Several Months After The Incident In Beijing...
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    Monique's POV
        Several months have passed by and I am doing very well in Italy. My country of refuge. Nonna and my father visited from time to time but it's still not the same. I'm eight months pregnant now.

Yes'!! You heard me right. Eight. Time really flies fast. I found out I was expecting a girl yesterday and you can imagine my joy.

I've always wanted a girl not that I will hate having a boy. No I would love him all the same but in this time of lonesomeness a baby girl is like a gift from God.

I wish my mother was still alive so she could see her first grandchild. Seeing as she had always spoke about wanting one when she was alive.

Thinking of Edgar now, I still remember the image of him and Caroline in bed like it was just yesterday...

But looking at the bright side of life, I have moved to a better place which accepted me well and I love everything it has offered me

Oh and I have met a few good people and I now have a best friend called Olivia. Olivia Di Stefano.

She was a petite woman with a blazing red hair to match her fiery temper and personality that you only see when provoked.

With bright green eyes and full pouty lips. She can be shy and still flirt around without care in the world.

Oh and she works with me at "Casa Di Speranza" the fashion company I have started over the time that I have been here. Which means 'house of hope' in Italian which I speak fluently now.

She's stood by me through thick and thin and for that am forever grateful.

          Well Caroline has started going to rehab and even though I couldn't care less, I hope she gets the help she needs.

My baby girl has been up and about lately and it seems she's rather anxious to come out already.

I've been thinking of what to name her but I gave up after many times of thinking and coming up blank.

During those times, I have been trying to decide if I should call Edgar and tell him about his daughter and see if he wanted to be there for her birth but as soon as those thoughts reared their heads, I shut them out.

I don't want anything to do with him and we are miles apart so he will never know about my daughter. Not that he would even care. Am pretty sure of it

The only people I genuinely care about is Nonna, My father, Olivia, My unborn ray of sunshine and of course Reece...

God!!! I miss him so much. I've had Nonna sneak him her phone whenever she went to see Cheryl since they were now best of friends.

The little boy had been so happy to hear from me that we had been on the phone for hours till the hard part came. The time to say goodbye.

             It was heartbreaking to hear his little sniffles. And the sobs he let out when i asked him to keep our conversation a secret...

I promised to let him visit me sometime in Italy and I plan on keeping that promise.

             Right now, am lazing about in the kitchen feasting on a bowl of chocolate ice cream when my phone started ringing.

I stood as quickly as a pregnant woman can and waddled over to the hall for my phone. A smile found it's way onto my face when I realized it was Nonna...

Quickly hitting the answer button and cheerfully said;
"Hi Nonna"

"Hello child... how are you two doing?"

I laughed and said,"We are fine Nonna and we miss you too..."

"Aaw child... I will try and fly over when I muster the courage to do so. You know flying makes me queasy that's why I can't drop by often"

"Yes.. Yes... You told me but I asked you to move in with me here but you refused. Claiming I needed all the personal spaces I can get before Speranza is born"

"Oh so you have decided on a name now eh"

"Yes Nonna... I'll name her Speranza Brianna  Montgomery-Lancaster after what keeps me going and and my mum"

"Oh child!! She really is our hope for a better future and your mother will be kicking with joy in the grave. 'Brianna' she always said she adored the name because of how your father pronounced it"

"Yes Nonna..." I said sniffing" I want my child to have her grace, character and good heart"

"And her Father??"

"His name is all am willing to give my daughter Nonna. Nothing else"

Sighing deeply Nonna said," Becareful child. Well I have other engagements and I have to get started on them. I will talk to you later"

"Yeah sure. Go ahead and take care. I love you"

"Take care of yourself and our little angel honey. I love you both" And the line went dead.

Wiping the tears from my face, I went back to my ice cream which was now melting. I had lost my appetite at the mention of Edgar so I popped the bowl of ice cream back into the freezer and waddled back to the hall to watch the re-runs of TVD series.

                To be honest, I felt lonely and I wish I had someone for me and most especially for my little hope. I know one day, she would ask for her father and I don't know what I would tell her.

Rubbing my hand over my huge belly, I smiled when she kicked. The product of my lost love. The only reminder of Edgar Kirk Lancaster.

I cleared my head of all the thoughts of Edgar because thinking of him brought piercing pain straight to my heart.

I am working from home now because my father made me stop working when i was six months pregnant. He said he didn't want any harm coming to his first grandchild.

                  Later in the evening, Olivia dropped by with a box of  pepperoni pizza and two bottles of my favorite pineapple juice. Without much prompting, I snatched the box and started stuff my mouth with slices of pizza.

Within the shortest time, I was Half way through the pizza and my bottle of pineapple juice was almost done.

Leaving Olivia staring at me with her mouth wide open before she burst out laughing...
"You eat like a pig" she teased

Shrugging my shoulders I ignored her and continued savoring the tasty goodness in front of me.

    "What are you going to name her?" She asked suddenly

  "Speranza Brianna Montgomery-Lancaster"

  "Dio mio!! That's amazing!! Why Lancaster?? Her papà?"

I nodded whiles searching her face for any signs of recognition and you can imagine my relief when I found none...

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One more part to go and we can say good bye to Book 1...
Book 2 is still cooking so keep calm and wait...

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Love,
August_BlackHeart