Bang!
The tension was awkward, mildly speaking. Zandra made sure not to make eye-contact, fearing that this would make her seem weak and vulnerable.
Chel on the other hand couldn't seem to look anywhere else than on Zandra, even if she tried to.
''How long have you been here?'' She asked. Zandra didn't answer. She stood up and straightened her uniform jacket out before quickly brushing her fingers over her cheeks again.
But Chel didn't need an answer, because soon she realised by herself.
''You were here the whole time.'' She whispered as she choked slightly. First now, Zandra carefully started to glance over at Chel, shrugging her shoulders slightly.
''You heard Jack and me.'' Chel added and she started to feel somehow guilty.
After her visit at the mansion, Breanna went back home to take Hope out for a walk. Fiona was still asleep when she had left and she thought that is was best for her to sleep.
And even if she loved to have her there, Breanna really enjoyed the lonely walk with only Hope as company. And for the first time in weeks, Breanna was utterly blissfully happy.
Fiona moved in and the two of them had really grown close. They had only known each other for about a week, but she already considered Fiona to be her best friend.
Then there was Hope. Even if she probably saved his life, he saved her as well. He gave her a reason to stay sober and be the best friend and owner that he deserved.
And finally, there was Jack. She had spent the last couple of weeks wanting to hate him, even if she couldn't. But now when Kimberly had explained the situation, they could finally start fresh.
When they finally got back home, Fiona sat by the table with a cup of coffee and a laptop. The second he was released from his leash, Hope ran over to her.
''Hi honey-bunny!'' Fiona exclaimed and leaned down and put Hope into her lap. Breanna smiled and sat down opposite her.
''What are you doing?'' She asked. Fiona grunted and closed the lid of the laptop.
''I was looking around for a job, even part time.'' She said and leaned back into her chair and stroke Hope softly.
''But you need all these kind of qualifications or fancy educations.'' She added and let out a deep sigh.
''What about going back to studying?'' Breanna asked as she stood up and poured up a cup of coffee for herself.
''I don't know.'' Fiona sighed again.
''I wouldn't know what I would study anyway.'' She added before taking a sip from her cup. Breanna came back and sat down again.
''I'm sure you will think of something.'' She said and gave her friend a warm smile.
Chel closed the door behind her and the two of them stood there quietly for a few seconds.
''I should have let you know that I was in here. I was just that you and Jack were...'' Zandra said finally. Chel shook her head.
''No, I understand.'' She replied her and played with her fingers nervously.
''I haven't really seen you around lately.'' Chel added. Zandra folded her arms over her chest and looked outside the window.
''I've been avoiding the office.'' She replied her.
''Really?'' Chel asked quietly, making Zandra look back at her.
''Can you blame me?'' She asked and frowned her eyebrows slightly.
''I would do the same.'' Chel said finally. There went a few seconds when either one of them said anything, perhaps they didn't know what to even say. But for some reason Chel said;
''Paris told me about you... that you couldn't have...'' She said and tried to find the right words to say. Zandra's face tensed up and her honey-coloured eyes started to glow in anger.
''Well that wasn't for him to tell.'' She hissed angrily.
An hour or several hours later, he didn't really know, Tulio woke up. They must have fallen asleep. With a grunt he reached over to Amazonia's An hour or several hours later, he didn't really know, Tulio woke up. They must have fallen asleep. With a grunt he reached over to Amazonia's side of the bed, only to find it empty.
He wasn't sure if it was paranoia or the fact that Amazonia actually tried to run away before, but the panic kicked in. Another escape attempt was the only thing that Tulio could think off.
He literally flew out of bed and rushed out of the room. Every door he passed was not left unchecked but Amazonia was nowhere to be found, not even the courtyard.
Eventually he entered the kitchen and he doubted that he never had been so relieved to see anyone. Because there he found her.
Amazonia sat down by the island counter, with her large blue eyes locked on him in a surprised expression, clasping a cup of tea.
''What are you doing?'' She asked and took a sip. Tulio had to catch his breath and before he could even answer, he was stunned again. But in a good way.
She was eating! In front of her stood a plate with half a sandwich with one bit missing. Sure it was little, but just the fact that she was eating something was for him a huge deal.
A smile formed onto his lips and he almost got tears in his eyes. Even if she hadn't meant to, Amazonia had not only starved herself but their unborn child as well for the last couple of days. And Amazonia was not big in the first place.
''You're eating.'' He whispered and let out a huge sigh of relief. Amazonia gave him a weak smile.
''I'm sorry. I know I haven't been the easiest to deal with lately.'' She whispered and put the cup down onto the counter. She looked down in shame. Tulio shook his head and walked over to her.
''Well you have been going through a tough time.'' He said and wrapped both of his arms around her shoulders and planted a kiss onto her head. Amazonia looked up at him.
''I've been starving my own baby.'' She replied him with a hint of anger and despise in her tone, not directed to him but herself.
''There is no justifying that.'' She added. Tulio sighed and pulled away slightly to look at her.
''We have to look forward now, there is no point looking back.'' He said. Amazonia looked up at him for a few seconds before looking back at her plate. It took a short moment but she eventually picked up the sandwich and took another bite. Tulio smiled slightly and stroke her back softly.
''If you want us to go away for awhile, we can. Whatever you want, we'll do it.'' He said. But Amazonia shook her head and looked back at him.
''I just want everything to go back to the way it was.'' She replied him. Tulio nodded his head and he knew that it might take some time, but he was going to do everything he could for it to happen.
''I love you.'' He smiled and laid one hand onto the back of her neck and the other one he stroke the bump the contain his unborn child.
''Both of you.'' He added. For the first time in days, Amazonia smiled as well.
''And we love you.'' She replied before the pair shared a long kiss.
Zandra stood leaning over the desk, flickering through a large file folder. Chel stood behind her, playing nervously with her car keys.
''You'll be okay?'' She asked eventually.
''Yeah I'm just picking up a couple of things than I'll be on my way.'' Zandra replied without even bothering to look back at her. But Chel doubted that it her being rude, but ashamed.
''That's not what I meant.'' Chel added quietly. Zandra closed the file folder and sighed before turning around to face her.
''I know that Paris made the right decision, because I know that your baby comes first.'' Zandra said. Chel frowned her eyebrows slightly.
''Our marriage is more than a baby.'' She spat angrily.
''I know Chel.'' Zandra sighed and threw her long auburn pony-tail behind her shoulder and walked back over to the couch and sat down.
''Paris... Paris couldn't have committed to you unless he loved you, so I know that he does.'' She added quietly, again without looking her as she said it. A few seconds past and Zandra turned around to face her once more.
''Congratulations.'' She smiled slightly.
''I want what's best for you guys.'' Zandra added and looked down into the floor. Chel had no doubt that she actually meant it.
''Chel, I pissed off. Not at you or Paris, maybe not even Jack.'' Zandra said and grunted slightly. Another few seconds past and Chel could see Zandra tense up.
''You grow up taking for granted that you can have something that you're not even sure you want.'' Zandra added and looked up straight forward. Chel stood like a statue, not knowing what she would do or say.
''Then when the doctor tell you that you never will, you have no idea how much you suddenly want it.'' Zandra said and chocked slightly. Chel was convinced that she tried her absolute hardest not to break out in tears, because she knew that she herself had a hard time trying to prevent herself.
Here she was, pregnant. And no matter how happy she was for this baby, it wasn't planned. She didn't even have to try to get pregnant. And here was this young completely healthy woman knowing that how much she even tried, she would never get pregnant. And Chel could help but feel guilty and sympathise with Zandra.
''But I'm not going to be held captive of my negativity. I'm not going to be this person forever, it's just going to take some time.'' Zandra added and looked back up at Chel.
''I'm not going to run from you every time that I see you, because we are about to run into each other eventually.'' She added and brushed her finger right below her eyes, brushing away a tear that had managed to escape.
''Who knows? One day I might even be happy for you.'' Zandra shrugged her shoulders and forced a smile. But a genuine one.
''I really do want only the best for you, Paris and your child.'' Now Chel couldn't keep it in anymore. Tears started to run down her cheeks and she slowly walked over to sit right next to Zandra.
And before she even knew it, she wrapped her arms around Zandra's shoulders and leaned her head onto her right shoulder. Zandra let out a heavy sigh and Chel knew that she had put her in uncomfortable situation, but she didn't care.
Eventually Zandra patted Chel's arm as to say that enough, you can let me go now. And she did. Chel pulled away and the two of them exchanged looks for a second before Zandra had to look away. She wouldn't show it, but Chel knew that she was crying.
Chel brushed away some hair from Zandra's face and she looked back at her again. Chel smiled slightly and gave Zandra a light pat on the back before standing up and left the room. And it wasn't until now that Zandra allowed herself to completely break out in tears again.
Chel had dropped Teddy off at the palace for the night and she had also meet up with Amazonia.
But know she couldn't wait to get back home to Paris. However if she should tell him about her little run in with Zandra earlier or not, she didn't now.
Just when she entered the garage on the way back to her car, Chel's cell-phone buzzed. TRAFFIC BLOCKAGE! ESTIMATED TIME; 4H 52 MIN. Great! Now she couldn't get back home to the mansion.
Chel was about to go back inside and track Amazonia down when something in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She stopped and turned her head. Her violet eyes landed onto Riven's leva-bike. She could see her own reflection into the shiny red lacquer.
She looked back down onto the screen of her cell-phone and the estimated time had changed to 5 hours and 13 minutes. She grunted angrily and looked back at the leva-bike, realizing that the key sat into the ignition lock.
With this she would be home in less than twenty minutes. Between the palace and mansion was a road that was too small for a car, but she could easily drive the leva-bike there. It wasn't the first time she had borrowed it. And her car could she easily come and pick up when she would pick up Teddy tomorrow.
For another few seconds she debated with herself if she should wait or not, but eventually she walked over to the lockers and opened hers. Inside she found her boots, jacket, gloves and helmet she wore when Riven would take her out to practice drive.
She quickly put on the boots and put her other once into the locker. The jacket was defiantly smaller than it used to, but there was explainable reasons for that. She smiled widely and stroke her small baby bump before taking her helmet and closed the locker.
She walked over to the bike and threw one leg over it, sitting down comfortable into the seat. She pulled on the black leather gloves, put on her helmet and closed the visor before her eyes.
There was a loud echo into the garage when she turned the key around and the engine went on. The door opened by itself and she carefully drove outside and down the road leading outside the palace.
Riven and Musa left earlier that day to visit Ruby for a couple of days and they took Melody with them.
Ruby's cancer had started to get somewhat worse and all of them wanted to spend as much time as possible with her before it was too late. If it hadn't been such a long journey, he would have taken Amazonia there now before it was too late for her to fly safely.
Tulio could finally take a breath. The last couple of hours had been meeting, calls, meeting, paperwork and another meeting. And he was totally exhausted.
However, that was all forgotten when his eyes landed on the most beautiful thing he could ever imagine.
Amazonia walked around the corner. The sun-light escaping through the giant windows and landed onto her giving her an angelic glow even made him not realising the distressed expression onto her face.
''Hey.'' He said as his face lit up just by the mere sight of her and wrapped him arms around her waist and kissed her.
First when they broke apart he could see that something was clearly bothering her.
''What's wrong?'' He asked concerned. Amazonia sighed and brought a hand to the back of her neck.
''I'm not sure if it's anything to worry about, but I just saw Chel leaving on Riven's leva-bike.'' She replied him. Tulio's concerned exchanged into a horrified expression.
''What?! It's broken.'' He replied her. Now it was Amazonia's turn to get horrified.
''It's what?'' She gasped.
''It's something with the breaks, there is some kind of glitch. The mechanic was suppose to come and pick it up tomorrow.'' Tulio replied and brought his hands up to his head and thought for a second.
''I need to go after her, call Paris.'' He said before setting off down the corridor.
The wind blew through Chel's long red hair as she was on her way back home to the mansion. She knew this road well because Riven used to take her out here to practice drive. It was the perfect road because it was literally no traffic there.
And just like her older brother, Chel had grown to love driving the leva-bike. The feeling of freedom completely consumed her.
She was almost half-way home when she came closer to the bend further down the road, she knew what she needed to decelerate the speed. But when she did, it wouldn't slow down.
Everything went so fast and before she knew it, the leva-bike had slide of the road and thrown her off it. Then everything went black.
Hi everybody and here is the next chapter. Took a little while longer then I wanted it to but there has been another hospital visit on my part, this time for something completely else. Hehe, but now I'm absolutely fine and hope that I'll stay like that :)
I'm really speech less really, I don't even know what to say about this chapter except that Amazonia getting better is great! What do you think?
Next time; Chel is brought to the hospital, Jack and Zandra share a surprisingly good moment.