Chapter 8

• Reaching her hotel room, Kathleen dropped her bag on the cushion and went to lay on the bed. She turned around so she could face the ceiling, all her thoughts went on Aiden Smith.
• What does he want to tell her?. Could it be..she huffed and swirled around again. She has become restless, the least of the things she expected to be.
• The next day, after attending to some files and business proposals, she picked her phone from the desk and dialed Carolyn's number. She hasn't spoken to Nicole since she arrived in Seattle.
• "Hi, Kathleen." Caro's voice came from the other end. She smiled and relaxed her back on the office chair and asked, "How're you, Carolyn?."
• "I'm fine, I hope everything's fine over there," Carolyn asked her back in a worried tone. She couldn't help but smile at how Caro looked out for her. She was caring, just like Noelle.
• Two years back, she lost contact with Noelle, she wrote to her multiple times but didn't get a reply. It was as if Noelle ghosted her immediately after she left Seattle. Though she knew Noelle went to Dylan but didn't know where exactly they lived.
• It wasn't like she didn't try to contact her, she called the only member of the Smith family she associated with, Hayley Smith but Hayley had no idea. She didn't give up but hoped to meet Noelle somehow in the future.
• "How's my daughter?."
• "I'm sorry, but I'm still yet to pick her back from school."
• Kat nodded, Carolyn had done a lot for her, she takes care of her granny, then Lucas coming here even made it hard for her. She has to send Lucas back as soon as possible.
• Kat apologized after some minutes of silence, "I'm sorry, Caro. I'm sorry for giving you so much work."
• "Stop it. Nicole is my daughter too. She's also a quiet girl, so she didn't give me a hard time. I know you would do the same to Henry, well you did the same to Henry when he was five.." Kat laughed, "Don't be too kind to me. It was me then and now I don't have time for myself, let alone my daughter."
• "You will have to. Nicole is a child and needs motherly attention. You are her mother, I can feel the child's pain. Kathleen, I do not want her to grow up hating you for what you're doing now."
• Kate shut her eyes and said, "I'm planning to get her to meet her father. Her real father."
• There was silence, it was then that she understood what she just said. She didn't know when the words left her mouth.
• "Are you serious?." Carolyn asked her, with a trace of happiness in her voice.
• "Uh.m..I've not thought about it before, but it would be a great idea, right?."
• "Yes. It will make her very happy. I'm sure she's always wanted that all her life."
• Just then, the office phone rang, "I'll call you later. Please let her know that I love her." She said, then hung up.
• On the other end, Caro smiled after the call ended, she turned and found Henry walking in with Nicole. She stood and watched as Henry smiled and whispered into Nicole's ear, which left Nicole laughing out loud. It had been long since Carolyn saw her laugh this much.
• Immediately, Marcus walks in, with his hand in his right pocket and a car key in the other hand. Caro walked to stand in front of him, Marcus kissed her lips deeply and looked at the kids.
• Caro asked him, "When did you return?."
• "Today. I picked them up from school because I wanted to see you before going home. How's Mrs. Lillian?." He asked, walking past her.
• "Up to her room," Caro replied, and he hopped the stairs to Lillian's room. Then she turned to look at Nicole.
• "Change and come down for lunch." She told her, "Yes, aunt Carolyn." Nicole replied and ran to her room. Then left her with Henry who walked towards his mom and whispered.
• "Are we going home with dad today?." He asked Caro, she sighed and looked at him, she said. "No. Lucas and Kathleen are not back from the trip. Someone needs to take care of Nicole and Mrs. Lillian."
• He murmured inaudibly to himself and walked away.
• ***
• Carolyn walks into Nicole's room and knocks at the already opened door. Nicole, who was drawing, looked up.
• "Aunt Carolyn." She called out, surprisedly and Caro smiled and walked in. Caro sat on the bed and looked at what Nicole was drawing. A beautiful butterfly. She admired it for a while and said to her, "It's a beautiful butterfly."
• Nicole smiled, "Is it?."
• Caro smiled back and combed her hand on her blonde hair. "Yes, my dear. It's really beautiful." Nicole frowned.
• "Christy said it was ugly. I was about to tear the paper before you came in." Caro frowned.
• "Don't mind her. It's beautiful. I'll call your teacher in school and give a complaint."
• Nicole shook her head immediately, "No. It doesn't mean anything. I'm stronger than anyone who wants to make me feel bad. Well, Christy didn't know she did me some good, the drawing needs a little touch over here." Caro watched her use the pencil on the paper. She's a smart girl.
• Caro cleared her throat and said, "Nicole, your mom called today."
• Nicole stopped painting but didn't look up at Caro. Her eyes were on the drawing, but her ears were listening raptly.
• "She asked me to tell you that she loves you."
• Caro was choosing her words carefully, the girl was smart and intelligent. She was sensitive too.
• "I love her too." Nicole simply said and began drawing again. No one knew what she was thinking.
• "You know your mom is a busy woman. She also cares for you a lot. You have to give her time."
• "I'm five, not stupid, aunt. I know when someone doesn't want me around." Caro raised her brows, her lips parted at the words leaving Nicole's mouth.
• "Nicole. Your mom loves you."
• Nicole replied nonchalantly, "I know she does."
• Caro was taken aback.
• Caro continued, "Nicole, she.." She was cut off when Nicole angrily broke her pencil and threw it away. She was angry, her eyes were cold.
• A child with such a temper. She didn't get that from Kathleen, could it be her father?.
• She tucked her loose hair behind her ear and sighed, "I'm a sorry aunt. But can you please not discuss my mom?." Caro's eyes softened.
• "Okay, baby. Rest." Caro kissed her forehead, stood up, and walked out of the room.
• Outside the door, Caro breathed out and muttered, "There's a problem."
• ***
• When the car stopped in front of Smith's mansion, Kat suddenly felt chills running through her spine. She tried to stay calm for a bit and looked at Lucas. He smiled reassuringly at her.
• "What do you think he's planning?." She asked him. Lucas raised his brows, "He seems friendly. But you know, things can go wrong if you allow him to use your emotions against you." He leans forward, " Get rid of it now!." He mutters, opens the car door, and climbs down.