CHAPTER 008: THE CALL

Elena stood by the window and watched as Din moved faster than the wind itself, his half-buttoned white shirt puffed out by the wind, no longer tucked.

He had obviously been too furious to change out of it, and he folded the sleeves to the bridge of his arm as he got to the black SUV, face straight. Jaw tight.

He slammed the door with a thud as he climbed in. Pulling out his phone, the screen glowed, then he typed in the password, Jessie's body flashed in his face again.

The filthy smile dared him to come get her; he ran his thick arm through his rough hair as he rested it on the pad behind him.

“Marie, I was going to make a change for you, I thought you were different,” disappointment sitting deep in his eyes, he didn't want to think much about it.

He grabbed the steering wheel, foot pressed hard on the brakes, he knew exactly where to find Jessie.

The tyres screeched off the gravel as he zoomed off, chasing after the wind like a child after candy.

It had been a standing order with the hotel to always hand the keys to Jessie whenever she dropped by.

He threw the keys to the valet, walked fast through the lobby. The receptionist smiled, slid a key card across.

“She got here thirty minutes ago, sir.” He needed not to ask who, he simply nodded and grabbed the key card off the counter.

The door glided open as he slid the card before the knob, he entered, head almost touching the upper part of the door.

His mouth went dry the moment he beheld Jessie spiraling on the sheets.

“Come on in, Darling. Don't keep me waiting longer.”

Lying on her stomach, both hands under her chin as she waved her legs behind her,

A few steps and Din grabbed her butt in his hands, She stared into his eyes, he was obviously tired, maybe from the gist she had sold him on a platter earlier in the day.

“I'm going to make you feel better baby,” Jessie's hands grabbed his shoulders, fingers digging into his skin, lips wet on his neck as Din tilted his head to the side.

Then he flipped her around, sitting her on his thighs, the erupting sound of their lips smacking together dominating every other tiny sound in the room.

At the Valenti mansion, Marie sat alone in her dark bedroom. She leaned against the closed door, chest rising and falling fast.

She slid down the door to the floor, knees up. After a minute, she crawled to the bed. Reached under the frame. Fingers found the small iron box hidden there.

No one knew about it. Not her mom. Not anyone.

Hands shaking, she pulled it out. Set it on the rug. Slid a finger before it and it bounced open.

Hands turned white around the box, heart heaving hastily against her ribs.

Inside was one baby photo, carefully folded. Nathan at two months, dark curls, big eyes looking right at the camera. Next to it, one little blue sock. Soft. Faded.

The only thing that belonged to Nathan that she had.

She remembered it lying across the door of that tiny apartment when she got back that afternoon, it must have fallen off when Angelo rushed that day.

Marie picked up the sock first. Held it to her nose. Still smelled like baby, or maybe she just wished it did. She pressed it to her mouth, shoulders shaking, no sound coming out.

Then the photo. She unfolded it gently. Stared at her son’s face until everything blurred.

Minutes went by. She smiled, she didn't cry, maybe the baby in her had made her stronger.

“I'll find you, my child.. even if it takes years, mummy will hold you again.” Her lips widened in a smile.

Then her back straightened. Something hard grew inside her chest. No more hiding.

No more letting Mom fix things with lies. She was done making mistakes.

Her hands white and shaky, she pulled everything back into the box and placed it back where it had been all these years.

No more losing everything because she stayed quiet.

She put one hand on her belly. Still flat. Still new.

“I’m telling him tonight,” she whispered to the empty room. “He deserves to know. Whatever he does after.”

She stood up. Knees felt stronger, she leaned over her pillow and grabbed her phone. Found Din’s number.

Then she called once. Rang long. Voicemail.

Called again. Same.

Third time. He picked up on the fourth ring.

“Marie.” His voice came low, rough, deep enough to scare her. But she cleared her throat, eyes blinking for longer than she knew.

“Hi Din, I need to see you.” Words rushed out fast. “Right now. It’s important.” She doesn't want to think about what the outcome would be, or how Claret Valenti, her Mother, would react to this.

Quiet on the line. She heard the wind. The AC Hum. Soft music. A woman laughing in the background.

“I’m… busy,” he said. He didn't sound like the man from that engagement, he didn't sound like he was fond of her, but none of that mattered right now.

For a moment, she pulled the phone from her ear and stared into it. She needed to make sure he was the one. His cold response was damning, but she had told herself not to scurry away anymore.

She can't allow any more mistakes, she can't allow her life to be ruined any further, the phone hit her ear again.

“If this marriage would ever happen, then we should see, right away,” her voice not asking, but demanding.

Silence befell her ears, she could only hear her thumping heart. She continued anyway.

“It can’t wait till tomorrow.” Her voice broke a little. “Please, Din. Face to face. Tonight.” She didn't want to change her mind or procrastinate any further.

Another long silence. The woman laughed again, closer this time.

His breath came sharp. “Stay home. I’ll come there.”

Click. Call ended.