Chapter 11 The countryside
With her babies sleeping soundly in her hands, Aurora couldn’t stop smiling heartily as she stared at them. They were so pink, and their palms were folded tightly yet adorably.
She sat at the back of her mother’s truck as she drove them down the tarred, narrow path.
The road seemed very quiet, but the noises coming from the body of her mother’s truck weren’t helping issues.
She couldn’t begin to imagine letting him go to someone like Arthur. They were so adorable and innocent for her to let them suffer with an unloving man like him.
So she did what she could do and ran as fast as she could. Of course, with the help of her mother.
“Can we talk now?” Her mother asked from the driver seat, looking back at her through the mirror.
“Shh! They are sleeping.” Aurora answered, still staring at them.
“They’ve been sleeping for a while now, and we haven’t gotten to talk. I need to know what the hell is going on with you. Why are we driving to the countryside thousands of miles away from the city again?”
“I already told you, Mum. To extort money from Arthur.” She answered, still looking away from her Mum.
“No! You said that to get me to agree to this plan. I may be a lover of money, but you are not! So drop the lies and tell me the main reason why you’re running away with his kids.” Rachel insisted, making Aurora sigh.
“Fine. I just told you that so that you could help. I am here right now because he doesn’t deserve to have these babies.” She retorted with a clenched jaw.
“How do you even know that?!”
“Because I lived with him for nine months and not for once did he show me one trait of a good father. He is not a good person, Mum. And I don’t let my babies suffer with him.”
“Suffer? You are the one bringing them out here to suffer! He has the money, and he is their father whether you like it or not!”
“I am also their mother, okay? It was my eggs that were fertilized, not another woman’s eggs! I was the one that endured all his cruelty. I deserve a say in their lives too.”
“Aurora, he paid you for your eggs, okay? This is wrong.”
“Oh please, don’t lecture me about what’s right or wrong. You’re the last person to lecture me on that, Mum.” She answered coldly, and an awkward silence set in afterwards.
“So what’s your plan now? Feed three boys with the little change you have in your account?”
“Yes, that is the plan. I am going to work my as off to take care of them. I’ll love them more than I’ve ever loved anything in my entire life! He may have the money, but I have all the love and care. He can shove his money up his arse.”
“Then you better find a job and a rich man here on time. I won’t be here forever, suffering with you. I left my job back in the city, remember?”
“Yes, I remember. But you’re here now, and this is because of your greediness. Going back now means you have a death wish because Arthur won’t hesitate to kill you.”
“But how the hell are we supposed to survive?!”
“I’ll figure it out, okay?! Like I always do. All you have to do is bear with me. Support me by taking care of the babies while I’m out there working. Is this too much for you to do?”
“Well, you better figure it out as soon as possible, or we are going with the first plan which is extorting money from him.”
Aurora remained silent as she began to think of jobs she could do in such an underdeveloped area. It seemed like it was a stupid choice when it came to earning a living, but it was the best way to stay hidden from Arthur as long as possible.
Soon, her mother stopped driving and parked the car in front of a modern wooden house.
Aurora raised her head to look at the house and immediately, she fell in love with it. It wasn’t a very big house, but it was one she could picture herself raising her children in.
She carried two of her boys and placed them against her shoulders, while her mother carried the last boy.
On their necks were color tags showing which was which according to how they were born, because she was yet to come up with a name for them.
Approaching the house, the door opened and an elderly man stepped out with a smile.
“Mrs Rivers.” He called, opening his arms to embrace her, but when he saw she was varying a baby, he withdrew his hand.
“Mr Jason. Thank you so much for your help.” Rachel uttered with a wide smile.
“Of course, anything for you, baby.” He whispered, causing Aurora to furrow her brows.
‘Baby? Why did he call her that?’ She pondered as they all walked into the house.
“Wow.” Aurora uttered as soon as she saw the beauty of its inside. It was nothing compared to the exterior.
“You’re welcome.” Rachel whispered in her ear before looking at Mr. Jason.
“Thank you once again, Jason. I promise to keep in touch.” She uttered with a grin.
“Of course you will. Bye for now.” Jason answered, planting a kiss on Rachel’s forehead before heading out.
Aurora creased her brows and stared at her mother judgmentally.
“What?” Rachel asked, rolling her eyes.
“Did you sleep with him?”
“I did what I had to do.”
“What? You didn’t have to!”
“Remind me how much you gave me to get an apartment out here again. Nothing! Do you think the houses here are cheaper or free? Of course not. I did the bad stuff that you can’t do and here we are. Start preparing yourself for next year’s payment. That’s if we even last six months here.” She answered angrily, walking into one of the rooms.
“And lest I forget, he has a rich son! You’re welcome, again!” She yelled from inside the room, waking the babies up.
“Mom!” Aurora yelled in frustration as they all broke into tears at the same time.
“Sorry!”
“I don’t care! Don’t call me until you find them. You better find them in forty-eight hours or you’re losing your fking job!” Arthur threatened over the phone as he paced in his living room.
“Can you please calm down, Arthur? At least, take a seat.” Derick uttered with concern.
“How do you expect me to stay calm when those motherfkers with my babies are nowhere to be found?!”
“You haven’t slept in several hours. The cops are doing everything they can to find them and they will. So relax. Not eating or sleeping won’t help matters.” Derick insisted, while Carter approached him with a glass of water.
“Please, Mr. Arthur, drink some water.”
“Don’t you dare talk to me, Carter! It's all your fault! You were supposed to be right there in the hospital!”
“Don’t start throwing blame, Arthur.” Derick uttered tiredly, letting out a loud sigh.
“He is correct. I shouldn’t have left to get what the baby was going to need when she delivered. But have you ever thought that maybe if you showed her some love and care when she was here, they wouldn’t have done this?” Carter asked boldly, causing their eyes to widen in shock.
“What?!” Arthur muttered, moving close to him. “What did you just say to me?” He clenched his fist and lifted his hand, ready to strike him in the face, but Derick intervened just in time to stop him.
“Calm the fk down, both of you! We shouldn’t be fighting right now!” Derick yelled.
“You’re fired!” Arthur uttered in rage, yanking his hand off Derick’s.
“I was going to leave anyway.” Carter answered angrily, placing the glass of water on the table and walking away.
Both of them looked at him in disbelief as he walked away. It was the very first time he ever stood up to Arthur in such a manner.
‘He must have been super frustrated too.’ Derick thought.
“Shit!” He cursed. “I’ll go and talk to him. Wait here and don’t do anything stupid again, okay?!” Derick added, running after Carter.
“Arghh!” Arthur yelled in fury, throwing his fist at the wall.
“You’re not getting away with this Aurora. I’m going to find you, and I swear on my dead parent’s grave, I’ll make you pay!”