ESTELLE
It had only been a day since I came back from Paris. I tried utilizing my time and go shopping with Quinn, but my mind was on Linden all the time.
He left without waking me up, and I felt terrible. I knew I was being hard on him. I couldn’t allow him to go to God’s forsaken place because I was terrified for him, and I was selfish. He left thinking I was mad. The fact was, I wasn’t angry, I couldn’t, but I disapproved of his plan. It was too dangerous, but that was the man I married. Gabriel Linden never backed down and never gave up.
On the same day, I told Quinn I wanted to go home, and I hadn’t heard from my husband since then.
I was back home, in his house, but I felt abandoned. His side in the bed was empty the next day I woke up. The entire house wasn’t the same without him. I thought I lost half of myself. I was drowning with loneliness and regrets. I just wished I wasn’t so stubborn. I wished I had supported him because that was what every good wife should do.
“Hey, honey.” Mom came this morning the moment she knew I was back. “I can ask the chef to cook your favorite omelet.”
“He can’t replicate my husband’s omelet.” That was true. It didn’t taste the same. I didn’t know why Linden’s omelet tasted fantastic when they used the same ingredients.
“The weather is good. You might wanna get some vitamin D. It’s good for you and the baby.”
I closed my eyes. I wanted to be alone for a moment, but Mom was relentless. “I’m getting up. Just give me five minutes.”
When she left the room, I went to the bathroom to clean up. I came back and wished Linden was there grinning at me, sniffing me, or surprising me at the door, but it didn’t happen. He wasn’t here.
I sat on his side of the bed and took his pillow. I put it on my chest and squeezed it. It smelled like him, his minty shampoo that I liked.
I felt like everything was driving me insane if I wouldn’t put myself together. I didn’t realize I wasn’t prepared for this kind of life, being married to a man like Linden and being emotionally messed up with unstable hormones.
“Hey, mom.” I sat across the table full of breakfast in the backyard where we married just last week. It was a beautiful and one of the most memorable days of my life.
She poured tea into my cup and gave me a slice of frittata. “Try this one.”
“Thanks.” I took a small bite. Even if it tasted good, I had no appetite, but I forced myself to put something into my stomach.
The servant came with my vitamins.
“Thank you. Can you bring me my phone?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The next person who came was Quinn.
“Have you heard anything from the guys?” I was referring to Lynx and his team.
“Not yet.”
“So they’re not back?”
“You should eat your breakfast and take your vitamins.”
“They’re back yet from that God-forsaken awful place. Just say it, and don’t treat me like a kid, Quinn.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I want you to take care of yourself, and it’s just been two days.”
“Almost three. It shouldn’t have taken so long.” I poured a tablet from each bottle into my palm and took them with water.
Mom sighed. “You can’t be like this.”
I arched a brow. “Like what? Hopeless? I can’t help it. Now that Gabriel is not here, everyone stays away from me like I have a virus or something.”
“Maybe that’s a good thing. Let’s go check the room, choose colors—”
“I can’t do it right now. Not until I hear something from the guys.”
“Honey.” Mom held my hand, squeezing it. “It will help you divert your attention, kill time, and it’s a good therapy.”
The servant came with my phone. I dialed Moses.
“Estelle?” He picked up right away.
“I need to know the truth. Have you heard from Gabriel?”
“Nothing yet, honey. You will be the first to know if I have anything.”
“Why is he willing to risk his life for Jasper?”
“That’s not my story to tell.”
“Then who? It doesn’t make any sense. No one could stop him.” I grunted in annoyance.
“That’s the kind of man you married, Estelle, but he will be back. Just don’t stress yourself. It’s not good for the baby.”
“Everyone keeps saying that, but I couldn’t think of anything until I heard my husband is back with me.”
“Soon. Just have faith.”
“Maybe that’s what I don’t have lately.”
“Estelle—”
I sighed. “I’m sorry. I know you’re a busy man. I mean, you have a life, a multi-billion dollar company to run—”
“Gabe is my second son. I will do everything for him. You have my word.”
“Thank you.” I nodded and let go of a deep breath.
Mom and I were sitting on the lounge an hour later as I tried to choose from the color palette.
“This one.” Mom pointed at cadet blue. “Nice if you’re having a boy.”
“I want at least three colors in the room. Same if I am having a girl.”
“When are you going to find out?”
“My next appointment will be in two weeks.” I breathed deeply. “I’m scared, Mom.”
“You won’t be alone for the whole pregnancy, labor, and raising your kids. Your husband is a good man.”
I rested my head on her shoulder. “I sometimes pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I’m now married. In two months, I will be twenty-five pregnant. And in a few months, I will be having a baby.”
“You have a good life.”
“Imagine if I didn’t meet Gabriel.”
“Don’t go there. What’s important is what blessings you have right now.”
“While my husband is away, risking his life for someone else.”
“That’s who he is. Don’t change him. Just be his anchor. Be each other’s anchor. That’s what marriage is.”
“Hey.”
I lifted my gaze to see Jaymes at the door. “Hey, Pops.” I got up to go to him. “Sorry. I just like listening to your son calling you Pops.”
“You can always call me Pops. You’re my daughter now.” He hugged me tight. “How are you doing?”
“Jaymes, I’m glad you’re here,” Mom said.
“I don’t know my son’s plans, but he always finds his way home.” He sat on the sofa across from my mother. I was glad these two got along well.
“I’m just worried.”
“That’s what a good wife would feel like. And he never told me he was going somewhere until Moses called me earlier today.”
“Sounds just like him.” I chuckled.
“My heart was always beating fast when my son was on tour. Whenever I heard a doorbell, I prayed it wasn’t from his CO. I always felt like being hung by a thread. I was grateful and feel terrible he came back to me while the others didn’t make it.”
“I guess I know now what I signed up for, even if he’s not in service anymore. He just likes helping people. It’s part of him.” I shrugged in understanding.
He sighed as he looked at me before he spoke. “I made a promise to a young man three years ago. I was in a car accident.”
“Oh, my God.” My hands were on my chest. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”
“My liver was punctured, and I needed immediate liver transplant surgery. I wasn’t compatible with my son, and my daughter had poorer chances of being my donor, but a young man didn’t hesitate, volunteering himself.”
Goosebumps erupted on my skin. I felt like I already met that young man he was talking about.
“Gabe didn’t see Jasper just because he was a good friend or a company co-founder. I owed him my life. Jasper didn’t want everyone to know he was the donor because of this. He doesn’t want someone to owe him anything, but you know my son. He doesn’t give up on someone he cares about and—”
“His family.”