Love from the Past

This is not the end

"Blaise, I'm fine. Stop looking for me. I found a couple who is willing to take my baby and pay for all the hospital's expenses. We're fine.”

After six months since Pricilla's last contact, Blaise kept going back to her last message, wishing he could do more.

By his calculations, Pricilla must be close to the end of her pregnancy. Walter pulled all the favors he had to try and find her, with no success. His last hope was to monitor every single hospital in Portland and surrounding cities, knowing that Pricilla would not go far.

In the meanwhile, Blaise decided to go back to California and finish his firefighter training. There was nothing else he could do. It was almost Christmas now and his graduation was just a couple of days ago. Blaise was getting his things ready to go home when an unknown number called him.

He didn't give it much thought, but at the third time, he picked it up. Who would call him three times in a row?

“Hello?” He asked in a bothered tone.

“Blaise? It 's me, please don't hang up”, Pricilla pleaded on the other side of the line.

“Pricilla? Where are you?” Blaise asked, failing at keeping himself calm.

“I … I'm fine. It's a girl”, she said. “She really looks like you.”

“Pricilla, where are you? Tell me and I'll go and pick the two of you up. We can do this together. Just tell me where you are”, Blaise was on the verge of yelling and going crazy.

He had been waiting for this call for the past six months. He had played it in his mind in so many different ways, but nothing prepared him for what came next.

“I'm close to home. I took a bus and I'm almost in Portland. Annie was adopted by a family in California. Please, don't go looking for either of us. I need to restart fresh and Annie deserves the best”, Pricilla said.

She didn't have much time, the bus would leave in a couple of minutes, but she had to let him know. “I love you, I have always loved you. I know that when you find the right person, you'll become the best husband and the best father in the world. I wish I could have been a better girlfriend, deserving of you, but I know I am not and I never will be. Please, don't come back. Please, forget about us. Goodbye Blaise.”

Blaise was speechless. Pricilla hung up before he could react and ask more questions. He had been in love with her and now, she gave up on their story and the result of that love, a baby girl. Annie. How could she just let it all go? He was desperate to find her and his daughter. And now, she was here, in California.

That's all he needed. After a moment to gather his thoughts, Blaise called Mark, one of his best friends in California. Mark was a detective and, after what Blaise told him six months ago, he promised to help Blaise with whatever he needed.

“Mark, she just called. She said she gave birth to a girl named Annie, probably a couple of weeks ago. She said the baby was adopted by a family here in California”, Blaise said as soon as Mank picked up the phone, without waiting for any response.

“Blaise? What? Man, what time is it?” Mark asked, not processing any words Blaise just told him.

“Yeah, sorry Mark. It's past 2 a.m. . Priscilla just called me. She said she gave birth to a baby girl called Annie, probably a couple of weeks ago, and she was adopted by a family here in California. Pricilla is back in Portland with her family”, Blaise explained.

“Okay, I'll call a couple of people and I'll let you know what happens”, Mark said.

“Thanks, man. I'll be forever in debt with you”, Blaise said.

“No worries, man. I know you'd do the same for me. Talk to you later”, Mark said and hung up the phone.

Blaise was left with some hope of soon having his baby girl in his arms. There was no way he would be able to leave California. Not until he was able to have his daughter in his arms again.

On the other side of the country, Serene felt numb. She was in an expensive bridal shop with Noelle and Amber, and yet, she felt nothing. No joy, no tears. Each dress she put on was just like the last one. Why was she here trying out dress after dress when she made it clear, three months ago, that she would not marry Joshua Carpenter?

After that little incident, Mr. Carpenter never showed his face in front of Serene again. She continued telling Noelle and Amber that she didn’t want to marry Joshua. And the same with him. They loathed each other and being close brought them into arguments over and over again.

Noelle talked to her every single time. She needed a family and support, something the Carpenters could provide her. She would be able to have a profession and have a better life. A debt free life. Something that her parents were not able to leave her. Yet, every time she thought about it, she felt disgusted by her choices.

“I know you’re not happy, and I would never wish this upon you, child”, grandma Green told me as I stood in front of the mirror with another white dress. “You are so gorgeous and you have an amazing light. I’m afraid you might lose it if you continue with this.”

Serene loved Grandma Green. She was the one who, without questions, brought her into her home and raised her with Amber. She was the longest mother figure she had in her life. She would never want to disappoint her. Hearing her words, Serene started crying.

“I’m so sorry, grandma. I wish there was another way. Maybe I’ll eventually learn to love him”, Serene reassured her.

No one believed it, but this was her only chance of not worrying about money, debts and bills piling up. Serene was devastated. But, she had to go on. She took another look in the mirror, forced a smile and told the women around her, “This is it. This is the dress.”

“Are you sure?! We can continue looking for the perfect one, dear”, Noelle said.

Noelle loved Serene so much. She was like the daughter she never had and she kept thinking why she was marrying her daughter to an a*****e. She knew her son and she was the only one who was able to put some senses into his head. Maybe now, he would be better.

“No, this is it, thank you”, Serene said. She took another look in the mirror and noticed Amber hadn’t said anything. “What do you think, Amber?” She asked.

“I think you should choose the one with the bare back. That would be the talk of the city”, Amber truthfully said.

The woman shared some laughs and that lightened the mood.

“You look simply amazing!” Amber finally said, hugging Serene from the back. “I know you’re struggling, but sometimes, girls like us, have to go through these kinds of things in life. We were not meant to have an easy life”, Amber said with teary eyes.

They hugged a little longer and soon the seller came with champagne so they could toast the wedding dress. “This was it”, Serene thought, “Amber was right. People like me and her are not meant to have an easy life.”