RICHARD
Taylor had taken things in good faith. Richard wasn't expecting her reaction to the information. Infact, she had taken it better than he thought.
If there was anything, she seemed super excited about it. That was okay with Richard but he still told her to keep things between them.
He wanted to be the one to let things out in the open when it'll get to that.
At least, that'll be the right thing to do. It might get messy if word got out and the media got hold of it.
He can't risk that.
Ava might not handle it well. He'd lived in the eyes of the media for a very long time to know how brutal they could get just for a scoop.
He stood at the mirror and was buttoning up his white crisp shirt when Taylor entered and stood behind him.
Her hair was tied in an unruly mass and bunched on top of her hair. Her eyes still looked drowsy but she was fully awake. She stood at the door way of the closet and leaved against the door jamb.
"Good morning dad." She greeted. Richard noted she was still in her yellow polka dot pyjamas.
Taylor loved yellow. And polka dots.
That too!
Sparing her a smile, as he met her gaze through the mirror. "Taylor, what is it? You're making it a habit to hound me."
She rolled her eyes and simply folded her arms against her breasts. "Ava's here."
Now, that got Richard turning fully to face his daughter, with his fingers still on the last button.
Taylor just gazed at him without any expression on her face. It was rid of any intention.
"Taylor, I'd appreciate it if you pretend that I didn't tell you anything."
She shrugged. "But you did tell me something. You told me in plain words that you..."
"Taylor!"
He called.
She just stared at him.
Richard knew it. Taylor was just trying to tease him and get a reaction out of her.
"Don't worry dad. I won't say anything to her."
Squinting hard at her, Taylor nodded in a promise and Richard turned back to the mirror and tucked in his shirt into the wrinkle free black suit trousers.
"I'll be spending the night at a friend's place tonight."
"You don't have friends, Taylor." Richard said casually over his shoulder, as he reached for a tie from the glass cabinets.
She scoffed. "Well, I do now. Consider it as my way of getting out of your way and giving you both privacy." She drawled the last word to drive the point.
That halted Richard's movement. His hands midair and the tie hanging round his neck.
"What does that mean?" His voice slow.
"Nothing." She said and before Richard could stop her she was out of there and out of the room.
Turning back to the mirror, he concentrated on knotting the tie and shrugging into the suit jacket.
He didn't have time for breakfast but, he couldn't miss seeing Ava again.
He'd almost thought his heart might cave if he didn't see her that morning.
Running a comb on his already neat hair, he picked up his phone and was about pocketing it when a call came in.
Simone.
He almost hissed, because the last person he wanted to speak to while Ava was downstairs was Simone.
Things couldn't get any better and he thought of ignoring it when the phone started ringing again.
He'd been avoiding her, which was very obvious. Women like Simone never gave up on things they wanted and she wasn't about to start anytime soon. Richard knew that and the sooner he ended things, the better.
It was better he got the message across as soon as possible.
Swiping across the screen, he placed it to his ear.
"Richard..." Her voice was drowsy and faint as though she was drink or still asleep. Richard put his best bet on the former.
"Simone. I'm getting late for work so I..."
"Have you been avoiding me?" She cut him off.
Richard marched from the closet to the Study to get his briefcase that was sitting on the desk.
"No I haven't. I've just been busy." He settled for a simpler answer. He was already tired of lying and trying to pet words with her.
Things would be better if they were really honest with each other.
"Busy. You've never been too busy for me, Richard."
Richard heard the frost in her voice. It even shook. Now, he wasn't sure if she sounded teary or drunk.
Maybe both.
"Simone, I need to go. I have..."
"Is there someone else?" She was curt. This time, her voice was firm.
"Simone_"
"Don't you dare lie to me! Tell me the truth!"
He could now hear the unsteady breathing and panting from her end. He really shouldn't be dealing with that but he couldn't end the call like that.
He knew Simone had bouts of panic attacks. He'd calmed her down when she had them in his presence and he was afraid she was having one at the moment.
"Simone calm down!"
"I thought you loved me and now you want space. You don't want space!" She yelled. Her voice shrill.
"You want to break up with me and you couldn't even tell me that to my face. You can't do that to me. To us! You love me, Richard!" She continued briskly. Still yelling it over the phone.
Her voice continued to grow unsteady and he heard the muffled sobs.
"You're the only good thing in my life. I can't lose you."
Richard stood there in his Study. He wasn't prepared for that. He was confused about the turn of events.
He needed to calm her down first.
"I just thought it was what we both needed. I felt we've lost touch. We don't even know the first things about each other."
"I know a lot of things about you. I know your favorite color..."
Check.
"I know you have beautiful daughters..."
Check.
"I know your favorite food..."
Cancel.
"You made me egg muffins, Simone but that's beside the point. We've been together for two years and that's just the bare minimum we could only say about each other."
"I love you Richard... I can't lose you."
Richard rubbed his fingers against his temples and exhaled deeply.
This wasn't how he wanted his morning to go.
"Can we talk about this later? I need to leave."
There was a brief silence. "Sure. Talk to you later."
Then there was the beep and the call ended.
Not good! Richard sighed.
Pocketing his phone, he brushed it to the back of his mind and decided not to let it worry him.
He would get back to it later and end things quietly and as soon as possible.
Shuffling through some papers and scanning through them, he deposited them in his briefcase and exited the room.
He still had one more stop to make before leaving the house.
The kitchen.
Ava had her back to him and faced the counter, her hair was let down but a ribbon held it together to keep it in place.
She must have sensed him because she stealthily turned to face him. A smile already blooming on her beautiful face.
God!
Richard was sure he'd die a happy man if he got to see such a smile first thing in the morning.
That was the first.
Then...
"Good morning Sir Richard."
The voice. It was so heavenly abd that's the second.
Stalking towards her, he dropped the briefcase on the island and got to her in two long strides. She briefly turned away to grab his coffee.
Holding it out towards him, she whispered. "Here. I made you coffee and sandwiches."
He broke into a smile. "I don't like sandwiches." He said casually, took the coffee from her and took a sip before placing it back on the counter.
He saw how her brows drew closer in bewilderment.
"I thought you only didn't like bacon egg muffins."
He nodded.
And why the hell was she whispering?
"Sandwiches too."
"Anything else?"
He shook his head and saw how her eyes sparkled as they stared up at him. Knowing that Taylor would probably stay put in her room and never come out till he was gone, Richard decided to take his chances.
"I missed you. I've been really busy..."
"I understand." She replied sharply.
He nodded. "Do you now? I was hoping we could talk. Like really talk."
She smiled widely at him. "Me too."
Now, that was like food to his soul.
He returned her smile and reached out a hand to cup the side of her face. "Would you wait for me tonight?"
"Why?" Her voice was apprehensive and flat.
He stepped closet to get, subconsciously knowing that in a minute or two his phone would start ringing and it would be no other person than Victoria.
"I want us to sit and talk about everything."
She looked away from him and looked down at her feet. She still wore those wornout shoes.
Looking up sharply at him, she nodded. "I'll wait."
Drawing her into hug, he found out that he was having trouble breathing. His heart was beating and his breaths came out in spasms.
Just like he anticipated, his iPhone started ringing and that was his cue that he needed to leave.
She tugged away from him. "I'm sure you don't want to be late."
He chuckled. "I can afford to be late, but I should be on my way now." He pressed a lingering kiss on her forehead and then retreated to get his briefcase.
"I'll see you later tonight?" He asked as he made his way to the doorway. Simone, long gone from his mind.
She nodded at him and pressed her lips together while clasping her fingers together.
She was a pretty picture standing there and looking back at him.
Was that what it was like?
To have someone that got you wanting to come back.
To miss someone even when you're sure you'll find them when you return.
He couldn't stop thinking as he sat in the cozy and cool seat of his car. Even as the car drive further away, he couldn't stop thinking how much he wanted to get back already.
Get a grip, Stupid! He cursed inwardly.