Chapter 14

RAINA

“So what did you girls do at Grandma’s place?” Raina asked Alexa and Adrie as she helped them put on their pajamas. They arrived from Magda’s place not long ago.

“We ate a lot of chocolates,” Adrie smiled, knowing Raina would not have allowed them to eat that much chocolate.

“Grandma took us to the park and also to a birthday party,” Alexa said.

“Aunty Elena came to visit us at Grandma’s place too,” she added, and Adrie nodded.

Raina knew her babies had lots of fun with their grandma. So did she and Ronald. She blushed as soon as she remembered all they had done during the weekend.

“Is anything the matter, Raina? Your cheeks are turning red,” Alexa asked.

“It’s nothing, my dear. Let’s get you girls to bed,” she said, then monitored them as they climbed their bed, during which Ronald walked in.

He walked over to the girls and kissed their forehead, after which he sat on the left edge of the bed, with Raina seated on the right edge of the bed.

“We were thinking about changing the structure of your room,” Ronald said to the girls, and they looked at him confused, especially Alexa, who had a frown on her face.

“Do you want us to rearrange the room with the two of you having your separate bed? Adrie’s bed will be at this end, and Alexa’s bed will be at the other end.”

Alexa shook her head. “Adrie and I love sharing the same bed. Isn’t that right, Adrie?”

Adrie nodded.

“Okay, then. If that’s what you guys want,” he said, glancing at Raina. She shrugged at him.

Raina and Ronald stayed a little longer with the girls. They made conversation with them until they fell asleep before they returned to Ronald’s room.

“Come here.” He gestured to the space beside him, and Raina hopped in and buried her face in the crook of his neck. He wrapped his right arm around her and softly stroked her hair with his left hand.

She needed him more than ever after the news she watched today.

After they finished lunch, they came across news on TV about some men involved in burglary and rape. Frank Alba, Raina’s ex-lover, was mentioned to be the leader of those people.

After watching the news, Raina had a feeling of uncertainty in her.

She was happy she and Adrie were free from him; she remembered her miscarriage. Mostly, her heart went out to Frank’s mom. The old woman must have felt so disappointed in him.

RONALD

Raina was moody the whole afternoon. Ronald knew she needed some alone time, so he let her have her quiet time in her room.

In the evening, he went to her room with some food for her to eat. He saw her lying on the bed with her face buried in the pillow.

He placed the tray of food on a table, after which he walked toward her and sat on the bed beside her. She immediately wrapped her arms around him.

He calmed her down, after which he reached for the food he had brought and fed her.

Even after he made sure she finished everything on her plate, he stayed with her and made conversation to cheer her up.

They did that until Ronald’s mom came to drop the girls off.

“Thanks for being there for me today.” She smiled as she looked at him.

“Anything for you, my love,” he replied, after which he kissed her forehead. “I have been wanting to ask you, Ray—will you move in here with me?

“You’re the last person I want to see when I go to bed and the first person I want to see when I wake up,” he confessed with pleading eyes.

“Okay, I will move in with you,” she whispered, a small smile on her face.

“Thank you, babe.” He kissed her.

They ended up cuddling and fell asleep in a spooning position.

RAINA

^A FEW DAYS LATER^

Raina’s shift was over in no time. She said her goodbyes to Maggie and Uncle Rico, then exited the restaurant.

Ray had been working in the restaurant for almost two months now. She had learned a lot and also taught some of her coworkers a few of her recipes.

She helped Uncle Rico in changing the menu. She was friendly to everyone, and they all loved her. Uncle Rico never regretted employing her.

Once she was out of the restaurant, Raina walked toward her car and got settled in the driver’s seat. Well, it was one of Ronald’s cars, which he insisted she made use of until he got her own for her.

She, however, told him not to buy a new one since she could borrow the ones he had.

She started the car and drove toward Jemma’s home.

Raina checked up on Jemma from time to time since her due date was closer. She saw Jemma as the sister she never had and wanted to be there for her as much as she could.

Ray pulled up in Jemma’s driveway and walked up to the entrance with a bag of food she had brought from the restaurant.

“Heyyyy,” a tired Jemma greeted as she opened the door. She was wearing a pale blue sundress, and she was huge, thanks to her pregnancy. Her face was dry, and her hair was in a ponytail.

“Hi, sis,” Raina greeted with a sad smile. Being pregnant wasn’t easy.

“Thank God you came. I was dying of boredom,” she said as she ushered Raina into her home. “So what should I get you? Water, wine, juice?” she offered.

“Don’t worry about that, boo. Just take a seat, and I will go get what I want,” she said, and Jemma nodded as she took a seat on a couch.

“I got this for you. But if you’re not ready to eat it now, I’ll keep it in the kitchen for you,” Raina said to Jemma, referring to the bag of food.

“I think I’ll eat it later,” Jemma said.

Once Raina got to the kitchen, she removed a cupcake from the food bag and kept the food in the fridge. She poured some lemonade into two glasses, placed them on a tray, and went back into the living room.

She handed Jemma a glass of lemonade and the cupcake while she took the other one and sat on a couch beside Jemma.

“Sorry about Frank. I saw the news,” Jemma said.

“I’m over it. I just feel so sorry for his mom. The poor woman keeps trying to make up with him, but he keeps disgracing her.”

“Is he an only child?” Jemma asked.

“He is from his mother’s side. His mom remarried, so he has stepsiblings.”

“My condolences to her.”

“Yeah, I’m just happy I left him long ago.”

“There’s something about you, Ray. You’re glowing.” Jemma smirked knowingly.

Raina blushed.

“Is there anything you’re not telling me?”

“Like what?” Raina teased.

“Stop joking around, babe. I want every detail,” she pressed, making Raina blush even more.

How would she tell someone about what she had with Ronald? How would she even explain how incredible what they had was?

“You guys made love, right?” she asked with a grin.

Raina nodded after a while.

“I’m so happy for you, my friend. Now I feel so assured. I thought you guys weren’t going to make that move. I’ve been waiting forever,” Jemma said, and they both chuckled.

“So, how are you? How’s my goddaughter?” Raina asked.

“I can’t wait for her to be out. She’s been kicking nonstop,” Jemma replied with her mouth full of cupcakes, rubbing her belly in the process.

Since today was Friday and she didn’t work on weekends, Raina decided to stay with Jemma till 8 p.m. They chatted, went to the baby’s room to make arrangements, and then watched a movie.