Love At Last

RYAN

*ring ring*, the doorbell rang. I went to get it. I was at home this morning because it was Saturday.

“Miss Lily Grayson?” the guy who looked like a delivery guy called.

“That would be me.”

“You have a package, miss,” he hands me over the box he had in his possession.

“My package?”

“Yes. Please sign here,” he held out a paper and showed me where I was to sign.

“Who sent the package?” I asked while signing.

“‘You’ll find out soon enough’, the person said.”

“Oh okay.” I took my passage and sent him on his way.

While I unwrapped the package, a call came in to my phone – it was Ryan!

Ryan was the man who met I and Cayden the other day at the park, not just that, he was also Jacek’s father – the very reason I was living the way I did. Turned out that he came into Nedford two days before I saw him , and inquired of me. My seeing him at the park was because he had tailed me and watched us – me, Jacek and Cayden – the whole time from a distance. Seeing Jacek was my son, he knew for a fact that he was invariably his and had taken him to speak with him when we declared him missing. He walked back into my life and completely won me over again, making me forget the ugly memories I had of him – that he got me pregnant and abandoned me, made my life miserable by abandoning me for another. He crept into my life again, promising to do all he couldn’t for Jacek now that he was standing on his own two feet – financially inclined. I thought ‘why not?’ and made up my mind on giving the fellow another chance to make it up to me.

I held the phone between my shoulder and my ear, still trying to unwrap the package. “Heyy…,” I called out happily.

“Hey beautiful. You must have gotten the gift I sent you by now , right?”

“Do you have eyes around me or something? ” I was amazed at the perfect timing on which he called.

“I sure do, honey.” I chuckled.

“I knew these were from you,” I held out the content of the package – a Louis Vuitton purse – in my hand. “How many gifts just this week already? You intend on spoiling me with gifts, right?” I teased.

“Anything for milady. Look outside your window.”

I walked to my window, shifted the curtain a bit and looked through it; I saw his car – 2022 Nissan Sentra – parked outside a few inches away from my building.

I immediately left the purse and my phone on the table and dashed out in excitement. I ran into his arms, cuddling and planting kisses on his neck while he also did same.

“We were together all through yesterday. Do you miss me already?” he asked still cuddling me tightly in his arms; his hugs were the best.

“Yes!” I confessed out rightly. “How many gifts just this week?” I pulled out a bit, causing him to move his hands to my waist and mine rested on his chest. “My room’s already flooded with shoes, bags and clothes of all kind already. Do you want to spoil me?” I whined jovially. He threw me a bit off balance by planting a brief peck on my lips.

“Ryan!” I exclaimed and covered my face, feeling shy.

“I’m sorry, they just looked so good,” he flirted. “Do you have time today?”

He’s already taken me out five times already just that week, was he planning to do more?

“We’re going out again today?!” I exclaimed.

“Just me and you today,” he poked my nose gently.

“Without Jacek?”

” Yes milady.”

“Alright! Come in and wait for me while I get ready.” I held him by the hand and dragged him inside.

“Good morning madame,” he greeted nana respectfully on getting inside.

“Good morning gentle man, how are you?”

“I’m fine ma.”

Apparently, he frequented the house and familiarized himself with my granny. My granny never for once asked what was going on at the time, and I wished she never did. I wasn’t ready to tell her I’d gone back to my ex – the life I was forced to abandon. My granny seemed to like the aura he emitted. I could sense she was a bit relaxed around him and was happier because I seemed to be having so much fun and enjoying life to the fullest – something I never really was privileged to enjoy.

Moments later, I got dressed casually – since we were mostly going for walks at zoos, parks, etc and not to restaurants. I wore a black turtle neck, tucked in blue pants and a pair of the matching sneakers he got for us two days ago as he was already wearing his.

“Be sure to be home for dinner, sweethearts,” nana urged as we left the house.

We visited the zoo, parks, beaches and so on, being all lovey-dovey. Maybe life decided to be fair to me once more and sent me happiness in disguise. We took pictures of ourselves and of course our matching shoes, we had our fill with snacks, enjoyed street shows, had ice-cream, etc.

It was already 6:30 pm in the evening and we were at a small-scale park not too far from my house. I had my left hand intertwined with his right, while I held my vanilla flavored cup ice-cream – for the fourth time to be precise – in my left.

While I felt the cool breeze ruffle through my hair, I wished that moment was never going to end. Ryan served me a real dose of happiness like he was making it up to me for abandoning me the last time.

Moments later, my worries came true – our date ended and we parted ways. But our parting was only temporary as he was invited over by nana for dinner later tonight.

It’s dinner time! Everyone – including Ryan – is present. Nana served everyone and in no time, we dug in, chatting ad laughing out loud.

“That one time was really scary…,” Ryan related a funny experience of his to us which made us laugh so much.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

“Thank you mummy, thank you nana, thank you uncle Ryan,” Jacek greeted when he was through with his dish. He was a light eater at night.

“You’re welcome honey,” I rubbed the back of his head and excused him.

Dinner still went on smoothly until…

“Mr. Ryan?” nana called.

“Yes ma.”

“I’ve never really asked but I think I deserve to know more about your relationship with my granddaughter here. Who are you to her? Are you both going out?” nana asked him and not me. I trusted he wasn’t going to blurt ‘I’m Jacek’s dad’ so I relaxed a bit.

“I’m Jacek’s dad,” in just few seconds, he broke my trust. I turned to him wide-eyed and whispered “what are you doing?”

Nana was just about to put the spoon in her mouth when he said what he did and she paused abruptly.

“Pardon?” she drops the spoon on her plate.

He heaved a sigh and repeated: “I’m Jacek’s dad,” he paused and continued, ” decided not to beat around the bush and just tell you about it,” he sounded a bit sad remorseful.

Nana immediately turned to me and looked at me with so much discontent and disappointment in her eyes. I could sense she wasn’t happy at all.

“Young man. You know what your silly mistake caused this girl?” nana scolded.

“I am well aware of that, ma and that’s why I’ve come to make amends. I’m a changed person now. I’ve come back to Lily to pick the broken pieces I left behind,” he said apologetically. “I know putting back those pieces will not suffice in producing something stainless, but I promise to do everything within my power to make sure Lily here and my son are kept happy for the rest of their lives,” he assured heartily causing my heart to flutter the more.

Nana, without saying a word, stood up and left the table.

“You think she’ll come around?”

“Let that be my headache, okay?” I smiled spurring him to do same.

Moments later – after Ryan leaves – nana called me to her room to talk to me.

“You really are okay with him?”

“Nana, the last few days of my life have been nothing but the best! Can’t you tell your granddaughter is beaming now?” I stated enthusiastically.

“I still feel you should be careful.” I rolled my eyeballs and said: “C’mon nana. You taught me to always give people the chance to repent, right? That’s what I’m doing right now,” I spoke in my defense.

“You really don’t see it, do you?

“See what?

“That there’s every possibility Ryan has a hidden agenda,” she warned.

“And what could that be? What can I possibly offer him?” I wasn’t buying Nana’s idea.

“If he loves you that much, why did he abandon you in the first place?”

“Nana, we were too young and immature then. I think I understand now,” I defended still.

“Oh so now you’re saying you were too young,” nana teased sarcastically.

“Please go to bed, nana. Goodnight.”

“If you say so.” She lays down.

I turned off the lights and retired to my own room.