Chapter 14 - Kayla #2
He grins, standing up.
“Then let me take you out to celebrate,” he says. “It’s Saturday tomorrow, let me take you for lunch.”
Going out for lunch with him seems better than stressing over things that haven’t and may never happen. The busier I am, the less time I have to focus on the warnings he gave me last night. Yes, I need to take it seriously, but there is no point in obsessing over it.
I clench my jaw, anxious at the idea of spending an entire afternoon alone with him, but how can I say no after what he just did for me?
Nodding, I smile nervously. “I’d like that. I’ll celebrate with you tomorrow."
“Excellent. Now get back to work before I am forced to report you to the boss for slacking,” he winks at me, and it sends a delightful shiver through my body.
“Funny,” I smirk, shaking my head. “But my boss is a pretty intense guy. So, I'd better get back to it.”
“Intense? Don’t you mean devilishly handsome and powerful?” he calls after me.
I ignore him, still grinning when I sit down at my desk and pull my laptop closer.
I haven’t been this happy in a long time. It won’t be that bad, celebrating with him tomorrow. I’ll just be careful and keep it professional.
***
On Saturday at eleven in the morning, I am dressed in a pretty black dress that flows about me elegantly.
I have my hair pinned up in a high bun and a soft touch of makeup on.
Josiah wouldn’t tell me where we were going, but he said it was luxurious casual.
Which made no sense to me. So, I tried to put together an outfit that could be luxurious or casual, depending on where we ended up.
Stella is out with the twins today. I feel bad that I am not spending time with them on a Saturday like I always do, but I hope they are having fun anyway.
Izabel is out shopping. I feel bad that I haven’t had much time to spend with her, either between work and all the chaos happening in my life at the moment.
I head downstairs, and at the bottom of the stairway is a note pinned to the balustrade with my name on it. I unfold the note.
The driver is waiting outside. See you soon.
Grinning, I tuck the note into my purse and giggle at the dramatic flair he likes to add to everything.
Outside, the limo is waiting as promised.
The driver opens the door for me, and I climb into the back of the car.
Driving through the city, I try to work out where we're going, but I can’t.
And when he brings the car to a stop outside the Art Hause Greenery, I climb out in confusion.
This place is a greenhouse of luxury and rare plants.
It’s a beautiful space. Breathtaking, actually.
But that’s all it is. A greenhouse. There is no restaurant, bar, or anything like that, and they are incredibly strict about the entire building.
They have rules about how many people are allowed inside.
The temperate control, the atmosphere—absolutely everything.
It’s all set up to keep the plants in the most pristine environment.
The last time I was in here was…oh. It was with Josiah. It was the second date we ever went on.
There is a man in a tuxedo waiting to lead me into the building.
“Good morning and welcome,” he says with a polite bow. “If you will please follow me.”
“Sure,” I mumble, looking up at the massive glass walls of the triple-story structure.
He leads me through a forest of tropical monstera and gorgeous orchids. He leads me around a colorful wall of rare red and blue bromeliads.
He takes me up a circular iron staircase that spirals in the center of the dome.
We walk all the way to the top floor, where he pauses, gesturing for me to go ahead through the last doorway.
“Thanks,” I say, walking through it.
My mouth drops open.
In the center of this fairy land of plants and vines and flowers and green foliage is a picnic blanket. There are so many different foods spread around it, along with champagne and desserts, but that isn’t what captures my heart so intensely.
Josiah is there.
And so are the twins.
He grins at me, ushering me closer.
“They helped me set up everything,” he says proudly.
The girls are dressed in matching dresses, Kelsey in blue and Kira in pink.
“You both look so beautiful,” I blurt out. “Did you really help Josiah set this all up?” I ask, smiling so wide my cheeks are aching.
I never expected him to include them. I never expected him to consider that I would be missing them if I couldn’t see them on a Saturday.
“This is beautiful,” I say quietly, stepping close to him to hug him with one arm wrapped around his waist.
He hugs me back, a polite one-armed hug as well.
“Well, you two little rabbits, remember the plan!” he tells the twins.
Kira grabs my hand and pulls me onto one of the pillows. “Sit, mama. We are your fairy princess girls who are going to look after you today,” she informs me, then bolts off to fetch me a plate of food from the vast assortment of options.
I hear Kelsey telling her it’s too much food and she shouldn’t put the cupcakes on now because they are for after the real food. But Kira disagrees. Cupcakes are real food.
I sit next to Josiah, who reaches for the champagne. He pops the cork off with a loud bang, and both girls squeal with laughter. Josiah pours us a glass of champagne, then pours the twins sparkling apple juice in little pink plastic champagne glasses.
“To all three of you beautiful girls, I am so happy to be here with you to celebrate this moment. To celebrate your mom. She got a giant gold star at work, and she deserves her own special party.” He winks at me.
Kelsey cheers, spilling some apple juice. “Yay, Mama!” she shouts.
I drink champagne, and we snack on a huge variety of incredible foods, and I watch Josiah, laughing and playing with the girls.
It’s the perfect day.
It’s the perfect way to celebrate.
I could not have asked for anything better than this.
The longer I sit there with my little family, the softer my heart becomes. We really are a little family. He honestly deserves to be their father.
“Girls, come here quickly, I have something to tell you,” I call them to my side, and they huddle close, kneeling in front of me, eager to hear whatever it is I have to tell them.
My heart is hammering right up into my throat.
I glance nervously at Josiah, who looks confused. He sets his champagne glass down and gives me his full focus as well, as though he senses the importance of whatever I am about to say.
I turn back to my girls. “You two are my little angels, you know that?”
“Yes, mama!”
“And I love you always and forever. No matter what ever happens, ever,” I say. They nod, waiting impatiently. “I have to tell you something very special now, and I want you to listen carefully—and then you can ask me any questions you like, ok?”
“Okay.” Kelsey’s face is stern while Kira’s is bright with curiosity.
“Josiah isn’t just Mommy’s friend. Josiah is your father. He’s your dad.”
The words are out of my mouth and hanging in the air. They have brought a moment of silence between everyone as they settle into the twins' minds, and they take a little while to process it.
After a while, Kelsey asks, “A real daddy or a pretend daddy?” as she glances cautiously at Josiah.
I haven’t plucked up the courage to look at Josiah yet. The girls have my full attention.
“He is your real daddy, sweetheart. I am your real mommy, and this is your real daddy.”
Kelsey nods.
Kira jumps up, leaping into the air. She shouts, “I knew it!”
Then she bolts towards Josiah and slams into him at full speed. He laughs with the deepest, kindest laughter as he wraps his arms around her.
Kelsey stands too and walks over to them. She stands next to Josiah, nervous and unsure.
He scoops her into his arms as well and hugs her close.
He speaks quietly to them and I listen.
“I know this is big news. And it might be confusing, and that’s totally normal.
It’s big and exciting for me, too. I also understand that you will have a lot of questions for me, and I want you to ask anything, okay?
Even if you only think of the question tomorrow or next week, you just come find me and you ask. ”
Kelsey leans back a little and stares into his eyes. “Where were you?”
Josiah clenches his jaw. “I wasn’t where I was supposed to be—with you guys.
It wasn’t nice that I was gone, but I need you to understand that from now on, I am always going to be there for you.
Always. One day, when you're older, you'll understand why I was gone before, but the big thing you need to know now is that I am here. And I will always be here. Okay?”
Kelsey nods, satisfied.
Kira tilts her head to the side. “Are we going to still live with you?”
Josiah glances at me.
I don’t move.
He nods.
“Yes, you are going to live with me. I want you as close as possible, every single day. I have a lot of catching up to do to make up for all the days I missed before,” he smiles, pulling them into another hug.
My heart is melting. My soul is aching as I watch them.
A tear escapes and runs down my cheek, and I wipe it away in a hurry before anyone can see it.
Inside me is a deep need to shift closer to them and let him wrap his arms around me, too. I want to feel his warmth, to have him hold me.
But it’s ridiculous. Whatever has gotten into me…it’s probably just the champagne. I did the right thing by telling the girls and giving them a real chance to get to know their father.
But more than that…I’m just getting carried away by the moment. That’s all.