Chapter 51 Everything To Be Okay
Maddie's POV
I am back at work today. Mariko was still not happy about it, but he allowed me to work. I passed my test with flying colors. I was so happy about it. All of that time spent going through my books has paid off despite the personal challenges that I have been facing. So far I have had no morning sickness, but the coffee smell still makes me nauseous.
I sat behind my desk as I went through my work, I saw Lana and Arden arrive. Arden, my half-brother and Lana, who was assaulted by my dad. How do I face her or even work for her? Guilt starts to creep up. I took a deep breath as I watched Arden walk out of the office. But he doesn't leave, instead he approaches me and immediately, I feel the pang of nerves.
He gave me a faint smile, "Hi," I managed to say as he came to a stop in front of my desk.
"I wanted to know if you are feeling okay?" he asked, as I was taken aback by the question.
"Well, with everything that has been going on and...with Gerard, I don't know how to feel. I mean...I never knew about him-"
"Would you want to grab breakfast with me and talk?" he asked.
"Um," I looked at the documents and files on my desk, "I have work that I need to catch up on," I looked up at him again.
"It can wait. It is not everyday that I get to sit with a new sibling and get to know her. Miranda would do the same, but unfortunately, she is away on a business trip. She would be forcing you, so now I am the one who wants to know you. Lana will understand," he was persistent.
"Okay, I guess," I said hesitantly as I stood up from the chair and took my phone.
"We will be in the cafeteria," he smiled. I nodded with acknowledgement. I grabbed my wallet. "No, I will pay for it," I looked at him. This is what I do not like, because it makes me feel as if I am taking advantage of people. I am already in therapy and I have people in my life that have already been mean to me for having nothing.
"Please, allow me to do this for myself," I said.
He nodded, "Very well then," he said, and he gestured with his hand towards the hallway.
I walked around my desk and we walked in step towards the cafeteria.
Once we got to the cafeteria, I ordered a juice and he ordered a coffee, which I had to get away from. I was nauseous and I didn't buy the sandwich that I wanted. We took a seat at the table a bit further away from the floor to ceiling windows, not the usual table that Mariko and I would sit at.
I took a sip of my juice as Arden took a sip of his coffee. I let out a breath due to the smell of coffee. I was just trying to keep it together. Why the hell did I agree to breakfast knowing that I would get more nauseous?
"Are you okay? You look a little pale." he asked with concern.
"Um...I am not that well."
"Then why did you come to work today? I heard what happened and I have been through some...very bad situations where when someone isn't well, you need to rest and stay at home." he said.
"I can't stay at home forever. This phase will pass," I replied.
"You are pale and I do think that it is too soon for you to be back at work, especially with the amount of work that you have."
"I'm pregnant...so that won't make a difference. I can't take the smell of coffee," I blurted out. His eyes were huge as he paused with his polysterene cup halfway towards his mouth. He snapped out of it and looked at the cup, placing it on the table.
"Congratulations," he smiled, "I'm sorry that I ordered myself coffee. If you had said something, then I wouldn't have even brought you here," he said.
"Thank you. We are keeping it to ourselves for the time being and I just blurted that out," I said as the heat creeped up my cheeks.
"It is understandable. You are early in the pregnancy, so it is more common for anything to go wrong. I have been there three times so...It isn't easy. But your secret is safe with me." he smiled.
"Thank you," I returned his smile.
"So do you still see Gerard?" he asked.
"I haven't seen him after the...shocking news. My mother thinks that she has a chance with him, but by the looks of things, he is interested in a different woman, by the name of Cynthia," I said, and he nodded in thought.
"She was Lana's best friend. She loved Gerard but we tried to steer her away from him and she wouldn't listen. But he was a terrible father. The things that he did, he forced us to do things that we never wanted to do. It was a very...dark past. Things that I needed to heal from. My mother left us with him, but I left that kind of life years ago. It would take a lot for me to forgive him after everything." he said as his eyes glazed over. I guess that I was the lucky one.
"He wants to change and he wants a second chance. I told him that I would give him that chance but he needed to prove it. I don't want to be involved with a man with a dirty past that I want nothing to do with. He promised, but I haven't seen him since." I shrugged.
"Be careful and if it is that you want to give him a chance, then it is your choice, but all I ask is for you to be careful," he said.
I took his advice and I will always hold it dear to me. I need to be careful of my own father because of what he has done. I want to believe my father...to give him a second chance, but he needs to prove it.
Mariko's POV
I was sitting behind my desk going through some work of my own for an upcoming meeting. I wanted Maddie, my thoughts drifted to her, I wanted to f^ck her on my desk. My erection strained against my pants and I tried my best to snap out of my thoughts and focus on my work.
As I try to focus, my mind starts to drift off to the baby. I hope that he or she will be healthy. I don't want anything to happen. That is still a fear of mine. I have so much happening with friends and I have been lucky not to have experienced their pain when it came to things going wrong in pregnancies. I do worry about Maddie, especially after the accidental overdose.
I lean back in my chair as my thoughts overtake my focus. I stood up from my desk, my erection already flaccid. I needed to check up on Maddie. When I got to her desk, she wasn't there. I furrowed my brows as I looked inside of Lana's office. She wasn't there either, it was only Lana who was busy.
I entered Lana's office. "Is Maddie still here?" I asked and she looked up at me.
"Yes, she is. She and Arden went to the cafeteria to get to know each other," she smiled.
I was relieved, "How are you doing?" I asked.
"I'm okay, it was frightening to see Gerard again after what had happened. I just don't want to see him again, even if he does change his ways for the better," she replied.
"I understand that. He will no longer put a foot in Sternpoint. This is for safety reasons for you, but Maddie would still see him. He wants a second chance. I am against that but I cannot force her to stay away from him. She never knew him until her mother had told her about him and some things that were unpleasant." I said.
"It is her choice and I am not standing in the way of that, but she needs to be careful."
"I agree with you. I just wanted to check up on her. Let me know if I can help with anything," I said.
"I will do so," she smiled.
I left her office and went back to mine. I didn't want to disturb Maddie and Arden. I think that its a great thing that they are getting to know each other. Maddie deserves that after being alone with her mother for years. She has siblings that she can count on and they are good people that she can surround herself with.
All I have to do now is try to focus on preparations for the meeting. I expect a call from Amber with regards to how Bella is doing. I know that she needs to spend time with her mother too, but Bella is my princess and I do worry about her too. I want to make sure that everything is always okay with her.