxiously as the Grande’s butler finally went up the stairs to call his wife. However, before he did that, the butler called her father, upon his instructions, to inform him of his visitation. He was tapping one foot non-stop and gripping his hands tightly. “Will you relax?” Vincent advised wryly. “Let me do the talking first, alright?” “I haven’t seen her in a month,” SJ said. “The last time we saw each other, she was angry at me.” “I couldn’t blame her,” Vincent mused dryly. “Try that doing to your wife and let me know what’s the outcome,” SJ challenged at him. He smoothed his hair calmly and looked at his watch. “What the hell is taking her long to come down?” Vincent smirked lightly. “She’s probably deciding to come down or not,” Vincent answered as he leaned back on the sofa and smiled up thankfully at the helper that is serving them their drinks. “I mean, she left you with anger in her and you never did apologize, so I’
“Are you insane?!”Elli remained silent, squirming on her seat as Paige started to lecture her the following day as she came back to her clinic. Her father sat beside her, his arms over his chest and looking at her stonily. It was Elliot who had to dragged her back to Paige’s clinic and tell what Elli is planning to do.“Elli, have you any idea what’s going to happen to you and the baby you’re carrying?!” Paige exclaimed intently. She looked down at her with her arms crossed over her chest. “Even a small or light collision will cause trauma to your abdomen. I know that you’re just three months but what you’re entering is a high-risk for you and the baby!“I’m going to be careful,” Elli explained.“The hell you’re going to be careful because right now, I’m not allowing it!” Paige hollered seriously. “I’m not going to let you do this, Elli. When
SJ went out from the conference room that same day and proceeded to his private elevator with Debra behind him, pushing the button up to his office.“Congratulations on your reinstatement, sir,” Debra said with a smile. “I knew that they couldn’t handle everything without you.”“I’m sure whatever’s going to happen, you will be on my side, huh, Deb?” He asked with a lopsided grin.Debra looked at him seriously.“You know where my loyalty lies,” she responded.SJ loosened his tie as the elevator doors opened to his floor and he stepped out automatically.“Do I still have any appointments today?” He asked.“None, so far,” Debra replied. “Shall I hold everything off in case there will be any?”He nodded as he took out his phone and pressed one on his keypad. He waited patiently for Elli to pick up her phone. “Hi,” he gr
Elli watched intently as SJ turned for his second to the last lap the following day in the afternoon. She sat beside her Uncle Norbert and gripped her hands tightly while glancing at the stopwatch.“He’s improving, dear but he needs more speed,” Norbert commented.“He’s leaning a little over to the left,” she said calmly. She thought back on her observations for the last two hours. “Perhaps, if he shifts his weight a little to the right and get the balance the car needs, he’s going to up on his time.”She looked up when she heard some noise not far from them.“Looks like the next team to practice is here,” Vincent said tersely. “I should have paid another two hours. SJ needs time to master the track.”“He’s getting better,” Elli commented softly.She looked back at the speeding car and suddenly remembered how he looked so hot and gorgeous in his r
Race Day, Semi-FinalsElli woke up at the sound SJ is making from the bathroom very early in the morning. She could hear him cursing and she stood up, putting on her silk robe and walking towards the bathroom. She found him throwing up on the sink, his hands braced on the counter. His shirt on the bathroom floor, soiled.“I told you not to eat too much shrimp,” she scolded lightly as she stood beside him and start rubbing and patting his back. She watched as he gagged to get everything out until he finally stood up straight, inhaling and exhaling deeply before washing his face. “I’ll get you something to drink. Will you be alright? Good thing the race is in the afternoon. You still have enough time to recover.”SJ nodded after wiping his face.She followed behind him back to their bedroom and pushed him to sit down. She then went out and opened the ref, pulling out a noncaffeinated sports drink and grabbing one banan
Elli walked beside her husband that same day, more than an hour away from the start of the race at the racing team’s holding area. She looked at their entwined fingers and she felt tears welling up behind her ears. She blinked quickly to recover herself.SJ is also silent beside her as he only pulled her away from the group to have some alone time with her. He’s already wearing his racing uniform but didn’t put on the top part yet and still hanging by his waist.“You’re going to be great,” she finally said, breaking the silence.He smiled as he brought their hands to his lips and kissed hers.“I will be,” he answered.Elli moved closer and wrapped her free arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest, feeling his heart beating gently. His heart that just declared his love for her. She remembered waking up before him later that morning and she studied his face, still deep in his sleep.
SJ finally zipped his duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder. He checked his appearance one last time before heading out of the locker after taking a hot shower. After congratulating the top five drivers of the race, he then immediately pulled out, proceeding to the locker room to shower and change.“Yo, Kincaid!”He turned and saw Spencer Petersen, walking towards him with a perplexed look.“Why the hell did you do it, man?” He asked intently.“What do you mean?” SJ asked.Spencer laughed out loud as he patted SJ’s shoulder. “Dude, my father had put me into this line of trade the moment I turned fifteen,” he drawled out confidently. He tapped a finger on SJ’s chest gently. “Why the hell you pulled the f8cking brakes, man? Third place could have been yours! I was looking forward to see your wife take the race in the finals.”“Why the hell you think I pulled back
SJ gently pulled a sleeping Elli to him and watched her snuggle automatically closer to him. He dropped a soft kiss on her forehead and just continued watching.He could not sleep even after making love to her.He just can’t. Not after getting the best news in his life.“I’m going to be a dad?” He asked when he finally stood up. “You’re not joking, right?”Elli shook her head with a smile, tears running down her cheeks. “This is supposed to be my surprise for you once we get to Le Bernardin,” she answered as she took the ultrasound photos from him and looked down at it lovingly. “But I got upset when I saw you pull those brakes.”SJ chuckled as he placed both hands on her face.“I knew you can make it to top five when you were still practicing,” she said softly. She placed her hands on his as well and smiled through tears. “I watched the replay of the race be