When she was done crying, and had decided what she was going to do, she started the car engine, and drove towards home.
Alisha's phone kept ringing as she drove, home didn't seem to be so far until today, she looked at the phone briefly and saw that it was Leonardo that was calling her, "what else does this son of a bitch want from me?" she asked herself and then picked up the call.
When she looked back at the road she saw that the light had turned red and she was about to knock down a little girl that was crossing the road alone.
She quickly turned the steering wheel to the other side, it was better she bashed a car, than kill a little child.
She stepped on her break and was lucky enough that there was no car right behind her. The mother of the little girl ran to hold her child. Alisha was breathing heavily as she waited for the light to turn green, while the mother scolded the child, who appeared to be about five years old.
As Alisha watched the scene, all she could think about was Ina, what she would give just to hold Ina again.
She got home and locked herself in, a part of her wanted to run away as usual, go away from the country until she healed, but then she was done running away from her problems and from hurt, she was done fleeing each time her heart was broken, now she was going to live and face every single pain, she was going to get through it all.
As the days went by, Leonardo tried to make peace with her, he tried to apologize but she was not ready to be fooled by him, she was done with love, she was just going to live her life, alone and happy.
Ina's puppy came up to her and licked her leg, she carried Raja and played with his hair, her reminded her of Ina so much that it hurt her. But she was healing and she was grateful for the process, deep within she still wished Ina would surface, she wished that she would be told that Ina was never on that plane, or she never died and had wandered off in an island before the plane had exploded.
She wished for a lot of things, but she had to move on, she wanted to take a flight to Colorado, check the passengers list of those that boarded the plane that day, and rejoice that Ina was never on it, but yet again she had to move on, the airline had released a list of everyone on that flight, and Ina's name was on the list, so who was she trying to deceive with false hope.
Raja gave a low bark, he had just started learning to bark, so it was not a loud bark yet. She stopped thinking and tried to focus on why he was barking, the door bell was ringing.
When she went to check who was there, she found out it was the makeup artist she had a session with that evening. She had been invited to a charity night for the less privileged children, since her recovery after Ina's death, she had given up some time and resources to children.
Initially she thought it was going to hurt if she spent so much time with kids and remember Ina, but instead it had been an healing for her, knowing that even if she had lost a child of her own, there were so many children out there who needed someone to love them and care for them, so she could extend all the love she felt for Ina to this other kids.
She tried the tears that was forming in her eyes and ushered the makeup artist in. after the makeup session, she dressed up and saw that she looked ravishing. She was on a sky blue dress, with gold heels and accessories. Her hair had been curled and pinned in a stylish way, two stands dropped by her ears, and it couldn't have been more beautiful.
She paid the makeup artist, and then left the house after she had dismissed her. She was grateful she had hired a driver for the night, because she didn't feel like driving.
As she stood on the red carpet while pictures of her were taken, Leonardo arrived and stood beside her as the camera flashes kept coming on.
He looked cute, she had not seen him in three months, the last time she had seen him was three days after she had caught him having sex in his office with a skinny blond, he had appeared at her door that day to apologize and pledge his love to her, but she had shut the door to his face.
She had avoided news, and events she was sure he would be there, but today she didn't know he was interested in children, so she had not checked the guest list to see if he was going to be part of guests tonight.
"You look ravishing" he whispered close to her ears. She didn't respond to his compliment, instead she left the red carpet and went into the ball room, picking up a glass of champagne as she went in.
She sipped from her glass and found herself and empty table. She looked around, admiring the colours, decorations, and dresses of the women standing around and chatting with whoever they knew.
"You know its proper to say thank you to a compliment, right?" Leonardo came up behind her and said, making her startle a bit, so that the champagne she was holding spilled a bit on her dress.
"Can you just leave me be? You disgust me." She said and got up to go find out how she can clean up the strain in the restroom.
Alisha spent a little time in the restroom, she cleaned the stain with a clean wet towel and waited a bit for it to dry before she went back into the ball room.
The door to the restroom came open and she didn't bother to look behind her as she was sure it was another lady who must have come in. when she heard the door lock behind her, she turned to see what was going on and saw Leonardo.
"What do you want? You shouldn't be in here" he was pissed at him
"Alisha, I know you hate me, I know you don't want to see me or be around me, but I need you to listen to me, for the past one month I have thought about all I had done to you, and I know I don't deserve you, I have hurt you so badly and I know I don't have a right to ask you for anything, but I miss you so much baby, and I want to make it right with you, we can start all over."
"I am not your baby, and I don't want to have anything to do with you." She said and headed towards the door but he stopped her.
"Since that day, I haven't been with any other woman, I regret what I did every single day, and I want to be with you, it's not about the sex, it's more than that. And I am sorry about Dr. Snow, and invading your privacy, Alisha I love you, and I think back and I am certain that I fell in love with that Alisha that mixed my drink at the bar, and that Alisha that covered for a friend in my office,
And that Alisha that signed a contract to be my wife for three years just because of family, that selfless and hardworking Alisha.
The Alisha that single handedly made a good life for herself, with a growing child in her when I stupidly took advantage of you, and I am sorry we lost Ina, I miss her so much, but I want us to start again, please baby."
Tears had dropped from her face and had ruined her makeup. She was short of words, she couldn't say anything or move, so she stood there and allowed him to hold her. A knock on the restroom door brought them back to where they were and she opened the door, and went out, leaving him behind.
A lady entered and gave him a "what is a man doing in the ladies?" look. "Sorry" he whispered and went after her. When he got out, she had entered her car and the driver had zoomed off.
Alisha cleaned up the ruined makeup on her face with three facial wipes, when she used the fourth one, the makeup was all gone. She soaked herself in the bath, not knowing how long she had spent. The door bell rang, and she ignored it, but the continuous ringing, made her wash herself up and she wore her cotton robe, with nothing underneath. She wrapped her hair in a towel and went down stairs.
On opening the door, she saw Leonardo standing, his bow tie was gone as well as his tuxedo. He was on pants and his white shirt, the first three buttons were undone.
Alisha tried to shut the door on his face, but he held it open, "Please, let me in" he pleaded and she stepped aside.
He came in and shut the door behind him. "I'm not letting you go away any longer."
She swallowed as she looked at his face, when she watched him and heard him speak earlier that evening in the ladies, she knew he meant every word he said.
And now when he said he wasn't letting her go away any longer she knew he wasn't going to be away for so long anymore.
"Alisha, I will fight every single lion in need to defeat until you become Mrs legend again, and not based on contract but with the full blessings of your father. Alisha I love you so much, and I know I have been stupid and careless, and I know I do not deserve you, but please give me a chance, and if I fuck up this time, I will stay away forever, but please one last chance."
She stood as she watch him speak, a tear dropped from his face, while hers flowed like a river. "Alisha take this leap of faith with me, I know it's insane for you to trust me, but please, marry me." He said and touched his pocket for the ring, he didn't see it after searching all the pocket he had on him.
"Hold on a sec." he said and raced to the car parked outside, Alisha chuckled as she let the tears flow.
He rushed back in a while later with the ring box. He opened the box and she saw a beautiful emerald ring before her, she had no doubts that he meant every word he said tonight, she knew she loved him, and she was ready to risk it all.
"No" she whispered
"Yes?" he asked
"No Leo, you hurt me too much already, I cant risk it anymore." She said and took off the towel on her head to dry her face.
"Good night" she said and he turned towards the door dejected. Did he think because he had a few good lines, she would hug him and kiss him and take him back?
"Good night" he said and turned the door knob.
"Get back here stupid, I will marry you." She smiled and he turned back and grabbed her. He carried her in his arms and crushed his lips on hers. It was not a kiss like the others, it was different, it was new, it held a lot of promises she knew would not be broken this time around.
"I love you Alisha Adams, soon to be Mrs Legend" he said and slid the ring over her finger.