Chapter 26

Dear Diary,

Gabe asked me to maintain a journal, saying how he imagines our children or grandchildren read it someday. A way to get to know me and him and everything we were. So here I am sitting on a bench in the lawn of the Monero mansion.

It is going to be our first wedding anniversary tomorrow and Gabe seems excited for it. Something tells me he has a big surprise planned for me. Little does he know I have a little one for him too.

I think I am pregnant. Actually, I know I am pregnant. I am going to visit our local doctor soon and find out before I tell Gabriel the news.

You are the only one that knows this diary, I am too nervous to tell anyone else.

Alright, I have to go.

Love,

P.

"Andrianna?" Marshal called out from the other side of the door.

"Yes?"

Marshal entered the door, he was still dressed in the wrinkled white shirt and dress pants he had worn to the office today. The knot of his tie was undone and now the two ends rested on his chest. He looked exhausted. He looked broken.

Andrianna walked up to him and wrapped her hands around his waist, resting her cheek on his stomach, taking in the familiar scent of vanilla.

"I… I am going to spend the night at a friends place. She needs me… but umm.. I want to make sure you will be okay.. without me."

"I am sure I will be. Besides I got Pearls journals to keep me company. Sounds like a new project now… who is she?"

"Me."

"What?"

"Well, she is technically my great grandmother. I had a dream about her. It was not so much a dream but more a memory from a different life. I think even though our bodies live only once, our soul gets to live different stories. Different versions of ourselves. And I believe I was her at some point."

"What makes you say that?"

"How else would I dream about things I don't know about but are all facts?"

"I don't think something like that actually exists my child."

"Many would say the same about the woman in black. But, we both know otherwise."

"For a seven year old youre pretty smart."

"I know."

"So did you make any friends today? I know it was a huge change from your previous school and the episode did not help your case but still I don't want to think of you sitting all alone with no one to talk to."

"Actually I did make two new friends, Galescia and Aaron. They seemed like nice people. The teacher seemed mean if you ask me, she looked awefully like the mother of demons, eve I think that's what you call that creature, and we are their little demon army in training."

Marshal laughed at Andrianna's description.

"You would make a bad demon…"

"I think I would be good actually."

"Yeah right. Anyways, I am glad you made new friends. I will see you tomorrow after school?"

"Will do."

Andrianna reopened the journal and began to read.

Dear diary,

Gabriel gave me the most beautiful present. It's a house in Sussex. It's an hours drive from the city but I can promise you its worth it.

Even the road leading to the house is beautiful. The roads were a little worn out and undermaintained but the greenery that surrounded the road on the either side added to the wildness.

It was like watching a landscape painting, and I bet many a painters stood at the foot of these very roads with their easel and paints, brushing away at the image of perfection.

As if it wasn't beautiful enough, when we took the curve that would in a few minutes lead our home, the trees bowed down in adoration. Letting me see the magnificent tops of La Perla, just peaking at me with the shyness of a newly wedded bride.

It was such picturesque scene that I asked Gabe to stop the car for one moment and to get down and simply stand there with me.

We watched the mansion from afar, for what seemed like the entire day before we continued to drive to it. Were I not pregnant I would have chanced a walk along the road.

I still hadn't told Gabriel about it, I wanted to wait till night, when the clock struck twelve announcing our anniversary. I think it will be romantic.

I think we reached our gate. I will tell you what it was like later.

Love,

P.