Chapter 6 - Andrea, My Wife

• Andrea’s POV
• When I unlocked the door again, it was Ms. Ada. I offered a weak smile to the woman who appeared to be over fifty.
• “You must be Mrs Vasques,” Ms. Ada nodded at me. I’m sorry for not coming earlier. I have told your husband to call me on time whenever he wants me to show up here! I have pups that need caring for!” She spoke like we had known each other for a long time.
• She had a permanent scowl on her face but a chatty voice. Her probing eyes scanned my face eagerly.
• “You look tardy, child. Blast Kieran for leaving you here all by yourself.”
• I stayed mute at her scrutiny, lost for words, mostly because of the lady still in the living room claiming to be pregnant with Kieran’s child. My head still spun, and I was becoming dizzy. I couldn’t decide if this dizziness resulted from my empty stomach or if it was from the news.
• Maybe both, which would explain the persistent rumbling of my stomach.
• “Move, child,” Ms. Ada urged me.
• “Oh,” the word escaped my mouth as I moved aside for her to enter the house.
• She froze halfway into the foyer when she saw the strange woman sitting on the couch from the wine I served her.
• “Oh, lordy,” I heard the low disapproving gasp escape Ms. Ada’s mouth.
• “Ada!” the strange woman called almost cheeringly. “What took you so long?”
• “Miss Barkley, it’s been a long time.” Ms. Ada didn’t appear too pleased to be seeing her.
• Her gray eyes squinted from me to the woman whose name I just found out. Miss Barkley. Riele Barkley? My stomach rumbled some more. Ms. Ada gazed questioning at me, but I could only shrug my shoulders.
• The lady waved her hand dismissively at Ms. Ada’s pleasantries, placing her glass down and rising to her feet.
• It was only then that I truly recognized her—Riele Barkley. The face plastered across countless billboards in LA, a model and brand ambassador whose presence dominated the city skyline.
• This woman was carrying the child of the man I only just married yesterday? As if my life couldn’t be any more disastrous.
• “Ada, I didn’t come here for pleasantries,” Riele was saying. “I need to speak with Kieran. Do you know where he is?” she asked sharply.
• The frown on Ms. Ada’s face broadened. “No, Miss, Mr. Vasques doesn’t my permission before he goes anywhere.” Her reply was curt.
• From where I stood, I could sense the unspoken animosity between the two of them. It was quite obvious Ms. Ada didn’t like Riele and neither did she. But that shouldn’t matter to me because I wanted no part in this drama that was already unfolding.
• I wondered where Kieran could be. How would he react when he finds out about this? This whole mess began when I let Dad talk me into doing this. Now, I wish I could get away from here, run far away, get a good meal and a comfortable bed to lie on, miles away from Kieran Vasques, his family, my father, and now, Riele.
• My stomach did a loud acrobatic, causing Ms. Ada to face me.
• “That’s the second time, child. I’ll fix you something.” She offered.
• “Ada, did you hear anything I said,” Riele cut in rudely. “Get Kieran on the phone, Ada. Now.” She ordered when Ms. Ada kept standing.
• “Come, child,” She took my hand and led me to the kitchen. Then placed me as a child like I was some fifteen-year-old who just complained something disturbing to her.
• “You could have warned me, child, Miss Barkley is trouble. How come you let her in?” She questioned, pacing the room.
• My lips felt too dry and wouldn’t open when I tried to speak.
• “I had no idea who she was, and she let herself in,” I managed to say.
• “What did she say she wants with Mr Vasques?” She prodded further.
• “She says she’s pregnant with Kieran’s child,” the words were barely audible as they left my mouth.
• “Oh, dear lord. I knew this day would come!” Ms. Ada looked both appalled and alarmed. Her hands went to her chest, and then she regarded me pitifully. I could tell from the sad look that sipped into her eyes. “Are you okay, child?”
• Honestly…it was the first time anyone had ever asked me this question.
• Ever. And the answer was NO.
• I wanted this all to be a terrible nightmare I would wake up from.
• I wanted to believe that my life hadn’t taken this drastic, horrifying turn, where I was married to a stranger, and barely twenty-four hours later, his lover was in his home, claiming to be pregnant.
• I had been ready to accept this life and be glad that Kieran had chosen not to be here to make things more complicated. But now, things were more than complicated. They were becoming catastrophic.
• Tears polled in my eyes as I stared up at Ms. Ada. “I’m fine.” I lied, trying my hardest to hide the crack in my voice.
• The worst part, I had no one to talk to about any of this. Mom was sick, and even if she weren’t, I doubted the fact that she’d take my side over Dad’s.
• “Oh, dear,” Ms. Ada muttered again. “I will call Kieran. He brought this mess; he should come to clean it up.”
• I watched her move away to a land phone lying on the other end of the kitchen, where there was another dining set almost hidden from the vast space I was sitting. I glanced around sparsely; I hadn’t had the time to take in my surroundings. Even now, it was the last thing on my mind. I heard Ms. Ada punching in numbers on the phone, and after two trials, she was able to get Kieran on the line.
• Her voice floated to me; I placed my elbow on the kitchen table, rested my chin on my knuckles, and waited.
• ~~~
• I woke with a start to the loud voices coming from a far distance. Slowly, my mind began to adjust to reality, and the voices became clearer. Louder.
• A male and a female. Apparently, Kieran was here, and he and Riele were going at each other.
• I glanced nervously around the kitchen, scanning the room for Ms. Ada. The aroma of bread baking filled my nostrils, awakening the sleeping worms in my stomach. They protested violently, causing my stomach to ache.
• Ms. Ada was nowhere in sight, so I pushed myself from the stool, placing my feet carefully on the floor to avoid any attention. How long had I been out?
• The last thing I heard was Ms. Ada telling- more like ordering- Kieran to come home.
• As I drew closer to the kitchen door, it was slightly opened, allowing me to peek at them without being seen.
• Kieran stood across from Riele, his back to me. Even at that, I could feel his agitation from his posture and hear it from his voice. I pressed my face between the wall and the door, eavesdropping like a criminal.
• “I keep telling you,” Kieran said, sounding irritated. You can’t just show up here without prior information.”
• “I have to call you before I show up here? Since when?” Riele was furious.
• “Since then. Since now!” he stuffed his hands in his pants pockets, perhaps to quell his rage. “I don’t like that you can just turn up whenever you like.”
• “I have a right to. I am your fiancé, Kieran; show some respect.”
• I heard the small disgusted chuckle escape Kieran’s throat. It was more than a cough to spit out something unwanted.
• “Don’t act delusional, Riele; you and I are nothing. Us… that ship sailed months ago.”
• “Then what would happen to our child?” Riele’s voice broke, her lashes raised, and for a moment, I thought she saw me.
• I froze, but she looked away, facing Kieran.
• “You’re going to let me take care of him or her by myself?” Riele cried, literally.
• Kieran brushed his hands through his hair, shifting his foot on the floor, apparently frustrated.
• “We haven’t seen each other in two months, Riele; we haven’t even spoken a word to each other since that time; now you’re pregnant? How do I know this isn’t a ploy to get back into my life?”
• “It isn’t. I kept this from you because I wasn’t sure how you would react… I didn’t want you to be upset at me. Now, you are.”
• “Yes, you are damned right I am.” Kieran barked fiercely.
• “I’m sorry for whatever I have done; please, don’t take it out on this innocent creature.” She placed her hand on her stomach. “It has done nothing wrong. Please, Kieran, for the sake of this child, can we go back to how things were between us?”
• I could hear my own heart beating fast. Extremely fast. What would this mean for me?
• “I’m afraid, but it’s too late for that,” Kieran said rather calmly.
• For some reason, relief flooded through me, but at the same time, anger and disgust.
• Men would always be men, I thought. It wasn’t entirely relatable, but Riele’s situation right now reminded me of my parents. Both women were forsaken by the men they loved.
• Kieran impregnated Riele; both of them did the act, and now he was refusing to take responsibility?
• My disgust and resolve never to love anyone became even stronger.
• “She’s lying.” A harsh whisper came from behind me.
• I gasped, jumping as the hair on my skin rose to attention. I hadn’t expected Ms. Ada to appear behind me, and before I could catch myself, I fell through the door into the foyer, where both Kieran and Riele stood.
• Kieran turned in my direction, and he and Riele gazed openly at me as I tried to straighten myself. Their eyes pierced through me, and I felt my skin prickle with embarrassment. I dropped my head to the floor, keeping it firmly at my feet.
• I started to apologize for intruding, but Riele cut me off.
• “Is this the reason we don’t have a chance…because of her?” She asked abhorrently.
• I raised my head, my eyes trailing from Riele to Kieran; they got stuck on him.
• For a while, I saw the same disgust I heard in Riele’s voice in his eyes. But it shifted into something else I couldn’t identify. Like a thought had clicked in his head. Our eyes magnetized, and I felt a slight fluttering in my stomach. It could be the hunger; it had to be.
• As if a magic wand had been pointed in his direction, Kieran walked up to me, took my left hand, and placed a solid kiss on it. My chest did a double flip until it landed on my feet. What was this?
• The pounding in my chest was louder than a drumbeat played in a concert. Because Kieran was so close, I was sure he could hear it.
• When he raised his head again, his eyes never left mine as he took a position beside me. Smiling warmly, he draped one hand over my shoulders, pulling me closer to his side. I stiffened, unable to react. What could I even do?
• “Yes, Riele. She is the reason you and I don’t stand a chance,” Kieran said, his hands tightening around me. “Riele, I want you to meet Andrea, my wife.”
• It wasn’t supposed to be as surprising, but he might as well have thrown me into an ice bath.