Stolen peace of mind

Stolen peace of mind
(Bella)

I got home in time before Javier and Jasmine woke up, I had to, Anne isn't too strong to get them ready for school on her own, and I needed her to get all the rest she can.

I didn't get Ivy's call nor text, she usually calls every morning or leaves a text. I had called but she didn't answer and hasn't returned the calls.

I pocket my phone and help get the twins ready for school before heading to make us breakfast.

As I move around the kitchen, plating the food, I couldn't help but reminisce about last night, it was beyond what I could put into coherent words, it was beautiful, it was passionate and it felt right, more right than anything has in a long time.

I had a corking good time.

We made love till we were both tired out, we talked about a lot, from how I felt when I realized Ashley and his mother had set me up down to how challenging being pregnant and alone was, how helpful Calvin has been.

My stomach twisted when I mentioned Calvin, a subtle reminder of our unresolved issue.

I could see the guilt eating Dean alive and I changed gears, hoping it'd make him feel better and thankfully it did.

"Let's have dinner and watch a movie together," he had suggested.

Movies used to be our thing, we had vowed that Fridays would be our weekly date night.

I nod, my eyes lightening up. "Let's do that when you get back,"

We woke up this morning, wrapped in each other's arms. It was pretty hard for him to leave but duty calls, from both ends.

As I dropped the plate of scrambled eggs on the table, the doorbell rings.

I walk over to get the door, only to see Calvin standing there, his face looking a lot better than it was last night.

And then he lifts his eyes and offers a tiny smile. "Can I come in?" He says, his voice pulling me out of my daze.

I stutter slightly. "Uhmm, ye– yes please," I say, shifting a bit to let him in.

"Uncle Calvin!" Javier and Jasmine came running up to him, he squats to their level and ruffles their hair gently.

I watch them interact with a smile on and afterwards I guide them to the dining to have breakfast while I talk with Calvin in the living room.

We sit and just stare at each other for a moment.

"I'm sorr—," we both say at the same time and the words swivel up in our mouth.

I let out an awkward chuckle. "You go first," I say, holding his gaze.

He nods. "I'm sorry for the way I reacted last night." He says but I cut him off.

"I should be the one apologizing, Calvin. I should have told you sooner," I say calmly, my eyes on him.

"Still, you were honest and that's rare, as much as it hurts me, I understand and I want you to be happy but just know that I'm still here, and I'll always be here if you need me," he says softly and I can tell it's a hard sacrifice, it's not easy to let go of one's feelings. "We'll still be good friends, won't we?" He lifts his eyes in question, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.

God, Calvin is a really good man, he's proven that yet again.

I return his smile and nods. "Sure, this doesn't anything, you're my boss and you'll always be my friend, Calvin, always." I say firmly, the tension easing off my shoulders completely.

He relaxes his shoulder and then he looked at me. "And if it's Dean you love, it's still okay, go for it, if you're happy, I'm happy,"

Christ, Calvin's too good, and I'm — I'm grateful for having him in my corner, I really am.

I give him a smile, and say. "Thank you, Calvin. Your support means alot," I say, exhaling in relief.

We sit there in silence once more, I'm itching to ask him about Rihanna, the question is there, just on the tip of my tongue, but I figured I should wait till he's ready to talk about it.

But as if reading my mind, his question pulled me out of my trance. "You know Rihanna?" He asks, trying to sound nonchalant but there's an edge there.

I nod, offering a warm smile. "Yeah, she's Dean's cousin,"

I see him roll his eyes, his fingers twitch as if he's barely holding his question back, but he doesn't ask, he just shrugged and said okay.

The urge to ask grew and then I furrow my eyebrows. "You know her too?" I ask, studying his reaction.

He doesn't flinch. "She's someone I used to know," he says tersely, like it's nothing, his tone dismissive.

"Oh, I see." I nod, deciding not to press further.

And then, he silenced my still lingering doubt with a smile. "I'll have that breakfast now," he says, standing up to join Javier and Jasmine.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "I didn't even offer," I shake my head, the tension easing off the room.

"I'm going to have it still. I've missed your cooking," he replies, not turning back. "Hey, pookies," I hear him say to Javier and Jasmine.

A soft smile tugs at my lips as I watched him join them.

But really, what's the deal with Rihanna?



My happiness lasted for the rest of the day, and even more Ivy texted to let me know she'd be busy with work and wouldn't be available to talk as she used to.

I have the situation with Dean to tell her but that can wait.

I guess my excitement was pretty obvious, because even Anne noticed, she said I'm more cheerful and smiles to myself when no one's looking.

Well, I can't help it.

But then the next morning came and I woke up to a nightmare.

Eight missed calls from Derrick, five from Calvin.

It was Derrick's text that almost knocked the breath out of me.

Heart pounding, I checked the news like Derrick said.

My hands trembled, my lungs became impossible to stretch, making every breath far too shallow to suffice.

I needed to blink a few times before my eyes adjusted to the screen, once they did, my heart stopped.

Those horrible pictures of me with different men were all over the tabloid, with condescending comments.

Headlines that makes me want to puke.

"The real reason behind Dean Brennan's divorce. He's wife cheated,"

"Dean Brennan and his promiscuous ex-wife ended their marriage —-," I couldn't even finish reading before I toss my phone away, my head spinning.

Someone had released those photos to the press.

I was on the verge of breaking down but I couldn't. This is what the one behind this has aimed at, but I won't give them that satisfaction.

Ashley and Judy being my prime suspect, they're the only ones capable of doing something like this, just to discredit me.

This isn't good, for me and as well as Dean.

But somehow, somewhere at the back of my mind, I knew this'll happen, maybe not this but I know not to trust Ashley's silence.

I closed my eyes and exhaled deeply.

This is what they want, to break me apart, to mess my life up.

But I won't let them, not in this life time, not in the next.