"The Caregiver and the Mob Boss (pt.2)"
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Avelina has always cared for those who can't care for themselves. With a baby on the way, and a man who can't stand her, she has to still find a way to put herself first.
Adrik cares for Avelina. Avelina car...
"People go but how they left always stays" —unknown
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AVELINA'S FEET WERE swollen, her back was aching, and tears wouldn't stop falling from her eyes. She desperately needed Miss Paola, but she felt it would be selfish to bother her when she was spending time with her daughter.
Just on cue, her phone dinged. She glanced down to see a photo of Miss Paola and a younger version of herself. It was her daughter. Miss Paola had never looked happier than she did in that moment. There was a twinkle in her eye that Avelina had never seen before. It was both beautiful and heartwarming.
Miss Paola always mentioned how she presumed her daughter hated her. She talked about how she was never around for her child as much as she wanted to. Building a brand for herself and creating a legacy were her top priority. If there was one thing Miss Paola regretted, it was believing that money and popularity arose above the love that only came from family. She made sure Avelina never forgot that. The last thing she wanted was for Avelina to make the same mistakes.
Avelina quickly sent Miss Paola a picture of her smiling with a thumbs up, hoping she covered up her sadness. Avelina shut her phone off and placed it down on her night stand. Her room was a mess. Her shoulders fell as she thought about what she just did.
It was her first time seeing Adrik in mouths, and all she could do was through things at him. It was probably immature and foolish, but her anger got the best of her. All she could do was remember how dumb she looked waiting for him in the lobby of his office cold and wet. He left her alone to handle her own pregnancy. She was lonely and he never bothered to care. Only when news finally broke out that she was carrying his baby was the only time he decided to finally show up.
Avelina sighed. She needed to get up and clean. She needed to bathe. She needed to double check when her next doctor appointment would be. She needed to head home to see what else she needed for her nursery. She needed to cry, scream, yell. She needed someone.
Avelina placed her hand over her stomach just as her baby kicked. Again, she was crying. Her baby kicked again, tickling her. She loved how active her child was and the baby wasn't even out of the womb yet.
"Hi, baby," she gushed, rubbing the area soothingly.
Even though it pained her to say, she whispered, "did you enjoy meeting daddy?"
The baby kicked again. Avelina chuckled, sniffling her tears.
"I know I'm sad a lot. I'm sorry for that. Don't think that I'm sad because of you. I'm not. You're actually the only reason I'm holding on. I love you so much, and thank you for being so strong," Avelina whispered. "Now, give mommy the strength to get up and clean up before Miss Paola gets here."
With that, she stood up on wobbly feet and picked up the items that didn't break. She would have to remind herself to pay Miss Paola for all the things that did break.
As she cleaned, all Avelina could think about was Miss Paola, Adrik, and the baby. What would be best for all of them? Before Avelina came along, Miss Paola enjoyed her alone time. And even though Avelina couldn't fathom being in the same space as Adrik, she knew it was most beneficial for the baby. Adrik had a big house, the best foods, enough money to pay for every single thing the baby could ever possibly need.
I was going to be a mother. My actions had to be responsible, mature, and well thought out. It was no longer about me anymore. It was about doing the best for my baby.
Pulling out my phone, I went to Adrik's contact. My finger hovered above the call option.
"You have to be selfless, Avelina. You have to be selfless," she told herself.
After taking a deep breath, she called him. The phone didn't ring a second longer than it needed to before Adrik answered.
"Avelina," he breathed.
"I have a question," she said. Without waiting for his response, she continued, "if word got around that I'm pregnant with your baby and I'm all on my own. What are the chances that I will be in no harm?"
"About twenty-four percent," he answered. "Especially now more than ever. I recently got involved with a shipment that I should not have. There are people out to hurt me by any means possible. If they find out you are having my baby, you will be their first target."
Avelina nodded her head despite him not being able to see her. She looked around the room as if it would be last time she saw it.
"Fine, I'll move back in with you," Avelina whispered. "But only for the baby. I don't want to rekindle any romance with you. There is nothing I want more than to be left alone, do you understand me?"
There was a long pause filled with nothing but silence. Avelina had to remove the phone from her ear and check to see if he was even still on the phone.
"I do not want that," he said.
Even though it shouldn't have, it felt so good to hear. Tension melted away from Avelina's body, and she found herself wanting him to say it over and over again. For a moment, she allowed herself to feel—truly feel. To feel how much she missed him, how much she wanted to be hugged by him, kissed by him, seen by him. For a moment, she needed him.
However, just as soon as that moment came... it was gone again. Replacing that feeling was her need to throw something again. He left her. He didn't care about her. He cast her away like a piece of trash. She was nothing to him, and she needed to remember the hurt she felt for months. He completely destroyed, and he had no right to make her feel such intense feelings just as she was learning to pick herself up again.
"That's just too bad. It never had to be this way Adrik, but you chose to leave. You can't just expect me to come back and for everything to go back to how it once was. It's not happening. When you left me, I was done with you," Avelina explained.
"Okay," Adrik said.
Her shoulders fell. She expected him to say that. After knowing him for as long as she had, it was his most common response to any of her outbursts.
"I will be driving back to the hotel in two minutes. Anton will pack your clothing and other necessities tomorrow morning. Goodbye," Adrik said.
"Bye," she mumbled, removing the phone from her ear and hanging up.
Avelina grabbed a bag and began to put a nights worth of clothes, and hygiene essentials into it. She made sure to text Miss Paola everything that was going on just so she wouldn't worry the kind woman.
As she waited for Adrik, she busied herself with finishing cleaning her room. By the time she finished, Adrik was knocking on the hotel door.
She walked over to the door and pulled it open just before handing her bag over to Adrik.
"Oh, so you do know how to knock?" Avelina asked sarcastically.
"Of course. I learned how to knock when I was two years old. I thought it was something everyone could do," he responded.
She rolled her eyes. Avelina grabbed a jacket from the coat rack by the door and stepped out of the house. She used her key to lock the door behind her.
When she turned to Adrik, he was staring at her.
"You are beautiful, Avelina," he said, walking closer to her so his hand was on her hip. "There is no other woman I would rather have my child than you."
"Okay," Avelina said, mocking him just before walking past him and over to the elevator. She didn't bother waiting for him as she entered.
All she knew was that no matter what, she wouldn't let him get close again. She wouldn't let anyone get close. She had to protect herself and her baby. No matter what.
