CHAPTER 29

Geneveive Tessa Robert

 

I walked into my room, thinking about the conversation with my family. It turned out well, which I wasn't expecting. I had imagined my dad yelling and instructing James to call his attorney to start preparing a lawsuit, and I would also be roasted for keeping crucial information.

Dad had insisted on speaking to the family attorney so that I could get a settlement, but I disapproved. I didn't want Kyle to think I needed his money or properties to survive. If a lawsuit showed up on his desk, it would confirm his opinion that I couldn't live without him. I had done well by not sending threats after he took the shares and the condo. I was also planning on returning the Porsche to him. I didn't want anything that belonged to him anymore.

I picked up my diary and started scribbling down everything I wanted new in my life and my kid's life. I was going to apply to an art workshop and resume my painting. Then, invest time in taking Santiago`s free cooking class, and maybe take Vera`s offer to do a makeover. My hair was a mess, even though I visited the hair salon last week. I might decide to change my hair colour to red. I had always liked red but was always afraid to do it because of people's opinions.

After scribbling everything, I sent a text to Vera informing her about the latest update and my hair choice decision.

Vera: You should stick to red because you`re a wild Arizona vixen. I will come to your place tomorrow so that we can talk about Robert`s project.

Me: Alright, thank you. For the hair choice, maybe we can go to the hair salon after I complete my short meeting with Dad. It's work-related. 

Vera: Okay, babe. I am in. Have a great night's rest and take care of my godchild.

I laughed, sending a thank you and emojis. Vera had a sweet soul. I hoped someone great would grab her heart one day. It wasn`t as if she was single, though, and Vera wasn't in a full-time relationship. She liked the concept of an open relationship, which I found weird, but she was comfortable with it, so I couldn`t complain.

I once advised her to ditch the idea of an open relationship for a serious one, and Vera, being Vera, opted for a part-time boyfriend. I didn't even know why she did that, but it made her happy for the time being, so, as always, I supported her.

 I switched on the bedside lamp and picked up a novel I started yesterday. It was a sad tale of a young lady who lost her parents on the same day and had to be sent to stay with her uncle, who turned out to be a manipulative abuser. I imagined myself in her shoes and wondered about the millions of ways I would have fought back and saved my sanity.

My phone buzzed. I quickly picked it up. A scholarship alert for young artists. I logged into the website, feeling excited. The universe was definitely listening to my needs. The application was quite long, but I had all the criteria needed except for the location. The workshop was seven miles from home and started almost at the same time as my antenatal sessions. I felt my heart fall and break into big pieces. I thought the universe was supposed to make everything work my way, not the other way.

Okay, I comforted myself by reading through the terms and conditions. There was an option for an online workshop, but I skipped it. I wanted to be around new faces, not my laptop and sketch pad, and no one to share Santiago`s crusty sandwiches with. No, I couldn't settle for that.

Finally! My eyes danced around a section where they provide a flexible timetable for nursing mothers, full-housewives, and pregnant wives. The organisers must have done backbreaking research to include all types of women in their programme. I scrolled up to see who was sponsoring and was shocked. Arizona's governor? That's something. I enrolled immediately and scanned the necessary documents for them. I also sent a copy of my pregnancy result papers and attached the gynaecologist's phone number, who also served as my obstetrician.

Feeling fulfilled, I said a quick prayer, closed the novel, and soon I fell asleep. It was the first night I slept without thinking about Kyle and his downfall.

                                                                        ****

`Are you sure you want to do this?` Vera asked, helping me pick the perfect shade of red for my hair transformation.

I nodded, mumbling through a stuffed mouth filled with cookies. Immediately, I was done with the short meeting, which turned long due to the plans of Robert`s project and travelling expenses. I had texted Vera to come over.

However, our plans to chit-chat until it was time to go to the hair salon were stolen by mom. She rushed us to the kitchen to help Santiago and the housekeepers package the creamy cookies she wanted to distribute to kids at an orphanage home she was visiting with her friends. It was a hectic activity, but Santiago made it fun by making us sing nursery rhymes. 

After we were done, mom gave us boxes of cookies, and Vera, being the sweet tooth among us, begged for extra help. She received none, and mom gave her one of her healthy lectures on how to stay away from junk food. It was hilarious.

`Why're you smiling weirdly to yourself?` Vera asked again, staring at me.

I chuckled, `I am just thinking of how my mom made you sit through thirty minutes of her boring health lecture and your facial expression was dead. I could feel your misery, babe.`

She scoffed. `Right, Tessa. You know you caused it, right? I was on my own when you called your house, and I ended up doing kitchen duties!`

`Come on, it wasn`t so bad until you decided to ask for more! I grinned, mimicking her.

`Tessa!` she protested.`You know I have an issue with junk meals. I can't control myself, even if I want to.`

`That's why mom had to give you that lecture. Honestly, you should take it easy on yourself, okay?`

She sighed. `Okay, no problem. So, what colour are you choosing?`

I bit my lips, staring at the tab for a second. `I feel this dark shade of red would fit me better. It's something that would make me look bold and confident.`

She agreed. `I was thinking the same too. I will inform the hair stylist then.`

I smiled, staring at the mirror. Goodbye to my brunette hair.

The hair stylist was quick but patient with the transformation. After three hours of washing, hair drying, and jokes on our worst days, the hair stylist was done. I shook my hair and took several pictures with Vera, then an alone picture, which I sent to my parents. They sent a lot of emojis and more photo requests. They were thrilled about my transformation. 

`Your parents are so cute. Check their I*******m page; they`re sharing you with the world. I can't even recognise you. Wow. This is beautiful.` Vera said it excitedly.

I collected her phone, checking their stories. The comment section was so cute. Everyone had lovely words to say about my transformation. Although a part of me dreaded what Kyle would say when he found out, I quickly clung to the dread. His opinion doesn't matter. Besides, I was certain that when he saw my new look, he would believe it was Photoshop. His business.

`The love is so much. People are actually happy for me, Vee. I can`t believe I can be loved like this.` I sniffed, letting the tears drip.

These days, I can't stop myself from crying. Any little act made me cry. Yesterday, Santiago baked me a little cake to celebrate my job with Dad, and I started crying. He was shocked, then laughed it off. He called it Tessa's little crying time.`

Vera cuddled me and said, `Stop crying, dear. You`re ruining your makeup!`

I chuckled, sniffing a bit. `I can't help it. Any little cat tears me up. The last movie night I had with James, I ruined it with my tears. It was a dumb one, but seeing the actress go through so much pain tore me.`

`It's alright. You're pregnant, and yes, I don`t know much about pregnancies, but I do know one thing: you`re going to be more emotional than this as the baby grows.`

`Interesting fact, Vee,` I laughed. `Can we get out of here? I'm starving!`

She helped me up. `Seriously? You ate twelve pieces of cookies a few hours ago! How can you still be hungry?

I rubbed my stomach. `Don`t judge me, Vee. I am eating for three.`

`What?`