Chapter 44

Three months later, Raymond pulled over in the driveway, he got down just as the door was opened and two children ran out shouting, "daddy!"
He squatted and opened his arms for them and they slammed into him, he kissed both their cheeks, "how are you?"
"I'm fine" they both said excitedly.
"So, are you ready for a fun day?" He asked and they nodded vigorously. He smiled and kissed their head each. He looked up at the lady who was watching them, at his gaze, she turned and shut the door ?before approaching them.
"Now that we are set, let's give some rules, one, no running off, stay close where I can see you, two, no rough play and three, don't lose each other. If you obey these rules, then I will consider us going for another fun day" she said to the kids.
The kids readily agreed to the rules and ran to Raymond's car while their parents followed after them. "Thank you" he said to Felicity but she ignored him.
Raymond smiled, it's one step at a time, at least she had agreed to him going out with the kids after three months of trying. It showed that his perseverance was paying up, he will wait for as long as he would to hold her in his arms again, come what may.
Felicity walked ahead to open the car door for the children, she helped them in before getting into the passenger's seat. She didn't have a choice but to agree to this outing. After that day that she admitted to Darryl of him being their father, she never had a moment of peace since everyone was pestering her to let him be with them, everyone including his grandparents and the kids.
As for Raymond, he practically lives in their house. He drives over in the morning before going to work and drives over every evening after work. He never gives her a breathing space, always at her neck, apologizing. Somehow he even got hold of her phone number but she doesn't need to be surprise since she knew it was her aunt that gave it to him.
She had noticed that Katherine really wants her to forgive Raymond, she goes on about him all day and in one of the days, she found out that majority of what her aunt brings to her in Florida were provided by him. She had been angry and accused her aunt of being a traitor. She knows how much she doesn't want anything from him, yet she collect things and pass it off as her own.
Although she was really angry, she smiled herself to sleep every night she thinks about it. It's good to know he went through such effort just to give her things. She also found out from her aunt that nothing really happened between him and Grace and that Grace was the one who threw herself to him. That was when she started forgiving him in her heart but of course, she didn't let anyone know.
She almost laughed when she found out from her aunt that he has not been with any woman for five years now and had insisted on waiting for her. Although it was funny at first but it still moved her heart when she thought about it at night.
There was this pleasure that soared through her body whenever she remembers that there have not been any other woman after her. The way he plays with the children and how he refused to let his work get in the way of the times he spends with them always warms her soul. Sometimes she feels bad for him when she remembers his own parents abandoned him for work and she knew he was trying his best not to do that to his kids.
These days every night, she always sleeps with a smile on her face after thinking about him than the days she cries.
She knows that sooner or later, he will break the remaining thin wall she used to cover her heart from him but she knows that she will enjoy him this time. But will she make things easy for him? Hell no.
When they got to the amusement park, the children were so happy. It was not their first time going to the amusement park but it was their first time going with their mom and dad.
Raymond decided to make the day more fun or maybe to remind Felicity how she used to be, he paid for extra two tickets whenever the kids choose the rides that adults can join. So he will end up dragging Felicity along.
Although she would often glare at him whenever he dragged her along but deep inside, her heart always flutter in happiness. It's been so long she had receive so much attention. Ever since she found out she was pregnant, nothing was about her anymore but her kids. She had agreed to go to school to prove to Raymond that she can be a woman too but her kids doubled her reason. She wanted to be a good mother, she didn't want to be a child raising a child like Raymond once mentioned.
That made her forget a lot of things about herself and how much she loved going on rides. Although she often brings the kids to the amusement park but no matter how much she wants to ride, she wouldn't because she has to look after her children and make sure they are safe. She will end up gazing at the rides with longing in her eyes. So Raymond's attitude really moved her.
Raymond took the children to the children's playground and paid in advance for anything they want to do. Felicity was prepared to sit around and look after them when Raymond stopped her, "mm mm" he shook his head while she looked at him confused, "we are going to have our own fun."
"But..." Before she could frame her sentence, he had already dragged her out towards the rollercoaster, "Raymond, the kids."
"They will be fine" he replied as he paid for them, he turned to see her frowning and sighed, "Felicity please, trust me, they will be fine. I just want you to loosen up, you have gotten too uptight these days."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I miss the old Felicity, the one whose eyes will sparkle at the mention of amusement park. The one who will rush to finish her ice cream in the car so that her aunt won't know. The one whose first choice will always be cake and ice cream. The one that has no worries in the world. The one I fell in love with."
Felicity was at lost for words, did he just admit to being in love with her? She felt her cheeks heating up and she turned her face to hide it from him, "but time have changed, I'm not that Felicity anymore, I'm a mother and my children are my worries and right now I still think we shouldn't have let them alone" she looked at him.
"You are forgetting something, they are also my children and I will never put them in harms way. But right now, I need their mother" he smiled "just because you are their mother doesn't mean you won't have fun Felicity" his hand reached and caressed her face, he was surprised she let him but his heart still fluttered in happiness, "please."
Felicity but her lip as she contemplated, "fine" she offered him a rare smile "let's do this."
Raymond grinned and proceeded to get their tickets. After that, they went on different rides, laughing like teenagers. Both of them, have not had so much fun in a long time.
After the rides, Raymond bought ice cream and they competed on who will finish first. Raymond scooped from her own and she whined like a child, "ah, little Ray" she said in the heat of the moment.
Raymond froze when he heard that, he watched her as she struggled to scoop from his own as well, unaware of what she just said. His heart melted as he watched her and he realized that deep inside the cold Felicity, was the childish one he loves so much. He watched as she smeared her face with creams in her haste to finish before him.
He took his handkerchief and wiped her face, his action stilled her and she realized what she was doing immediately. She looked at him but what she saw in his eyes froze her, "I didn't kiss Grace that day. It's true I left your room but I only did because I didn't know how to face you. I was still lying to myself about how I feel about you and refused to admit it because I didn't want to lose to Katherine. I went into my room and she was there, I wasn't in the mood for her game because your face was still in my memory. Before I knew it, she kissed me, that was when you entered. My mistake was not running after you and I seriously regret that. I also regret not pushing her away that day but I swear to you on my life that I did nothing with her. After you left, I picked a car key and left too. And I'm telling you now that ever since that day there have been no one else. I'm sorry for hurting you that day, I truly am."
Felicity sighed and closed her eyes, even though she had already heard everything from her aunt, there was this satisfying feeling it gave her to hear it from him. To hear him apologise for it, it was what she had always wanted, she smiled softly, "thank you" yes, she thanked him for setting her heart at rest and giving her an apology as a woman, "I think we need to go get the children now" she smiled.
Raymond nodded and returned the smile. He was glad that he finally apologized to her but he don't understand why she thanked him but whatever would be the reason, he only hope things are okay with them now.
They went back to pick the children only to see them sitting at a corner. They walked up to them, "what happened?" He asked.
"We are tired" Darryl answered.
Raymond laughed, "fine, let's go home."
The children stood up while Raymond picked up Sofia in his arms and Felicity held onto Darryl's hand as they walked to their car. Sofia fell asleep in his arms by the time they got to the car and he passed her to Felicity while Darryl got into the car and fell asleep too on the drive home.
When they got home, he carried Daryl while Felicity carried Sofia, they went into the house and both Katherine and Mercy were surprised to see them standing together.
Raymond and Felicity greeted them and walked past to go upstairs and lay the kids in their room. Felicity walked with him and it was only when they walked out of the house did he realize she was seeing him off. They walked silently to his car and stopped when they were beside it.
Raymond sighed and glanced at her but she was looking at her feet, "I will see you tomorrow" he said and she nodded silently.
"Have you found the job you need?" He asked after a while.
"Actually, I have stopped looking for a while now."
"Why?" He asked with a frown and she grinned.
"I have been thinking of coming to you for a job, you will hire me won't you?"
"Do you want to be the CEO?" He joked and she chuckled.
"No, just somewhere nice that can give me time for the children."
"You are free to go whenever you want to" he said and she smiled.
"So, I will be getting a special treatment?"
"You will always get a special treatment."
"Do I want to know the reason? I don't think I do."
"I will tell you if you want to know."
"Why then? Because I'm the mother of your children?"
"No" he said and she looked surprised, "because I love you."
Her face heat up in color and she looked away shyly. Why is her heart beating so fast?
"Felicity..." He called.
"Yes?"
"Are you still mad at me?"
"Hmm, let me think" she mulled over it and shook her head "no."
Raymond's eyes twinkled in the night, "so things are okay between us?"
"Yes but this time, you are going to do something you didn't do before."
"Really, what's that?"
She stepped closer to him, her hands in her jeans back pockets as she stood on her tiptoes, she moved her mouth to his ear as her breath brushed on his ear, awakening all sensual cells in him and he involuntarily shivered, "this time, Raymond Baldwin, you will woo me" she turned on her heels then and ran to the house, she stopped briefly at the door and glanced back at him, she bit her lower lip seductively before running into the house.
Raymond stared at the place she once stood as his brain processed what she just said. He grinned from ear to ear as he realized that Felicity just seduced him. His Felicity seduced him!
He got into his car still grinning, what is that she said, woo her? Oh, he is going to do that and more. He started the car and drove off as a happy man who has only one mission, to woo his bride.