###Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9


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Henry entered his room also slamming his door shut. He then let out a loud scream and faced Emmanuella's picture that was hung up on the wall.

He looked at it as if he was just noticing the picture like it wasn't there before.

" You. You caused this, if you had just listened to me, this wouldn't have happened. This girl gets on my nerves and I completely haté it, Trixie. Why did you leave? Why didn't you listen to me? Now, you are gone. " He sat down, studying the room like it was a new image in his eyes. " I miss you, I miss your presence. " Closing his eyes, he dozed off, crawled up on the bed, hugging a pillow close to his chest.

** His dream **

He saw himself in a really dark room. The room was so dark that he couldn't see a pinch of light, all he could see was pure darkness.

Suddenly, a luminous light appeared frightening a little jump from him. He used his hands as barrier to block the light from blinding him.

" Hey Denny, how have you been?" A bright blinding light asked, scaring him the more.

" Who. . . " He asked then paused. He knew that voice but couldn't believe it. " Trixie, is that you?"

" Of course, you calls you Denny? Only me. " She replied in her usual jokingly tone. Switching back to her normal tone. " You're àngry with me, I know. I feel it but it isn't my fault, Henry. That's our fate, your destiny. You've to accept it, nevertheless. It might be hard, I know but you can do it, I trust and believe in you. "

" Fate? Destiny? I only want you, please come back. "

" That's impossible, I can't because you and I aren't meant for forever, Anthonia is your forever, can't you feel it?"

" The only thing I feel for Anthonia is hatréd. " Henry said with all the certainty he could muster.

" No, you don't hate her. Haté is a pretty strong word, don't you think?"

" Well, " He muttered, considering her words. " Maybe, it isn't hatréd but I definitely don't like her so how one Earth is she my fate or destiny whatever?"

She moved exactly two steps to him, standing only one inch away from him. " Fate and destiny isn't written by us, it isn't written by God. You and Anthonia will be a really awesome couple, you will love her so much even more than you love me, she will be your second oxygen, she will have so much effect on you that you can't stay a minute without thinking about her. "

Henry couldn't stop the urge to scoff then he bursted into fits of laughter. " That's funny, really funny. " He spoke amidst all the laughter.

" Stop that!" She shunned him, snappishly. " This isn't funny, Henry. And by the way, you should listen to her. She loves the kids and know what is best for them. You literally lost count of the ice creams the kids licked, that's not fatherly of you at all. That's very irresponsible, careless and just stupíd. "

Henry sighed in defeat. Now that his late wife has told him herself, he saw the truth in it. " I'm sorry. "

" Don't apologize to me, apologize to Anthonia, you hurt her physically. " She said and had a long pause. " She knows what is best for the kids, she loves them and they love her too. Just try connecting with her like what the kids did, she's lovely. Just think, the first day she met Blossom, Blossom liked her and even let her feed her then the kids, you know they don't accept people easily but they did accept Anthonia. " She caressed his face. " She's cràzy just like me, I love her. Remember what I told you during Blossom's birth, I permit you to love again, don't feel obliged to me, okay? Good luck, I will always love you. "

The light disappeared and he woke up. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. Trailing his gaze to the clock, it says 1:05am.

He slept from so long. He replayed the dream from the beginning to the end.

He sat down upright, thinking about the dream. It is very absurd to think that he will ever love Anthonia, he couldn't even think about it. The thought itself was irrelevant, it was just simply impossible.

Shrugging everything off, he stood up from the bed. Walking out of his room to Anthonia's room, her door was slightly ajar allowing him to see the inside of her room.

She was sitting down on the bed, cradling Blossom in one arm while holding a bedtime story book in the other. The smile on her face was so genuine that one might think the baby is hers. Her eyes were glistening with happiness, joy and everything he couldn't explain.

All the nannies never looked at Blossom like that, they looked at her like she was a moneymaking pest that will infect them with bádluck and insomnia.

But Anthonia was looking at her like Blossom was her own flesh and blood. She was looking at her like her blood is running through her veins. She was looking at her like she was her own daughter.

He entered the room after fake knocking on the door. Anthonia carefully placed Blossom in her cot, covering her with a very thick blanket.

" Yes, what is it?" She asked.

" Can we talk?" He calmly asked.

" Aren't we? We are talking right now. " She replied in the same exact tone as him but even calmer.

" Let's go outside and talk. We wouldn't want to wake up Blossom. "

Anthonia looked at the sleeping beauty baby in her cot then back at Henry who had a pleasing eyes on.

They walked out of the room. Anthonia's hands were in her pajamas pocket while Henry's hand weren't in his, he used them to continually raking his hair.

" Why don't we take a walk to the garden?" He asked, rhetorically.

She faced him. " Just say what you want, I really don't have time for you now. "

He sighed.

Anthonia looked at him. " Okay, fine. Let's take a walk. "

He smiled. " Thanks. "

She simply nodded.

They entered the elevator, heading on the first floor. The elevator ride was more awkward than he expected, he was glad when the elevator dinge opened.

They stepped out, walking out of the the lobby to the outside of the door.

Immediately, they stepped out, Anthonia inhaled then exhaled deeply, voluminously. The early morning air blew on her skin so gentle, the breeze was gentle and lovely.

When they reached the garden, the degree of the wind changed. It was getting winder by the second.

She uses the scrunchie on her wrist to tie her hair up. It was disturbing her view and getting into her eyes as the breeze blew heavily.

" So, what do you want to talk about?" She inquired.

" Um, I- I just wanted to apologize to you for what I said and did. You're right, I should have just admitted to the truth earlier, I'm sorry. " He said.

Studying his face, Anthonia heaved a soft sigh. She swallowed her saliva, giving him a long pause before she spoke.

" It is alright. It is good you apologized else this house will be too hot for us tomorrow, I mean today after the kids have gone to school. " She replied, smilingly like nothing happened between them.

" Thanks. It's just that I wanted them to be happy and. . . "

" They played your little brain but it's fine. It's good to be smart. " She helped him to complete his sentence, teasing him too.

He smiled. " I guess. Thank you, Anthonia. I promise to always ask for your permission before I do or buy the kids. "

" Promise?"

He nodded. " Yes, I do. I give you my word. My word is my bond. "

" Alright. " She muttered, facing him in his front, walking backwards. " Did you enjoy your time with the girls?"

" Yes, I did. Thank you for giving me that advice. "

" You're welcome, Henry. What did you guys do?"

" We did so many things. The girls couldn't stop talking about you, wishing you were there with them. "

" I'm so proud of myself. I love them so much, they're the cutest girls ever, just not as Bloom. "

He furrowed his brows at her and she smiled. " Who is Bloom?"

" Blossom is Bloom. Just remove the double s and then you will get the word. " She replied, jogging backwards.

Henry looked like he was calculating the world's most hardest equation, subsequently grinned.

" Be careful. " He said when she nearly fell. " My lawyer couldn't come today but I'm certain he will come tomorrow, we'll sign the contract when he comes tomorrow tho it hasn't been drawn. "

" Okay. I want to ask a question, can I?"

" Sure, go ahead. "

" You're a singer the whole world knows. . . Well, except from me. I wouldn't have known you if Nathasha; my friend convinced me to see you during the Chanel stuff. "

" That's not a question, you didn't ask a question. "

" I'm getting there, dúmmy. " She replied, sharply. " So. . . Um, there were and still rumors going on that you will be releasing a new album but I don't see you preparing so I just want to know, are you really releasing a new album?"

He shook his head, negatively. His lips slightly puckered. " I haven't been able to think straight ever since Emmanuella's demise so no, I haven't. I have tried to write down something but my head is so blank. "

" Maybe it is scenery you need. Have you thought of going on a vacation?"

" Actually, no, to be honest. I just want to stay in my room locked up. "

" This is stupíd. "

" I know. That's why I didn't do it. "

" Don't you want to go on a vacation? See nature, get lost in nature's beauty. Nature is so beautiful and deep. "

" Just like your eyes. " He replied, unknowingly, staring at her.

Anthonia smiled. " Thank you, I never knew. " She replied, truthfully.

He shrugged. " I want to stay here. There's no need for that when Trixie isn't here. "

Trixie? Hmm, that name sounds awfully familiar to her ears. She couldn't pinpoint when or where she heard it so she let it slide off.

" What about the beach? You said there's a beach nearby? If you go there, you might get the inspiration you need. " She said.

" Inspiration?" He repeated. " You think it will work?"

" Definitely. " She hit her foot on a big rock, slipping but before she could fall, Henry held her by the waist.

She looked at him, lip parted, surprisingly. Surprised at how fast he could her, surprised at the fear in his eyes for her, surprised at both of their gasps were in sync.

" Are you okay?" He asked, helping her to stand upright but she winced, holding one foot in her hand and standing on one. " Did you hurt your foot? Can I have a look? Sit on the rocm and let me see. "

She obeyed without objecting to it like her normal self would. She sat on the rock and he bent down to her legs.

" Which is injured?" He asked, looking at her for an answer. She pointed out the foot and he raised it up, removing her slippers. " I told you to be careful but you never listen. Why do you choose to be stubborn?"

" I'm. . . Ok, maybe I'm stubborn but I didn't know that the rock was there. You should have told me. "

" I literally told you to be careful, why are you blaming me now?" He responded.

" Well, it is still your fault. You shouldn't put such a big rock in a garden. "

" You shouldn't walk backwards either. Luckily, you aren't badly hurt. " He said, looking at the spot on her ankle which was red.

" Thank you and sorry. " She muttered.

He looked at her. " What did you just say? Did you just say thank you and sorry in one friggin' sentence?"

" Ha ha ha, not funny, Henry. " She replied. " I have told you sorry once, why are you making me appear like an unapologetical person?"

He laughed. " Okay, then. I accept both of them. You're welcome, Anthonia. Should I help you to your room?"

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. " I'm not some damsel in distress who needs saving or a Prince Charming to sweep me off my feet. "

He nodded as she stood up on her feet on her own.

" See, all good. I'll just ice it and I'll be fine. " She said.

He nodded.

They walked back to the house in silence. Not the type of silence that was awkward, it was a comfortable silence. They walked back to the house in a comfortable silence, entering the elevator.

When they reached the third floor where the room are located, the elevator stopped and they got out.

" Anthonia, I am really sorry for how I reacted yesterday, I shouldn't have realized my mistake. "

" It is alright. You know, I didn't know better, I would have thought that your late wife;. Emmanuella spoke to you and scolded you. "

His eyes twitched with somewhat surprised mixed with happiness. " Humph, you might be right, who knows?"

She giggled. " Good night, I can still get one hour of sleep before I see the sunrise. "

" Why? I mean, why do you like the sunrise that much?"

" It starts my day and helps it to be beautiful, positive and productive. I'm addicted to it just like I'm addicted to nature. "

" Trixie also like nature a lot. I let you sleep, maybe we could watch it together as friends. "

Anthonia chuckled. " Right, what else are we supposed to watch it as, couples?" Silly. "

Yes, they couldn't be anything else but friends. Why would Emmanuella say that?