Secret Blessing

Chapter 7: Meeting Her

“What was that?” Andrew asked his brother the moment they stepped into his apartment.

Niall sat on the couch. “What was what?”

“You knew who she was but you pretended that you didn’t,” Andrew said.

Niall shrugged. “I knew her as a detective. She doesn’t know me.”

“You’re also here for work, aren’t you?”

Niall shook his head. “I already finished it before I boarded my flight.”

Andrew sat beside him. “So, what are you doing here?”

“You know Demetria has an ex-wife, right?”

Andrew shook his head. “All I know is that she’s single.”

“Oh, cut the crap. I know everything,” Niall said.

Andrew stared at him. “How? Did Winter hire you?”

“She did,” Niall said.

Andrew leaned on the couch and sighed. “Did you tell her?”

“No. I showed her evidence. I just don’t know if she took a look already. She’s into meeting Demetria. I gave her the address that I got from Henry.”

“What? You mustn’t have!” Andrew exclaimed.

Niall looked at him. “Why? Are you afraid?”

Andrew placed his head in his hands. “Everything I worked for five years, Niall, will go to waste.”

“Not my problem. You shouldn’t have made yourself emotionally involved.”

“Look, I love Demetria. I can’t lose her.”

“Then, tell her the truth.”

Andrew went quiet.

*

Winter made her way out of the hotel where she’s staying with Victoria and Summer. She used a navigator app to see if the address is just nearby. It’s approximately four kilometers away. She just decided to rent a bike from the hotel and went on her way.

She started to get nervous. Thoughts were running in her head. How is Demetria? Is she okay? Did she cut her hair? Did she gain some weight? Did she lose some? What does she look like now? Is she still the same? Did she forget her already?

She pedaled faster. Apart from being nervous, she feels excited about seeing her again. Her wife—ex-wife is just kilometers away. She doesn’t know if she can hug her or not, but all that matters is seeing her again.

She stopped pedaling when she arrived in front of the house.

This is it. She thought.

She walked closer to the house as she propped the kickstand of the bike and went to the front door. She sighed continuously as her heart beat faster than a while ago. She composed herself, thinking that she’s finally here, to the other side of the world where Demetria hides.

She lifted her hand to press the doorbell.

*

Summer woke up in the arms of her wife, hungry. She nudged her to wake up, too.

Victoria groaned. “Why, babe?”

“I’m hungry.”

“You want me to get some food?”

Summer nodded.

Victoria lifted the covers and sat at the edge of the bed, rubbing her eyes. Then, she stood up. “I’ll call the hotel service.”

She went to the living area by the phone and dialed the hotel service for breakfast. She also went to the kitchen for a glass of water. Summer met her there and hugged her.

“I think your sister has already left,” Victoria said as she saw the empty plates on the dining table.

Summer glanced at the table, sighing. “She couldn’t wait.”

Victoria shrugged. “It’s the love of her life.”

“I hope it will turn out well,” Summer said.

*

Andrew sat up wide awake as he remembered something and immediately went to wake his brother. “Niall, get your ass up!”

Niall groaned. “Give me a break, Drew. It’s too early,” he said and turned his face the other way.

“Pay attention to me! Is Winter already here?”

Niall turned to him and thought about it. “Probably. She’s a billionaire and has a successful business, so it’s 100% possible that she’s already here. I mean, earlier than I am. People like her probably have a private jet. She’s also excited about seeing Demetria.”

Andrew ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Why didn’t you tell me?! This is going to be my doom’s day!”

Niall laughed. “Good for you.”

Andrew groaned as he left the room. “I’m going to see Demie.”

“You have a nickname for her,” Niall teased.

“None of your business,” Andrew said as he closed the room’s door.

Niall tries to sleep but he’s intrigued about what’s going to happen. He took a shower and wore some clothes, deciding to go after his brother to Demetria’s house, buying a sandwich and coffee on his way because he was hungry.

He met his brother who had just gone out of the car like him. “Drew!”

Andrew turned to him and placed a finger on his lips, telling him to keep quiet as they tried to listen to Winter and Demetria’s conversation.

“Who is she?” Winter asked.

Demetria hesitated before whispering, “She’s our daughter.”

Winter’s mouth went agape. “Our daughter?”

Demetria nodded.

Winter licked her lips and ran her fingers through her hair. “How? We thought it didn’t work.”

Demetria shrugged. “It did.”

Winter gave her a confused stare. “Then, why didn’t you come back when you knew?”

Demetria looked at her, guilty. “I thought you wouldn’t want me back after what happened.”

Winter furrowed her eyebrows. “I will always want you!” she said in a hushed tone.

Demetria looked down, biting her lips.

Winter sighed. “Can I see her?”

Demetria looked up and thought about it.

“Is this too sudden?” Winter asked.

“Yeah…,” Demetria said. “She knows about you but I haven’t shown her any pictures.”

“Why?”

“I hid them…,” Demetria replied.

Winter nodded. “We have a lot to talk about,” she said.

“Maybe some other time?” Demetria asked. “I’ll tell Eira that you’re here.”

“Her name’s Eira?”

Demetria nodded.

Winter smiled. “It’s what we planned.”

“Because she’s ours.”

Winter stared at her, which caused the other woman to look around awkwardly, so she smirked.

She got to hear the word ‘our’ again. I hope this is the start. She thought.

“Maybe, I’ll come back some other time…,” she said. “And uh… can I get your number?” She lent her phone.

Demetria nodded and took her phone. “For how long will you be here?” she asked as she typed her number.

Winter watched her. “For as long as I need to be.”

Demetria looked up and met her gaze, which she averted immediately, giving back her phone.

Winter dialed the number and heard a ringtone from inside the house. Then, she ended it.

Demetria held on to the doorknob and opened the door. “I’ll text you,” she said as she went inside and closed the door behind her, leaning her back on it, clutching her chest.

Winter’s anger unknowingly faded as she smiled again. “It was good to see you, my love,” she whispered as she went to ride on the bike and went back to the hotel.

“Mom? Your face is red,” Eira told Demetria.

Demetria’s hands went on her face as she looked at a nearby hand mirror that was lying on their coffee table.

Eira’s right. She’s blushing!

She continuously tapped her cheeks as if it would remove the red shade.

“Mom, are you okay?” Eira asked.

Demetria nodded. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Eira raised her eyebrow just like how Demetria remembered Winter doing it when she doesn’t believe her.

Why do they look so much alike? She thought.

She sat beside her on the couch. “If I’m not, will you comfort me?” she asked.

Eira nodded and smiled at her. “I’ll give you many hugs!” she said and immediately hugged her mother tightly.

Demetria smiled as she hugged her back while thoughts were running in her head. She hid Winter’s pictures so she wouldn’t get to see her, but seeing Eira every day, it’s like seeing her too.

Meanwhile, outside the house, Andrew and Niall hide when Winter leaves, so she doesn’t see them.

“It seems she doesn’t know anything,” Andrew said.

“Why? What are you going to do?” Niall asked.

“You think we can get those things you gave her?”

Niall crossed his arms. “You’re going to make things worse. Why don’t you just tell Demetria the truth? She might be able to forgive you if it came from you.”

Andrew shook his head. “No. I won’t let her know anything,” he said as he left him alone.

Niall sighed.

*

Winter arrived at the hotel around noon. She went to the elevator, went up to her designated floor, met Victoria and Summer back in their room, who were sitting on the couch, watching TV.

“Hey, guys!” Winter greeted them cheerfully, slumping beside them.

Summer turned to her excitedly. “How did it go?” she asked. “Did you meet her?”

Winter smirked. “What do you think?”

Victoria turned to her, too. “You did?!”

Winter nodded.

“Well, spill!”

Winter laughed. “Here’s the thing.”

“What?”

“Eira.”

Summer gave her a confused look. “Who’s Eira?”

“Her new lover?” Victoria asked.

“No,” Winter replied. “Our daughter.”

Their mouths went agape.

Winter laughed again. “I probably looked like that earlier when Tria told me.”

“You’re serious?” Summer asked. “No joke?”

Winter nodded.

“I have another niece now?”

“Yep.”

“What does she look like?”

Winter shook her head. “I don’t know. Tria said she’ll text me when I can see her.”

Victoria gave her arm a light punch as she teased her, “Nice, daddy.”

Winter cringed. “Gross.”

Victoria laughed. “What about Demetria? How was she?”

“Beautiful,” Winter said as she remembered. “She got shy, I think.”

Summer gasped.

“Why?” Winter asked.

Summer shook her head. “Nothing, it could mean anything.”

“Anything?”

Summer shrugged. “It could mean that she feels guilty or that she’s still into you.”

“It could mean both,” Victoria said. “We can’t say.”

Winter pursed her lips.

*

“Drew, stop this,” Niall told his brother. “You know you’ll regret this.”

Andrew continued to hack into every hotel in Paris on his laptop to see where Winter was checked in. “I just want to be happy with Demie.”

“Will she be happy when she finds out?”

“She won’t find out.”

“Does she even love you?”

Andrew stopped typing. “I’ll make her,” he said and continued what he was doing.

Niall watched him. “This is not going to end well.”

“I know.”

“Looks like you’ve made your decision.”

“I won’t change my mind.”

Niall turned his back and left his room. I’ve made my decision, too. I’m going to change yours.