Chapter 2
"I am so sorry, we lost her" The Doctor announced after he came out from Adeline's ward.
Jayda could feel her chest sinking and thankfully Donnie was there to catch her from falling flat on the floor.
"Oh my God," She said under her breath
"Donnie, they lost her, What am I going to say to Brian? How am I going to tell him his mother is dead?" She was intentionally trying to conceal her pain.
Tears welled up her eyes as Donnie pulled her into a tight hug.
"I'm so sorry J," He said, stroking the length of her hair as she sniffled in silence.
TWO YEARS LATER
It's Lucy's fifth birthday party and their place was as usual crowded with children from the neighbourhood. It's an outdoor event in the front yard with round tables and chairs coupled with balloons and other decorations. Jayda comes out of the house carrying a three-inch vanilla cake while Donnie followed suit with a tray of croissant cupcakes. Jayda spots Brian all by himself in a corner, she drops the cake on a table and made for him.
"Hey Brain, what's wrong?" She took her seat beside him.
"Nothing" He dismissed.
Jayda could tell he just lied. She'd taken custody of him since the demise of his mother and her best friend. The journey has not been easy, it's been a whirlwind that has been threatening her relationship with her boyfriend.
Donnie had suggested they inform child protection services about Brian but Jayda couldn't bear the thought of her godson growing up in an orphanage and worse foster care. Jayda didn't care about the additional expenses incurred, she loves the boy and would do anything for him and of course Lucy too.
"Are you going to tell me what the matter is or you're going to watch me sad all day?" Jayda said, knowing it was the only way to get him to talk. Brian hated seeing Jayda unhappy. He'd witnessed a few moments after she and Donnie constant fights.
"Everyone still makes fun of me. They call me bad luck and that I'll never be happy because I killed my parents."
"And what did you say?"
"Nothing, I just walked away cause I didn't want to destroy Lucy's party"
"That's a very sweet gesture of you to your little sister. Lucy is so lucky to have a sibling who cares for her as much as I and Donnie do. Who and who bullied you?" Jayda asked defensively.
"Justin, Theodore and Hermione"
Jayda abruptly stood up and walked to where the mentioned trio sat and returned to meet Brian after a brief and calm altercation with their parents.
"They're leaving?" He asked as he watched them leave the front yard.
"Yes. No form of bullying will be tolerated here"
"What about.."
"No questions. Just, enjoy the party okay?"
He replied with a nod.
"I love you okay?" She kissed the young lad on his forehead.
"I love you too Jayda"
Jayda gave his fringe hair a rough shake before heading back to continue host duties.
Throughout the party, Brian tried his best to stay out of any trouble that might ruin Lucy's big day. He simply took what he needed to eat and returned to the quiet corner. Jayda was far too busy to notice him. She cares about him a lot and it is no different from that of a mother.
Over the years, Jayda had taken up so many jobs to help support Donnie's income by babysitting, housekeeping and personal grocery shopper, Jayda has been hell-bent on raising both Lucy and most especially Brian under her care.
The party ended around seven at night to ensure everyone's safety back home due to the recent robbery attacks in the community. Donnie took Lucy who was already feeling sleepy into her room while Jayda and Brian stayed back to clean up the mess.
"Come here" she signalled him to join her where she's seated.
"I know I have asked you this a lot of times and you keep saying"
"No, I don't want to switch school"
Jayda would be lying if she said she didn't know about the verbal bullying Brian has been enduring over the years.
"It's not your fault that your parents died. I want you to know that. I'll always be there for you whenever you need me because I'm your mother too and I love you so much. It is going to be a long haul and I will be there every step of the way"
"Can I see you for a minute babe?" Donnie interrupted.
"You can go to bed Brian, we'll continue in the morning. Make sure you take a shower okay?"
Brian replied with a nod and went inside.
"What's up?" She asked.
"You're still going to keep on doing this"
"If by that you mean taking care of my best friend's son, yes I will" she defended with a wide grin on her face.
"And this is why I love you. You have such a good heart" He leaned forward to kiss her and what he had intended to be a short liplock slowly transitioned into a long one.
"I am exhausted, Donnie. Let's call it a night"
"I understand," He said, a bit disappointed.
Donnie understands her situation and he is also aware that springing up sex tonight is an impossible motive he just wanted to give luck a trial. Their sex life has gone from one to zero much to the fact that they each have busy schedules that tend to leave them exhausted by the end of the day.
"You know I love you right?" She asked
"Yes, I do" He replied after hesitating for a little while.
Donnie loves Jayda no doubt about that, it's just that for the last few months he'd been feeling disconnected from her. They no longer took cigarette puffs at night like before, no impromptu dates and outings and most of all lack of sex. They are now like two strangers living together.
"So I was thinking about moving back to Granny's house as you suggested."
"Really?" His eyes bugged out.
He'd been trying to convince her to take up the old house since her Grams willed it to her before her death but Jayda wouldn't budge into that idea because of the way she left things with her.
Grams took care of her since her parent's demise and it took getting pregnant with Lucy to ruin that care she had gotten used to. Grams was disappointed, angry but yet forgiving. She wanted Jayda to come back to the house after realizing her mistake, she waited day in day out but Jayda was too ashamed and Grams was too egoistic to call it truce since it wasn't her fault, to begin with.
"Yes. I figured the amount of rent it would save us would be put to good use. I just feel guilty moving back after her death"
"It's not guilt if she gave it to you to inherit someday"
"You just know how to make everything look good," she teased.
Chapter 3PRESENT DAYNineteen years old Lucy squealed into the living in excitement with a sheet of paper in her hand."Mom!" She screamed into the hands of her curious mother and handed her the piece of paper."Dear Applicant," Jayda starts to read."The faculty of Film and Television business wish to congratulate you on your successful enrollment and admission into TISCH of the arts at our great academy. The entire board of the New York University welcome you into this new chapter...and a splendid academic experience""Congratulations sweetie, I am so proud of you my darling" Jayda gave her a tight squeeze."I miss you already""Minnesota to New York is just two and a half hours Mom you can always catch a flight if you miss me too much," Lucy said still in the spirit of excitement.
Chapter 4Jayda looked out the window lost in her thoughts. She unconsciously wiped the steam that fogged the window. She's thinking about Brian for the umpteenth time today. All she wants to know is if he's doing well or alive and the thought of not knowing anything kills her.She's also aware that if Brian wanted to be found he would have come back to the house. He knows where to find her unlike she who doesn't know where he is.Her mind also wandered to Lucy who is leaving for New York in a matter of days. Jayda had contemplated moving to New York but the obvious truth is that she can't afford to live in the luxurious city. It's bad enough she's spending so much on Lucy's tuition thanks to her life savings for saving the day, the best she can do is to lodge in a cheap hotel when visiting her daughter.On another note, Lucy leaving meant she'll have time for herself and who knows, maybe she can finall
Chapter 5Khloé hurried into Brian's office."I am so sorry Brian, I didn't know how it happened" I don't care how it happened, it's the level of your incompetence I have a problem with," Brian said as he scanned through the screen of the laptop in front of him."It won't happen again, I swear. Please don't take Lucy away from me" She begged"It's too late to apologize""This is the first and last occurrence""You don't get it, do you?" He suddenly stood up from his chair."Something bad could have happened to Isabelle if she didn't meet the person who brought her back." Brian feared the worst might have happened the moment he received Khloé's call earlier."You can do anything to get back at me but please don't take the custody of our child away from me"She walked c
Chapter 6"OMG Mom!" Lucy said over the phone as Jayda walked into her living from outside. She'd been talking to the sheriff over last night's encounter with the other neighbours and the police department have assured the residents that there will be two patrol vehicle stationed in the area for the time being."It's been taken care of so I don't think they'll be coming back," Jayda said as she made for the couch."But still, you need to move out of that house" Lucy suggested."You know I can't""Why? Because it's grandma's house?""That and the fact that your schooling needs all the finance I can get""Well mom you don't need to overthink your pretty head about that because Keira and I got a part-time job to model for some app and the pay is a mouthful""No no mo" Jayda immediately opposed the idea. "
Chapter 7Jayda giggled like a toddler at ice cream when she and Shawn made their exit out of the cinema. They just finished watching the latest horror film titled 'forgotten and instead of coming out with a rather intense expression, the duo laughed their way to the parking lot."So where are we going next?" Jayda asked as Shawn put the car in motion unto the express."I was thinking of dinner" he said."I'm quite full from the popcorn and Soda""How about a walk in Glover?" He suggested.Jayda had heard of the new park in town but has not had the opportunity to visit the place even though she'd heard a lot of awesome reviews from the people in Ely."That'd be great," She said.They arrived in the park in half an hour and since there wasn't much to do because most of the vendors have closed for the day, Sha
Chapter 8"Where's the new commercial clip?" Brian said while flipping through the pages of the folder in his hand."We are yet to shortlist the candidates.." The fidgeting thirty-something years old creative director managed to say even amid stammer.People working under Brian always find talking to him intimidating and somewhat scary. It's hard to share the same space with his arrogant and rude attitude."You're fired," He said without flinching."Sir?" She questioned in disbelief."Are you deaf? I said you're fired! I can't have incompetent people working in my company" he didn't look at the poor lady, not even as little as a wink.Just as soon as she walked out of his office, Khloé walks in majestically while strutting her curves in the perfect motion."Hey baby" she greeted before taking her seat.
Chapter 9A few weeks later.Lucy walked into ChaseApp headquarters alongside Keisha for their callback interview with the brand. The duo had applied a week ago to model in a commercial much to the fact that one appearance costs so much more than the regular coffee shop attendant job they'd been doing secretly to help lift the burden a bit off their parents.Both girls gawked at the enormous elegance of wealth and class that littered the ground floor. There was so much professionalism in how the ladies who worked there walked and talked. They weren't dressed corporately. Some even wore shorts that went as far as the curve of their butts but their carriage is classy as hell."Wow. Pinch me Keisha" Lucy said trying to get out of what she thinks could be a dream.They'd researched the company ahead of their interview but the pictures didn't do the building justice. I
Chapter 10Both girls screamed out of the ChaseApp building after being among the five models picked for the commercial that was later said would continue during the final casting."Do you think if the President was seated, we would have been given the spot? I mean, considering what happened in the morning""We didn't do anything wrong! What makes you think we did? We were just talking. He seriously can't be that bad""Have you heard of this man!"They both walked down the walkway to catch the bus heading their way.********"There's something I need to tell you," Shawn said, as he arrived with Jayda under her porch."Some time ago before I met you, I had plans of transferring to NYPD for the sake of my daughter so that I can be close to her instead of having her travel down here once a while" He paused a bit before con