Chapter 44.

The trip to New Jersey was long and uneventful for Holly.

She had started the day packing the stuffs she wanted to donate and getting her luggage ready. There had been a lot for her to do but she wasn't worried because her flight was in the late afternoon. She also got a lot of help from Darren and Charlie.

She was feeling a lot better about her decision, moving back home wasn't the worst thing in the world. She had a fairly good childhood there and her child was going to grow up in a great environment surrounded by her family.

It was a decent enough plan. She wasn't in contact with Jamie and Rose even after promising them that she would call with her new number. She had been so preoccupied packing and making so many decisions that she had forgotten all about it.

There wasn't much to do as regards the bakery anymore. It wasn't hers anymore and there was nothing she could do about it.

She wondered if Kim was finally happy that she got her way, since it was what she wanted all along.

The last few days had been stressful for her but Holly found out that keeping herself busy was a way to keep the bad thoughts away.

Yoga also helped, it calmed her and kept her more in tune with her inner self.

There wasn't only a lot going on with her life, but also her body. There were a lot of changes that came with pregnancy that Holly was slightly not comfortable with.

She had always had a bit of problem embracing her weight and even though it was hard, Holly was trying her best to do the best she could to stay healthy for the baby and herself.

She was even eating a lot healthier than she used to before.

But the pregnancy weight was one thing she had not expected, especially so early on in the pregnancy. She was nearing six weeks pregnant and she was already having trouble with putting on her jeans and her tummy flab was back in full force.

She wore black more than usual to give herself that slimming effect and she tried as much as possible to be positive about the changes in her body.

Another hard part about leaving was giving away Freckles. To the only person that Holly trusted enough to give it to. And that was Darren.

Freckles loved Darren more than he ever loved Holly, the stupid cat purred whenever Darren touched him and allowed Darren to give him belly rubs.

Whereas with Holly, she only got scratches and the cold shoulder with him. The only time Freckles ever loved her was whenever she was about to serve him his food.

Even if she wanted to bring him along, the only way he would come with her was through a cargo plane and Holly was too nervous about that. Besides, her father was allergic to cats and since she was going to be staying with her parents, she didn't want to do anything that would be too offensive.

Her sister picked her up at the airport. Crystal was all smiles at the airport with Halle Pearl in her hands.

"I'm so glad you're here for Christmas! We have a lot to catch up on and I mean a lot!"

Crystal said as she led Holly to her range rover that was in the parking lot.

She passed her baby to Holly as they both got into the car.

"Yes, it's good to be back." Holly simply said as she helped Crystal put the baby in the car seat. Halle Pearl was already looking bigger than Holly saw her the last time. She was already opening her pretty brown eyes much like her father and some strands of fine blond hair could be seen on her bald head.

"You look so much more different than the last time I saw you. And it's only been a few weeks." Crystal said as she studied Holly's face eagerly waiting for Holly to spill the beans.

Holly shrugged.

"Not much going on here." She murmured.

There was a long uncomfortable pause before Crystal started driving. And all through the one hour drive to their parents house, all Crystal could talk about was about her and George and how they went on several trips after they were married and the charity events they attended and things that Holly really didn't care about listening to.

"Oh! Oh! Did you hear what happened?" Crystal's voice brought Holly out of her reverie.

Holly shook her head.

"No, I didn't. What happened?"

Crystal shrugged.

"Shouldn't even be telling you if you don't know about it yet but Ella caught Richard cheating on her."

Holly was not as surprised as she expected to be, she always knew Richard was shady back when he hit on Kim during Crystal's wedding.

But she had kept it to herself thinking it was saving her sister the stress of worrying that her husband was a shameless flirt.

"That's horrible! With who?" Holly asked and Charlie shrugged.

"This is even the funniest part! He's cheating on her with Louis and River's twenty year old baby sitter! How crazy is that?!!"

Crystal asked while laughing and Holly gave her a look.

"Don't laugh about that."

She warned but Crystal only laughed harder.

"I knew the guy was a douche the very moment I met him. First of all, he doesn't even have a real job anymore, I don't know what the hell Ella sees in him..."

"Crystal! How is Ella doing?"

Holly cut in and Crystal shrugged.

"Well, she's pretty much messed up right now and she's staying with mum and dad since she was so freaked out by everything that was happening."

Holly raised her eyebrow.

"What about Louis and River?"

Crystal shrugged.

"I don't know. They're back in their house or something. I don't really understand what the hell is going on with her because she's being so cryptic about everything. I just want her to divorce him."

Crystal said and Holly shrugged.

"That's left to her, honestly."

Holly knew even if given the chance Ella was never going to divorce George,  that was how deep and blinded her love for him was and there was nothing all of them could do about it if she decided to stay married to him.

"Hey! I forgot! What about that sexy hot dude you were seeing? Ryder Bates? I googled him and he's really a catch."

The question Holly was dreading but was on everyone's mind.

She wished she could ignore it but it would only make things much more worse than it already was.

The only thing she could do was not deny the fact that something had gone wrong between them.

"That's, that's kind of over now."

There was a long pause and Crystal apologised for asking.

"I just knew it, guys like that... They're just players, nothing more. Most of them end up with super skinny hot girls."

Holly raised her eyebrows.

"I don't get your point."

She said and Crystal looked unfazed.

"I'm just saying, it's kind of pretty obvious that he didn't like you that way in the first place. I mean, he's not the kind of guy, to date a girl like you, if we're being totally honest."

Holly gasped a little, not out of surprise that Crystal made such a statement because it was something Crystal would say anyways.

She was surprised that Crystal had the audacity to actually say it to her face.

"So, you're saying because of my body type I won't attract guys like Ryder? I know that's what you're saying but it's just honestly unbelievable that you're wired that way. And I hate when you make everything or relate everything that has ever happened to me to my weight and how I look like."

"Here you go again! Seriously stop being so oversensitive. I'm just saying if you actually made an effort to lose the weight, maybe you'd get better guys!"

Crystal said again and Holly rolled her eyes.

"I am making the effort. But honestly that shouldn't even be your business. You know what, why don't you focus on yourself and I'll focus on myself. I'm as healthy as I'll ever be and there's nothing wrong with the way I look so why don't you just deal with it already!"

Crystal shrugged.

"You don't have to be so defensive about it."

Crystal muttered and Holly continued.

"I do. Because I've taken shitty comments like that from you all my life and I'm tired of hearing it. So please shut the fuck up!"

"Okay! No curse words in front of my baby!" Crystal screamed and Holly rolled her eyes.

"Mind your business then!"

They both didn't utter a single word to each other until Holly arrived home.

The minute Holly dropped her luggage in front of their suburban house, Crystal drove off in seething anger.

The house was near empty when Holly knocked on the door. Her parent's car wasn't even in the driveway.

But the minute she knocked and tried opening the door, weirdly she found out that it was unlocked.

She had only taken a few steps into the house when her sister Ella emerged in nothing more than a wet sweatpants and tank top.

"Oh Good! You're here! The baby is coming!"

She screamed and Holly almost collapsed out of exhaustion.

"Oh no..." She murmured as she rushed to meet her sister.