Chapter 85: Chapter 85

Someone once said that in life, you can make your own rules.

That's exactly what I did.

Instead of just making the event a baby shower only, Clarissa and I decided to change the rules and include a baby gender reveal as well. That meant Ash would be in attendance with a few of his friends, assuming he had any.

As I walk in the garden, admiring the blue and pink garlands and balloon decorations, I can't wait to see him. He traveled for a week to New York to oversee the reinstatement of a new manager at his club, seeing as Leonard was no more, and also take the opportunity to attend to other businesses.

I paste a smile on my face as I take in the array of pastries on the wide table. My hand itches to take one or two, but I hold myself back and keep on walking past them. Everywhere I turn, decorations abound and this makes me smile. Even Lily seems excited about it all as she's been kicking nonstop.

"See that, baby? See everything Aunty Clar is doing for us? Today is really for you, my baby, so yes, it's good to be excited, but. . . please have mercy on me, sweetheart, please try to be less excited." As if she hears me, she gives one final kick before settling down into silence.

I breathe a sigh of relief and whisper. "Thanks, baby." I touch my lips to my mouth and place a kiss on my stomach. "Mama loves you."

I feel a nudge in my stomach and tears well up in my eyes. They say babies can hear when you speak to them. I'm so certain my Lily heard me just now when I told her I love her. Suddenly, I can't wait to have her in the flesh and not inside my tummy, to hold her to me and pepper her with kisses, to spoil her silly and just breathe in her baby scent.

Soon, baby, very soon we'll be together. I promise.

I clean the tears from my eyes as a shrill voice pierces my consciousness.

"Mrs. Alicia, Mrs. Alicia, Mrs. -"

I roll my eyes and turn around to see Adele running toward me, her ponytail flying behind her in the wind. She skids to a stop in front of me and breathes in and out deeply, trying to catch her breath.

"Yes, Adele, what is the problem now?"

"Mrs. Alicia, I have been looking for you everywhere, the guests are arriving and you are not yet dressed. Please come with me so I can help you."

I roll my eyes and release a sigh before giving a sharp nod. "Very well, after you."

She smiles and practically skips in front of me and I stifle the irritation rising inside of me. Why Ash thought I need a personal assistant is beyond me, especially one so perky and lively. Sometimes she tires me out with her chatter and lively exuberance. Ash decided it would be best to hire her after putting up an advert in the dailies and personally interviewing all ten of the girls himself.

I wasn't even in the know until he casually told me he had hired someone to attend to my every need, especially as he was traveling out of town and would be gone for a week. Naturally, I had kicked against it, but he was unyielding. That was how Adele had come into my life.

She even lived with us on the ground floor of the house. At first, I had done everything to send her away - I mean everything- from having a little bell beside me which I rang almost continuously to tire her out, to sending her to run my bath water. Unfortunately, Adele was determined to keep her job. On the fourth day, she knocked on my door and asked to speak to me. With trembling lips, she told me a heart-rendering story of how she was about to be abused by her stepfather before this lifesaver of a job came.

She had broken down and begged me not to fire her because she would surely be molested if she went back. After she told me the story, I felt really bad about how I treated her. I vowed there and then to inform Ash so he can fix her father - not kill him, mind you - maybe threaten him into leaving Adele's mother because frankly speaking, he's a shitty husband as well.

"So, Mrs. Alicia, I'm sure you can't wait for Mr. Ash to come back, right?"

Adele turns and winks at me. She actually winks as if sharing a secret with me. So, yeah, she stays, but that doesn't stop her from still being bothersome and a pain in my ass.

Two hours later, the baby shower is in full form with light music streaming from hidden speakers in the garden and guests coming to congratulate me and give me their gifts. Some of them stop chatting with me for a while, but all I can concentrate on is my anxiety about Ash's absence.

Where is he? Why hasn't he come back yet? Did something happen to him? Where are his men? Should they not have informed me of his whereabouts by now?

I called Ash a short while ago and it went straight to voicemail. My chest tightens up as if a clamp is squeezing the life out of it. Cathy, one of my classmates, walks up to me, hands me her gift, and says something, but my mind is far away. She sees I'm not focusing on her words and gives me a sympathetic smile before walking away.

Some other dormer classmates of mine come, with Clarissa in tow, congratulating me and striking up some conversation, but I hardly pay any attention.

"Liis? Did you just hear what I said?"

Clarissa comes back into focus and I blink, realizing that I had zoned out. "I'm sorry, Clar, what did you say?"

Her forehead creases as she puts a hand on my forehead. "Are you feeling okay? Is baby fine?"

"I don't know, Clar," I shake my head. "I just. . . I need space, I feel smothered in here." I put a fist to my chest before I turn around and begin walking off to the astonishment of the other girls standing with us.

Adele, who has been hanging around all this while, snaps to attention and trails behind me, shooting Clarissa questions a mile a minute. I barely listen and waddle in the direction of the house. Maybe if I lie down, this tension in my chest will ease off, but the closer I get to the house, the tighter the band around my chest becomes.

At a point, I stop and grasp my chest as I open my mouth and breathe through it instead. I see dark dots dance in front of my eyes and it feels like I'm going to black out, but strong hands envelop me and a familiar cologne infiltrates my nostrils.

"I'm back, baby, breathe, please breathe deeply."

I collapse into Ash's warm tight embrace as relief floods my system and the tightness in my chest dissolves. I move back and beat feebly at his chest. "Where were you? Where the fuck were you?"

He groans. "I'm sorry, baby, I'm so sorry, I was getting your gift ready."

What is he talking about? I watch with bated breath as he brings out a jewelry case from inside his leather jacket and opens it. A huge diamond necklace stares up at me, blinding in its brilliance. It's the same color as the engagement ring but something catches my attention as I gasp and pick it up. There are initials all around the simple, yet stunning necklace.

A & A.

I look up with eyes that I'm sure are showing my love because Ash smirks. "I love you Alicia, Sweden Jackson, and I want to spend forever with you, make no mistakes about it."

I don't doubt that. As I fall once more into his embrace, a resounding clap startles me, but Ash doesn't let go of me.

"Now, we can party!"

Someone exclaims, making me look behind Ash. I see Senator Harrison standing with Senator Leo and I feel my face heat up. They were there all along.

"Smile, baby." Ash tips my chin to meet his gaze once more and I smile. "We've got forever."

I nestle deeper in his arms, knowing that it's just me and him against the world.