Chapter 101: Chapter 101

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

I feel ecstatic as the warm water falls all over my body and hair. I massage my face and my neck. A smile plays across my face as I remember my rendezvous with Lucas. I did not expect him to admit so soon, especially with Rose and everyone else so close. He must've gotten riled up with the thought of Rocket and I being passionate as a man and woman. Oh, my love. How do I tell you that the one thing you hate the most really happened? I felt extremely guilty about it, even though there was really nothing to be guilty about. Rocket was my husband. I did not fornicate nor did I cheat, however, it still felt like a betrayal. I couldn't ever even bring up the fact that I know he slept with his wife, Rose, too.

Exiting the bathroom, I wear my robe. I needed to see my baby. I couldn't wait to tell him about his father, his real father.

***

I enter Louis' room. I shut the door behind me softly, and tiptoe to his bed. I quietly get into the bed and underneath the duvet with him. I hold him as close as I can. Soon, it would be Louis, Lucas and I. I kiss his head, as I snuggle closer to him.

I open my eyes, awakening to a feeling of tiredness. I look to my left. Louis is not here. I get up, alarmed. I look at the clock. It's about after 10 in the morning. How did I sleep for so long?

"Louis? Honey, where are you?" I ask, getting up to search for him. I go into the toilet, but he's not there. I begin to panic. "Louis? Louis, baby?" I call out, heading to the door when suddenly, the door opens.

"My love," I state, opening my arms for him, but I notice his hands are busy. I raise an eyebrow as Delores and Ashley follow behind him.

"Hi, mommy." He says, a breakfast tray in his hands. I giggle. "Louis!" I move closer to him, and I collect the tray from his small hands. I drop it beside me, as I kneel to hold my child. I place kisses all over him, and mouth a good morning to Delores and Ashley.

"Louis wanted to surprise you, so we helped him. It's your favorite. Mozzarella cheese. Pancakes. Mashed potatoes and buttermilk chicken." Ashley says.

"Oh, my God. Thank you." I say to Delores and Ashley. "Is my baby becoming grown now?" I ask Louis, my heart fluttering at the beautiful gesture.

"Are you happy, mommy?" He asks me.

I nod. "Of course baby, I'm happy. Did you think I wasn't? Is that why you made me breakfast?"I ask my son. He nods, and I feel a wave of sadness hit me. Although he was just a child, it was clear that he was seeing everything that was going on around him. "No. I wasn't sad, my love. Mommy was just tired. From work. Now, shall we eat this together?" I ask him.

"Well, I think before that, you'd need to come downstairs. . ." Ashley says. I look at her, confused.

"Why? What happened?" I ask.

****

Reaching downstairs, my jaw drops open as I see my living room.

"What?" I ask rhetorically, as I scan the room. There are tons of flower arrangements on the ground. Roses, Dahlias, Daisies, Hibiscuses, Lilies, Hyacinths and I think Chrysanthemums.

"Do you have an idea who sent them?" Ashley asks. I turn around to look at her.

"What?" I ask, unable to respond. It was Luke! It had to be. God, I could die of excitement! I turn around and hide my face so Ashley does not see me as I grin like a fool. Bloody hell. I hadn't felt this way since forever. Today was a good day. My son made me breakfast, and my sons daddy sent me flowers. What more could I ask for?

"There was a letter too. . ." Ashley states. I compose myself and take the letter. It reads Anonymous. I open up the letter, and I read.

A letter to myself,

We are one, Natalie, therefore, I write to myself. I must admit that I have wronged you severely in the past few years but I hope you give me the chance to make up for it. I will spend the rest of my life doing so, if allowed. I miss your scent, the warmness of your skin, and I miss the home that is you, my son and your thighs. Although, now, we must hide the truth, our truth, and our love, I promise that the moment we are freed from the shackles of these lies and deceit, I will happily claim you as I should have a long time ago. I send you my love through these flowers, and I ask that you give my son, Louis, a lot of kisses and hugs for me. I hope I can meet him soon. I hope I can meet you soon, my love. I have a small gift arranged for you. The note reads, and I hold myself from tearing up. I re-read the letter.

"Are you okay?"

I nod. I hug Ashley. "I've never been happier. I'm so happy, I could burst!"

"Um. . ." She responds, and I break the hug, looking at her. I turn around to look in the direction she's looking. It is none other than Rocket. I fasten my robe around my body as I look away. I pass the letter on to Ashley, hoping that she's be sensible enough to hide it.

"Natty. . ." He says, and I watch him take in the flowers. Bloody hell.

"Good morning to you, Rocket."

"Why are there so many flowers? Did someone send them?" He asks.

"I- I had them—

"Who sent them? Why are you stuttering? Tell me. Who sent you flowers, Natalie? I didn't."

"I sent them." I respond.

"You what?"

"I sent them myself, Rocket."

"You sent yourself flowers?" He chuckles, coming closer to me. "You could've just asked me, Natty."

"No, no. It's just that—

"I could've gotten you flowers, filled your entire courtyard with them." He says, caressing my face. I am uncomfortable. I try to take his hands off, but he refuses. He leans in for a kiss, but I drag myself back.

"I'm not in the mood, Rocket." I state, irritated. "Do you need something?"

"Since when did I have to need something to be by you, Natty? Are you okay? Why are you being defensive?"

"I'm not being defensive, Rocket. I just want to spend the day with Louis." I state, and as though he could read my mind, Louis comes running down the stairs. His mouth is smeared with chocolate syrup. I giggle.

"Don't tell me you ate my pancakes, Louis. Did you?" I ask. He looks at me with those cute puppy eyes, and I can't help but melt and fall in love with this tiny human who is half me, and half the I one I love.

"Buddy!" Rocket calls.

"Daddy!" I hear Louis call, and the smile on my face wipes off. I watch him run into Rocket's arm, and for a minute, I could swear I saw Rocket give me a sinister look.

"Would you like to play football later? Do you want to go swimming?"

"No." I respond. They both look at me. "Louis isn't going anywhere. Come, son." I say, stretching out my hand for him. "Here, my love, come." I call him.

"Natalie? Let the boy have some fun!"

"I said no, Rocket!" I yell. I compose myself. I would never yell in front of my son. I smile, "Today is mommy and Louis' day. Right, baby?" I ask, as I carry my son. "Mommy and Louis will spend the day together," I look at Rocket. "I'm not working today, Rocket. I am spending it with my son, uninterrupted. He'll go swimming some other time."

Rocket's POV

I turn to leave, wondering if I'd offended Natalie with my words or actions. I couldn't understand her sudden coldness. I pause, and gaze at the flower arrangements on the floor. I walk closer to them, and look at the tag. Krishen Florals.

****

"Welcome to Krishen Florals, sir. Would you like to see our menu?"

"No, not really. My wife ordered some flower arrangements, I'd like to order triple the size, please."

"Oh, okay. Do you know what type they are?"

"No, I don't. It's just a mixture, I think."

"Okay, um, what's your wife's name sir? I can just check the history to find out what her exact order was."

"Natalie Richardson. . .I think. That should be it." I don't think Natalie ever took or answered my name. "Did you get it?"

"No. There's no Natalie Richardson, sir."

"Natalie Devaux. Try that." I tell her. She nods a no.

"Still nothing." She responds, and I begin to wonder. Why did Natalie lie? Who sent her those flowers and why did she have to pretend?

"I could pick something really nice for you, sir. What are her colors?"

"Can't you check for flower arrangements sent out today? I mean, who ordered the flowers. Maybe my wife had one of the staff do it. Can you check that?"

"Oh, no. I can't do that. It's against company policy. I can sti— "Can you?" I say, sliding a few Euros her way. She gulps, looking around. Pathetic. She nods. She turns the desktop my way, and a surge of emotions fill me. Fear, anger, jealousy, rage and defeat. The name on the order is CI. Carrington Industries, which could only mean one thing; it was Lucas.

****

Natalie's POV

"Oops. . ." I chuckle nervously as I take a look at Louis' hair. We had watched about two cartoons and we had gone swimming in the pool downstairs. Afterwards, I had tried to give him a haircut, and I'd done a horrible job at it.

"What, mommy?" My son asks, biting his popsicle. I chuckle, "Nothing, baby. Nothing. . ." I respond. My phone rings, and I rush to get it, picking up a left over burger on my way.

"Hello?" I answer, munching on my food.

"Hello, Natalie?" I hear on the other end, and a smile plays across my face. I am excited.

"Luke!"

"My love, can you come to the docks in an hour?" He asks.

"Luke? Is everything okay, my love?" I ask. "Come here, baby." I say to y son who's looking at me, puzzled.

"Who is it mommy?"

"Shh, baby," I return to Lucas, "Luke?"

"No, no, it's nothing. I just want you to fill me in o somethings. We haven't had the chance to speak properly is all."

"Mommy!" Louis yells, and he begins to cry. "Louis? Baby, why are you crying? What's wrong?" I ask, as he continues to cry.

"What's happening, Natalie? Why's he crying?" Lucas asks.

"No, I don't know." I look at my son. I clean his tears as I hug him. "I'm sorry, my love. I'm sorry." I appease my son. He was probably mad as I wasn't answering his questions or paying attention to him.

"You want to know who I'm on the phone with? Is that why you're crying?" I ask, and he nods in return. I sigh. My mind flashes back to how I cringed, hearing him call Rocket, daddy. Maybe it was time to tell him. I put the phone on speaker.

"Lucas?" I call. He responds, "My love?" As Louis stops with his crying.

"Say hello to your son, Luke." I say to Louis father. "Louis, your daddy can hear you. Can you say something?"

"My daddy?" Louis asks as Luke goes quiet. I nod. "Yes, baby. Your daddy. Your real one."

"I thought he died. . ."

"No, darling. He didn't."

"Then he left us?" He asks, and I look at him, unsure of what to say. He did leave us, but it was only to keep us safe.

"My-My son. My boy. . ." I hear Luke say, and a tear falls down my eye. Louis doesn't respond.

"Don't you like him? Come on, say hello."

"Hello, dad." He says, and I fold my lips, as I feel a wave of happiness and contentment fill me. It was all I wanted from the moment I found out Louis was growing in me. It was all I craved for. I can hear Lucas try to hide his sobbing.

"I want you to know that I love you. I love you so, so much and I love your mother too. I can't wait to have you and your mother with me. I can't wait for us to be a family."

"Uh. . Where are you? Can you visit me and mommy? And mommy, what about my other daddy?"

"Other daddy?" Lucas asks.

"Louis, Uncle Rocket is not your father, okay? He," I gesture to the phone, "Is your only daddy, okay, my love? Don't call Uncle Rocket your daddy again, darling."

"I'm sorry you stayed so long without me, Louis." Lucas says. "I ask both you and your mother to forgive me for staying away for so long. Tell me, how can I make it up to you?" I smile at my son, as he comes to sit in my laps. He picks up the phone.

"I want a huge dinosaur!"

"Isn't that scary my love?"

"No, mommy. That's because you're a girl." He responds, and I gasp, amazed at his response.

"Oh? Really?" I chuckle. I begin to tickle him as his tiny laughter warms my heart.

"I can't wait to spend every moment with you two." I hear Lucas say.

"Don't worry. You will soon."

*****

"So, my love, you can't tell anybody about your daddy, okay? You can't tell Granny Ruth or Uncle Rocket, okay?"

"Okay, mommy. I won't tell anybody." He responds, as I tuck him in. I kiss his forehead.

"Are you going to see my daddy?" He asks, and for a second, I debate on whether to tell him the truth or not.

"No, my love. I'm going to the office."