With light makeup applied and a green maxi dress draping over my deliciously used body, I slipped into wedge sandals and made my way back out—to my destiny.
Donovan stepped out of his suite wearing a suit, business as usual, his phone tucked into his neck, head nodding and murmuring, “Yes.” I assumed it was my mother or his, and pointed toward the door where Cinder was standing, back to tapping her foot. She rolled a finger in the air, signaling she was getting impatient, and Donovan said, “I have to go. It will all get resolved.” He disconnected the call. “Let’s roll.”
I noted he didn’t make eye contact with me or Cinder. It hurt, but I understood the predicament he was in. Ultimately, we served the Minister and our families, our needs coming last.
As we rode down in the elevator in silence, heat licked at the nape of my neck so furiously I had to run my palm over it. I suspected it was not only Cinder’s unsettledness but strangely, Donovan’s suffering.
Maybe it was wishful thinking, but was he aching over not being able to be with me?
Rushing out of the elevator, Cinder spoke the first words any of us had said since leaving the room. “Come on. I checked, and Mag is still there. I looked at his tracking.”
I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her; she was feeling some sort of way over a guy who clearly didn’t share her affection.
“Cinder, when we get to the house, I need you to settle down. First, I have to tackle arrangements for Blake,” Donovan said while we waited for the car.
Whining, Cinder sulked and muttered, “Why are my feelings the last anyone is concerned with?”
Turning away and looking back toward the hotel, I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes or smack Cinder. This was a first; I’d never felt so agitated before. Chalking it up to nerves over the transfer, which coincidentally I’d never attempted either, I slid into the car. Donovan holding open the front passenger door for me, allowing Cinder to situate herself in the back seat, was a tiny bit of solace.
Third time was a charm, and Donovan didn’t need GPS to head toward Valerie’s. I watched his profile focused on the road, his jaw clenched in business mode, and resisted the urge to reach out and touch him. The need to soothe this man was creating a swell in my belly.
Poor Donovan hadn’t even shifted into park at Valerie’s, and Cinder was out of the car, two feet barely on the ground, on her way to Magnum.
She was still waiting at the door when I walked up behind her, watching it swing open and Blake appearing.
“Hi, Tuvy,” the tiny child said, smiling, ignoring Cinder.
“Hi, Blake. Good morning.” I greeted her with a warm grin. She was an innocent party in all this.
“Hi…Blake.” Cinder copied me, pausing between words, unsure of what to do.
All Blake said was a dull, “Hi,” then “Uncle Donny,” I heard her shriek next. She leapt into his arms. “I’m sorry I got upset of the coat. Daddy told me about Rubia and how I would visit and stay at the big house where you live.”
Despite having an IUD, my ovaries prepared to make a baby at the sight of Donovan smoothing back Blake’s soft hair and saying, “That’s right,” his voice tender with emotion.
I wished I could tell if it was because he was getting his way, or at the idea he wouldn’t be at the big house, as Blake called it.
“Come on, let’s go inside,” Donovan finally suggested, setting Blake down and waiting for all the women to walk in first.
“Don.” Magnum rounded the corner and greeted his brother as Blake ran to the back of the house, shouting for her mom.
“You have things handled?” Donovan eyed Magnum, who was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, mug in hand.
“I broached a visit. Let’s call it that, okay? Don’t make it so severe—”
“Mag,” Donovan growled. “She is not coming back here,” he whispered with enough sense that Blake might reappear.
“To live. She’s not coming back here to live,” Magnum countered. “But she can visit back and forth.It’s her mom. That’s all I can negotiate for.” Magnum pursed his lips and shook his head, ending the subject as Valerie appeared.
“Hello, again,” she grumbled, wearing a silk robe and padding around barefoot.
I was sure this was all for effect, but it was absurd nonetheless. They shared a child; this wasn’t some sultry honeymoon. Yet, on cue, I felt Cinder’s heartache multiply, my underarms beading with sweat.
“We have agreed to a visit, and that’s it,” Valerie said. “Don’t try to talk me into anything more, Donovan.” She held her hand on her hip and stared him down in a way I’d never seen anyone do. He opened his mouth to speak and she interrupted him, dropping a dagger. “She can meet your mother, but I’ll go along. No way my daughter is going anywhere without me.”
“You can’t,” was all Donovan responded while Cinder shouted, “No!”
“You can be sure I will not let Blake out of my sight,” Valerie screamed back. “And you can shut up,” she directed toward Cinder.
