Falicia looked at the letter and felt the world slowly start to dissolve around. The only thing in her eyes was this one white envelope acting like a ticking time bomb. She gulped as she started to drum her fingers against the table. "Why are you trying to give this to me now? You been coming here for over a month and not once did you ever mention a letter."
"You weren't ready to find out about the letter. You were still so mad and hated me for what happened that it took this long to finally get you to even sit here..." Olivia said as she removed her hand from the envelope. Falicia started to shake her head. "No, no I don't want to. I can't, everything you told me is... he betrayed me I don't care what he has to say."
Olivia sighed and took back the letter. She slowly got up and arched her back. "Alright maybe next time. I won't let you read this alone, I will be here to comfort you and hopefully you can find peace within yourself." Falicia kept her gaze on the table as a guard walked over to escort Olivia out. Falicia could feel sweat starting to collect on her nose and clenched her jaw, trying to stop the words from coming out. When she couldn't keep herself still she looked up, Olivia kept her gaze on her and when their eyes met she gave her a small smile as she waved. "I'll see you next week." Falicia looked away, she couldn't explain the mixed feelings she wad experiencing.
She knew she had to hate Olivia, she knew this girl represented everything she ever wanted. A life with Avery, freedom and love. Yet she found herself counting down the days they could see one another again. She felt reassured when Olivia waved at her, she felt hope when she said they would see each other again but what kind of hope was it? Did she want to cause her harm and end everything? Or should she listen to the small voice within her to move on?
Falicia had nothing better to do with her time other then to think and would take her time thinking about everything. Carl was in love with her but betrayed her in the end. Carl was nothing in her life but a servant who couldn't even do a single job right. The amount of mistakes he had done always shocked and disgusted her but she could never find it in her heart to get rid of him. There were often times she thought that he was saving her from herself and she took his presence for granted. It didn't matter now, it was all over once she read the letter and would Olivia keep coming back?
Falicia walked back to her cell silently. She noticed all the women swearing, flashing and shouting at her guard as they walked by but this was normal. This has been her norm for the last 14 weeks. They locked her up, kept watch over her as court proceedings went along and she was handed her verdict. No one cared who she was on the outside, no one cared who she was on the inside. The only thing she could do was think and wait.
.....
"Oh my goodness! Look how big they've grown!" Falicia shouted when Olivia and Laila walked in with the triplets. "Sorry we are a little late today, someone wanted to try being a big boy." Falicia looked at the small boy, his eyes were hazel like his mom's but the green in his eyes were his dad's. He had small dimples on both cheeks and fair skin. His hair was a deep auburn and looked fluffier then duckling down. He had Eli's face but Olivia's eyes and nose. "Gama!" he said as he rushed into Falicia's arms. "I made pee pee in da potty!" He giggled as he snuggled in Falicia's embrace.
"Good job Ryder! Now where are my little troublemakers?" Falicia said happily and a pair of giggles could be heard from behind Olivia. In a flash, two little girls ran out and jumped on Falicia. "Kendria! Suzette! My goodness you'll break my back one of these days!" Falicia laughed as she scooped up the kids. All three children had the same eye colouring, fair skin and dimples but were completely different from one another.
Suzette, was as sweet and pure as a lily but had mouth if she needed to defend herself and G*d forbid you get on her bad side because she was mischievous. She had her mother's face, plump lips, long eyelashes and golden brown hair. While Kendria attitude changed like flowing water, she knew when she could act a certain way and exploited it. She had sweet curly black hair, round eyes and Eli's nose. Small slightly plump, pink lips and a heart shaped face.
"Happy belated birthdays! Let grandma give you so special hugs and kisses." She said with a laugh and the kids started laughing whole heartedly along with her. Laila sat quietly as she watched the interaction. Once the triplets settled down Laila inhaled a couple of times trying to start a conversation but swallowed back her words each time. "I'm sorry Laila. I know I haven't been a good mother... or person but I have been reflecting on it and honestly all I can say is I'm so sorry."
Laila started to hyperventilate as tears started to roll down her face. "Why are you apologizing now? We couldn't you be like this with me and Loreley?!" Everyone looked at Laila for a moment and the triplets got off of Falicia and walked over to Laila. "Auntie okay?" Suzette asked as Kendria death gripped her thigh and rubbed her face into it. "Hugs?" Ryder asked as he stretched out his tiny arms. "No babies, Laila needs a hug from me to feel better." Falicia said as she stood up and opened up her arms.
Laila stopped breathing for a second as the triplets moved out of the way. She slowly got up and walked up to Falicia. She hesitated for a moment as she fiddled with the trim of her shirt. "If your not ready it's okay." Falicia whispered and to her surprise Laila dove into her chest and cried her heart out. The triplets looked conflicted and didn't know what to do, so they looked at their mom for help. She nodded her head and they ran to join in on the hug.
After everyone calmed down, Olivia pulled out the letter and place it on the table. "We will be here for you, so will you read it today?" Falicia's eyes narrowed in on the envelope, slowly she moved her hand and placed it over top of it. "Okay." She whispered as she looked up.
....
Agni,
if you are reading this letter it means that I lost the bet with Eli. There were so many things I wanted to tell you, so many places I wanted to go with you but your heart belonged to someone else. I am selfish, I owe you everything but my greed to have you, to have your love, to have your trust, to know what I meant to you, this was something I needed to know more than life itself. It's funny to think that my life started and ended with you but I guess in your eyes I'm nothing but dust in the wind. I need to tell you that I destroyed anything that would have costed you your life, I may have been betraying you but I justed couldn't let you die.
I hope that with time you would come to realize the path you were on was dangerous and destructive not only to the people around you but yourself. You never noticed but my loyalty to you was one of gratitude and admiration but over time it turned to love. I always looked forward to hearing your voice, to catch a glimpse of you, I craved to see your true smile again, see that twinkle in your eyes when you laughed. Agni, somewhere in your heart there is a pure and innocent person trapped inside and I don't know how to reach her anymore. That person, Falicia, is the only person I will ever love, the one I met some decades ago with so much kindness, will be the one that I will watch over for the rest of her life.
So this is my goodbye. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me and find that person you used to be. I'm sorry again and I will love you forever.
...
After Falicia started reading the letter tears were quietly running down her cheeks, the letter crumpled from her grip but she did her best to keep reading. The more she read the bigger her sobbing became the moment she was done the first to move was Olivia. She walked over and wrapped her arms around Falicia's shoulders and just held her without saying a word. Then it was the triplets and Laila who joined until it was time for them to go.
As Falicia started to wipe away the tears she remembered to give Olivia a bright smile. "Good luck with this weekend! I'll see you in two weeks right?" Olivia smiled back and nodded her head while the triplets waved enthusiastically. Then she looked at Laila and waited. Laila started to play with the trim of her shirt again and took a giant breathe in. "Mom, is okay if I come next week? I can't promise to bring Loreley but at least Romeo will come with me, our wedding is in two months so I want you to get to know him."
Falicia's eyes widened and she froze. A bigger smile appeared on her face. "I would love that."
....
"Mommy you look beautiful." Suzette said as she stared at Olivia as she did a twirl. "No your wrong Suzette, mommy looks like a princess today, she's always beautiful! Ask daddy." Kendria said with a pout. "Mommy can't be a princess! She is daddy's queen so today she... she... is everybody's queen?" Ryder said as he patted Kendria's head. Olivia started to laugh and placed a kiss on her babies foreheads.
"You three are the cutest in the whole world! Well for now, we have to wait for auntie Autumn's baby to come out then we can see who will be the cutest." She said as she winked at her friend. Autumn beamed as she rubbed her slightly swollen womb. "23 more weeks to go."
"Well it seems it's wedding season for the rest of us." Blair said with a sigh as she rubbed her temples. "Marek is too excited to start a family but I don't know, I have so much to do now." Loreley rolled her eyes. "Really you have so much to do? I have a one year old tornado at home but you don't see me running behind on my work." They looked at one another and could barely hold in their laughter.
"How is Porter adapting to being a father?" Blair asked as she hugged herself with one arm and wiped a tear away. "He's no Eli but we are finding a way together. He's taking a break from modeling so he's home now and Mason is loving it." She answered with a soft glow. "You expecting again?" Autumn asked with a raised eyebrow and nod. "What?! No! He's only been back for a couple of months and has been really loving... and attentive.... super romantic.... Sh*t! That bastard did it to me again!" Loreley shouted and stormed out of the room. The girls looked at one another and didn't know what to do when suddenly they heard Loreley shouting. "Porter Saggio, you f*cking bastard you owe me an extravagant Christmas wedding this year, I'm not happy with the courthouse sh*t we did last year and I will G*d damn be a beautiful bride with a baby bump!" The laughter started up again in the room and Olivia could barely stand.
There was a knock, Ryder went running to open the door and happily shouted "Daddy!" Kendria and Suzette sprang up and rushed over causing their little white and aqua coloured dresses to flutter as they ran. "Bad luck to see your bride before the ceremony." Laila said as she tried to scoot Eli out the door. "Buy it's her birthday, so I think that trumps any bad luck." Laila stopped for a second then turned to Olivia. "I have always hated this day but after meeting Eli I think luck is what we make it to be."
The girls smiled to one another and took the triplets out of the room. Once they were alone Eli walked up to Olivia and place his hands on her waist. "Are you happy?" He asked as he placed a sweet kiss on her lips. Olivia brought up her arms and wrapped them around his neck. "Right now not really." Eli's eyes grew wide with concern but Olivia let out a small chuckle. "You didn't comment how beautiful I look." Eli brought his face down to her neck and trailed kisses down to her collar bone. "That's a given you always look beautiful." Olivia fake punched his chest and pouted. "You look amazing though, I lost my breathe for a second."
"Stunning, absolutely stunning. Too beautiful that I can't wait to have this all done.... Mrs. Delmira I love you." Eli said in a low voice as he pulled her in closer. "Me too, I love you Mr. Delmira."