An Unexpected Visit
1684 Words
Amelia’s POV
The doorbell rang just as I was trying to decide whether the blue onesie in my hands was adorable or ridiculously small.
I held it up again, it was barely bigger than my palm.
“How is someone supposed to fit in this?” I murmured.
Another ring sounded from downstairs.
“I’m coming!” I yelled, then I folded the onesie carefully and placed it beside the other baby things I'd collected over the past few days and hurried downstairs.
When I opened the door, I froze.
“Mother?”
She stood there with two bags in her hands and an expression that told me she’d already decided she was staying.
“Surprise.”
I stared at her.
“You didn’t tell me you were coming.”
“If I had told you, you’d spend the whole day telling me not to bother.”
I sighed.
“Come in.”
She walked past me , looking around the house like this was her first time here. Then she turned her gaze to me.
“You look thinner. Are you sure you have been eating well?”
“Mum!”
”What?”
“You can’t just inspect me the moment you walk through the door.”
She titled her head at me.
“Have you eaten?”
“Of course.”
“What did you eat?”
“Do you want me to bring out the plate?”
She laughed.
“Come here.”
She pulled me into a hug, I hugged her back, breathing in the familiar scent of her perfume.
Then she pulled away and gently touched my stomach.
“And how is my grandchild?”
I smiled.
“Apparently, your grandchild is a boy.”
Her mouth fell open.
“A boy?”
“Yes.”
She squealed. Like. actually squealed.
I burst out laughing.
Then she cupped my face in both hands.
“Do you know what this means?”
“What?”
“The company, the name, the legacy… everything is going to him.”
The words hit me like a punch. I had to force a smile before she could notice anything.
Then she whispered,
“Your father would be so proud.”
Of course he would, he wanted me to marry into power, to ‘secure the family’.
Well, I did.
And now I was about to do the worst part. Hand my father’s dream to a boy who could never claim it.
How long could I continue to live with this lie?
“Amelia?”
Mum’s voice snapped me back. She was watching me with her head tilted.
“I was asking what we should name him.”
I forced another smile.
She continued,
“I was thinking Ethan? Or William? Oh, how about Alexander?”
She was already smiling like she could see him.
“Something classic. Something that’ll look good on a diploma one day.”
I gave a pretentious chuckle.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
She took one of the bags she’d brought and started pulling things out.
I watched in disbelief as she pulled out a tiny white knitted sweater. The stitches were uneven. She must have made it herself.
“He’s not even born yet, Mum.”
“Exactly. That’s why I’m preparing.”
“You bought him clothes?”
“Some.”
She pulled out a squishy toy.
“And this.”
“Mother…”
“And this.”
I started laughing.
“How long have you been shopping?”
“Don’t worry about that.”
I shook my head. I couldn’t blame her, I had also done my own fair share of baby shopping.
She placed the little clothes and toys on the table one by one.
Then she suddenly looked at me.
“How’s Damien treating you?”
Her question caught me off guard.
I stayed silent for a second before speaking,
“You really came here to interrogate me, didn’t you?”
“I came here to see my daughter.”
She smiled warmly,
“You haven’t answered my question.”
I sighed.
“He’s been good.”
“Good?”
“Very good.”
“How so?”
“He’s just been… more present now.”
Her expression softened.
“Maybe it’s because of the baby.”
I looked away.
“Maybe.”
She studied me for a moment, then she quietly said,
“Whatever happens, don’t forget to enjoy this part.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“This part?”
“Being a mother.”
Her fingers brushed over the tiny sweater.
“Before the world starts telling you how you’re supposed to do everything.”
I smiled, this time I really meant it.
“I’ll try.”
She responded with a reassuring smile.
“That’s all you do.”
We spent the rest of the afternoon talking about everything.
She told me stories about when I was younger,
I reminded her that I had been a perfectly well-behaved child.
She laughed so hard that she nearly spilled her tea.
“You?”
“Yes.”
“You once faked an illness because you didn’t want to go to school.”
“But I was really sick.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Sure you were.”
I couldn’t stop smiling.
It felt good. Normal.
I didn’t realize how much I had missed that.
Eventually she stood.
“I should go before if gets late.”
“Oh? I thought you wanted to stay.”
“No, no… I just came to say hello.”
“You drove hundred miles to come say hello? You could’ve done that over the phone.”
She laughed.
“A mother can’t visit her daughter anymore?”
“That’s not what I mean… I’m actually very glad you came by, Mum.”
Her eyes softened.
“Take care of yourself, Amelia. And if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.”
“I will, mum.”
She picked up her handbag, then turned to me.
“And don’t forget to send me the ultrasound pictures, I want to look at my grandson everyday.”
I shook my head and laughed.
“Oh, mother.”
She smiled and kissed my forehead.
Then she placed her hand over my stomach.
“Take care of this little one.”
“You don’t have to tell me.”
She looked at me for a moment longer.
“You’d make a great mother.”
Then she left.
I stood at the doorway and watched her car disappear down the doorwa
Damien walked through the door.
“Your mother came?”
I turned around.
“Yes.”
He looked at the bags on the table.
“She brought those?”
“Yes, she did.”
He walked over the table and picked up the tiny knitted sweater.
“Seems like she’s more excited about having this baby than we are.”
“You have no idea.”
Damien smiled, holding the sweater up to take a good look at it.
“Do you thing our son would look good in this or he’ll still my style?”
The word ‘our’ echoed in my head.
I couldn’t answer him.
All I could think about was how I’d let Damien believe this baby was his.
And how I was letting him keep believing it.
He placed it back down and settled his eyes on me.
“How are you?”
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m fine, Damien.You want to interrogate me like Mum did throughout her visit?”
He held up his hands in a mock surrender, though his eyes was still filled with genuine concern.
“Not an interrogation, I promise. I just want to know if you’re actually fine.”
A soft chuckle escaped my lips.
“I’m fine, I swear.”
Then he leaned down and kissed my forehead.
The gesture was so natural that I almost forgot how unfamiliar it would have felt a few months ago.
“Okay. I’ll see you in a bit.” He said and walked past me towards the stairs.
Later that same evening, I was in the kitchen when I heard Damien speaking to someone from his study.
The door wasn’t completely closed.
I could hear his voice, but whoever was on the other end of the call was too far away for me to make out.
I wasn't trying to listen.
I was simply passing by.
But something about his tone made me slow down.
It was formal and respectful.
The kind of voice Damien rarely used.
I knew who it probably was.
His father.
I couldn't hear the conversation clearly.
Only fragments.
“Yes, sir.”
A pause.
“I understand.”
Another pause.
“Tomorrow?”
My eyebrows pulled together
A few seconds passed.
Then I heard him say:
“We'll be there.”
The call ended.
I continued walking before he could notice me standing outside.
A moment later, I heard the study door open and Damien stepped outside.
I turned.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Who was that?” I asked politely.
“My father.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah.”
I noticed how quickly his answer came.
“What did he want?”
He slipped his phone into his pocket.
“He wants us to have dinner with the family tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
I frowned.
“Why?”
He hesitated.
“Apparently, there's something they want to announce.”
My eyes narrowed at him.
“What’s that?”
“He told me we’d find out tomorrow.”
Something about this made me feel uneasy.
I looked back at Damien.
“What time?”
“Seven.”
“Okay.”
He reached for my hand.
“Don’t worry about it.” he said calmly. “It’s nothing bad.”
I wanted to believe him, but I knew better.
One question stayed at the back of my mind the entire night.
What could the Valentis possibly have to announce?
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD