I needed to call Mrs. Sanders again. She had sounded so urgent in the voicemail I had received earlier. “We need to talk, Lana.” She had breathed into the phone. “Please call me as soon as you can.” And I did. I called several times, but no one answered the phone. What was so urgent that made her sound that way? Was it good or bad news that I was waiting to receive? My head throbbed lightly, reminding me of the shenanigans of last night. And the surprise I received this morning from both Cameron and André. I could imagine why Cameron had come there so early. Darby's storming off angrily this morning had hinted that Cameron had been there yesterday, and he was quite worried. It could be that he came to check up on me to see that I was fine before leaving for work. But Andre?Why had he been there? Why had he shown up this morning with the kids? I had tried to move his attention away from them or fumed at him so he did not think of them but me. But all the questions he had been asking

I sipped from the glass and skimmed my eyes over the dimly lit bar. There were not many people in it at this time of the day, but I presumed that by the end of the hour, it would be crawling with men and women. Chickens and dudes, hot and cold, gold diggers, and those who would gladly be digged.Since my arrival in this city, I have spent many nights here and could tell what days the bar was frequented the most. This night promised to be one of those nights. As usual, the bar employed the services of dancers and strippers, and most of them were already on the poles, which were scattered about in different corners of the bar. They glided their bodies around it sensually to attract one of the few men that had arrived. I took another sip of the drink and watched the strippers. Usually, I found girls like these entertaining and remembered many nights in which I had paid for an exclusive just to watch one of such girls perform. That was a long time ago, and Ihad been married then. I had h

I had a lot of things to say. First of all, I wanted to say that I felt the same way as him. I had been feeling this for a long time too, right? That I wanted him? I wanted someone, and it was definitely not Andre. I loved working with him—in his tower—and I also liked this new life that I had. But we could not do this. Not yet. I had children. Would he accept them the same way he accepted me? I had a complicated life, and I could not just be that complacent housewife anymore. Being with Andre had taught me a lot about just being a ‘housewife’ and I could not take that chance again. I saw the anticipation on his face. The deed then raised the question, which was rising on his lips, and the smile. Was that a smile? Oh my, he was sure I was going to burst his bubbles. And I was about to burst that bubble, and I opened my mouth to tell him that when my phone rang. I threw him an uncertain glance, and he winced. “Its alright.” Cameron said. “You can take it.” I smiled apologetically a

We sat in the bustling hospital lobby, and my head was swirling with different thoughts against the murmur of conversations around me. I was engulfed in a mix of emotions, and I could not stop thinking of the day my parents died. I had been sitting in the hospital like this, waiting, apprehensive, anxious, and praying that they came out alive. The memories were just there, at the back of my head, and they brought tears to my eyes.I was thankful then that Cameron had insisted on coming here with me. It had surprised me at first, but I guess he was an adult and he could do whatever he liked. And I was happy he came. Whether he knew it or not, he was a pillar of support for me, and that should mean something. I cradled Zoe in my arms while Cameron gently rocked Leo while still trying to keep an eye on me. Perhaps she was too afraid that I would break down, as I had done in that restaurant. I had ruined our perfect dinner and still went ahead to break his heart all in one night, still

“I really don't know what to do.” I told her. “I don't want to make the same mistake I made five years ago. See where it led me? I have nothing now; if not for your mother, I don’t even know where I’d be.” Sally gathered me into her arms and held me there. “I would not tell you what to do, of course.” She said it softly. “You are your own woman. But I’d ask that you open your eyes and try to see things clearly, so you don’t miss out on life again.” “Uhhhh… What’s going on?” We both turned as we heard Cameron’s voice. He was carrying the two children in his arms and stood unsure at the foot of the stairs. I wiped my eyes immediately and went to get one of the children from him. “Here, let me.” I said that and balanced the baby on my waist. “Sally. Lana? I come down to see what’s kept you so long, and... Sally, is your mother alright?” Sally smiled. “Definitely not dead yet. Uhh… Lana was just giving me emotional support.” Cameron nodded his head, but the look on his face said h