Part 5



My father was pleased to hear about my relationship with Matt. I wonder if his parents will feel the same?

”Are you nervous?”

”Yes.” I let my head rest on Matt’s shoulder in the cab. He stroke my arm gently and I smile. ”This feels nice though.”

”I know,” he answer with a grin. ”We are here now.”

The cab stops outside a large wooden house. The garden is huge and I see a glimpse of a swimming pool in the backyard. It is nothing like the expensive flat my dad lives in, this is actually a nice home for a family.

”I guess you grew up here?”

”Yeah, I did.”

He pays the driver and we just walk right into the house without knocking on the door. The whole interior in the house can only be described as classy, everything looks like it is made by a designer. We hear people talk and we find them in the living room.

”Mom, dad,” Matt greets his parents who is drinking coffee wearing casual but expensive clothes. ”This is my girlfriend Molly, I’ve been seeing her for a while. We are here to tell you we are going to be a family from now on. It is hard to picture at the moment but we will have a baby in six months.”

They both froze as they heard the news but then they plaster a smile on their lips and congratulates us.

”It is so nice to meet you Molly,” Mrs Gregory says. ”Please sit down so I can talk with you.”

I do what she asks me to.

”You have a lovely home,” I compliment her.

”Thank you dear. What family are you from?”

Right on spot, the rumours are true then. I just have to do my best to impress this woman, though I know I don’t have a chance. No one can be good enough for her son.

”My father is Trey Williams.”

I see recognition in her eyes and she gives me a genuine smile.

”How is Trey doing? I don’t believe I have met you before.”

”He is fine. He never asked me to participate in any events, so that is why no one knows me. I remind him too much about my mother. It hurts him as he still loves her.”

”A tragic story, it must have been hard to lose a mother at such a young age.”

”It was.”

”Did you talk with your father yet about you and Matt?”

”We just saw him, he was very excited about being a grandfather. My brother and sister wasn’t there so I still need to see them.”

Matt and his father discussed work so I was stuck talking with Mrs Gregory. I had her hawk eyes over me as she evaluated me. She kept asking me personal questions and I told her everything I could without revealing my secret. I had to go to the bathroom and on my way back to the living room I hear Mrs Gregory talk with Matt and I stop when I hear her talking about me.

”Are you serious Matt? That girl was abandoned from the Williams family and home schooled by her aunt! How is she going to make you look any good? People are expecting you to get a good match. She probably got pregnant on purpose.”

It hurts to hear her say something like that. No one has ever spoken like that about me before. Not so I could hear it at least.

”Mom, I love her,” he replies. ”Nothing else matters. She is a wonderful girlfriend and will be a good mother. Give her a chance and please be nice to her.”

”Everyone makes mistakes Matt. We won’t judge you for it, I just don’t want you to get stuck with her. No one will care if you dump her.”

”I like her. Nothing you say can change that.”

”Okay then, if you are sure then I will give her a chance,” Mrs Gregory says upset with a sigh. ”But Al, don’t you agree that she is too ordinary?”

”She is a bit plain, but she seems alright to me, dear.” her husband says.

Plain Molly. I guess I deserve to hear that. Why do I make it so hard for myself? They would eat from my hands if they knew I am Darlene. I rather have them like me for me and not for my fame, just like Matt. Matt is different. I am so happy he can stand up against his own parents defending me. It is not going to be easy to deal with his parents. I must try for Matt’s sake. I join them again and Matt stands up before I reach them.

”We must leave now, I and Molly have a few things to do today.”

”It was nice meeting you two,” I tell them with fake happiness as Rick taught me and let Matt lead me out of the house and we walk all the way into the town holding hands.

”They hate me,” I tell him.

”They will learn to love you when they get to know you, just like I do.”

”I hope you are right.”

”We can get through it together Molly. Promise me?”

”I promise.”

It is a lie. I don’t think I will be able to handle his parents, and with parents I mean his mother. It is a hopeless case, I will be stuck with them forever now.

”Thank you. I know my mom is a bit snobby. I hope we never become like her.”

”Don’t worry, Matt, we won’t. I will never be like that at least. I am raised to respect everyone, though I don’t necessarily have to like everyone.”

”That is one of the reasons I love you. You are beautiful inside out.”

”Who is flirting now? Are you expecting something when we get home?” I joke.

”Expecting? I take it for granted. I know you can’t get your hands off this hot body.”

We are passing a park, what a coincidence. I playfully push him inside it and we fall on the ground close to some bushes and rolls around there kissing. I moan completely turned on. His hands finds their way under my blouse and tease my nipples.

”You bad boy!” I gasp. ”I am just demonstrating how I can’t get my hands off this hot body.”

”You are doing good so far.” he answer kissing my neck.

”It doesn’t mean I will sleep with you in a public area.”

”I would never treat a pregnant woman like that.”

I giggled the whole way home, then we spent the rest of the day in bed. It was nice and it made me completely forget about his awful mother.

-

”How was the concert?” my aunt ask me when I arrive at her house.

”It was a disaster. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. One of my heels broke on stage and one of my dancers was food poisoned and we couldn’t find any replacement. Thankfully my fans still loved it.”

My aunt laughs and gives me a hug. She give me milk and chocolate cookies by the kitchen table.

”It is a memorable last concert at least.”

”Yeah, I will miss it,” I say sadly.

”Of course you will. You gave up a lot to live this kind of life. You will have no problems continuing it as a mother either.”

”I have enough money.”

”You didn’t do it for the money.”

”You are right. It feels like a dream though, like I never will be able to get back to it.”

”Honey you are just scared. It is normal.”

”I know.”

”How are you and Matt doing?”

”Good. He has no problem with me disappearing like I do. I love living with him, we really fit together.”

”He isn’t the clingy type and it is normal in the world he is raised in for everyone to travel around. Stop being so unsure about yourself.”

”I know, I let people walk all over me.”

”You are too kind, that’s it. I am happy Matt is treating you right.”

”Yeah he is amazing. I don’t understand how that bitch could have raised her son so well.”

”She is a good mother, just a horrible person.”

”Last week she gave me folders about the only fitting day-care for our baby. She already planned out her entire grandchild’s life! She was so angry when I told her to leave those details to me instead. I am more interested in buying a real house and hiring a nanny but I will not tell her that.”

My aunt smiles at me and grabs my hand over the table.

”I miss having you around. You don’t visit often enough anymore.”

”You know you can visit me anytime auntie.”

”It is just hard letting you go. I can’t get used to it.”

”Be strong. I need to manage life on my own now. Thank you for everything, I owe you a lot.”

”You’re welcome dear, I’d do it again. I promised your mother to take care of you.”

”And I promised mom to fulfil my dream.”

”It seems like we both kept our promises then. Are you ready to go to the grave?”

”I am ready.”

The cemetery is like it always was. We come here every year on her birthday, she should have turned forty-six today. I put the white lilies in the stone vase. My mom was not the best mom, she had her flaws and she was a bit weak. She always tried her best to be a good mother though, just as I know that I will try to be one too. I put my hand on my stomach and the small bump. My child will never know my mom. Mom will never know how it feels to become a grandmother. Life is cruel. I didn’t know I was crying until my aunt gave me a white tissue.

”Thank you,” I tell her and dry my tears with it. She doesn't have to respond. There is nothing that can be said in this moment, the deep feeling of understanding speaks loud enough.

-

My phone rings when I am cleaning the windows. I answer it cheerfully.

”Hello Rick! What can I help you with on this lovely day during my supposed vacation?” I sit down on the leather armchair as I need a break anyway.

”Darlene, did you think I wouldn’t find out about the donuts? How could you do that with your fans around!”

”I am pregnant, I am craving for donuts. Besides that they really appreciated me not being a health freak for once and a normal person. I told them it was all your fault though so no need to thank me.”

”You can’t use being pregnant as an excuse every time. We are working hard for your image and you just don’t care about it!” he yells upset.

”It is donuts, Rick. Calm down. You know those round things most of the population in this country eats? I have more important things to worry about now, like surviving a birth of a new human being.”

”Women give birth all the time!”

”Just like people eat donuts! It is normal. Stop being so strict, I will only become a bad girl if you force me to be one.”

I have to give myself one point for this. I never argued against Rick like this before and now I’m sure he realise I am right. I give my windows a look. Perfectly cleaned, I just have to do them in the bedroom and then I will be finished.

”How is your song writing going?” he finally ask.

”It is good. Do you want me to come down to the studio next week and show you what I did so far?”

”That will be a good idea. Ned and Anne will probably want to see you too. They are really excited about you having a baby. They asked you to bring some of those famous donuts I’ve been angry about.”

”I sure will, anything else?”

”Yes, be careful and stay healthy. Did you sign up for those classes I advised you to?

”I did and Matt likes me going to them. The instructor is great. Who knew training for pregnant women could be fun?”

”You find all training fun Darlene.”

”That’s right. Bye Rick, I will see you on Monday.”

I put my phone on the table and finish the last window in the bedroom. This is the last time I will be able to clean them myself before I have the baby. Four months pregnant and I am growing bigger. I already grew out ofall my clothes and it is so fun to buy new ones.

I have been writing a lot while Matt is at work. It is hard to write and get it right. The text is the easiest part but I love to compose the music too. I don’t do it completely on my own, but most of it. I love to play guitar, keyboard and piano. I have tried drums, but it just isn’t my thing. I love music and it feels so good to be able to focus so much on the writing without all the other stuff distracting me.

Some days I don’t even write. It is just nice to do nothing for once. I like taking walks, people on the streets smile when they see me, they treat me well and are very helpful because of my condition. I guess everyone just loves pregnant women. I can finally relate myself to something else than the shy daughter of a businessman and the famous singer. I am a mom.

I put the cleaning stuff away and drink a glass of lemonade. Matt arrives home just in time and I meet him in the hall to give him a kiss.

”Welcome home, honey.”

”Thank you sweetheart.”

I hug him tihgtly. It feels so good to be near him.

”Did you have a good day?”

”I did,” he answer and kisses me again. ”I have a surprise for you!”

”Really? What is it?” I ask excited and curious what he has in mind.

”A romantic weekend for two on an isolated couple resort. I think we deserve it, unless you want to spend another weekend at home avoiding my mother?”

”It’s perfect!” I yell happily. ”When are we leaving? Can I pack my bag now?”

He laughs at me and I laugh too. We never travelled anywhere so this is going to be an amazing experience.

”Anytime you are ready. I don’t mind leaving right away.”

”Good, is it far away from here?”

”Just one hour with car. The add was promising, Either way I just need you for it to be perfect.”

”Flirting again! We don’t have time for anything like that if we want to arrive to the resort today.”

I run to the bedroom and pull out a suitcase and throw down my clothes in it and then his. Ten minutes later we are ready to leave. He shake his head.

”Sometimes you surprise me.” he said smiling. ”That is a good thing.”

I kick him out off the apartment and lock the door.

”I will always surprise you,” I tell him and drag him down to the car. ”Now be a good boyfriend and drive.”

”If I knew you would be so happy I would have taken you on a trip sooner.”

”Just don’t spoil me, it will be hard to live up to your previous actions.” I warn him.

I relax in the seat and admire his profile. The road is quite empty of cars and I soon fall asleep with pleasant dreams.