IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE THIS - EPISODE 31

Lavender’s viewpoint

I kicked my shoes off as I walked into our bedroom, yawning in exhaustion. It was almost midnight and I was tired. The kids already slept off in the car, we had to tuck them in bed. Once again, we had to carry Jewels home because Gael followed a random woman home. His problem is bigger than his head.

I threw myself on the bed, humming in response to the softness of it. A smile spread across my face when I remembered how Peyton looked after my dance with Rominic. She kept her eyes on us throughout the party and I happily flaunt my man in her face. I bet she was finally feeling jealousy. To think that all those time they danced, I was happy for them. God, I don’t know how I was able to make myself that stupid and ruin my life. But no thinking about the past, let’s focus on the future and the future is me, Rominic and my kids.

I rolled on the bed to lay on my stomach, to get my phone from the bag I flung on the bed before throwing myself down. I remembered Link sent me a private message but I had no time to check it out. I opened my phone and furrowed my brows at the message he sent.

‘I’m scared.’

I dialed his number, face still scrunched up in confusion. Link didn’t pick up until my third call. His voice was cracked and hoarse, like he had been drinking and crying. “Hey,”

“Link, my love, I just saw your message. I’m sorry I didn’t see your message on time, I was at the party…”

“I know, I was just… I…I…” He stammered.

“Link, what’s wrong? Talk to me.”

“I’m scared,” he cried, “she’s going to ruin everything for me, she’s going to drive her away. I don’t want to lose Tyra again, and my daughter, but I’m afraid she will leave when she finds out. Polly is going to drive her away. I don’t want to…”

“Okay, calm down and tell me where you are. Where are you, Link?” He waited for a few seconds before he answered with a sigh.

“I don’t know, I don’t know where I am.”

“Can you describe where you are?” I could hear nothing in the background, so he was in the middle of nowhere. “Link?”

“There’s a road, and lots of bushes and trees, and a tall billboard talking about Starbucks and how to get there, nothing else. I’m too far, Jam, you can’t reach me right now. I just want you to talk to me.”

“Okay, okay,” I sat up anxiously, looking around for my laptop, “talk to me, I’m listening,” I stood up to search for my laptop. Where is the stupid laptop when you need one!

“During the period I was dating Polly, you remember how we always went out clubbing and got drunk? It was how we bonded.”

“Yeah?”

“After our engagement, remember we went to the countryside for a vacation?” I hummed a reply as Rominic walked into the room. He eyed my panicking state and raised a brow. I put the call on loudspeaker. “I got drunk, really drunk and that’s when I poured out my heart to her and admitted the truth that the chances of her having a child was slim. She told me she never really cared and didn’t want any little brat anyways. I was hurt by her comment and it pushed me to drink some more. I don’t remember a thing but Polly said I was really furious and insisted on driving, and when she protested, I hit her. Lavender, I hit a woman on the face, can you believe it?” No, I do not. “She told me that while I was driving, I hit a young child. She died on spot. I didn’t know what to do, I was scared, terrified, everything. Then I drove off, leaving the child motionless on the ground, dead. There was nothing we could do but leave immediately, to avoid getting arrested for murder. I did not want to go to jail… I…I…killed that child…”

“Is Polly threatening you?”

“I had no idea Polly went back and gathered evidence against me, both lies and the little truth. That child was her mother’s only joy. She died after burying her child, but her father… Polly…”

“Link, what is Polly threatening you for?” I cut in impatiently. Rominic was already helping me track him down with his laptop.

“Her husband divorced her months ago, now she is out of money and is blackmailing me to marry her back or she would give the evidence to the police after sending one of the many sextape she has of us. She promised to edit it to look present and send it to Tyra. I don’t know what to do. I just got everything I wanted, I’m finally happy and it’s about to be taken away from me. I just want to die, I killed her.” He wailed. Rominic gave me a sign that he found him. I breathe in relief. Rominic typed something on his phone and turned the screen to me. I walked closer to him and peered at it.

‘Ask him if he saw the child with his own two eyes.’

“Link, I know you are sad, but I also want you to answer these questions so I can know how to help you. You still want Tyra and your baby, don’t you?”

“Yes, I don’t want to lose them,” he sobbed, “I don’t want to lose my family,”

“Good, now tell me, did you see the child with your own two eyes? Or ever go back to check the news to see if there…”

“Yes, I saw a picture of her on the news, and her mother.” Nic showed me another question.

“Tell me exactly how Polly acted the morning you woke up.”

“She was scared and cried for me. She insisted on us leaving immediately and never looking back. I… My head hurts, I think I’m going to lie down for a while and hope I never wake up,”

“Link, don’t say that, I want you to not die and stay strong. We’ll figure out a way to save you, to make sure you remain with Tyra but I need you alive for that. Don’t do anything stupid, sit down in your car and rest, I’m going to send the boys over to you, okay?”

“Okay,” he murmured sleepily.

“I love you, Link, you know that, right?”

“I love you too.” I hung up and immediately dialed Elias’s number. I knew that if there is anybody who would pick up first, it would be him. He is a extremely light sleeper and always leaves his phone on. Truly as expected, he picked up before the call rang out.

“Elias, hi, I’m sorry to call this time of the night but it’s Link, I think he’s going to kill himself…”

“Say what!” I could hear him jump up from the bed, causing a rustle. “Kill himself? Why?”

“It has to do with Polly blackmailing him with his past. I promise I would explain later but please, help me find him. Rominic already tracked him down. I’ll send his location to you. Please, call Gael and tell him, I’ll call Maverick and Ferris.” I could already hear him running around to get dress and Ginger asking what happened in the background.

“Okay, I’ll be waiting for that… Oh, wait, I just received it. I’ll call Gael.” He hung up. I gave Rominic a appreciative look before going back to dialing Maverick’s number. Maverick never sleeps early so I knew he would be awake. I called him, told him the same thing and then called Ferris. Rominic was on the phone the entire time, something about investigation. If I knew Polly very well, she was a basket of lies. Link never, as in never stays awake after drinking himself to a stupor, no matter how angry he is. Immediately he drops the bottle, he dies on the seat or bed. He would never drive because he is never awake.

I smell a rat.

I went to the bathroom to wash my hands, thinking about Link. I knew how he felt. He was afraid of going to jail and imagining how ashamed of him his daughter would be when she grows up. She would never want to call him dad or visit him in jail. He was afraid he would never see her because Tyra’s father would make sure of that, and he was afraid of losing Tyra after finally getting happiness. He was already getting use to having a family and a child of his own, losing them would kill him. I didn’t want to lose my friend, not again.

Rominic came behind me, wrapping his hands around my stomach and placing his chin on my shoulder. “Stop worrying, he’ll be fine. I’ve already gotten someone on the case. I am hundred percent sure Link is not responsible. Calm down.”

“I know he isn’t, but I’m afraid the guys might not get to him on time. He’s like a million miles away!” I cried.

“Stop exaggerating, they’ll get to him between two to three hours.”

“Anything can happen between two to three hours, Beau. You don’t get it,” my eyes pooled with tears, “I don’t want to lose him, I can’t lose him. Link is more than a friend, he’s a brother just like the others are. I already lost my mother, and you–once–I don’t want to lose anybody again. I’m finally getting use to this life, I don’t want to…”

“Hey,” he whispered, “I fell by the wayside like everyone else
I hate you, I hate you, I hate you
But I was just kidding myself…” He sang, smiling cheekily, his eyes locking with mine through the mirror. I frowned in disapproval. Why was he singing when I was crying and worrying about my best friend? Especially that song.
“Our every moment, I start to replace
‘Cause now that they’re gone
All I hear are the words that I needed to say

When you hurt under the surface
Like troubled water running cold
Well, time can heal but this won’t…” I deepened my disapproving look by lowering my eyes, but he didn’t shut up. Instead, he increased his heartswelling voice and began rocking me from side to side.

“So, before you go
Was there something I could’ve said to make your heart beat better?
If only I’d have known you had a storm to weather
So, before you go
Was there something I could’ve said to make it all stop hurting?
It kills me how your mind can make you feel so worthless
So, before you go…” I was staring at him with lips parted and eyes studying his cheeky smile in confusion and suspicion. I eyed him through the mirror as he scooped a handful of water from the running faucet, then he washed my face. I wanted to move away, but his head was resting on my shoulder and his body was holding me back. He continued wetting my face, making it difficult to open my eyes to continue my suspicious and confuse stare.

“Beau, what are you doing?”

“Was never the right time whenever you called
Went little by little by little until there was nothing at all
Our every moment, I start to replay
But all I can think about is seeing that look on your face…” Then it hit me. He was trying to get my mind off the whole Link thing, enough for me to stop crying like a baby over something I need to stay calm over, for Link’s sake. He wasn’t even dead yet and I was already crying over his death. If there was anyone killing him, it was me. Link would break down if he should see me cry and even if he wasn’t close by, it wasn’t right for me to cry and assume the worse. Things don’t have to turn out that way.

“When you hurt under the surface
Like troubled water running cold
Well, time can heal but this won’t…” I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, bringing my hands to hold Rominic’s forearms now crossed over my chest.

Calm down, Lavender.

“So, before you go
Was there something I could’ve said to make your heart beat better?
If only I’d have known you had a storm to weather
So, before you go
Was there something I could’ve said to make it all stop hurting?
It kills me how your mind can make you feel so worthless
So, before you go…” His singing was soothing, the lyrics was beautiful, but none of it was what I needed. There was only one thing I knew could distract and weaken me enough to go to sleep because with the rate at which my heart was pounding, I would never be able to close my eyes. Rominic stopped singing as he ended the song, but he continued humming to another song I’m not sure I know. I opened my eyes and watched the man I love humming with eyes close, fingers tapping each sides of my arms. His breath fanned my shoulder steadily, his body heat making the dress feel much more suffocating that it was already. My beautiful should have been husband and now soon to be fiancé, holding me, loving me, comforting me.

It should have always been just us, always been just our love. But somehow, there is always something in the way, always something trying to stop us from getting that final peace. Maybe it was just how life is, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something big was coming, something that would ruin both of us forever. Maybe it was me being paranoid, I wasn’t sure, but I knew I felt the need to be extra careful and I plan to. But for now, I think of nothing.

“Oh yeah, I should probably tell you about me officially willing your mother’s properties back to you. As of today, you are now the new president of your mother’s legacy and if you want your father’s hotels back, I can hand it back to you.” I blinked in shock. He opened his eyes and smiled.

“For real?”

“Yes, real, real. If you ever need to redecorate or do anything that will make you happy, you can ask. I’ll take you to the company on Monday and introduce you because most of the old workers were fired. Do you need anything?”

“Can you offer Mr. Miller a job as the manager to the hotel in Las Vegas? The pay is higher and it would give him a better opportunity than the ones he is managing where he is not even appreciated. Plus, it’s my own way of thanking him for all the things he has done for me,” I explained enthusiastically.

“I had a feeling you would want that, so I did already. But you don’t want the hotels?” He cocked a brow at me, lifting his chin from my shoulder and straightening his back to stand to his full height. Why am I so short? And why is he so perfect?

I wiggled myself so he’ll let go of me. He released his hands enough for me to turn around. I grabbed the back off his neck and pulled him into me, hard. The moment our lips met, my head dived into the ocean of bliss. This is the part where I mention the butterflies in my stomach but then using butterflies would be an insult to the sensation in my stomach. My guts literally dropped and not in a bad way. The sensation in my stomach was like a wild flutter of wings, flaming wings and the heat spread all the way up to my chest. It is more than I can ever describe. It made thinking much more difficult and easier for senselessness to push it way forward. But again, who cares? Not me and neither did he. I was sure his own senses jumped out of his head the moment our lips met because my big man was already groaning in approval and impatience.

After two weeks of interrupting his sexual fun because he wanted me to have all my strength for work, he was more than happy to unseal the lid of the bottle he shoved all his desire in. The same bottle he shoved them in after I died and then place it in a box and that box in a bigger box and that bigger box in a much more bigger one. Then he buried the box of boxes deep inside his head. He clearly only shoved the bottle this time in one box because it was out too easily, or maybe no box.

Wait, what am I thinking about?

I brought my attention back to the fact of me kissing him. He placed one hand on my hip while his other run up the side of my body. His lips moved infallibly against mine, sucking, biting and exploring, taking all my air as he gave me his, but it was not enough. Heat spread across my body, heat to take off every obstacle called clothes. I pulled him even closer to get a little friction but it was not enough.

Groaning in annoyance, Rominic pulled away and puffed out air. He slammed his lips back on mine almost immediately, his hands leaving my hip and the side of my body. He frantically searched for a opening in the dress but I knew he wouldn’t be able to find it because it was covered. My lungs burnt from lack of air, but I couldn’t care less with how badly I wanted to remain in his arms. Unfortunately, he pulled back completely, eyeing my dress with hatred. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I can’t believe I thought you look beautiful, you are a demon in disguise,” he spat out with utter disdain, still eyeing the dress. I knew he would use a scissors to rip my dress in shred if I don’t do something, so I decided to save my dress. I reached for my back then slowly peeled the covering on the zip away. I pulled the floral zipper down, then pulled the hands of the dress over my shoulders. I rolled my eyes when I saw the excitement in his eyes. I let the dress fall and pool at my feet, smiling when he whistled teasingly. The dress had a built in bra so I wasn’t really wearing one. I was left in the special sheer lace thong I wore.

“You are beautiful,”

“I know,” I smiled, pulling the pins out of my hair. He rolled his eyes.

“I wasn’t talking to you, I was talking to him,” I looked over my shoulder with my hands still in my hair. He was pointing at himself in the mirror, but his eyes were fixed on my body. I rolled my eyes back to him with a shake of my head and a small smile.

“If you are so beautiful, then fuck yourself…”

“Did I say me? I was talking about the most beautiful woman standing in front of me giving me the lamest strip show of my life.” He grinned cheekily. I scoffed amusedly, dropping the pins in the sink.

“Then have fun not getting this woman tonight, goodnight, Beau,” I said with a playful taunting voice. I turned and headed to the door, counting the time it would take him to get to me and it wasn’t long before I was shrieking out a laugh as he lifted me off the ground. He bobbed me up in his hands, emitting a louder shriek from my lips.

“Shh, the kids are trying to sleep,” he mocked.

“Sorry,” I laughed, wrapping my hands around his neck. He smiled down at me and walked casually out of the bathroom, straight to the awaiting bed. My body flounced when he threw me down on the bed, my hair flying my face and the bed, me still laughing. He climbed over my body then pushed the hair out of my smiling face.

“I’m still beautiful, not you,”

“Why y…” My words died in my throat as his lips came down on mine again. This time kiss wasn’t hungry and feverish, but playful and teasing, me doing the teasing by biting his lip and refusing him entrance to my mouth. After a minute of our tease kiss, he pulled away with an evil smirk, eyes shining with mischief. “What now?”

“Hmm, did you buy this thong with me on your mind?” He asked, lacing his fingers along the thin side, “how much did it cost? A hundred dollars perhaps?”

“A thousand actually, I bought this one with my first salary, really expensive to me. I don’t know, I just liked it the moment I saw it. You should see the bra that came with it, sexy beaded thin thing…”

“Too bad.” I was about to ask why when he snapped the delicate material loose, causing my other side to hurt from the force of the rip. My expensive thong. I gave up a thousand out of my salary to buy this. I really liked the pretty black and red masterpiece. Now the bra would be so alone. I would have cried if he didn’t slam his lips back on my parted one, gaining the access he needed.