Chapter 4 - Elaine's POV

Elaine's POV

The next morning, I woke up with the same nausea that hit me in the previous day...

"Hey! Do you think that you should go on this...?" Kay asked slightly patting my back...

"Yeah... Mum is waiting there till I come.." said I placing myself on the bed. "This will be alright after taking some rest.." I consoled her.

After an hour of respite, I removed my clothes off my body and had a soothing bath. I have heard that having baths in pregnancy would relieve all the stress and distress.. As I paced out of the bathroom, I changed into a denim pant and a white colour t-shirt and then wore a denim jacket over me. Since my stomach is still flat, it is easy to wear my dresses now. But in near future that won't be easy for me as I have to change them as my baby bump will be bulging out...

"Take care El... Call me when you land there." Kay said as I was about to glide out of the apartment. "By the way don't forget to take your vitamins.."

"Okay.. Bye.. Inform Mr:Ashton about my absence.." I said kissing on her cheek.

"Yeah. Sure..."

As I came out, I headed towards the bus stop... I am not gonna take a flight to travel New York since this is my first two weeks. So riding a couch will be fine with me. After about ten minutes of my arrival, a couch reached up. As I got on the couch, I made myself comfortable on the seat. I closed my eyes wearing my hand free on listening to some music in thought of relieving myself...

Through out the whole ride, I was sunk in the deep deep thoughts of my life and future with this new member who is gonna be in my hands in eight months. As Kay said, I know it's so hard to live being a single mother. But I never think of finding the father of my baby. That will be a great issue if I found him....

What should I say?

How am I gonna prove that this is his baby?

Yeah! I know I can just prove it by a DNA test.

But I don't wanna put my baby in the temptation just for the sake of my life...

What if he can't remember me the way I do..

It's not like he will believe me nor any other girl who would be coming telling that she is carrying his baby.

What would his answer be like?

"Oh! Go bug yourself and your baby.

I don't want you to carry this baby. So abort him."

"I will give the f****** money if that's what you want. Don't you dare ever show your face to me." My eyes suddenly slid open only to realize that I have been submerged myself in a reverie of my own thoughts which felt so real to me. I held my belly hoping that nothing would happen to the little bean inside me now nor ever. I closed my eyes again as I leaned myself to the headrest of the seat.

Though I met the man who is responsible for the grief he has put me through what am I gonna ask him?

To marry me?

No way! Why should I marry a man who took advantage of me in my drunken status.?

And I never think, that bastard of a man who took one night stand with a woman will ever think of accepting the baby and marrying her rather than throwing his money at her.

That's far beyond possibility...

Neither do I want a marriage in my life nor a love of a man.

I have borne hard enough....

So this must be the last and the least thing I am gonna suffer here after.

Besides the happiness of visiting my mum and brother, there was a slight fear of meeting that bastard Jasper by chance in New York. I hate him to the death. So I never expected and wanted a bit shadow of that bastard around me. It was the main reason, I came St.Antonio and found a job by myself to live my life without seeing him..

"Ma'am... You have arrived in...." I snapped open my eyes to a voice of a man rang next to me... The time I opened my eyes, I realized I have arrived in New York.

"Oh! I was fast asleep. Thank you so much..." I thanked the man turning my lips into a slight smile.

"It's a pleasure ma'am. May I help you to take your luggage down?"

"Thank you so much...."

As I got off the couch I waved at the man and then turned towards the Tower Lane...

I sent my mum a message telling about my arrival and then Kay.... Within fifteen minutes I was at my mum's place where I always loved to tell that mine too.

"God! Ela... You have grown up to a big lady now..." the time I glided inside my home mum gave me a bear hug.. And she stayed like that for a few minutes caressing my back and I too relieved myself under her hug. The moment was too emotional to let go and the feel of her warmth made me realize how badly I had missed her so much.

God! How I have been longing and eagerly waiting for this moment!

But, I controlled myself from not crying my eyes out... It was so hard to keep the things to myself as I had never hidden anything from my mum.

"Mum...." suddenly I felt wetness on my right shoulder and the realization poured into my mind.. "Mum... You crying?"

Asked I pulling my mum's figure back...

"I missed you so much baby." Said she glistening her eyes again with tears.

"So did I mum... Um... Is everything okay?" I asked stroking her tears away from her cheeks.

"Ye-yeah... fine..." said she now averting her face and trying to wipe the tears off her eyes herself...

"Love you mumma..." I said kissing on her cheek.

"Love you too my cuddle bug.." she said squeezing both my shoulders.as I hugged her for the second time.

"Where's Elmer?"asked I looking behind her in search of my little brother's figure or the silhouette...

"He is gone to school... Will be back before evening. May be he is on his way, by now ..." she took my bag off my shoulder..

"Mum... What did you want to talk about with me?" Asked I guiding myself inside the living room.

"Um... Before that what would you prefer to drink? May be you feel tired now.." said she pacing towards the kitchen.

Yeah.. It's so true...

My little boy makes me so tired now...

Yes! You heard it right! I like calling it my boy. Since my childhood I liked sons.

So I like my first child to be a boy..

No matter if it is a girl. I will love her the way I do my boy...

No discrimination... Because it's mine.

Only mine..

"A glass of water is okay...." said I removing the denim jacket off me...

"Huh!" I let out a deep sigh of relief as I slightly threw myself on the couch closing my eyes...

"Ela!" Next I opened my eyes to see my mum was sitting next to me on the couch holding the glass of water...

''Take this!" I took it in my hand.

"You look so tired.. Are you okay?" she asked caressing my hand with small circles....

"Hm..." I just nodded....

"You look so pale and skinnier than the time I saw you last.." I stopped drinking when my mum's words stabbed my heart. I was too afraid that I would be getting caught in her eyes. Mums' have the best sense of recognizing the feelings or the behaviour of their children to the needle.

"Are you sick?" She caressed my face...

"Um.. No mum. It's because I am loaded with my work.. Spent some sleepless nights for a couple of weeks." Said I compressing my lips into a thin line..

''By the way... Back to the point. What is that important thing you have to tell me..." I got the point of diverting the discussion to her side. Else I would not be having any return today.

"First... Go freshen up and change into a good dress..." mum said using the same trick I used on her while ago...

Mother's senses...

"But mum---" before I could complete myself she cut my words off making me stand up...

"No buts.. First have a bath...." she pushed me towards my room.

"Right.." I said in acceptance....

I had a bath and came out of the bathroom wrapping a white fluffy towel around my body.... A part of me swang with happiness as I was back at my home after many months. The time I stepped towards the vanity to blow dry my hair the door of my room was open revealing my mum standing with a happy smile on her face. I smiled through the mirror seeing her eyes and her happy face and smile after a long time what felt like years.

''Ela... See...I have brought you a new dress...." I spun around and then she placed the box on my palm.

"It's not your birth day... Even not mine... So why is this frock?" probed I opening the box...

"Um... Should it definitely be a birth day to gift my child with a present?"

"No mum.. I didn't mean it..." my eyes bulged in their sockets as I opened the box to see a red sleeveless lacy frock.. "Oh my god..! It's so amazing."

"You like it?" She asked with a happy smile registering on her small lips.

"Yeah..Very much. But what is it for?"

"First get dressed.. I will tell you...."

I gave a puzzled look at my mum...

"Why?"

"Hush... no more questions..."

As I was done with the dressing mum gave a satisfied smile at me.

I was still clung on the puzzle that my mum had suddenly thrown at me coming out of nowhere.

"Mum what's going on?" Where are we going?" A wave of excitement washed over my face..

"Wait my girl! You--" my mum's words were cut off in a flash as the door to my room flew open revealing my little brother this time...

When did he come?

May be the time I was having my bath.

"Mum... They have come...." Elmer said at once fixing his glinting eyes on mum...

"Who?" Asked I shifting my gaze to my mum, then to my brother knowing it was another puzzle I was probably unaware of.

"I will see. You stay here..." saying that mum went down leaving me totally flurried for the unknown time today...

What the hell is going on here?

"Hey sisy..." Elmer's voice took me back to my senses.

"Hi little fella.. You are grown up to a big boy..." said I as he hugged me so protectively...

"Haha... So are you..."

"Am I a boy?" Chuckled I whilst asking it..

"Haha.. not bad. If you like you can be. By the way you look gorgeous.." said he kissing on my cheeks..

"Thanks..." I returned the thanks by kissing him back on his cheeks..

"Okay let's go down.." said he grabbing my arm.. As he grabbed me, I slowly came on my feet without letting myself fall down and then both of us strode downstairs.....

"Elmer...." I just wanted to solve this dilemma I have been putting through.

"Hm...." he gave me a look with a smile and set his brows up as he probed me from his dark blue eyes.

"What's going---......" before I could complete my words I stopped at the middle of my sentence when I heard a voice of a woman from the living room. It was not probably my mum's voice.... When I was getting closer I could see a slight silhouette of a woman of about fifty was sitting on the couch with a wide smile, or should I say a wide grin on her face.

Who is this lady? Why is she here?

The time I totally showed myself up in the living room, I was utterly confused as my eyes got a full capture of the three persons who were sitting on the couches having different expressions worn on their faces including my mum's and that lady's... My heart skipped a fast beat the sooner my eyes voluntarily stuck at the Man before me with his black shirt and an armani suit with the same colour, still wearing his sun glasses on, but sitting alone on one couch without any smile on his face, but with the proud and arrogant looks which succeeded in adding more handsomeness and hotness to his already perfect carved figure...

Oh sh*t! Why am I checking him out?

Why is this man here?

When the minutes just passed by the familiarity of his face didn't go unnoticed by me as a part of me said I had seen this man somewhere on this earth before..

Like the triplet felt the presence of me, they altogether averted their heads towards me and the man removed the glasses off his eyes revealing his full sculpted face, the sooner my eyes set upon him.

Darn it!

God....!! Nigel Xander!!

The most famous and the arrogant businessman....

I was beyond shocked was an understatement... I wanted to hold Elmer's hand tightly against mine, fighting my nervousness, but I was left there only to find that no arm was hanging on mine anymore..

What the?

So my head suddenly turned at my right side to see Elmer was disappeared and nowhere to be found even. I felt like I was drowning in the pool of sweat and embarrassment.. I never expected a man like him would be here in my house after my dad's death.

God!

What is this man doing here?

"Ela...." my mum's voice drew me back to my real sense.

As I slowly crept up towards them, mum stretched out her hand towards me signing me to come and sit next to her....

"This is my daughter.... Elaine Wendy Steinfield....." mum said wrapping her arm around the small of my back as I placed myself on the couch beside her.

"Oh! Your daughter is so beautiful...." the lady said making a blush gather up onto my cheeks.. I didn't lift my face up for a bit even...

"Thank you..." instead of me I heard the voice of my mum raise next to me. Thank god!

But God wait! What the hell is going on here?

"Ela... This is Mrs:Freya Xander...." my mum introduced the lady to me.

"Hello. Mrs:Xander... Nice to meet you..." finally I raised my head only to greet her...

"Nice to meet you too little lady..." she returned me a very good smile much to my please.

"By the way... Meet my son.... Nigel Xander.. The CEO of Xander Shipping Co-operation..." The time my eyes fell over him for the third time I guess and met his gaze, I noticed that he was directly looking at me without having any smile twitched on his face which succeeded in sending a wave of fear down my spine.

Holy sh*t!

Any single word didn't escape my mouth as I was too mesmerized by his God like looks.

What's wrong with me?

Why the hell did I feel like that?

I mentally slapped myself for letting the thing go out of control at first sight....

"Mrs:Steinfield, I didn't really expect a beauty like this as my Daughter-in-law...." I heard a female voice play in the background as I had totally been taken by the irresistable nervousness and all the freaking tingles my body did just by seeing this man before me now. Is it the pregnancy hormones doing all these sh*t to me?

WHAT? WAIT! Something adamantly stuck in my mind...

Did I hear it clearly?

Daughter-in-law?

How the hell?

My gaze literally shifted to my mum who was not looking at me, but somewhere in the blank space..

How could you mum?

"Mum... We should leave now. I have left no time." Said he standing up off the couch shoving his both hands deep into the pockets of his pant. "And make it a point to let her know all about this Marriage...."

What a cr*p is this?

MARRIAGE?

Daughter-in-law?

I was totally left in a dilemma...

My life sucks...

Okay mum. You better have your explanations....

I gave a look of dead in the eye at my mum. She averted her face as she was so busy with departing her so called guests out of our house... A stream of uncontrollable tears truckled down my cheeks as the anger was overtaking my emotions now... As they left, in a flick I ran into my room with my thousand pure anger..

"Ela..." I heard my mum's voice following behind me syncing with my steps