Chapter 6

After the long discussion I had with Barack yesterday, he finally convinced me to talk with Celestine as he wants us to reconcile and invite them to our planned wedding. I did a self debate and weighed the situation but Elaine and Barack's idea prevailed. I missed Celestine so much. I miss them, I miss my family. Perhaps and hopefully, it's the right time to catch up with them. 

I flipped my hair before plopping myself on the soft chair then placed my sunglasses down on the table. Celestine was late, I wonder why. I've been waiting for a long minutes now, ordered food, went to the comfort room and all but she still wasn't showing up. We scheduled a meeting today and I know her, she doesn't wanted to be late on her meetings. 

Worried, I fished my phone in my satchel bag and dialled her phone number. It tooks a few rings but she didn't answer the call which puzzled me more. 

"What a surprise! You came here earlier than I expected." I turned my head on the right to get the full view of the person talking right beside me. She was plastering a smile on her face, holding her baby bump. 

I squinted my eyes and scanned the fresh looking Celestine. "Why are you late?" I interrogate with raised eyebrows. 

She shrugged her shoulders and carefully placed herself across me. "I adjusted the time because I thought you're going to be late again. You know, the usual Amber Louise Yzabelle Ferrer I knew," she deadpanned and grabbed a slice of pizza on my plate. "Being the one who came early during our meeting is new. You're excited to see me, huh?" she teased then took a big bite on the pizza she stole from me. 

"I came early because I thought you're going to be early too. And… maybe Barack molds me to become a time conscious one," I replied. 

Her eyebrow scrunched in confusion. "Barack?" I nodded and showed her a short smile. "My fiancé," I replied. 

Celestine gaped in shock along with her widened eyes then eventually placed her hand on her mouth. "W-wait, are you being real?" she stammered in disbelief. 

I laughed then raised my left hand in the air to show her the diamond engagement ring Barack had given me. She shook her head in amusement. "No, that's impossible. How about Blake? And… Your baby is alive right? You are a family now, Amber!" she insisted. 

"It's Barack's, not Blake's now. He accepted my son wholeheartedly and he loves Ethan." 

"But you can't change the fact that it was still from Blake. Amber, are you out of your mind?" Her voice was slowly getting higher and the people sitting nearby were watching us. 

I heaved a loud sigh before meeting her gaze. "Blake is dead, Celestine. I love my life now. He can't ruin it because in the first place he doesn't even care for me, on us!" she was about to open her mouth but I preceded her. "I don't want to talk about him," I said to drop the topic. 

She made a facepalm then gently massaged her temples. "He would still know about it, sooner or later. Amb—" I cut her off. 

"He won't, if you won't tell him." I spat. "Please, I want to live peacefully and happily. I saw him yesterday and he seems happy in his life too." The way he smiles, the way he looks, everything about him seems so alive and happy. I think that's good already. 

"But…" I shook my head and reached her hand on the table. "Please, I don't want this to become the reason of our fight. Let the universe decide, okay?" 

She sighed in surrender and remained silent for a while. Ethan was happy with us already and it would make him confused if he would meet Blake. After seeing my parents and making up with them, I surely would ask Barack to return back to Italy as soon as possible. 

"So, what's your plan now?" Celestine broke the silence. 

"I want to see our parents. How are they?" 

Guilt was eating me. My heart was squeezed inside as I reminisced about the hurtful past. It has been a long time without any communication with them. They live and I live. But, whatever the consequence is, if they can't forgive me this early, I could accept it. I will repeatedly ask for forgiveness until they give it to me. I won't get tired, I will pay the damage that I have cost as I know that time heals all wounds. 

I brushed Ethan's hair who was innocently sleeping on his bed. His angelic face seems to be my strength and vitamins that tooks all the weaknesses and fear inside me. After catching up with Celestine earlier, we decided to meet my parents tomorrow. I am nervous of what may happen because they were totally upset with me. However, I still forced Celestine to schedule our family meeting for me to plan the next thing to do. And start the new chapter of my life with them… again. 

The little Ethan groaned and rubbed his beautiful blue eyes which he inherited from his dad. He slowly opened one of his fascinating orbs and plastered a smile on his face. "Good morning, Mom," he greeted gently. 

I smiled and gave him a quick smack on his cheek. "It's still afternoon, Darling," I chortled. "You slept in the afternoon, very good!" Ethan was the kind of child who rarely sleeps in the afternoon and chose to play basketball, toys or whatever he wanted to do and tended to tire himself out. These little acts that he did makes me happy and proud because at least he was learning to rest himself. 

"Dada Barack told me to sleep," he replied. My eyes widened both in surprise and gladness. Barack made him sleep. I really made the right choice of choosing him as he loves and is concerned to my son so much too. 

"Really? I'm glad that you obeyed your Dada! And because of that… I have a surprise for you!" 

He snuggled up to me excitedly. "Where? What is it?" I smiled and caged him in my arms. He lifted a view at me with a pout pushing me to laugh at his cute figure then patted his head. 

"We're going to your grandparents' home tomorrow."