by Lannah Smith
And I loved having a brother very much.
Alec was no longer Christopher's employee but his partner in business. Christopher had made all of his businesses legitimate with Alec’s help, even the stables that my father had coveted so much. Still Alec often meddled with Christopher's affairs despite being a partner now and kept looking out for Christopher, much to Christopher's exasperation.
Alec also fell in love and was going to get married this year.
But that was a story for another time.
I still visited Dan's grave every year. Sometimes, I could feel eyes on me and I knew it was his father. I never really saw him again, not from lack of trying, but because he didn't want to meet me. Christopher said that he wasn't ready to face me again. In time, he would and I'd just have to wait. I chose to wait. David was now working for Christopher now anyway so I knew he was close and safe, which was what really mattered.
Christopher studied my smile. “What are you thinking about?”
“I’m remembering,” I answered, pushing off the doorframe to go to him. Sitting down, I kissed Margaret on the head. “Your grandfather called by the way. He wants us to go have dinner with them later.”
Wrapping an arm around my waist, he drew me closer to him. “We’re always having dinner with him,” he grumbled, kissing the top of my brow.
“I don’t mind. But I do mind him giving Margaret lots of toys. Her room has no more space for them.”
“You didn’t mind when Alec gave her a tower of books last week,” he pointed out.
I sighed. “They’re educational. And some of them were for me,” I admitted.
He shook his head with amusement. “We need a bigger house if we keep getting gifts from everyone.”
He wasn’t exaggerating. People liked to spoil me and my daughter. I wasn’t sure if this was their way of atoning for the way they treated me before, with intense dislike, conveniently forgetting that I was at fault for also being a bitch towards them too. Hannah was the greatest offender. She kept sending me pieces of jewelry from her company, saying they were rejects when I knew for a fact they weren’t. I sent them back of course. But it didn’t stop her from sending me more.
At least her friends weren’t that insane, thank God. Although Sophia and Terry forced me to join their mini book club, it was an activity I liked anyway. We took turns going to each other’s places to read books and let our children play with each other. Sometimes Emilia joined us. But since she had no love for books, she usually just sat there, writing music and playing it for us on Terry’s grand piano.
“Are you still remembering?” Christopher asked, bumping my shoulder playfully to get my attention back.
I gave him an apologetic smile. "We have good friends," I told him.
"We do," he said with a nod.
"Wish Dan was here," I whispered, feeling something sting in my throat.
His hand came to my face, his thumb caressing my cheek. "I do too."
Eyes on our wedding rings, I let out an exhale and said, "Your parents... they're proud of you. I'm sure of it."
“And your mother too. Because you grew up to be a wonderful woman, mother and friend.”
There was another sting in my nose and I swallowed.
I looked at my husband and watched him smile at me with warm eyes. No more of his dark smiles. This smile was the best and I loved seeing it, never having to work hard to earn it because he readily gave it to me.
Then he kissed me.
And I loved kissing him too.
Note From the Author
Thank you for reading. If you have a minute, please leave a review.
xoxo, L.
([email protected])
Other Books:
The Bully Series
The Past Between US
