Chapter 25: Stone.
"I think everything's in there." I tell Maddison. "Thanks for helping me pack, Maddy." I say, hugging her.
"You're welcome." She tells me, helping me place my suitcase on the ground. "I'm gonna miss you." She adds.
"You're always welcome to come to New York." I tell her.
"Yeah, but I got work to do in Vegas so..." She says, trailing off.
"I'll see you soon." I tell her, pulling her into a warm hug.
"Are you ready?" Zachary asks as he walks down the stairs.
He is wearing a plain white tee with black sweatpants and Nike slides.
"Yeah. Maddison was just helping me with the bags." I tell him.
"I'm gonna miss the two of you." Marcy says and I smile at her.
"Mother, we'll be home for Thanksgiving." Zachary tells her.
"Thanksgiving is in four months and I wasn't talking about you, I was talking about Valarie and my little grandson." She says and I chuckle.
"I'm gonna miss you too, mom." Zachary says, trying to hug her. She pushes him off her and walks towards me and gives me a hug instead.
"Okay. I see how it is. You're giving Valarie the special treatment now. I'll have you know I'm the one that put the baby in there." Zachary says and I roll my eyes.
"But she's the one doing all the work." Maddison says and they immediately start arguing.
"Valarie darling, I know you're surprised by my sudden warmness towards you. It's not because you're pregnant with my grandchild, even though it looks that way. It's because after all these years, you have returned that spark into my little boy's eyes and I am forever indebted to you. I know we've had our differences in the past." She tells me.
If by differences she means that absurd request she made when I was still in High School, suggesting that I serve as a rehabilitation center for her fucked up son as opposed to taking him to a mental hospital.
Then yes.
We've had our "differences".
"But yesterday changed everything. I've never held hate for you in my heart, I was just so bitter about Zachary's vices and I blamed you for it. You were just a kid and I apologize." She says and I smile at her.
"It's okay, it's all water under the bridge now. Apology accepted." I tell her, hugging her again.
The problem here isn't about her liking me, it's my parents she has to worry about because they are not open to the idea of being in the same room with the Hendersons or even speaking to them.
"I'm sorry to break this up, mother, but the jet is leaving soon." Zachary says, taking my hand.
Osvaldo and Felix walk out of Felix's study and they stare at us. We're standing in the hallway beside the front door.
"Are you guys leaving already?" Felix asks.
"Yeah, we are." Zachary replies.
"That's alright. See you at Thanksgiving." Felix says, hugging Zachary before he walks over and gives me a kiss on the cheek.
I say goodbye to everybody one more time before Zachary gets in the car and heads to the airport.
***
"No, stop." I yell as I smack Zachary's hand. He's trying to steak a carrot again.
I'm at his house right now, making dinner. I'm cooking Singapore noodles served with a side of rice cakes and kimchi. And I know you guys are probably wondering how I can make this. Well, my grandmother on my mother's side is Japanese and she taught me how to. I haven't seen her in ages though.
Maybe I should go visit her.
"But babe, I'm hungry." He whines.
"I'll be done soon. Go watch TV." I tell him, trying to get him out of the kitchen.
"No, I wanna stay with you." He says, hugging me from behind as he caresses my bump.
"Fine. You can stay, but just sit by the island and be quiet." I tell him.
He happily obliges and sits on the stool by the island as he watches me stir fry vegetables and shredded beef.
"You look so beautiful." Zachary says and I blush.
"Stop it." I tell him and he laughs.
"I've been thinking about a name for our little bun in the oven there." He tells me and I raise my eyebrow in surprise.
"Oh, really. What name were you thinking of ?" I ask him, ready to hear it.
"D." He says and I stare at him in confusion.
"D what?" I ask before I pour the noodles into the frying pan. I mix it all up and I put the fire on low heat.
"Deez nuts." He says and I roll my eyes at him.
"You're a literal child." I say, shaking my head.
"You fell for it too." He says, laughing.
"I didn't. Now come and help me with this asparagus." I tell him and he gets up and starts helping me.
Minutes later we are sitting in the living room enjoying dinner when the news starts playing.
I hate the news.
If you can't already tell.
"It has just been reported by TMZ that Sabrina Iran has jumped off the balcony of her New York penthouse. The model was seen lounging there before she jumped to her death seconds later. Sources close to the deceased say that this happened as a result of Sabrina's depression following her breakup from NFL star, Zachary Henderson. This is a developing story." The news reporter says and I stare at the screen in shock.
"She..." I can't bring myself to complete my sentence. A lone tear falls from my eye as I keep watching the news. EMTs surround her house and a body bag is taken out on a stretcher.
"I did that." Zachary says beside me.
"No, you did not." I tell him, placing my plate on the coffee table as I move close to him.
"I did. Everything I touch dies, Val. You're the only exception. I fucking killed Sabrina." He screams.
"Zach, she was in a very dark place that's why she did this." I say, trying to convince him and myself.
"I put her there. Can't you see it, Vee? Everything I touch dies. I ruined your life and I fucking knocked you up which was a fucking mistake. And now, I killed Sabrina." He says, standing up from the chair.
"Mistake? This baby is not a mistake." I tell him, feeling my blood boil.
"If you hadn't gotten pregnant then Sabrina and I would have gotten married and she wouldn't be dead right now." He yells in my face.
"I didn't make this baby alone, so you also have yourself to blame. You cheated on Sabrina with me because you have this stupid obsession with keeping my wrapped around your finger no matter what." I retort.
"Just a fucking mistake." He says, staring at my baby bump.
That's it.
I'm leaving.
"Fuck you, Zach." I yell in his face. I put on my slides and I grab my purse. It's about three in the morning, but I don't give a shit. I am out of here. Fuck this shit. Fuck trying to make it work. Fuck it all.
I walk to the front door and I open it, heading to my car.
"Piece of shit. He doesn't know what the fuck he's saying." I rant to myself.
I open my car and I see a note on the steering wheel.
"You're next bitch." The note reads.
Immediately I get out of the car and I scan the area. There's nobody outside.
Okay, I'm scared.
Who put this in here?
I get out of my car and I run back to Zachary's porch and I knock on his door.
"Zachary, open the door." I yell, banging on the door.
What is he doing?
"He's not going to open the door." I hear someone say behind me and I let out a loud scream.
"Hello, Valarie." She says, smiling at me.
She looks like Stephanie, but skinnier and she has hollow eyes. She looks like a drug addict.
"Who are you?" I ask her, leaning on the door.
"You really don't remember me?" She asks, chuckling.
"I don't." I lie, touching my stomach.
"Let's just say I'm someone who really doesn't want you to have that baby." She says, smiling at me.
I laugh out loud as I adjust my shirt.
"Get lost bitch." I tell her.
She starts walking towards the porch and I fold my arms waiting for her to reach me.
"I'm not scared of you." I say, staring at her.
"You're not supposed to be." She says, standing in front of me.
"How far along are you?" She asks, smiling at me.
What a creepy smile.
She touches my stomach and I shove her. She falls down the stairs and hits her head on a stone when she hits the ground. I expect her to blackout, but instead she starts laughing.
The door opens behind me and I turn around.
"Who's that?" Zachary asks me, cleaning his hair with a towel.
"Your other mistake." I reply before I walk into the house.