"Meet me at the park at 5PM", the message read. Jeremy read it and smiled happily.
He would have wanted to go with her, but he thought that maybe she had planned a surprised, as she always loved to do. So he decided to just follow through with the plan.
Jeremy could not wait. When he arrived at the park, he looked around, headed to their favourite spot and sure enough, Kiara was seated on a bench.
Jeremy walked towards the spot and approaching slowly without making any noise, he used his palms to cover Kiara's eyes from behind.
"No!!! Help!!" Kiara screamed out so loudly that she attracted the attention of people around.
"Shh, Kiara. It's me. I'm sorry I startled you that much," Jeremy was shocked by Kiara's reaction.
"Are you OK, ma'am?" a police officer asked. "You just screamed for help?"
"I'm sorry I...I know him. He's my boyfriend. He was just trying to prank me, but I got scared," Kiara explained shyly.
Feeling bad, Jeremy sat next to Kiara and looked down. He was hoping to see a small fruit basket, for his girlfriend always made it a point to bring some fruits when they went to the park; but there was none.
"I forgot to bring some fruits for us," Kiara smiled. It was as if she had read the young man's mind.
"Don't worry about that," Jeremy said.
"No Jeremy, I know that you were expecting some. Here, go to that stall and get us a few fruits." Kiara lightly tapped on the back of her boyfriend's hand before placing in his palm a brand new note.
"OK before we go there, look here, I brought you something!' Jeremy pulled out a small box.
"What is it?" Kiara felt her heart sinking. She wished there was a way to stop the man from spoiling her that much, for the gifts were now feeling more like salt to her wounds. Each time Jeremy did or said anything kind to her, she would start to think of the night she spent with Vine.
She slowly opened the box to reveal a sparkling necklace with a sapphire diamond.
"Wow it is very beautiful! Thank you so much!" she exclaimed.
"Let me help you wear it," Jeremy stood up and carefully fastened the necklace as he stood behind Kiara.
"It looks good on you," he smiled.
"Thank you," she pulled out her phone and took a few photos of herself, before tucking the phone back into her bag. "Jeremy, you shouldn't spend too much money on me. I understand that you're a student and you work very hard to assist your mum, please don't spend too much on me." She said sincerely.
"It's ok. I did my calculations well. Last week when I went for that photography job, the client was impressed by my work, they paid me double. I decided to spoil my girlfriend," he playfully pinched her chin.
"Oh I see. But honestly, I would be happy if you helped your mum out some more. She really needs your help."
"My mum is well taken care of, thank you for caring," Jeremy said in a voice that did not sound serious. It sounded as if he was just joking around. Kiara decided to leave the matter.
They bought some fruits and although it was just a few, it took them a long while to munch on them, feeding each other and being all cozy and happy.
"Did you want to tell me something, or you just wanted us to hang out?" the man asked.
"I…I wanted to tell you something," Kiara stammered.
"Well, tell me. I'm all ears."
Kiara cleared her throat and the smiled.
How do I start this? What do I say?
"It's nothing big, really. It's just that, I …I…" she stopped, feeling that her eyes were already beginning to swim in hot salty tears.
"What is it, love?" Jeremy took her hand in his and watched her closely.
"I….I…" she stopped again.
"You can talk to me."
"I had a dream, and in that dream I was pregnant, and when I told you, you refused to have anything to do with me!" she burst into tears.
"Shh, come here," Jeremy pulled her in for a tight hug, and he kissed her. "It was just a bad dream. And even if it were to happen, there is no way I would leave you. I will stand by you through thick and thin, Kiara. If you were to tell me that you're pregnant, I would have to stand up as the father of our child. I love you, Kiara, and I'm not the type that would walk away when something happens."
Kiara lifted her teary eyes and stared hard at her boyfriend.
"Well, that's not all. In my dream, the child was another man's child. It wasn't your child," she said.
Jeremy laughed out loud and said, "Another man? Who?"
"I…I don't know. In the dream it wasn't clear who it was. But that's not important, what's important is that you left me, Jeremy. You left me alone and I was pregnant!" the young lady broke down into tears afresh. She cried so much that Jeremy felt bad, holding her and calming her down, while at the same time trying hard to ignore the stares of the people in the park.
"I would never leave you, Kiara. I promise you this. I love you too much to ever think of leaving you, I cannot even begin to think about it!" he spoke from the depths of his heart.
"But in my dream you did! You left me, Jeremy! You left me!" Kiara hit Jeremy a few times on the chest, and the latter slowly helped her up and the two walked towards the car.
Once inside, Jeremy drove off to a quiet spot. He parked the car and asked his girlfriend,
"Is this only about a dream? Is there something else that is bothering you, babe? I haven't left you, have I? I'm here with you, and I have no plans of ever leaving you."
"I'm sorry," Kiara was beginning to calm down. "It's just that the dream really disturbed me, I spent the whole day worried, thinking what would happen if you left me."
"I am here with you, and I love you." the man assured his girlfriend.
Kiara forced a smile. She really wanted Jeremy to comment on the part of her "dream" where there was another man in her life. She wanted to know what Jeremy thought about that, even if it was in a dream. Part of her mind wanted to continue talking about the "dream", but she feared that Jeremy was going to become suspicious, so she decided not to pursue the issue any further.
"If you had not recently had your period, I would think you're pregnant already," Jeremy said with a low laugh.
"Why would you say that?" Kiara asked. "And why do you say I recently had my period?"
"I know. We met at the pharmacy when you were buying the pain killers."
"Oh yes," she let out a little laughter and then looked away. "So if not for my recent period, what would have made you think that I'm pregnant?"
"I don't know," Jeremy shrugged, "I guess the emotions are really messing up with you. I don't know much about pregnancy, but I sure know that it can make ladies very emotional, crying easily and all."
"Umm, Jeremy! Why do you speak like someone who has experience! Have you ever stayed with a pregnant person? Who was it, tell me!"
"I haven't!" he laughed out loud.
***.
Dear Kimmy
I failed to say it, and I have no plans of ever trying again.
I have made up my mind, I am never going to mention anything. My prayer is for the child that I am carrying to be Jeremy's .
If he is not the biological father, then it is well, he shall never know. This is a secret that I will take with me to my grave.
Jeremy is a good man. I cannot leave him for anyone else, he is the only man I can ever truly love.
Dear Kimmy, today I have made the decision to keep this child, and to condition my mind to believe and accept that the father of this child is Jeremy.
***.
And at that same time, a young man was landing at a helipad at his grandparents' home. His grandmother, very happy to see him, walked eagerly towards him and hugged him in love.
"I missed you," she smiled.
"I missed you too," he said, not really meaning it.
The young man walked straight into the mansion and disappeared into his wing, ordering the staff to give him some space.
Gareth was carrying some luggage inside, and he stopped to speak briefly to Mrs Pinkerton.
"Lady Pinkerton, the young master got you some gifts. Some perfumes. He said I must hand them over to you," Gareth handed over a golden bag studded with boxes sparkling clear diamonds. Clear diamonds were lady Pinkertons' favourite pieces of jewellery.
"Oh did he now? And what is his reason for not handing them to me himself?" she laughed quietly.
"I'm not sure," Gareth shook his head with a smile, intending to walk away, but the lady stopped him.
"Wait," she said as she rummaged through the golden bag. She pulled out two or three cute little boxes of jewellery sets, and quickly put them back in. After handing over the bag to a maid with the instruction for the bag to be put in her room, lady Pinkerton asked eagerly,
"Was there any girl?" she went straight to the point.
"Well to be honest with you, the young master did nothing but drink himself to waste. One night he got so drunk that I thought he was dead. I'm sorry lady Pinkerton, but there was no girl at all." Gareth reported sadly.
"Didn't any girls throw themselves at him? He's handsome and rich, surely some girls would love to keep him company? Hmm, Gareth?
"I'm sorry lady Pinkerton, but he paid attention to none of them," he told her.
"OK." The old lady shook her head in pain before walking away.