*THE HOLLEN SERIES 03*
????????????EPISODE 45????????????
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*?? MORE THAN FRIENDS ??*
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Ethan Junior’s POV
I waited in the waiting room area as the doctors attended to Zenia. She had p@$$ed out from exhaustion the moment Evan got her inside the car.
Dad hu-gged me around my shoulder while I looked at my hands. The hands I used to beat Anton’s face in with his gun. He had crossed a line he shouldn’t have ever dare crossed. And what a surprise it had been for Evan, when he discovered Jessica, his ex-girlfriend from high school, had been in on this as well.
She was cuffed and se-nd off to jail, both her and Maria. And their accomplice, a disable guy by the name of Larry.
Anton was admitted to the hospital to nurse his facial wounds before going to jail.
Anastasia, dad’s IP, met up with us at the hospital. It turned out that Mr. Mc Calister knew nothing about his son’s kidnapping scheme and plots so he was let off the hook. She promised to keep an eye on him though.
___________
Two hours later, a doctor met us in the hallway.
“Zenia Blackman?”
“That’s us.” Evan, dad and I stood up at once.
“She’s stable. She’s awake and responding to the treatments. The baby is okay as well but Miss. Blackman is very dehydrated so we’re keeping her on fluids and here for three days.”
“Thank you doctor. Thank you so much. Can I see her?”
“Of course but only for twenty minutes. She nee-ds to rest.”
“And what about Madison? The other girl we came in with,” Dad asked.
“She’s stable as well. We got the bullet out her shoulder and attended to the cuts and bruises she sustained. She’ll be fine. She has a fractured jaw so we’re keeping her until the other X-rays get back in a few hours.”
___
We followed the nurse into Zenia’s recovery room and saw her sitting up, having a gl@$$ of water.
“Hey,” I said softly as I went to her side, “How are you feeling?”
“I’ve had better days,” she answered with a small smile.
“Do me a favor. The next time I see you in the hospital, please let it be for the birth of our baby.”
She opened her arms for a hu-g and I did just that. I ki-ssed her forehead, stayed and comforted her until the doctors had to chase me away.
______
I went to see Madison next.
There was a bandage on her shoulder and small cuts and bruises on her arms. She had a swollen mouth but she still looked much like Madison.
“Thank you for everything you did. That was mighty br@ve and very wise of you and I’ll really like us to be friends again because that’s the Madison I know.”
“Oh EJ, you’re going to make me cry,” she joked.
“Oh come here,” I gestured and went to her with open arms. I gave her a well deserved hu-g and sat down next to her.
“What made you save Zenia?” I asked.
“Because of you and the baby. I know losing her would destroy you and the fact that she’s pregnant with your miracle baby, another life on the line, I couldn’t see something bad happen to her.
I know what I did before was really messed up and I was somewhat responsible for your breakup with Zenia. I set up Maria to go into your office and I dug Zenia to go to Hollen Tower. I’m really sorry.”
“That’s water un-der the bridge Madison. What you did in the past cannot shine off what you just did for Zenia and the baby. You’re my friend, girl.”
“You’re my friend, boy.”
________________________
FOUR DAYS LATER
“Who’s ready to leave London?” Dad asked as we mounted our plane.
“So bu-mmed we couldn’t enjoy it more,” Zenia said as she got into the seat.
“We’ll come back. With the entire family. Mom, Jasmine, Jevan, the twins when they’re born and of course, yours and EJ’s bun in the oven,” Evan replied to her.
“Yeah. Evan got a mansion here and it could be the perfect family get away with our close friends. Ashley, Alex, Jack and of course, Madison.” I looked over at Madison and she smiled at me.
“Sounds excellent.”
“I can’t wait to see my wife and my adorable son. I miss them so much,” Evan said.
“Puppy,” Dad joked and we all started laughing.
____________
The jet ascended into the skies and all I was thinking about, was that I had Zenia safe and sound back in my arms.
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Zenia’s POV
We arrived at Evan’s home at 5:00pm. Jasmine was overjoyed the moment I walked throu-ghthe door.
And to my amazement, mom was prese-nt. She ran up to me and pulled me in for a hu-g. “You had us so worried. I’m so happy you’re okay and I’m sorry for the way I’ve acted towards you and the things I’ve said. Martin is indeed your father, I don’t know why I lied about that. I guess I just wanted to hurt him for leaving us but it’s my fault. It’s all my fault and I’m sorry.”
“Mom, it’s okay. It’s alright. I forgive you.” I hu-gged my mother and I felt my whole world was at peace.
Ashley, Alex and Jack circled me and wrapped me into hu-gs before doing the same to EJ and Madison.
Emma was so emotional but she greeted me with a m@$$ive hu-g.
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The next morning, I met up with EJ in Evan’s backyard.
“It’s good to be back,” he said.
“I shouldn’t have left in the first place. None of this would of happened,” I said.
“Sweetie, it’s not your fault. Sometimes things happen so we could learn from it. If you hadn’t left, you wouldn’t have seen Anton’s true colors.”
Goosebu-mps appeared on my skin. Just hearing his name made me afraid and EJ saw that.
“He can’t hurt you. He has been put away for a very long time and you wouldn’t see him ever again.”
He took me into his arms.
“Can we start over?” I asked.
“Hi, I’m EJ and you are?”
I laughed aloud.
He was so funny and sweet and caring and loving and I realized that he had always been that type of person. The type I wanted to have and to hold and to spend the rest of my life with. I cursed myself mentally for the times I had pushed him away.
Why was I pushing away the person I actually nee-ded?
“Actually, I don’t want to start over,” he said.
I felt my heart sinking.
“I want us to continue where we left off,” he finished with a beam.
My heart rose with happiness.
He shoved his hand into his pocket and retrieve the exact engagement ring he had offered me sometime ago.
“I couldn’t bring myself to return it. I knew, de-ep down, that I would ask you this question again one day and I really hope I get the answer I’m looking for.
Zenia Alison Blackman, would you like to have your name changed to Zenia Alison Hollen?”
“Oh my God! Yes EJ! YES!” I answered.
He placed the ring onto my ring fin-gerand twirled me around in his arms.
“Let’s tell everyone the good news,” I said and pulled him inside.
*THE HOLLEN SERIES 03*
????????????EPISODE 46????????????
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*?? MORE THAN FRIENDS ??*
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Zenia’s POV
“Does it look like I’m joking?” his voice asked before I heard the *Gun Shot*
I flew out of my sleep with traces of sweat forming on my forehead.
Ever since I arrived back home, I had been having terrible nightmares every night about what I’ve been put throu-ghwhen I was in England.
I got out of be-d, fearing that I’ll have another nightmare if I tried to go back to sleep. I walked towards the kitchen to get myself a gl@$$ of water.
I poured myself a gl@$$ and looked up at the wall clock. It was 3:30 am. Finishing my gl@$$ of water, I rinsed my cu-p out and went back to the be-droom where I stayed awake for the remainder of the early hours of the morning.
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At daylight, I took a shower and got dressed into a comfortable dress. I brushed my hair back and applied my makeup. I stared at the rings on my fin-gers. The promise ring and the engagement ring.
“He’s not always going to be there to save you Zenia!” Anton’s voice pla-yed in my head. ”You both are going to pay! Pay! Pay!”
“LEAVE ME ALONE!” I yelled back aloud at his voices and I heard his sinister laughter.
I began crying. I knew I nee-ded professional help. Anton was in jail in his country, but yet, I kept feeling his prese-nce around me and hearing his voice in my head.
A knock on the door startled me. I opened it and EJ walked into my room.
“Good morning sweetie, are you alright?” he asked me.
“No. I keep hearing him EJ. I can feel him around me.”
“Zen, he can’t hurt you anymore but we will let you see a therapist. You’ve been throu-ghhell and you nee-d to adjust back to the beautiful charming Zenia I fell in love with.” His arms circled around my ne-ck, drawing me towards his che-st. His manly fragrance tickled my nostrils as he ki-ssed my forehead and then my cheeks, and lastly, my li-ps.
We walked to the kitchen where we met Jasmine and Jevan having breakfast. EJ and I joined them.
“Good morning, how are the two of you?” my sister asked.
“We’ll be fine. I’m taking Zenia to a therapist and then to the park,” EJ answered.
“Therapist? What’s going on?”
“I’ve been having nightmares about him” I answered and felt tears forming in my eyes.
EJ wrapped his arm around my wa-ist.
“EJ, what therapist are you taking her to?” Jasmine asked.
“He’s a friend of the family and had been a licensed therapist for over fifteen years.”
“Okay, please be safe with her.”
“We’ll be alright. Don’t worry so much J@$$y,” EJ answered with confidence.
After our breakfast, EJ and I felt. He drove us to an office which stood by itself in a very private area.
EJ introduced me to the therapist and he ushered me into a room while EJ waited in the receptionist area.
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The first session felt like I had been friends with this therapist for years. He didn’t rushed into the details of my nightmares and the reasons that I must be having them, but instead, he asked questions about myself and my accomplishments and I enjoyed speaking about such.
My next session will be the following week but I felt happy when I left the therapist.
EJ took me to the park where we spent the reminder of the morning enjoying the atmosphere of early autumn.
We talked and joked as we la-id un-derneath a tree on a blanket.
________________
That night, I sle-pt peacefully and EJ sle-pt next to me. The next morning, I woke up and he was staring at me with a bright smile.
“What’s up?” I asked him.
“I’ve got word from my father. He’s going to give me my mansion and I want you and I to turn it into a home.”
“Yes,” I answered and almost knocked him off the be-d when I hu-gged him with a for-ce.
“Excellent. We’ll go see the house this evening. And if you like it, you’ll take it.”
“EJ, it’s from your father. Of course I’ll like it.”
And I stood corrected.
It was bigger and better than the first house he owned. We roamed the be-drooms, the living rooms, the kitchen, the swimming pool area and the garage space for his cars.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
“Like it? I love it. I can’t wait for us to actually move in,” I squealed.
“How about tomorrow?” he asked.
“Yes. Tomorrow sounds perfect.”
~~
We moved in together again and this time, I was more humble and conscious of the man I had in my life. He had no intentions of hurting me. All he wanted was to love me and I loved him too. He was everything and more.
At my next therapy session, I spoke about meeting Anton and the first impression I got from him. He was nice, so nice that at one point, I thought he could have been a replacement to EJ.
I wasn’t afraid of talking about him. Speaking up made me realized that he was not in the same room with me and he couldn’t hurt me anymore. They couldn’t hurt me anymore.
I was in a better place. I went back to my boutique and did what I loved doing, making and designing clothes with my best friend Ashley.
It stuck me by total surprise when she flashed her ring fin-gerand I saw an engagement ring on it.
“He’s willing to settle and he’s willing to settle with me,” she said with excitement.
“That’s amazing! Congratulations!”
“Zen, remember what we always used to talk about in college? When we’re about to get married?”
“We used to always say that we’ll have a double wedding and….”
She caught my eyes and I caught hers before we broke into our girly screams. “Yes! We could have a double wedding.”
I was happy. EJ brou-ght me happiness and making a home with him brou-ght me more but we were taking everything one step at a time. We weren’t rushing into getting married but being engaged felt right since we were living together again and had a baby on the way.
*Two Weeks Later*
EJ and I were by the pool when I started craving for ice-cream. Cookies and Cream ice-cream.
“EJ, I want ice-cream,” I started.
“There’s ice-cream in the fridge babe.”
“But not the cookies and cream flavor.”
“I’ll se-nd the security to get you a tub.”
“No. I don’t want the security to go. I want you to get it for me.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.”
I watched as he grabbe-d his T-shirt and car keys and got into his one of his cars. He drove out the gate and I headed back indoors.
~~
“I got your ice-cream,” EJ said as he sat down on the couch.
I took the tub out his hand and went into rage when he brou-ght the wrong flavor.
“I said Cookies and Cream! Not Cookies and Mint.”
“There wasn’t any Cookies and Cream so I thought this would of been a substitute.”
“No EJ. I don’t want this.”
“Then I’ll eat it.” I watched as he stuffed his face with the ice-cream and I took a handful and spr-ead it all over his face in a pla-yful manner.
“Now you’re eating ice-cream,” I joked as I got off the chair and ran upstairs before he could get me back.
“Zenia! I’ll get you back. I promise I’ll get you back.”
When I went into the kitchen the next morning, I saw three tubs of Cookies and Cream ice-cream on the kitchen island with a note attached to it :
′Hi baby,
I’ve already left for work. Evan and I are closing a very big business deal today but I called mom and she told me where to get the ice-cream. I drove there early this morning while you were still asleep and picked you up these. Enjoy.
Lots of Love for you and the baby.
Your fiancé, EJ.′
A smile spr-ead across my li-ps. There wasn’t a word to describe how amazing EJ was.
TO BE CONTINUED……