Chapter 36 - Cupcakes and Ice cream.

A drunk Amelia was always wild, but it could never beat an hungover Amelia. She hated hangovers. It made her weak and sluggish and sensitive to light.

She wasn't planning on drinking so much, but at least Boston had been gentleman enough to return her home. They went to a bar named Ecstasy. And Amelia had one too many cocktails while Boston quietly protested. He couldn't stop her when she became wild and started dancing on the tables. But even in her drunken state, Amelia was sane enough to remember that she was married and her ring still rested on her third finger. The ring that she had for some reason not taken off.

It was around morning, something around eleven am Amelia was sure. Boston had dropped off breakfast and coffee for her. She knew why he was being extra nice, she knew he liked her but he didn't seem like he could take a hint. Even though she wished he would get the hint he didn't.

He bought her some bagels and her favourite coffee, two cups of dark chocolate mocha.
She sat in her chair still in last nights clothes and a pullover with a dark shade of sunglasses on her face as she ate her breakfast. Ravenously. She always had such a healthy appetite after a night out. She was still concerned with stuffing the food in her face when her doorbell rang. She was sure it was Boston, but she didn't want the company.

She let him knock for a while, hoping he would get a hint but then her phone started blaring loudly.

She checked the caller ID and saw that it was Molly.

"Open up! We know you're in there!!" Molly screamed from the other side of the door and Amelia furrowed her eyebrows.

Molly and Ruby were around? How did they know she was back in New York?

She slowly walked towards the door and opened it and was confronted by the gleeful faces of her two favourite persons in the world.

Before even exchanging pleasantries, they drew Amelia in for a long hug.

"Ugh Mia! You should have told us you were in New York."

Molly chastised as she walked in while trying to balance a box of what seemed to be cupcakes in her hands.
She was wearing a purple romper and high heels and her hair was a deep purple.

When did she dye it?

Amelia thought as she hugged Ruby some more. Ruby as always looked amazing. Although it looked like she came straight from work to see her.

"How did you guys know that I'm in New York?"

Molly and Ruby share a look before turning to look at her.

"Yea! Maybe not go to the bar we all hang out at and maybe not dance on top of the chairs enough for the club manager Kim who is our mutual friend to notice."

She deadpanned as she walked in.

"Yea! And maybe not go around with a tall hunky guy that I'm told looks like Roman Reigns."

Molly added.

"By the way, who is he?"

Molly asked as she scrunched up her face.

"He's a friend. Nothing more."

"Hmmmmm." Ruby said as she glanced at Molly with a smile.

"So, how are you holding up? You look super hungover."

"I am.... I had more drinks than I planned to. But I guess I needed it. What's that?"

Amelia said as she pointed to the box in Molly's hands.

"Ohhh! It's just a box of cupcakes. We know how much you love your sugar and chocolate so this one is loaded with both."

She said as she dropped the box on top of the coffee table.

"And! We brought ice cream. We were going to bring wine but you're already drunk so we brought ice cream."

She said as she dropped the paper bag with her. Amelia collapsed on her couch with a smile on her face.

"You guy, you're the best. But I'm not sure you guys want me to feel good or get me fat?"

She said as she went through the two tubs of ice cream. Both which were her favourite flavours, mint chocolate chip and chocolate chip cookie dough.

Molly patted her arm.

"Think of this as your cheat day. A few pounds doesn't hurt."

She encouraged as Amelia took out a cupcake from the box. She bit into it and it was simply heavenly.

She closed her eyes in pleasure and opened it again. Her friends were watching her more closely, much more seriously now.

"What?" She asked, her mouth still full of cake and chocolate filling.

"Are you okay? I mean, it looks like you're fine but it must be hard..."

Molly started and Amelia shrugged.

"It's not a big deal. It's not like we were really in love or anything. Our marriage was doomed from the start."

A long silence followed Amelia's statement.

"But we all know you were both falling for each other. You already liked him Mia. Really really liked him"

Ruby said and Amelia shrugged.

"And now, I don't!" Amelia snapped.

"It was nothing. We were just sexually attracted to each other because of the one night stand. That's all."

"And then I had to be married to him because of my parents. He was not obligated to be faithful to me."

"But he liked you. You said he claimed he loved you. And even said he was falling in love with you. Don't deny your feelings for him at least. And I really think you should talk to him."

Molly said and Amelia flared up.

"Whose side are you on? Molly?"

She asked and then turned to Molly with the same pissed off expression on her face.

"Ruby? Whose side are you on? I caught him cheating on me! Red handed guys!"

Amelia shouted.

Her friends glanced at each other.

"We are always on your side, but you have to be logical about this. Xavier couldn't have slept with Daphne on the day his grandmother died. Whatever she did, she must have caught him at a vulnerable state. Besides, you said he mentioned something about being drugged. At least hear him out."

Ruby said and there was a long pause as Amelia battled with her inner feelings.

Those were the thoughts that had nagged at Amelia's mind but she had ignored them. Too blinded by her anger and her pain to consider the possibilities of Xavier being set up.
He claimed he had proof but she wasn't sure about it and so far he hasn't provided her with anything.

She was conflicted.

"I don't want to talk about this girls. Let's talk about other things."

"Get my mind off things a little. Tell me about you guys."

Molly smiled slyly.

"On that note, I'd like to announce that Ruby has a new boyfriend and he's a movie star!!"

Molly screamed and Ruby blushed furiously while trying to shush Molly's loud mouth.

Amelia's eyes widened in surprise as she laughed. She missed her friends.
She missed her old self.



Everything was falling into place, Xavier thought as his lawyer handed him the written statement that Daphne had made confessing to her crimes. He decided not to press charges after all, but his lawyers opted that he should request for a restraining order against her. And Xavier honestly felt that was better.
He never wanted to see her in his life again, even if she had become a better person and apologised a million times.

She had caused too much damage, too much pain for her to be a constant feature in his life. She had also robbed him of a deeply personal moment. The chance to have mourned his Nana in peace. He only wished that he could have been given the privacy to mourn her. But no, the last few days had been hectic and he had little time for himself. He only wanted to get Amelia back. To get her back and they could start again, they could start all over again if she wanted to.

He looked at the statements and toxicology reports that he had neatly put into a file, he was going to be heading to New York the next day. He had finally gathered all that he needed. And he hoped Amelia would listen to him.

So far, she was still refusing to pick his calls and text messages and he felt like she intentionally let his messages go to voicemail. He was willing to give her as much time as she wanted to think. But not anymore. He was finally going to fight for his love. He had given her enough time, but he couldn't stand the thought of her being so far away, thinking of so many different thoughts about him. He could almost imagine her replaying the scenario all over in her head and thinking about him over and over again. His beautiful free spirited Amelia, he missed her laughter, the way she threw her head back and laughed with wild abandon, he missed getting lost in her violet eyes that never ceased to amaze him and he also missed the feel of her, the way her body responded to his touch, how she moaned when he softly bit her neck and most especially how she smelled.

Her smell was one of the most intoxicating things about her and for a long time,  Xavier had grown familiar with the sweet vanilla scent that seemed absolutely normal. Till it was gone and even her clothes could not satisfy his quench for her scent.

And there was the issue of other men. Especially the one named Boston. Xavier didn't like him from the very first moment he had sent the cryptic painting. He had done a background check on the guy and was annoyed to find out that he was living in the same building complex as he was which he recently moved into. He didn't want him taking advantage of his wife.

"I'm coming for you Amelia. I promise."

He whispered as he dropped the file on his bedside table and walked out of their bedroom.