PART I CHAPTER VII: TRUMP CARD
She sat on the bench, staring at the lake in front of her. She always loved coming to that spot because it was peaceful and tranquil. She listened carefully to the chirping of the birds and insects. She sighed and lost herself to the serenity of the moment. She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked to her side.
"What are you doing here?"
"Enjoying the moment," she said, slouching on the bench.
He looked at her with a confused expression on his face. "How can you seriously enjoy the moment under this heat?" he said calmly. She smiled and said, "Take it as a tanning session."
"You should put on sunscreen…" he frowned.
She laughed and said, "You need it more than I do. You're the one who lacks melanin. I won't get sunburned, but you will. Don't just stand there, sit down and enjoy the view!"
He shrugged and at on the bench. She looked at him quizzically, trying to get answers from him. "What?", he said, noticing her gaze on him.
"Why don't you like Lori? I mean, most guys are interested in her because she's pretty, rich, and other stuff", she said in one breath. He chuckled and said, "Why don't you like her? Your roommate and she seemed to be on good terms…"
"She's rude, proud, arrogant…" She blabbed.
"Would you believe it if I told you she wasn't always like this?"
"Seriously? I never thought there would have been a point in time where she was good."
"Not exactly good, but she was manageable. She was nice and friendly when we were teenagers. We got engaged but she always thought I would leave her. Turns out one day she spiked my drink blah blah blah…she gets pregnant."
"You've got to be kidding me…"
"I'm dead serious! I was so disgusted by her actions and we didn't talk for a while. A few weeks later, she tells my parents she's pregnant. They finally decided that we'd get married once she gave birth. After that, she changed. I figured out it was all an act all along…"
They remained silent for a while. He cursed under the burning heat while she laughed it off. She had experienced worse weather growing up in Africa. "I'm hungry." She said, patting her stomach.
"Are you serious? You ate like twenty minutes ago!" He exclaimed. She shrugged and said, "I want a chocolate cake." He stared at her with a baffled expression and said, "If you keep this up, you'll grow fatter than a balloon or get diabetes when you're forty!"
"Your long talk won't change the fact that I want a chocolate cake." She complained.
"But…"
"I said I want a chocolate cake!" She said, stomping her feet on the ground.
"You're acting like a child." He said, laughing at her actions.
This enraged her. She pouted her lips and refused to speak. He laughed and said, "Giving me the silent treatment?"
"Just get me the cake…" She whined.
"You look cute when you're mad." He said, still trying to tease her.
"Get me the cake, Julian!" She said angrily.
He laughed and stood up from the bench. Walking out of the park, he proceeded to the nearest bakery to get the cake. When he was done, he went back to the park and sat down next to her once more.
"I'm back! Did you miss me?"
"Barely..." She said, rolling her eyes.
"You're mean you know…"
"Whatever…where's the cake?"
"It seems like you only care about the cake. You've hurt me…" He said sarcastically.
"Believe whatever you want to believe. Where's the cake?"
"I…"
He felt his phone vibrate. Excusing himself, he walked to the oak tree that was close by.
"What's wrong?" He said, answering the phone.
"Sir, Miss Wilson has gone into labor!"
"What? Where is she?" He said in an alarmed tone.
"She's at Central Hospital…"
"I'll be there…" He finally said, ending the call.
He ran his fingers through his hair and slowly walked back to the bench. Hannah, who was busy munching on the cake noticed the change in his mood.
"Did something happen?" She said in a concerned tone.
"Lori's in labor…" He said calmly.
"You should go see her." She replied.
"I will. I'll tell the driver to pick you up." He said, wiping the icing off her face. He left the park and headed for Central Hospital.
He walked briskly into the hospital, tension etched over his face. He walked to the reception where he saw the receptionist reading a fashion magazine. He cleared his throat, making the lady lift her head.
"Good day sir, how can I help you?" She said in a saccharine tone.
"I'm looking for Lorraine Wilson, she was brought here an hour ago…"
"Long time no see Julian…" he heard someone say behind him. He turned his back to see who was talking. Behind him was a woman dressed in a beige gown that reached a little below her knees. She had worn an expensive fur coat on it and her neck was a pearl necklace. Her dress made her appear younger than she was, but he could easily recognize the stern-looking lady despite how lovely she dressed. She took off her pair of sunglasses, revealing an expressionless pair of gray eyes.
"Nice to see you too mother…" He said in a cold voice.
"I was beginning to think you wouldn't show up. At least that was what Lorraine said. She can be such a pain at times. Why haven't you come to visit?" She inquired.
"I've been very busy." He said, trying to avoid the conversation.
"Lorraine says you're going out with some girl. She says she's low class."
"She blabs a lot, don't you think?" He said to make sure she didn't suspect anything.
"Women will be women, but I wasn't that much of a talker back in my day." She added.
"Where is she?" He questioned.
"In the labor room. Turns out she's having complications. You don't take care of her, do you?" She questioned.
"Would you care for her if you were in my shoes?" He said sarcastically.
She let out a short laugh and said, "You have a point there. The room's this way…" She said, showing him the direction of the room.
They walked down the hall, heading for the labor room.