chapter 6

  I looked up and saw Nadia smiling at me. My eyebrow raised as I stared at her. I stood up and asked her, “What the hell are you doing here?” I didn’t care if someone might have heard me. My blood boiled just being near her.

        “Luckily, I got invited as an employee here.” She answered without batting her fake eyelashes. She was wearing a short tight skin pale dress that obviously looking seductive. How could she miss the dress protocols?. I admit she was still a beauty

        All I see was red. How dare she comes here? As an employee? My foot! Before I could talk back. I heard someone hawked behind me. Turning my body around, I met a gaze with Miles. His eyes, speaking to me. Dead silence between us.

        “So, you finally met each other again,” Miles breaking the atmosphere. Did he just fucking ask that?

        “Yes, baby,” Nadia answered as she walked to Miles, grabbed his neck, and kissed him. Miles got caught off guard. Wow! Just wow, did they kiss in front of me?! And baby?

        Miles was speechless; he untangled Nadia’s arms on him and glared at her.

        “What are you doing here, Nadia?” Miles asked, scowling at shock-face Nadia.

        “Of course, I’m here to escort you. I’m sorry for changing my mind to join you. I should’ve gone early with you, but my dad insisted on talking to me more.” She phony apologized

        Oh, so she was supposed the person that Miles was fetching, not me. My luck!

        I rolled my eyes at them. I badly wanted to strangle Nadia, and I was trying to control myself not to make a scene.

        Miles was still communicating with her, and she even called him baby! I composed myself not to be jealous. They must be in a sort of relationship for all I care, but it was shattering me. I didn’t want to run amuck and shame my name. It was tough to be a bigger person, but I won't ever stoop down low for that low life of a woman, so I excused myself to the toilet.

        I did my business in the toilet and tried to bring back my lively mood. I looked myself into the mirror. This night was so perfect that I didn’t want to ruin. I won’t let that bitch mess my life again. I was about to pull the door when someone burst open-wide it for me.

        “I’m sorry,” the woman said as she almost hit my face with her burst.

        I looked up and found it was Belinda,

        “Oh, hey! Kathy, I was looking for you, Miles told me you’re in the powder room.

        “Belinda! Yes, I had to go. I suddenly didn’t feel well..” I said, hoping she won't ask me. She probably had seen the small scene outside,

        “It’s because of that woman, right?” Belinda asked me worriedly, she knew it.

        “She brought so much memory tonight. It was overwhelming,” I answered her, trying not to show how weak I was at the moment.

        She pulled me in a hug and whispered: “I won’t let her ruin your life again, even if I had to turn against my son.” She knew that there was something brewing between her son and Nadia, and Belinda wouldn’t allow it.

        I broke the hug and mouthed her thank you before going outside

        We stayed and mingled for a while. I didn’t see Miles again after, even his mom and dad couldn’t find him anywhere at the event. We left after we said goodbye to the people at the party.

       Another three months have passed, and I couldn’t believe I was already residing here for roughly half a year. My work at the orphanage was keeping me busy that I didn’t even notice the days had gone by quickly.

        I was checking-up one of the babies in the nursery room when my phone rang. It was a message from Belinda. I wasn’t able to see her for almost a month since she went on vacation to London. I opened her text message and read it. She was inviting me to go for dinner at their place on Friday night. Meeting her at home meant meeting Miles too as well, which I was trying to evade right now after what happened at the party weeks ago. I’d never seen him again, nor heard anything from him.

        I replied to her saying yes on her invitation.

        I continued doing my rounds inside the facility when I saw David from afar.

        “David!” I waved at him

        He ran towards me, “Kathy!” he hugged me and kissed my cheeks.

        “How is it going?”

        “Everything is good so far, we had sent the Invites yesterday, and since I was heading here today, I decided to bring the wedding invitation personally to you.” David opened the folder he was holding and handed me out the turquoise-colored envelope.

        “Oh, wow! Thank you!” as I hugged him, “Again, Congratulations! can’t wait to witness this wedding of the year!”

         David chuckled, “The Humblest wedding of the year, you mean” he laughed, Lindsay and David decided to make it simple yet elegant. There won’t be any more than 200 visitors, according to her. It’ll be taking two weeks from now.

        “I’ll be expecting you there!’

        “Of course, I won’t miss it for life,” I told him.

         “You didn’t come here just to give me this invitation, did you? Do you have any business here? I asked

        “I’m heading to  Mrs. Jason’s office to hand out the donation. Usually, Miles gives it to her in person, but I’ve been doing it since last month,” David answered me.’

        “He’s been busy doing the expansion in Florida, so I’m doing this favor on his behalf.”He continued. I just nodded and bid goodbye to him.

        I sat down on my office chair and looked at the envelope David gave me this morning. It was already the end of the day when I decided to rest after playing along and checking up the kids in the orphanage. Children were keeping me up and giving me a push to work. I never thought that I would love kids. I still remember the days telling my parents how I didn’t want to have another sibling. I realized how fortunate I was to have a real family—loving parents and brother—also having an extended family like Belinda, Jack, and Miles. I promised myself that someday when I would have my own family. I will take care of them all my life with the help of my future husband. Maybe I would try to convince him to adopt one or two kids along the way. These kids needed a home and family.

        I smiled as I opened the invites. There was a pinch in my heart, knowing this could have also been Marcus’ invitation if he was still alive. I wondered what life would have been all along. David was like a big brother to me. He shared the same birth-date as Marcus, which was unusual and rare. I found about it when I, Lindsay, and him hanged out once.

        I got back to my senses when I heard my phone ringing. Josh’s name appeared on the screen. I hit the answer button.

        “Hey bitch!, what time shall I pick you home?” Josh’s shrieking voice greeted me. I rolled my eyes.

        “Hello to you too., I’ll be home in an hour so maybe around eight o’clock?” I spoke to him

        “Okay, see you soon! Be safe darling” he said

        Josh and I reunited about two months ago. He came back from France after studying fashion and design. Josh had changed a lot. A discreet young gay guy finally let out the skeleton from his closet. I couldn’t blame him after he told me the reason why I got stood up the day we were supposed to say to Miles what we had witnessed about Nadia.

            “Kathy!  I didn’t mean to get you stood up. I was on my way to meet you at the meeting place. When Nadia approached me, she told me that she knows my secret, and she had evidence to show my dad. I was so afraid, Kathy!, please forgive me. I didn’t mean too. I was so scared knowing she’ll reveal my secret.” Josh cryingly explained

            “it’s okay,” I hugged him,” I’m sorry for dragging you into this mess.“, I can’t blame him for doing that knowing that his dad will go ballistic if he knew his only son was gay.

            “I’m sorry,” he said sadly. I told him what happened at the coffee shop, and I essentially gave up my chance to tell Miles the truth.

            “Please don’t give up, he will learn about the truth someday, and I hope it’s not too late.” He said

            I nodded “I hope it won’t be too late by then”’

        I heard a knock on my door, and it was Mrs. Jason smiling at me

        “Kathy, you’re overstaying again. Get a life, my love” I smiled back

        “Thank you, Mrs. Jason, I’m leaving too soon. See you tomorrow.”

        I stood up as soon as she left. I took my bag and keys and went straight to the parking lot.