As soon as Anabelle stepped into the room, her eyes roamed around until they fell on Larry, who was still in my mom's arms. She excitedly dropped the bags in her hands to the floor and hurried over, making the weird faces that adults make to babies. I never thought she'd be so cool with Larry after our last conversation on the phone two years ago about him.
"Oh hello, my dear," she cooed as she gently took him from mom's hands into her chest. "He looks just like me, don't you think? I bought so many things for you, let's take a look," she said to the baby as she walked back to the bags, which had been picked up to one corner by one of the maids.
I watched as she rummaged through the bag, Larry looking into it too as she brought out some toys and shoes. A smile crossed my lips. I knew Anabelle would have been really good with him.
I looked back at my father, whose eyes were now somewhere trained behind me. Rising up slowly, I excused myself. I hurried up the stairs towards my old room.
It's been a few years since I last visited this house. Ever since my breakup with Caroline. I haven't been the same since she left, and when the baby came, everything changed for me.
I pushed the door to my room open and stepped inside. Everything was still in place. The maids always made sure to clean the room all the time, even though I never slept in it again.
The room was wide and filled with amazing decor. Each time my eyes cross the large king-sized bed situated at the corner of my room, I'm reminded of memories I'd rather not think about. Memories I made with Caroline here.
Caroline wasn't my first girlfriend, but she was the one that I loved most. Truly loved. Our parents had set us up to be together, but instead of hating each other, it had turned out great. But she ruined everything. She ruined me. I hadn't heard from her since the day she left the baby with me. There was no news about her either.
I spent the next few minutes in my old room, dwelling on my own thoughts when I heard Anabelle screaming my name from downstairs.
"Dinner's ready!" she added.
Shaking my head at her childish attitude, I walked down the stairs, seeing that everyone was already at the table except for Dad. Larry was back in the crib now, sleeping.
I took the seat next to Gabriel.
Just as I was settling in my chair, my father walked in. My father was a tall man, his body stature intimidating, and I'd taken all that from him. I took everything except for my blue hair. He took the seat up front on the long table and mom started serving him.
Anabelle served me shortly while I buried my face down, trying to hide from always seeing Carlo's face. He was always making some faces at me, which was downright weird and super uncomfortable.
We started eating in silence until my father once again broke it.
"What is all this news going on, Larry? Why does the media have it that your assistant, Jacklin, is the mother of your son?" he asked.
"I'm working on that, father," I replied quickly. The last thing I wanted was to talk about this. I knew my father. He didn't want anything that would tarnish the image of this family, his work, and everything in between.
"You're not doing anything, Gerald! How long has it been, huh?!" he yelled.
"I told you this isn't gonna be great," Anabelle said in a low tone, loud enough for everyone at the table to hear.
"I said I've got everything under control, Dad. I just have a lot to do now."
"Larry, you never told us why you and Caroline broke up," my mom chimed in. "We recently found out and neither of you thought to tell us? Caroline's mother had to call me to ask what was going on, and I had nothing to say to her!"
"Mom, Caroline made her choice, and I stood by it."
"Without telling us first?!"
"Mom, it's my relationship; I need your permission to do that?"
"Yes, you do," my father replied coldly, "we built you two for a purpose and you let us down."
"Yes, Dad, all you ever care about is your business."
"Do not talk back to your father!"
"Coming here was a mistake anyway," I said, drawing back my seat. "Neither of you even cared to come see my son when he was born, and you heard about it, and that was fine. But you can't dictate to me how I should run my life. Not anymore."
I rose to my feet and walked out of the large eating space and into the sitting room. I carried Larry in my arms. Carlos was beside me the next minute, opening the door for me. He let me out and followed suit, unlocking the SUV car from behind me.
"You did good, Larry," Carlos told me as soon as he got to the door and pulled the back door open for me. I nodded with a small smile at him. Just as I put Larry down on the back seat, we heard the door burst open and we both snapped our heads towards the door to find Anabelle standing there with a poker look on her face.
"I'm coming too," she said as she walked towards us, dumping the bags in my arms before walking to the copilot seat and sitting down.
Carlos sat down behind the wheel and drove us out.
. . . . . . . . Tiffany Lawrence . . . . . . .
After submitting the job application for the 'Spicy and Everything In Between' grocery store, I'd been called for an interview two days later, and after that, I was given the job and asked to resume immediately, which I was glad about.
All I had to do was fix my schedule to fit my two jobs, and they fit perfectly. The jobs were shifting jobs, allowing me time to do both of them effectively.
After working there for two days, I realized I loved the working space and the customers that came in to buy groceries. Mainly nice and understanding moms.
Unlike the restaurant where you'd meet all sorts of people, both angry, naive, stupid, harsh, and whatever, this grocery store was mainly of people I could easily relate with, and I loved it.
Today was a Sunday, so I'm seated under the umbrella stand in front of a mini cafe shop Laurene and I usually visited during our free times.
I watched as she walked out through the glass doors of the shop, holding a cappuccino in her hand. I smiled meekly at her. We'd been served our coffees earlier, but she said the shake's milk was too little and went back in to complain and get an extra.
Now I could see the childish smile spread across her lips as she approached me, her wide sun shades concealing her big eyes.
"I'm back!" she announced like I wasn't already seeing her in front of me, pulling out a chair to sit on.
"Yes, you are. Did you get the extra milk?"
"You bet I did," she sits down and sets the cup down. "Met some hot dude behind the counter and he couldn't resist this beauty and kept apologizing for not giving me enough milk earlier."
"That's cute," I made a face.
"So what were we saying?" she asked, drinking her coffee.
I'd asked us to meet today because I wanted to discuss something with her. I wanted to tell her that I want to start taking an online class. I still have three more years left to finish school, I have enough jobs to fend for my sister and me, so why not?
"I, ah, I'm planning to start taking these online classes I found on a website," I told her.
"Really? That'll be great? How much does it cost?" she asked as she scooped a spoon of cake into her mouth.
I scratched the back of my neck and tried to remember the amount I saw on the school's website.
"It's fifty-five dollars."
"Wow, that's really nice. I bet you can do it."
I gave her a lip-lined smile and watched her hurriedly eat the cake on her plate.
. . . . . . . . Gerald Larry Kensington . . . . . . .
I walked down the stairs and met Anabelle seated on one of my sofas, Larry in her arms as they played together. The scene made me smile. I couldn't remember the last time Larry was happy in that kind of way: with a woman, another figure. Ah, why did Anabelle have to be so stubborn and not take him with her?
I walked down the stairs to the foot and cleared my throat to announce my presence. She had followed me home from our parent's house two days ago and has remained here to take care of Larry. I've seen she has grown a bit attached to him, seeing as she was somebody who barely gets attached to anything.
"Oh, look Larry, Daddy finally wakes up," she said as soon as she heard my presence, turned around so Larry could see me. "What a shame, Larry, even your son wakes up before you. No work today?"
"I'm going," I groaned tiredly, taking the door that led into the kitchen. I walked ahead to the fridge and tried to grab something to eat. Anabelle walked in with Larry still in her arms.
"Why would you name your son Larry too?" she asked as she gently placed him on the white countertop, her hands securing him in place.
"Something wrong with that?"
"Not at all. It just feels absurd."
"Nah, it's fine," I replied, taking out a bottle of milk. "I was gonna change it after Caroline dropped him off here three years ago. But as time went on, I decided against it. My name was perfect for him."
"Whatever, Larry. I'll be going back to France tomorrow. I've played my part enough."
"Thank you, Bella, I guess you've changed after all," I said teasingly, laughing tenderly.
She smiled too before bending over the counter and saying, "Are you ever gonna tell us what happened between Caroline and you? I mean, you guys were so in love then. I think the last thing you needed to connect your bond better was a cute little baby."
A frown crossed my face as the words left her mouth. I haven't talked about her ever since. Carlos made sure to never say anything relating to her and I appreciated that. Four years of hurt was enough for me. But I knew I'd have to say the truth to somebody one day and get it over with. But I wasn't sure if that person was my sister.
"Well, she discovered she was pregnant, felt she wasn't ready for a marriage and had the baby, brought him to me, and left the country for her businesses."
I tried to keep my smile but it was becoming impossible. That spot, that wound in my chest has been punctured again. And it made me so angry.