Chapter 21

Was she dreaming? She just saw a spitting image of Aiden walk into a grocery store. He had just told her he traveled and he never told her he was back. She picked her phone and dialed his number but it entered voicemail. She walked into the store to make sure she was seeing the right thing. Lo and behold, it was Aiden. She dialed his number again and that's when she realised the reason why her call always went into voicemail. He ended her calls. She didn't know when she started sobbing.

“Aiden, what exactly did I do to you that made you treat me like this? To think that I was on my way to book a flight to come and check up on you.”

“Rachel, what are you doing here? I just got back yesterday. Please don't cry. Can we go home?”

“There is no home.” she replied

“What do you mean by that?”

“I am breaking up with you.”

“Babe, you can't just take drastic decisions like that.”

“Don't call me babe. You don't have the right to.”

“Can we at least talk about this.”

“There is nothing more to talk about.”

“Rachel would you at least let me explain.” he said as he ran after her. Fine I was jealous of Clifford. I don't like him around you.”

“Wait. What? Clifford as in Clifford from my work? If this is a joke please stop it.”

At least that got her attention and it got her to pause.

“You know the other day I came to pick you up and saw both of you in a compromising position. Every time I come to pick you up, he's always there to see you off and he's always saying something to make you laugh. To crown it all, you should have seen the look of Love he gave you just the other day not minding the fact that I was standing right in front of you. It's so obvious he has a thing for you. I don't know if you are feigning ignorance or you just can't see it for some reasons.”

“Aiden I'm lost. Can you hear yourself. Clifford is just a friend and do you mean the day he was trying to get something out of my eyes? What happened to trusting each other? We did go out on a few dates but that was it. Nothing more. I am shocked by this whole reasoning of yours.”

“A few dates? I trust you Rachel but I can't say the same for clifford.”

“You should have just confronted me about the scene instead of ghosting me and ignoring my calls claiming you were busy. I do not have a feelings for Clifford and I don't know if you feel threatened by the way we relate but all I could ever be with Clifford is nothing more than a friend. It just saddens my heart because I thought you knew me. I love you and no man can take your place in my heart. I just hope you know this the next time you decide to punish me for something I know nothing about.”

“Babe I'm sorry. I love you more. I was blinded by jealousy and I promise it won't happen again. I don't want to lose you to another man. You mean the world to me. You are my addiction. This couple of weeks hasn't been the same without you and I love to make up for how I behaved.”

“Aiden. What will I do with you. ”

“Nothing Love. Absolutely nothing. One more thing. Babe please I would like to come into your work place to pay you visits and pick you up. I don't care what anyone has to say. Both of know that I did what I did for the hospital out of my free will. I'm not comfortable with having to pick you up at the car park. I want to show the world my woman. How about dinner at the Falls? Tomorrow. And I haven't forgotten you that you have the weekend all to yourself. You are going to be all mine for the weekend. You, me and nothing else.”

“Aiye captain.”

“Let's go grab dinner.” he said.

It's funny how a conversation he was running away from would have ruined his reason for moving. The trip he made was worth it. His mother talked some senses into his head. What would he do without her? After he poured out his concerns of the way Clifford related with Rachel, his mother merely laughed at him. She made him see that he was jealous and he was trying to cook up stories in his head about the scene from that night just so as to justify his reaction.

Watching Rachel navigate his house like she owned it was a scene that will live rent free in his head. One day though she was going to own it too. He didn't build a house this big for just himself. He had plans of getting her a diamond ring specially designed for her. Yes he was going to propose very soon. He wanted to make her his wife already. It was starting to look like they've been dating for too long. He had no doubt in his that she was the one he was willing to spend the rest of his life with.

Many times, he would imagine little children running around the house and Rachel telling them to stop while running to catch them. He couldn't wait to ask her to marry him. He missed having a family to come home. The joy of having to come home tired and smelling something nice cooking up for dinner. Rachel was everything you wanted in a woman. She was smart, beautiful, creative, kind, loving and most of all she could cook. He wasn't implying that a woman who couldn't cook wasn't complete. He knew of many women who couldn't cook and still had great marriages. Him kneeling on one knee and asking her to marry him was the only thing he wanted to imagine for now.

“Babe which movie should we see? You seem lost in thought” she said as she threw the couch pillow at him.

“So are we now throwing pillows? Well two can play the game. You better hide.” He said as he threw a pillow that met her straight on the butt while she was trying to escape.

“Ray, you'll hurt yourself and your mum is going to be mad at you and at me. Now if you don't want that, come down from the tree house. You can start going there once your four which will be very soon.”

“But daddy I love my tree house so much and why was it built this early if I could only go there when I am four?” Ray asked

“You little smart mouth. I am going to get ice cream for your mum and I. I won't forget to add our favourite topping.’

“Daddyyyy. You should have told me that earlier. I would have been down in no time. No one is getting any Ice cream without me.”

“Yes boss. You are just three and yet you act and talk like an adult. My little princess is one Smart girl.” Aiden commented.

“Daddy why isn't mummy coming with us?”

“Your mum is saving lives.”

“I also want to save lives some day.”

“Aw my princess. Daddy loves you.” he said

“I know you love mummy more.” she replied.

“I love you both. Let's go get that ice cream.”

He could call his life perfect right now seeing he had his little princess and her mum. Everything was going as he envisaged. Work was going well. His mother was very she had a grandchild. She spoils Ray so much that if Ray requested for a flight to Disney land, she would buy the ticket instantly. He loved the bond his mum and Rachel shared. One would think they were sisters from the same mother. She would video call them every night. On days when Rachel was on night duties, Ray would snuggle up beside him while he told her bed time stories. Rachel had made it a habit of blending fruits for them to have alongside breakfast. Times when Rachel was given leave, they would spend it touring the world.

The continuous tap on his arm caused his eyes to fly wide open. He didn't want to believe it was a dream. He wish she didn't wake him up from his sleep.

“Babe, who is Ray? And you kept on smiling.”

“It was a dream. Ray was our little princess and I was trying to get her to come down from the tree house.”

“Really? The name Ray isn’t a bad idea but I want a boy.”

“Well I want a princess and you know anything I want I get.”he said as he chuckled.

“We’ll have to wait and see.”

“Yea, we will. This is what’s going to happen. We won’t do an ultrasound till the day of your birth. I’l buy girl clothing and you’ll buy boy clothings and we’ll see who’s the winner. You just have to promise you won’t cheat”

“As much as I love the idea, we don’t know when and what if we forget.”

“I want to spend forever with you. Do you want to do the same with me?”

“Yes love. I want too”