Andrew's POV"What are you going to do?" Elena asked me, as we got back in from outside.I didn't respond at first. My heart was burning with anger so I just kept quiet so I wouldn't go ahead speaking out of turn.How could she even have the audacity to step into my house after all she did? After bringing a man into our supposed home. It's really pathetic when I thought of the incidence and how it had somehow mess up with my head. "Well, don't tell me she still has that effect on you." Elena said but I knew it was more of a question."She has no effect on me. I meant every word when I told her we are done." I responded wiping the sweats that were beginning to form on my brows."And the pregnancy?""What about it?" I asked irritated by the word itself."Are you going to accept it?" Her voice was slightly raised. But that didn't bother me, I knew it wasn't because of me. It was because of Gwen who had shown up to spoil the great weekend we were supposed to be having."No!" I replied cu
GWEN'S POV"You're not gonna be in there forever you know,"Granny's voice bounced through the door shortly after she knocked for the fourth time. I could. I could basically stay here forever. I could die of this heartache. Why did it hurt so badly? Why did Andrew's rejection hurt this badly? He didn't want me anymore. He didn't want our baby. I sniffled as fresh tears trickled down to the pillow. Another knock disrupted my thoughts. "Just go away!" I yelled at my grandmother. I was irritated with not just myself but with everyone around me. Granny thought she was helping by persisting. I opened the door but she was only pissing me off."I don't want to talk," I growled at my closed door. "Just go away." I sobbed. "You've been in there for over two days now since you..."I rolled over and had the pillow pressed tightly to my ears in a sick attempt to muffle the name that was going to follow. But as though she caught herself, Granny trailed off and remained silent. "I am not a
ANDREW'S POV"You are not listening!" Elena barked with her gaze narrowing my way. I blew out my cheeks, slammed my computer shut, and snapped my head right at her. "What's this about?" I tried as hard as I could to maintain the perceptible mildness. I couldn't show Elena her constant nags were telling on my mental health. It was just a few days and I was already going nuts. "What if Gwen's child is yours what are you going to do about it?""Only a DNA test can confirm that." I shrugged. She stepped closer to my home office desk and leaned into it, leaning closer as though to smack her words straight into my brain. "That baby isn't yours. There's no need for a paternity test. Forget about her." Her lips contorted grotesquely, "Let's get married."My eyes snapped at her and my jaws sagged. Elena was high on something because how the heck was anyone ever going to describe this attitude?"I just got out of a marriage." I scanned my brain for what to add to that when there was noth
GWEN'S POV"All fixed."Ricky announced with his footsteps heavy on the stairs as he descended the stairs with the rucksack he had on earlier. My attention was rooted in the country-style home decor magazine Granny picked regularly. I heard him. I chose to ignore him. "Where's Nonna?" He glanced around the entire living area. "You have a phone for a reason." I snickered without looking away from the magazine. "I don't have any." He sighed.His reply made me tear my gaze from the papers darting it his way. He had moved to where he had abandoned his guitar. He slung it across his shoulder. "Do you carry that around all the time?" I scrunch my nose and fixed my eyes on his guitar. He chose to let my question hang. He delved right into his rucksack and retrieved a pen and a notepad. Ripping out a sheet he scribbled on it and handed it to me. "That's what I charge. Be a good one and give this to Nonna."I barely gave the paper in my hand a glance before I gazed back at him. "I don
GWEN'S POV"I can't drive and you know it!" I called out from the kitchen from where I was chunking on the glob of burger on my plate."Yes, you can." Granny set a glass of water before me, "It's about time you get over this fear of yours.""I can't okay? And I'm not going to let my anxiety kick in, not minutes to my first appointment with my obstetrician.""You are going to be alright darling. Or would you rather Uber there?"I rolled my eyes at her suggestion. It wasn't even helping. "Feels like the whole world is turning on me." I huffed shoving aside my now-empty plate of breakfast. "No darling, don't say such terrible things.""But it's true. Look I can't go for my doctor's appointment with my husband, not even a friend or anyone. Do you know just how scarring that is?""I am coming with you. You're not alone.""Most girls go with their husbands." I snorted feeling the weight of Andrew's divorce on my shoulder. "You're growing bitter. Stop. Life is going to sort things out. Ju
GWEN'S POV "Am I not supposed to be given a couple of days notice at least?" I snorted, "I have other plans!""If your other plan is staying in bed all day, shoving some Häagen Dazs down your throat with the Kleenex piled up in the trash basket, then I'm happy to break that plan." Granny sounded from the hallway. I huffed and puffed as I refuted. There was no way I was going to volunteer to take a bunch of kids around on a trip. It just wasn't my thing especially now I was pregnant. "I'm pregnant and can't be making reckless decisions," I added just so Granny could change her mind on this. It didn't seem to work because she cocked her head into my room and offered a smile."All set. Aren't you packed yet?" Her eyes narrowed at me. "I already told you I don't want to go on this trip." My lips curled to a pout. She moved further into the room and sat closer to me in bed. Her eyes fell on the Kleenex box I did a terrible job concealing. "I can't leave you behind knowing you might
GWEN'S POV"Pleasure to have you on this trip."Someone settled beside me on the bus. It was the only vacant seat left and I didn't need to glance around to know exactly who it was. The amusement at the edge of his tone was just enough to give away who it was. Ricky. It wasn't until I glanced at him did I noticed the smirk on his face. "The seat is taken," I tried to shoo him off. The least I wanted was to have him stick this close enough to throw humorous remarks. "Carly's in the back seat. I don't see who else deserves this seat better than I do." He mumbled with a nervous chuckle. "Could you try not to be so loud?" I let out an exasperated breath. He smacked his lips shut with his eyes searching the bus as though to confirm the boys were in their seats before they wandered my way and then outside as the bus began to move. The girls hummed in excitement to some song on the radio. This wasn't the best experience for me but I had to make it work. I prayed their off-key voices
GWEN'S POVThe sun was retiring as the kids gathered around the table on the vast patio delightfully munching on their food. None of the food splayed on the table appealed to me. I was unsure if it was because my stomach was building up or because of the anxiety of looking after these girls for the weekend."Are you alright?" Carly whispered when she had the chance. I paused from serving the girls to nod with a faint smile. "I'm good."It wasn't totally a lie, I was beginning to relax. Seeing just how much these little girls were depending on made me relax a bit. From assisting them to unpack to having their baths and tho dressing for dinner was a lot and it kept my mind away from my disdaining thoughts. "You look pale." She added searching my face. "I'm fine."I really was fine, I offered her a smile and put some fries on my plate, took a glass of soda, and returned to my seat. I didn't bother to glance over to the boys' table, they were managing just perfectly with Mandy and of