Come Back, Dear Ex-wife.

“Rose, what are you doing here at my place, so early.” Erica walked over to her best friend, hugging her. Her eyes fell on the woven basket she had in her hand.

“These are for you and the triplets. Goodness girl you did so well. I could not bear hearing the gist on the phone so I had to come over. Kudos to you girl.”

“UHH, you are so dramatic rose. Anyways, thank you for your lovely words.”

“Where are they?”

“In their rooms, sleeping.”

“Perfect! Now we have all the time to discuss and have some good ladies time. Tell me how it all happened.” Rose asked as they both walked to wards the cushion chair side by side.

“It was a hell of a day rose. Maybe I shouldn’t have showed up. Maye I shouldn’t have accepted their proposals or take the role of the new CEO of the company.”

Rose stopped in her tracks. She held Erica by the shoulders and turned her, facing her.

“Girl, you have no reason to regret anything at all. You did what’s best. After all that’s your father’s company we are talking about over here.”

Erica took a deep breath, folding her arms and reclining on the cushion. “I don’t need this too much attention. I just want to make enough money that will be sufficient for my kids and I and live a low-key life. I also hate the fact that I had to run into Norberto. It’s like my past replaying itself again.”

“I’m so tired rose. I feel like I’m just going to pass out from too much thoughts.” She sighed, rubbing her temple.

“Calm down. Now is not the time to lament over anything. Here…”, rose said, pouring the contents of the basket on the table. “I got you your favorite chocolates and muffins. Tonight, lets Netflix and chill. Want to grab a drink girl?”

Erica smiled at how thoughtful her friend was. “Yeah sure. What would I have done without you rose.” Erica said fondly.

“Oh my! Now some is seriously flattering me.”

Rose made her way towards the kitchen. She soon returned with a bottle of wine and two glass cups which she placed on the table. She poured herself and Erica a drink. The two best friends sat quietly, sipping the wine.

She watched as Erica sipped her wine absentmindedly. She marveled at the strength of her best friend and silently wished things fall in place for her soon.

“How did it go between you and Norberto?”

She stared at rose, swirling her cup.

“Don’t feign ignorance Erica. Just tell me, how was the situation when you ran into your husband?”

“Ex-husband!”

Rose chuckled, “But you know you guys never really had a legal divorce. Anyways how did it go?”

“Nothing really happened though. He was just being a pest all through.”

“A pest! How?”

Erica brought the glass to her lips and drank its content in one gulp. “he cornered me in the restroom. He wanted us to talk. He kept on apologizing for what has happened in the past.”

Rose chuckled. “Aww, really?”

“He said he searched everywhere for me. He looked for me and he regrets all that happened in the past. He was actually very jealous of Richard. He burned up so bad due to jealousy, you could literarily see his skin turned red.” The two girls laughed loudly and took a bite each from their muffins.

“So now, he wants you back?”

“Yeah he does. You could see the pain in his eyes and the regret in his tone.”

“I bet his chewing his fingers in regret now.”

“You needed to see him. He looked so off and unkempt and a bit tattered. He must have really lost some night’s sleep because of his company.”

“I can only imagine.” Rose said, pouring herself more wine.

“Give me more too.” Erica demanded, pushing her glass cup towards rose. “He never allowed me to say anything. He treated me like I was some piece of shit. He even brought my stepsister to our matrimonial bed. Gosh! I was such a foolish, young, naïve lady in love.”

“You were truly in love and you are such a good person. Don’t blame yourself for his mistakes. It’s his loss actually.” Rose comforted her.

“But then, I want you to tell me the truth. Do you still have something in your heart for him, I mean do you still feel something for this guy. I remember how you so loved him them.”

“I feel nothing for him. I just see him as I see others now. I don’t think I can feel a thing for someone who kept seeing me as an evil human just because he never got married to Delaney. He had always told me how I was a nobody and I won’t ever be worth anything and how Delaney is better than me in everything. I don’t think a tiny part of me is even willing to trust him or feel anything for him.”

Rose rubbed her thighs, soothing her. “I understand how you feel Erica. I’m so sorry you had to go through this rollercoaster of emotions.”

“How did Delaney react? I bet that evil lady was so shocked seeing you.”

“She couldn’t believe I was the owner of global enterprises. She didn’t want to believe it even though Lucas kept mentioning it. She stumbled upon Norberto and I in the restroom. She was so furious. She called me a gold-digging slut, can you imagine the guts? Well I sure put her in her place.”

Rose clapped her hands in delight. She patted her best friend on the back and gave her a thumbs up. ‘You did really great. Now she will think twice before trying to mess up with you. Huhu!”

“I keep wondering, why does she hate me so much? She always picked on me and at any slight chance, she reminds me of how I was a lonely, dejected child whose mother was brought into their house and I had no other option but to be allowed into the family.”

“I tried my best to please her. I made sure I took blame for whatever she accused me off even though I was not guilty. I wonder where and how I’ve wronged her.”

“She’s just a bitter person. I mean there’s no other explanation for this. She hates you and that’s on period.”

“I just want my kids safe. And now that their father is already in the picture, I got to be extra careful.”

“I don’t think I’m ever willing to let him know about the triplets. I just want to keep them away, away from him and every other person. I fear the kids getting harmed.”

“How do you wish to achieve that? Don’t forget, nothing remains hidden forever. Do you really think if you hide the birth of the triplets from him, he won’t still get to know?”

“Think about this decision of yours Erica.”

“But he may use that opportunity to try coming back into my life. He may use the triplets as a means of getting back with me. You know how they really so want to have a father figure and sees Richard as one.” Erica whined.

“Is that really your fear? Or are you scared that him getting to know about the triplets and trying to come back into their lives will spark up something between the both of you? Trust me girlfriend, I understand your fears, but I don’t think keeping his children away from him is the best decision. They need their father too. Don’t deprive them of that.”

“No, I am enough for them. They do not need someone who was never there for them even before they were birthed. I will do everything I can to make sure he doesn’t know anything about him. He won’t even know that I was ever pregnant.”

Rose placed her hand on Erica’s thighs. “I know you are so angry currently and I am in no position to tell you how to feel and what to feel, but keeping these kids away from their father isn’t the best decision you should even consider taking.”

Rose watched as Erica fell into deep thoughts. She could see her eyes twitching and knew she was trying so hard to stop the tears from falling.

The door opened and the triplets rushed in, interrupting their talk.

“My little pumpkins.” Rose said hugging them one after the other. “We will continue our talk later.” She whispered to Erica. “For now, I need to attend to my darlings. Here look kids, I got you something….” Her voice faded away as she went out to the play room with the kids.

Erica smiled and wiped a tear from the corner of her eyes. She walked over to the play room quietly. She flung the door open and saw rose and the triplets playing with some building blocks. The kids were also enjoying their snacks and chocolate rose had brought.

“Mommy! Mommy! Come join us.” Ricky shouted, jumping cheerfully on the bed.

“Mommy is so tired darling. Why don’t I sit and watch you guys play okay!” she replied, squatting on the floor.

“Look mommy, I painted a photo of you and daddy.”

Erica’s heart skipped a beat as she looked at Becca’s drawing.

“In a family, there’s a mother and a father and the children. So I imagined us having a daddy and I drew it.” Becca said jumping around the room happily. She looked fulfilled and happy with her drawing. Rose stared at Erica and gave her a smile before she continued playing with the kids.

“That’s wonderful Becca. I love the drawing. Weldon my love.” She said, rubbing her daughter’s head.

Erica plunged herself on the cushion immediately she went into the sitting room. She held the painting and glared at it for a long time. She felt a sharp pain in her chest. She knew that was the pain Norberto had caused her.

Rose was seen tiptoeing into the sitting room. She had a smile on her face as she sat close to Erica. “They are sleeping already.”

“Thanks rose. Thank you for all your help. I mean, I couldn’t have done all these on my own.”

“OH common Erica. Stop thanking me. You are making me feel bad. What are best friends for if I can’t help when you need it. I will always be here for as long as it takes.”

Rose watched Erica fell into deep thoughts again. “Hey, what are you thinking about?” she asked nudging Erica with her shoulder.

“So many things. On our third anniversary, I wanted to tell him about the pregnancy but he wasn’t even willing to listen to me. He even rejected the anniversary gift I bought for him. And the next thing he did, was to toss the divorce papers at me.”

“But then he willingly had sex with you right? I mean I get it that the first was a setup by your step sister but the second was not.”

“I don’t even want to talk about it.” Erica said, as the flashbacks of what happened that night the triplets were conceived rushed to her mind.