Luke Dawson P.O.V
Something is wrong!
Something is terribly wrong!
Paisley seems off! She didn't even call me till it was almost 11 at night and responded so briefly to my texts.
Even her messages were enough for me to know that she was upset about something.
I really look forward to meet her at the hospital tomorrow and find out what is the problem.
I walked out of the hospital with all these thoughts clouding my head.
........................
Paisley Redmond P.O.V
I was sleeping peacefully until my stupid husband decided to disrupt my slumber.
"Go away!" I mumbled pulling the sheets upto my head.
"Wake up Paisley!" Kyle again said trying to yank away the sheets.
I shook my head and mubbled incorrehent words.
"You asked for it." Kyle said and sat on my stomach straddling me.
In a few seconds he started tickling me mercilessly making me laugh out like crazy.
"S-stop! S-s-stop!" I said laughing.
"You only wanted to sleep!" Kyle teased and started tickling with more force.
I just kept on laughing like a lunatic.
If you people haven't figured out till yet, then let me tell you I am extremely ticklish.
Suddenly the door burst open and Kyle turned his face around to look who it was giving me a chance to escape.
I tried to wriggle out of his hold but he pinned both my hands above my head and said "Nah!"
I lifted my head up and saw it was the three boys.
"Come three musketeers!" Kyle said and all four of them tickled me together.
"C-can't br-breathe." I said gasping for air.
"Let go boys!" Kyle said and all four of them stopped.
Alas! They showed me some mercy!
"You fine?" Kyle asked as he helped me sit up.
"Would have died in a few seconds." I said panting.
"Are you fine mommy?" Ryder asked kissing my cheek.
"Yes." I replied.
"Sure?" Asked the other two boys.
"Positive!" I replied and pulled all three of the little boys in for a hug.
"Why were you waking me up?" I asked Kyle.
"It's already like 9 and I wanted to talk to you about something." Kyle answered.
"Something important?" I asked seriously.
"Nope! Just like that." He said popping the "p".
"What time will you be free today from court?" I asked him.
"I have three cases so, I should be done by 4." He answered getting off the bed.
"Hmm. Can you make it home after that? I have to go somewhere, by the time you'll be here, the boys would be asleep." I said.
"Sure!" He answered and went to the bathroom.
Kyle knew I had to go to the hospital to meet Mel and in order for that, Brandon had to be asleep as directed by Nick.
"Let's go boys and get you something to eat." I said and took all three of them to the kitchen with me.
"Morning Rose!" I greeted once I entered the kitchen.
"Morning honey!" She greeted back with her evergreen smile.
"How are you feeling?" I asked her.
Rose had a stomach bug. So, I had given her an off to take rest.
"Very well." She answered and looked at the three little boys.
"Who is this little prince?" She asked looking towards Brandon.
"You remember my friends Melissa and Nick?" I asked and she nodded.
"He is their son." I answered.
"That's unbelievable! As far as I remember, they were ready to kill each other at every chance they got." She said amazed wiping the pan she just washed.
"I know right!" I said in agreement.
"Paisley, somebody had come this morning and dropped these off." Rose said and pointed towards the bags kept in the corner.
I walked towards the bags and peeked inside them. The bags consisted of things that would be required for Brandon.
I took out his foldable high chair and set it for him to sit on it.
Once everything was done, the three boys settled down for breakfast.
"Can I have some ice cream, mom?" Noah asked after eating a little portion of this cheese and mushrooms.
"Yes, please!" Ryder and Brandon pleaded.
"Okay." I agreed making them smile widely.
"Morning Rose!" Kyle said entering the kitchen in a hurry buttoning up the side buttons of his crisp black shirt.
"Morning." She replied and handed him his coffee.
"All set?" I asked him taking a bite of my toast.
"Yeah. I am just running late!" He said and quickly gulped down the last contents of his coffee.
"Relax. The court isn't too far away from the house." I said.
"I know, but still." He said wiping his mouth with the napkin and got up to leave.
"I'll see you in the evening." He said dropping a kiss on my forehead.
"Yeah. All the best!" I wished and walked with him towards the door.
"Thanks, love." He said and rushed out of the door.
Closing the door behind him I went inside to the kitchen where the boys were enjoying their scoop of chocolate ice-cream.
...............................
At exactly 4pm the doorbell rang indicating Kyle's arrival.
I took my bag with me and ran down the stairs in a rush to leave the house.
"Hey!" Kyle said as I opened the door.
"Hey. How was court?" I asked.
"Great. I won them all." Kyle said and moved inside the house.
"Fabulous!" I said.
"Listen, Kyle, the boys are off to sleep they won't wake before an hour or two. If you need anything for the kids ask Rose, she has just gone to the market to get some stuff. I'll get going now." I told him, in a hurry to leave.
"Yeah. Just stay calm, okay? And don't forget that, I am right here with you." He said and pecked my lips.
I nodded with a smile and rushed out of the house.
................................
"Hey." I greeted Nick.
"Hey!" He greeted back.
"How are you both doing?" I asked and sat down beside him.
"Better than expected." He said sighing and blinked back the tears.
"It's gonna be okay." I said and pulled him in for a hug.
"Why, Paisley? Why was it us?" He cried out hugging me back.
"Probably, because you both are strong enough to deal with it." I answered and wiped off the tears that escaped my eyes.
"Probably. I am really sorry for all that I said to you. Yesterday, me and Mel had a talk about all this and she explained everything to me. I was just hurt and angry at that time when I said all those things to you. Please forgive me." Nick said after we pulled away from the hug.
"It's okay, Nick. Your reaction was absolutely justified and I don't blame you for it. There is no need for you to apologise about anything. Your words didn't hurt me even for second, apart from the time when I got to know, Kyle being in all of this." I said, my throat getting clogged up with emotions.
"But it really isn't Kyle's fault. It's not like he had pushed Melissa off the stairs. Probably our little princess wasn't meant to come in this world." He said.
"Melissa told me the same." I said.
"How's Brandon?" He asked changing the topic.
"He's good, I received all his things today morning. He was sleeping once I left." I told him.
"You don't mind keeping him with you for a few more days right? I mean I want Mel to go and settle down once we get home, if Brandon is home she'll be moving around the house, which the doctors have prohibited her for the time being." Said Nick.
"Not at all! I would love to have him over, he's a real darling. I don't mind at all, he can stay for as long as you want him to." I answered.
"Thank you." He said.
"Can I go and meet her now?" I asked him.
"Of course! She is awake right now." He said.
"Cool then! I'll be back." I said when Nick's voice stopped me.
"Paisley, today Ace and Erica had called. They were pretty pissed with me for not telling them anything, I told him I didn't want to spoil their anniversary vacation. They'll be back day after tomorrow, though. What I did was fine, right?" Nick asked.
"Yeah. What you did was right." I said giving me a smile and went inside Mel's room.
I sat with Mel for sometime. She asked me about Brandon, and what was happening with Kyle and me. I told her everything missing out the details when Kyle had told me about Luke.
When her medicines started to kick in, I got up and walked out of the door so, she could have a peaceful slumber.
...............................
"Paisley!" I heard Luke's voice once I got of Melissa's room closing the door behind me.
"Luke." I said and have him a forced smile.
"How are you?" He asked.
"Good." I answered briefly.
"Might telling me what's wrong?" He asked seriously as we both sat down on the benches.
I played with my hands not knowing how to bring up the topic infront of him.
"So, something is definitely wrong then. You aren't a person to play with your hands when a question is asked. Wanna talk about it?" Luke asked.
"I... uh....Luke, um...." I said but Luke stopped me.
"Want to go somewhere peaceful and talk, then?" He asked and I nodded.
We both walked towards the elevator quietly. This was the first time we had been a situation where uncomfortable silence existed between us. From the day we met till today nothing like this ever happened.
"Want to go to the café down the street and talk or you just wanna sit in the car here?" Luke asked as we exited the hospital.
"Wherever." I answered and Luke walked towards his car and I followed him.
Once inside the car we both settled in comfortably knowing it would be a long and serious conversation.
"So, now do you want to tell me about it?" He asked, and I sighed.
Inhaling a heavy breath, I gathered courage to start the conversation with Luke.
"Luke, in all these past four years.... did you help me because you wanted to, or because you looked at it as an...... as an... obligation?" I asked Luke.
"What!? What kind of a f*cking question is that? Of course, I helped you because I wanted to." Luke answered as a frown marred his face.
"I have got to know about somethings, things that are really unbelievable, Luke. I have come to trust you with my life in the past four years. Is there anything you would like to tell me about, anything?" I asked hoping he would tell me everything.
"You know everything. What is it that you want to know?" He asked.
"Anything that you could not tell me. Just please say it!" I said chewing on my bottom lip.
"Nothing that I reacall." Luke answered.
"Do you want me tell me about the girl you said you found and wanted to spend your life with, but was waiting for the right time to make a move? You said I knew her quite well. I would like to know about her, please." I asked and Luke's face visibly paled.
"I-I....um.... Why? Why so suddenly do you want to know about her?" Asked a very tensed Luke, and a sinking feeling surfaced inside me.
"Cause it is important, Luke. You are my friend, you know everything about me and I also want to know about things or people realted to you. Isn't that fair?" I said.
He kept quiet confirming every word Kyle had said.
"Answer me. Please!" I pleaded.
"Paisley, what I am about to tell you, is something that will be hard for you to accept. It may ruin the strong bond both of us have managed to establish over the course of years, but I want you to try and understand me. Will you?" Luke asked his voice holding heavy evident fear, in turn I just gave him an encouraging nod.
"Almost six years ago, when I met you I never thought things would be the way they are now. For me, you were somebody I wanted to have in my life as a friend. The more we got close, the more I got to know about you. When I knew the unbelievable things you had to go through in your childhood, made me want to protect you from any further harm. The way you always stood strong, never let your morals down, spoke up against things you felt were wrong drew me to closer to you. Your display of strength was something I admired and respected greatly. And gradually all these emotions turned into love, love for you.
Love for not a friend, but love that you have for somebody you want to spend your entire life with. I loved you Paisley, and I still do love you immensely!" Luke said and paused for a moment, giving me a chance to speak.
"Paisley, hear me out once, then I'll listen to whatever you have to say." Luke requested and mumbled a small ok. His confession of love momentarily taking away my ability to speak more than monosyllable.
With a sigh Luke continued, "I wanted to confess my feeling to you badly, I really did. But I knew your fear with men and the trust issues you had. So, I decided to keep my feeling to myself and wait till the time you learned to trust me completely.
Months passed by and things between us started to become better, but that was the time Redmond entered. From the moment we joined that damned internship programme, the seed of distant began to grow between us. Redmond, always knew I loved you and made sure to keep you away from me. Two months into it, you both started to date. Words fall short to explain the pain I felt because of it. I decided to eat it up and see where I goes, because Kyle back then was know as the biggest player and I thought this would also be a play thing for him. I wanted to warn you about it, but seeing you all happy with him stopped me from doing that.
One day, I was so frustrated I decided to tell you about my feelings, irrespective of the fact, you were already in a relationship with, Redmond.
If you remember you had come to my house that day I told you I wanted to talk to you about something, and you said you wanted to as well. I became all excited thinking probably you also reciprocated the same feelings as me, but that wasn't the case. You came and told me that, you were getting married! I was dead that day! Listening to the only woman I ever loved saying she was getting married to somebody else killed me! But I decided to let you go. To let you go and find your happiness, even if it meant it wasn't with me.
Days passed and you and Kyle got married. Oh! I can't even explain the pain of attending your wedding and hearing you say the words I do, to somebody that wasn't me. Yet, I still never stopped loving you, but I knew I had to do something to stop hurting anymore. That was the time me and Melissa decided to establish our own firm. The year passed away quickly in all of this, I stopped feeling miserable but grew to love you even more. All our friends asked me to forget you and believe me I tried, but just couldn't.
The time when Kyle divorced you and threw you out was difficult for me. I couldn't bare to see you in so much pain. The day you got to know you were pregnant was like a relief for me, knowing there was something now to keep you going.
After Noah and Ryder were born, I fell in love with them instantly! They sure were excatly like Kyle in looks, yet were a copy of you in terms of personality. I fell deeper in love with you, seeing the way you were strong and determined for the twins. In the course of years I loved the boys like my own. You and the twins were my only priority, still are my only priority. After four years I gathered the courage to confess all my feeling to you but Redmond came back! He cameback out of no where to snatch you away from me! I tried everything I could to not let you go but he cleverly turned the table. He stole my clients and I was forced to comeback to London and be with my firm.
Exactly after five days I cameback, I knew he was the one behind all the mess with my firm. But I decided to not tell you about it, I wanted to expose all his lies In front you. I already knew, you and Redmond were back together, but I pretended to stay oblivious to it. All because I wanted to show you his dirty and unfair means to win you back. I had left for Germany because the need to see you was growing incredibly! I was sure if I would meet you, I would tell you everything before time.
Another reason was I didn't tell you about it, was beacuse I wanted Mel to deliver the baby and then get the plan in action, cause if her stress levels would rise, it would harm her and the baby. Unfortunately, when I was telling Nick about all this, Melissa heard it and fell off the stairs and the rest it known to you." Luke completed with his voice thick with emotions and a tear rolled down his cheek.
"Oh my god!" I gasped and tears welled in my eyes.
The man who was my confidant, my friend, my pillar of strength has suffered so much and all because of me. I always felt that there was nothing that could affect Luke, but all this proved me wrong. I was the biggest and only source that had cause him to live in misery for the past 6 years. I had hurt him bad unknowingly. God knows how terrible I feel!
"L-Luke.... why? Why did you tolerate all the pain? You don't deserve any of it. You are an amazing man, you don't need to feel like this." I said and wipe off my own tears.
"You are asking me why did I tolerate all the pain? That is because I love you! And you are worth fighting for and enduring all the pain in this world!" Luke said and took my hand in his kissing it.
"Luke, I am sure there are many women out there who are better than me and will be the perfect reason for your happiness, than I am. Thank you for all that you have done for me and the boys. I can never pay you back for any of it, but there is no need for you to go through his anymore. You have to move on and forget me! You have to settle down in your life with somebody, somebody that is not me." I told Luke and gently pulled my hand away from his grip. Luke deserved someone much better than me, I had only caused him pain.
"That is the f*cking problem! I can't move on! I can't picture myself with somebody else that's isn't you, Paisley. I just can't!" Luke exclaimed.
"But you don't have any other choice, Luke. I have a family now, I just can't leave them. You also deserve a family of your know, and you will have it with someone else. Right now, moving on may seem like a difficult option for you, but you will have to eventually. The most important thing is, you don't deserve me, Luke. I have given you nothing but pure hurt and pain for the past 6 years. You deserve somebody who isn't like me, somebody who is going to fill your life with happiness and joy!" I explained to him as if explaining to a child. All the while the guilt of putting him in a such a condition stabbing me in the gut numerous times.
"For me family means you. Just give me a chance to prove myself, Paisley! Let me prove to you that I love you! If we are together, there is nothing else in this world that I want or need! Just you, me and the boys." Luke pleaded.
"Luke, please. Please don't do this to yourself. Don't be so hard on yourself!" I coaxed.
"Do you love him?" Luke asked running a hand through his hair.
"Who?" I asked.
"Do.You.Love.Redmond?" Luke asked in a low tone running a hand over his face.
I bit my lip, closed my eyes and nodded my head trying to prevent the sob from escaping my mouth.
"That F*cker!" He cursed and banged his fist hard on the steering wheel, making the horn blow off.
Moments of silence passed between us and tears rolls down my cheeks as I felt helpless.
"Do I have a chance of he ever messes up?" Luke asked looking at me hopefully.
"Luke...... I don't think he will mess up now...." I was saying when Luke cut me off.
"Forget about that for the time being. Just please tell me, do I have a chance if he ever messes up in future?" Luke asked vulnerability evident in his voice.
Even though I wanted to tell him that, if Kyle messed up this time I would be incapable of loving anyone but I didn't. I said what he needed to know, what would keep him sane.
I lightly nodded my head as an answer to his question.
"You are lying. I can clearly see it in your eyes. I know you will be incapable of loving anybody after that, but thank you for giving me the answer I needed." Luke said giving me a small teary smile, taking my hand his once again and placed a kiss on it.
"I am so sorry!" I said and broke off into sobs.
"Hey. Hey. Hey. Don't cry now please. I'll try and come to terms with it, but please don't cry. My heart breaks every single time you shed a tear." Luke said and hugged me from across the seat.
I just hugged him back. I needed the comfort of my friend and so did he.
I cried my heart out for everything that I have gone through, for everything Kyle has gone through, and most importantly for everything Luke has gone through, for everything my babies have gone through, for everything all my friends have gone through.
All the pent up emotions came out and I just let them free.
After I felt a bit light, I pulled away.
"Feeling better?" Luke asked and wiped away my tears.
"Yeah. Thank you. I really needed that." I said and gave him a teary greatful smile.
"No need to thank me, I am always right here for you." Luke said holding my hand in his.
"Paisley, can I request you something?" Luke asked.
"Sure." I replied in affarmative.
"Can we please not let all this affect whatever we have? Can we please not let it ruin out friendship? I may not have you with me as a life partner, but I want you with me in my life, as a friend, as a confidant, as someone I can always come to for help. Please just give me that. That's all I ask for!" Luke pleaded.
"Even I want that! I don't want to loose out on an amazing friend because of all this. I promise nothing will affect our relationship!" I promised Luke with utmost honesty.
"Thank you!" He said and gave a genuine happy smile.
"No, thank you. Thank you for understanding me and not giving up on our friendship." I told him, my smile matching his own.
He only nodded in return.
"Can I drop you home?" He asked.
"Sure." I replied and he sped off.
In 20 mintues we reached my place.
"Paisley, remember I am always here for you. Never hesitate to come to me and ask for anything if you are in a problem. I'll be more than glad to help you." Luke said.
"I will. I will definitely not hesitate to ask for your help whenever required." I positively replied.
"Take care." Luke said and planted a kiss on my forehead.
He even whispered I love you but it wasn't quiet clear.
Giving my friend one last smile I got out of the car and walked towards my home with a feeling of a heavy weight being lifted off my chest.
...............................
Hey Babies!
Poor Luke! I feel bad for him, but he again let Paisley go for the sake of her happiness:(
Paisley finally let go of all her pent up emotions. Good for her:)
I really feel they both handled this situation with great sensibility and maturity, otherwise things could have gotten ugly.
Please share your views about the chapter and story with me. I look forward to reading them.
I hope you like it.
Kindly vote, comment and share.
Until next time:)