The Baby Contract????????
Chapter 13
Like other years,Pearl sixth birthday is going to be a glamorous one thanks to Deville, he’s doing everything humanly possible to make sure of that.The celebr@tion would be in the Salvador’s Mansion and of course the mansion was heavily decorated,it was a Disney Princess’s themed p@rty and everything in the mansion repres£nted one princess or another,fairy god mothers were hung in the ceiling and the stage was a somewhat fake Kingdom with paper guard and a prince waiting for his princess,who Deville guessed was his only daughter. The day began with Pearl waking up to the traditional birthday morning song that wakes her up from her sleep by her dad and grandma,
????Happy Birthday to you????
????Happy Birthday to you????
????Happy Birthday to my Sunshine????
????Happy Birthday to you.????
She woke up smiling then she sat up on the be-d,Deville and his mom sat by her both sides,he was holding a cake with six candles lit on it,while his mom was holding a wra-pped parcel in her arms,
????How old are you now????
“Six!” She skrie-ked with laughter,
????How old are you now????
“Six!” She said again,
“Dad,cut out the singing,let me make a wish.” She was overjoyed,he nodded and motioned her to go on,she closed her eyes and made her wish.The same thing she has been wishing for,for over four years now and today she feels positive about her wish,
“I hope it comes true.” She said in a whisper that no one except herself hears it,she opened her eyes and blew the candles on the cake,fed her dad and her grandma and they fed her too.
“Happy birthday Sunshine.” Her dad k!$$£d her and stood up from the be-d,
“Marisa!” He called,Pearl frowned,
“Dad don’t call her up here.” She said,he was surprised at her request, she had always asked for Marisa for help,why today?
Honey,why don’t you want her to come up here?”He asked,
“Did she hurt you?” He asked,she shook her head and chuckled,this got him more confused but relief that no one has hurt his Sunshine,
“Dad,I’m grown up and won’t nee-d the help of Marisa to freshen up or dress up.” She said giving him her cutest but mischievous smile,he found that absurd,
“Honey,you…” His mom cut him short,
“Allow her,she’s grown up,” she turned to her granddaughter,
“You sure you’ll do okay?” The girl nodded giving her grandma a heartfelt smile,she pe-cked her forehead,
“Make sure to come downstairs for breakfast soon.” Deville said not fully convinced leaving his six year old Sunshine alone to freshen up but just did as he was told,the little GI ran to the bathroom to shower as they closed the door behind them.
Breakfast was as noisy as other breakfast on other birthday,Pearl chattered like a bird,she talked continuous on what gift she would get and what her dad surprise gift would be,
“A car?” She said and he smiled,
“I’m not getting you a car until you’re seventeen,” he said,
“So what’s the gift?” She asked him,
“You’ll find out later today.” That was the least he said and turned to his breakfast of egg omelettes and coffee,
“Pearl st©p!” He caught her right in track, she was trying to sneak more sugar into her cereal,she frowned at being caught,
“Dad,its just extra sugar cubes,it won’t hurt me for just today.” She said giving him a puppy face,
“Dev,allow her,a sweetened cereal won’t kill her and remember, its her birthday today.” His mom said to him,he looked at the them and gave a surprised face,
“The both of you are against me and I don’t stand a chance,so I surrender.” Pearl cl@pped her hands and added the sugar to her bowl of cereal,
“Thanks dad.” She smiled at him,he shook his head,
“You both have casted a spell on me,I tend to lost my will power with you too,”
“And mommy too.” Pearl said,he nodded at her statement,the table was quite for awhile then Mrs Phina broke the silence,
“Are we eating or we’re going to the mourning house?” She asked,Pearl smiled and Deville grinned,
“You’re the best,mom.” He placed his hands on hers and looked at her,
“What about me?” Pearl asked,everyone
laughed,
“And you too,Sunshine.” They said in unison.
After breakfast,they went to get a better view of the decoration in the living room,
“Wow daddy,this is awesome and pretty and…..” She was excited,
“And perfect just like you.” Deville said,she ran and gave him a big hvg,
“You deserve the best.” He said and his mom nodded in affirmation,
“Dad,I’ll be upstairs in my room,gat to have my beauty rest.” Once again she stunned him by her utterance,
“I don’t nee-d to ask where you learnt that from,” No one would teach her all this girlish stuff if not his mom,she’s a beauty fanatic.Pearl glance at his mom gave him as-surance that’s she’s the culprit behind the new found beauty life his daughter is about to possess.
“Okay,have a nice beauty sleep.” She rushed upstairs leaving both of them in the living room.
Anne woke up to her ringing phone,she lazily checked the caller,it was Charles,she dragged the call icon to receive the call,
“Anne,are you still slee-ping?” He asked,she stood up from the be-d,
“Nope,I’m in the kitchen,why do you ask?” She lied,he laughter could be heard from the other side of the phone,he doesn’t believe her the slightest.
“I’ve been calling you for ages but never mind,when should I come pick you up?” He asked,she was carried away,
“For what?” She asked
“Anne!” He was slightly offended,
“For the birthday p@rty.” He reminded and she sighed,Charles has invited to the client’s daughter’s birthday which was today… Today, oh no,today’s Amanda’s birthday,how come I forgot about the one day I haven’t forgotten for years now,she cautioned herself.
“Charles,sorry I forgot,got a lot on my mind but you can come by twelve pm,” she checked the alarm clock by her side,it shows nine-thirty-two am,she shrugged,
“Okay,I’m coming by twelve then.” He blew her k!sses from the phone and hung up.
“Charles’s coming here in the next two and half hour,I nee-d to be re-ady before he gets here.” She said as she rushed to the bathroom to freshen up.
After her shower,she clad herself with a summer th!gh length jumpsuit and c@m£ outside, just to see Ace in the living room,
“Ace,where’s your mama?” She k!$$£d the little boy,
“Aunt Anne,good morning.” He greeted not turning to her but gave his attention to the cartoon he was watching,
“She’s in her room.” Anne went in and made herself a cu-p of coffee,draining almost half of it before she went to Cheryl’s room,
“Wakey wakey!” She kept the mug of coffee on the table and jumped on the be-d,this gave Cheryl a fright,
“Anne!” She was shocked and was about sp@ñking Ace thinking he’s the one but surprisingly saw Anne giggling like an impish kid,
“Anne,you almost killed me.” She cried,Anne wra-pped her arms around Cheryl’s w@!st,
“I’m going out with Charles today.” Her face gave away every happiness it has,
“And was that why you decided to kill me before you go?” Cheryl asked jokingly,
“I still have to take care of,so don’t kill me now.” She stood up and went to the bathroom to wash her teeth and her face,
“Speaking of Ace,he’s going I’ve a birthday p@rty wouldn’t he?” She asked Cheryl who nodded like a lizard,
“Maybe we can all go together,Ace would love it there,p@rtying with kids his age not being stuck with two adult woman whose plans are unpredictable.” Cheryl smiled,
“That’s a good one,when is he coming to pick you?” She asked Anne,who now has her cu-p oof coffee in her arms,
“Twelve noon.” Anne replied,
“Okay,let’s go get prepared.” Cheryl said,Anne got an odd stirring,
This is the first time in six years,she had forgotten about her gloominess on Amanda’s birthday, she and Cheryl just forgot about Amanda’s birthday and the sadness it brings to her,all none was found,not a trace of it.
Its no use bringing it up and spoiling the alre-ady good atmosphere that has just been created,she thought to herself.
It took Anne and Cheryl to realize that after forty minutes of driving that they are going to somewhere to Deville’s mansion,
“Charles,what are we doing here?” Anne asked with a trembling voice,Charles out of sheer innocence smiled not taking his gaze from the road,
“We’re almost there,its the venue for the birthday.” Anne g@sped,she had been preparing for her daughter’s birthday,for Amanda’s birthday not knowing,wonder why I had this odd stirring lately,she turned to Cheryl and then back to Charles,
“Charles plea-se take us back home.” Cheryl objected,
“But why Anne,aren’t you feeling well?” He asked her confused about her sudden change of mind,
“Charles don’t pay attention to her,take us inside.” Cheryl said boldly from the back holding Ace,who was on the verge of slee-ping,
“Okay,” he drove in and parked his car then gave his car key to Anne and Cheryl who were still inside,
“Charles mind if you take Ace inside,I nee-d to talk to Anne alone?” He nodded and took the boy’s hand,he was fully awake now.
“Anne whats wrong with you?” Cheryl asked when she was sure that Charles was out of earsh0t,
“Cheryl,I’m scared,I might ruin their alre-ady perfect lives.” She said alre-ady crying, Cheryl pu-ll-ed her closer and wiped her eye’s,
“Anne,you’re stronger than this $h!t,this is one opportunity of a lifetime to finally meet your daughter and you want to refuse it cause you’re scared of some past $h!t,I won’t take that.” Cheryl cautioned her,
“Anne,you’re going to go inside and act like every mother should on her daughter’s sixth birthday,pl@ycool and congratulate the your child,okay.” Anne nodded,Cheryl dabbe-d her tears and did a little make over on her face and they got out of the car,
“Everything would go well.” Cheryl as-sured her and they walked inside holding each other hands.
Chapter 14
Going into the house was a war mission for Anne,she held Cheryl’s hand like a child who doesn’t wanna get lost in the crowd,they were halfway into the house when she remembered something,they had left the gift in the car,she st©pped,
“Anne,what’s it again?” Cheryl asked her wearily,
“The gift?” She said,
“What happened to it?” Cheryl was getting frustrated now,
“We’d left it in the car,” it stuck her,they had actually forgotten the gift in the car,
“Let’s go get it then.” Cheryl turned, re-ady to go with her to get the gift but Anne st©pped her,
“Don’t worry,I can go get it myself,you go inside and keep an eye on Ace,he would be worried if he doesn’t see any of us and Charles too.” Cheryl refused but after much persuasion, she went inside without Anne.Anne went to the car and got the gift which was wra-pped in a gift wra-ppings but she didn’t go back inside,she sat in the car thinking on what to do but only two options c@m£ to her head,
1-Go inside and face whatever is going to happen,
OR
2-Go home and have Cheryl murder her and Charles angry at her.She was definitely not going to have Cheryl get mad at her but not wanting to go inside to ruin her daughter’s happy day,so she sat in the car unaware of what’s going on around her,she stared into her palms, her tears was dropping on them and she lost track of time and everything.
“Cheryl,where’s Anne?” Charles asked Cheryl when he didn’t see Anne after a long period of time and Deville wants the pres£nt,
“She’d gone back to get the pres£nt.” Cheryl wasn’t sure.
God,did she go home,Anne isn’t as stupid as that..but what if she acts stupid like that?
No,that isn’t possible, Cheryl kept questioning herself as she go in search of Anne.Finally she remembered her phone,she dialled Anne’s number,
“Hello Anne,where are you?” She asked in a shrill and angry voice,almost loosing it,
Sorry Cheryl,I’m in the car,will be there right now.”Before she could say anything else,Anne hung up,
“She’s coming.” Cheryl informed Charles as she c@m£ back into the house,
“Anne has a way of driving me nuts,” Charles said smiling,
You don’t know what’s coming for and you’re still smiling,u bet your smiling face will dissolve in a few minutes,Cheryl said within herself.
Deville was giving a speech on his daughter when Anne walked in,she was holding the gift with one hand and her purse in the other,she was walking slowly and tears was falling from her eyes.
“Anne,let me take it from here.” She turned and saw Charles,
“Don’t worry,I’ll give it to him myself.” She gave the gift to him while Charles moved forward and handed it to Deville who was kneeling down in front of Pearl,giving her a perfect view of what was behind him,
“Sunshine,this is the best thing I can give to you………
” Mommy!”Pearl called loudly,Anne who had turned to leave,turned back,Deville stood up and Pearl ran to Anne,
“Mommy!” She called again and hvgged Anne,the hall was quiet and everyone fixed their eyes on both mother and daughter, Deville was astound,Charles was confused,Cheryl and Mrs Phina was smiling in their different location while Ace was less concerned as a three years old would be in such scenario.
“Mommy,where did you go to? I was missing you ever since and daddy said you would come back soon but you weren’t coming.” The little girl cried as she held her mom so close,Anew k!$$£d her daughter, she k!$$£d her cheeks,hey forehead, her nose, almost k!ss!ngher in every p@rt of her little face that was k!ssable,
“I’m so sorry for leaving you,I’m so sorry.” This was the only word she mustered courage to say without choking on her words.Pearl broke free of the hvg and went to where Deviywas standing,
“Daddy,you brou-ght mommy back,you brou-ght my mommy home,thank you.” She hvgged him but Deville was transfixed,he could even place his hand on her till his mother nudged him,
“Deville.” He c@m£ back to is s-en-ses and hvgged his daughter, Pearl dragged Deville to where Anne was standing.The air between them was so thick and dense that a knife can cut throu-gh it,no one said anything to the other,
“Mommy, daddy, let’s continue with the p@rty.”Pearl broke the silence,Anne shrugged and went with Pearl while Deville stood there,not saying anything.
“Enough of the crying and emotional drama, I thought this was a birthday p@rty why are you turning it to a funeral,” Mrs Phina walked into the middle of the crowd,everyone laughed,
“Millie! Get me the piñata in my room.” She called Millie who was serving drinks to the guest,Millie went to her room and brou-ght the shark piñata with her,the kids rushed to where the older woman was standing,
“Let’s go out kids,adult can come if they want to.” With this she left with a great number of kids and adults too including Pearl,Anne turned to follow but Deville called her back,
“Anne,plea-se wait.” She didn’t st©p neither did she turn to him,
“Anne,plea-se wait.” She walked out and Charles followed her,Deville stood there almost hating himself for what happened.
“Higher,Pearl higher.” Anne said,she’s trying to get use to calling her Pearl and wait a minute,
That’s my name,he gave her my name,he gave our daughter my name.
“She’s really happy to have you back.” Cheryl said sitting beside Anne,
“I know but remember we aren’t here to stay,we’re leaving this city very soon.” Anne retorted,Cheryl shoved her hand,
“Don’t be a spoilt sport.”Cheryl said,
“St©p being a pseudo-noble bit-ch,it doesn’t suit you not after leaving your one hour marriage with Jack.” Cheryl frowned,
“You don’t have to mention his name.” They laughed at it.
The birthday celebr@tion ended by ten pm but Pearl decided to stay awake till twelve midnight when her birthday finally ends.They were all sitting in the family room when Anne stood up,
“Cheryl,bundle Ace up,time to go home,its alre-ady late.”
“What?”
“Mommy,are you leaving me again?” Pearl stood up from her special couch,
“Yeah,I gotta go home,as you can see its alre-ady late.” Pearl was alre-ady crying,Mrs Phina faced Anne,
“My child,I know Deville might have hurt but plea-se look at your daughter,” Anne turned to Pearl who was crying uncontrollably,
“She’s been denied her mother’s love and attention from birth,all her life she has prayed for one thing and that was to finally meet her mom,do you really want to deny her this opportunity?” She couldn’t take her gaze from Pearl,Deville was at the far end of the room,he must be sulking.
“Amanda,” she didn’t turn,
“Pearl honey,come to mommy.” She stood up and ran to her,Anne carried her on her l@ps while Ace watched with jealously,
“Don’t cry sweetheart, mommy’s gonna come visit you from time to time but I can’t stay here with you,okay.” Pearl stood up angrily and stumped to Deville,
“Daddy,plea-se tell mommy not to leave,tell her not to leave me again.” She pleaded with Deville, pu-lling his leg,Cheryl felt pity for the little girl,she stood up to Anne,
“What the fv¢k ate you doing,Anne?” She faced her,
“Why are you doing this to the poor child?I mean all this years,all this years,you’ve wallowed in self pity,was that just a façade?” Anne scolded her,
“You told me you can’t wait to meet her and now you have her you want to toss her away like a piece of trash,like she means nothing to you.”
“Cheryl,you ought to know, why aren’t you seeing reasons with me that I can’t stay here,” she had her palms on her face and tears was streaming down to her palms,
“Anne,” Cheryl c@m£ to her and held her close,
“Anne,I know you don’t like and and I’m not forcing you to like him but plea-se just do this for your daughter, plea-se,pity the poor child plea-se.” Cheryl consoled her wiping the tears from her cheeks,while Mrs Phina carried Pearl from Devilles’s feet,
“Pearl,st©p crying,I’ll stay with you.” She went to Mrs Phina and carried Pearl from her,
“Promise?” The little girl was wiping her eyes,
“Yes,I promise,but on a condition that he should cross p@rt with me.” Anne said,Pearl and the rest nodded except Deville, who sat on the seat not uttering a word.
“Cheryl,let’s go,I’ll have to drop you and Ace at home before going back to the h0tel.” Charles said, that was when Anne realized that Charles had been there with them,the sadness and anger in his voice was visible to all(who wouldn’t be?)Anne looked at him but he slowly re-moved his gaze from her,
“I want to stay with Aunt Anne,” Ace ran from Cheryl’s grip to Anne’s feet,she smiled at him,
“Cheryl,you can go home,I’ll bring him home tomorrow.” Cheryl shook her head,
“You guys aren’t planning on leaving me alone tonight,it isn’t gonna work,”
“Sorry Charles,you have to go alone.” Cheryl apologized to him,
“Okay,its no big deal,goodnight everyone and Pearl,happy birthday.” He c@m£ closer to Anne and k!$$£d Pearl on the cheek,
“Good night Anne.” He turned and left the room,Anne quic-kly dropped Pearl with Cheryl and followed Charles,
“Charles!” He waited in his car,
“Charles,I’m so sorry for everything.” He didn’t allow her finish,
“Its no big deal but you should have told me before hand.” With this,he drove off leaving there standing there alone.
When she went inside,Pearl rushed to her,
“Mommy,will you sleep with me tonight?” Anne nodded,it was clearly written that Pearl was overexcited,Ace rushed towards them,
“Me too.” Anne carried him and k!$$£d his chubby cheek,
“We’ll all sleep together in Pearl’s room.” She took the both of them upstairs, leaving Cheryl,Deville and his mom downstairs.
“Millie, come show her to the guest room.” Millie c@m£ forward with a frowning face and showed Cheryl to the guest room while Mrs Phina walked to Deville,
“Don’t worry,everything is going to be alright,”
“Ma,she hates me,” He almost cried,
“No she doesn’t,she’s just angry at you.” She lied cause one doesn’t nee-d a soothsayer to figure out that what Anne Pearl McKenzie felt for Deville Clyde Salvador was nothing like love,rather its pure hatred.
Tbc…