A few minutes after Alia was done speaking and pleading with her husband over the phone, he stepped into the nursery with Joanna following timidly behind him.
She was looking completely different from the vibrant and fearless lady Alia used to know. Her long, silky blonde hair was gone, and in its place was a shaggy bob.
Clad in a creamy long-sleeve turtle neck maxi dress that hugged her body in the right places, she looked like a naive and innocent girl entering the city for the first ti.
She offered a shy smile to the sa ladies who had once been her friends from high school, but all she got were smouldering scowls and looks of disgust.
"Ladies..." Blaze casually greeted Alia’s friends, and they all responded softly before returning their scowls to Joanna.
"How is my queen and my prince?" Blaze walked up to Alia’s bedside and gently perched on the bedside, welcoming a brief kiss from his wife.
"We are fine." Alia bead softly her warm gaze occasionally flickering to Joanna, whose head was lowered in sha.
Blaze leaned down and pressed a tender kiss on his son’s forehead before eting his wife’s loving gaze.
"I don’t want you getting stressed one bit. Let the conversation be brief and straight to the point. I’ll be standing by the door if you need ."
"Thanks, my love."
Alia waited for her husband to leave before focusing her gaze on Joanna–who hadn’t been able to look at her.
Joanna fidgeted before Alia like a condemned criminal standing before a judge, as she ransacked her brain for the right words to say.
Alia’s tender gaze shifted to Joanna’s beautifully protruding baby bump, and her smile deepened. But before she could speak, Stacy beat her to it, stepping forward.
"You really have so nerves coming down here after everything you did to destroy Alia." Stacy’s eyes shot daggers.
"Did you rember all the nasty things you and your best friend said to her?" Kayla ca from the side, her nose crinkled in disgust and her hands positioned like a kitty about to scratch an enemy.
"You and Tina almost ruined Alia’s life, her child and that of an innocent family with your lies and manipulation." Nicole hissed, reducing Joanna to the size of a worthless piece of junk.
Just then, Adrianna barged into the room–completing the girls’ squad. She was fuming as she demanded in an ice tone, walking up to Joanna, as though she was about to strangle her. "Who let this trash in here?"
"I did and she is not trash," Alia said softly, taking even Joanna by surprise.
Joanna slowly lifted her teary face to look at Alia, her heart already breaking out of guilt and regret.
"I’m sorry."
Her whole body shook in repressed guilt, as she went down on her knees, covering his face in sha.
"No, you are n..."
"Ann, please let her speak." Alia pleaded, her gaze sweeping across the room. "Let’s just give her a chance to air her mind, guys. That is all I ask."
"Fine..."
"Let her make it quick...."
"Okay...."
"I will only tolerate her because of you..."
All four ladies expressed themselves, holding back their fury.
Alia’s gaze shifted back to the crying pregnant woman on her knees.
"Stand up, Joanna."
"No...I have wronged you so much. I’m such a wicked soul and I do not deserve your pity. I don’t even know where to begin to ask for forgiveness for everything I’ve done." Joanna’s voice cracked–thick with emotions.
"Well, you can start by standing up and taking a seat. Kneeling in that posture without support is not good for your baby."
Stacy let out a disgruntled sigh.
"I’m so sorry, Alia." Joanna clasped her hands, crying even harder at Alia’s show of affection and love. "Please forgive for everything I’ve done. I’m willing to do anything to earn your forgiveness."
"Don’t make talk too much Joanna. I just gave birth yesterday and I’m still recovering. Stand up and take a seat." Alia said in a slightly stern voice.
"Okay..." Joanna wiped her tears as she slowly lifted herself off the ground.
"Nicole, please help her with the armless chair over there." Alia pleaded as Nicole shot her a disapproving glance. "Please..."
"I’m doing this for you and my godson, not for this witch." Nicole hissed as she angrily grabbed a chair and brought it to Joanna.
"Thank you." Joanna croaked.
"Keep your stinking thanks to yourself." Nicole hissed and returned to her forr position, wondering why Alia was this nice after everything Joanna did to destroy and defa her.
"Girls, please co and sit around on the bed." Alia gestured to her other friends and they happily obliged her request with heartwarming smiles while scowling at Joanna.
"Stacy, Kayla, Nicole and Adriana..." Alia called each one of them tenderly by their nas while touching them on the arm. "... You girls are one of the best treasures that life has ever given to as an only child. You’re like my sister, only from different mothers, and I love you all with all of my heart."
"Aww..."
"We love you too..."
"Now you’re going to make cry..."
"You are so special to us, Amy."
Everyone of them took turns expressing themselves.
"But..." Alia turned to look at Joanna, who was crying silently while occasionally sniffing. "... We used to be six sisters. We saw each other through high school. We even kept in contact when we were at different universities. And we reunited after eting each other in the city where it all began."
Alia paused to catch her breath, sparing her sleeping son cradled in her arms a loving gaze before returning her attention to her friends.
"We laughed together. We cried together. We celebrated each other’s career successes and failures."
Kayla chuckled, wiping a drop of tears that escaped her eyes.
"....And we encourage each other when faced with disappointnt. I rember when I lost my mother and how you girls stood by , offering solace. I also rember when I divorced that backstabbing jerk and how we all partied hard, to celebrate my divorce, while getting ourselves drunk and horny."
Everyone in the room burst out laughing, but quickly quieted down when the baby stirred in his mother’s arms.
Outside the room, Blaze couldn’t stop himself from laughing. He recalled that special night vividly.
Alia had been so drunk that she audaciously climbed on him in his car, straddling him as she kissed him for the very first ti like a wild vixen–awaking a lust within him that even an entire ocean couldn’t drown.
He chuckled again when he recalled the embarrassed look in her eye after the intoxication slowly wore off. From that mont, he had known this little bunny had stolen his heart.
Back inside the room, Alia shared more mories from the past that evoked emotions so strong that they made everyone forget about their anger.
But the mont she ntioned the na Tina, the initial warmth faded, and the animosity and look of betrayal returned.
Reviews
All reviews (0)