twenty three

She served Katie breakfast in bed and after she had been given her the shot, Katie drift straight to sleep.

Pearl walked to the kitchen with plates in her hands, apparently, Jacob and his father were doing the dishes happily as she dropped the plate and walked to the fridge. She poured out some juice for herself, sipped and smiled at the father and son bonding.

Just as they were rounding up, they heard a honk.

Jacob looked at him father and smiled, dropping the napkin on the kitchen table in the process. 'Dad, grandma is here.'

He nodded. Jacob ran from the kitchen to the door.

'I will finish up.' She told him.

William nod without a word and walked away; the sleep he managed for four hours didn't do him any good.

'Mom!' William said as he hugged his mother as she walked into the house.

'Where is Frank?' His mother asked. She had known Frank from long ago.

'He is not here. Mom, how are you?' He said ushering her in.

She nodded and hugged him again as she hugged Jacob too.

'My little grandson, I have a surprise for you.'

Jacob blinked looking excited at his grandma.

She brought the small bag she was holding in her hand. Jocab watched with keen interest as his grandma dipped her hand into the fancy bag and brought out the books she had promised him on his seventh birthday. Jacob smiled and hugged his grandma after collecting the book.

'Go up to the room, Jacob, let Grandma, feel at home.' William told his son.

Jacob nodded and started up the stairs.

William's mother took a seat and he sat close to her.

'How are you, honey?' She took his head in hers.

'Fine, mom just missed you a lot.' William pulled her closer with his hand on her shoulders.

She hugged him again and rested her head on his shoulders.  'Tell me, what have you been doing lately apart from saving Pearl?' She asked silently.

He looked away; he had told his mother everything; there was nothing he hid from her. 'Nothing, trying to get our passports together then we can leave, we can go back home.'

'What about Pearl? You said; she stays here.'

William looked away. He didn't know what Pearl wanted to do right now. all he knew was she was fine and safe. That was okay for her.

He think.

'Honey....'

The doorbell rang, just as William was about to stand up, Pearl walked inside front the kitchen.

'You must be Pearl.' His mother said when she saw her.

Pearl nodded her head with smiles over her face admiring the beautiful woman William claimed was his mother.

'You are a really young beautiful dashing lady.'

All those adjectives in one sentence! Really. She nodded, what could she say? 'I could say the same about you, if I may?'

'Of course you may.' William's mother smiled back.

'How are you?' William asked her.

'Fine.'

Then the doorbell rang again.

'I will get that.' She said and walked to the door.

'William....'

'Mom, please.' He told her because he knew she was about to say something about her beauty and manners. Fine, he knew she was cute and she had manners, so what?

Pearl pondered before she gut to the door. She had never imagined William's mom like this; didn't William say she was on drugs, she looked like someone who had never been on anything.....rehabilitation, Pearl changes people….okay.

She looked forward in knowing her, that was if William would let her.

She opened the door.

Her heart went to her mouth. She blinked before she continued.

'Grandma? What are you doing here?'

She looked at the woman; she had not seen for seven years now; she didn't seem to age. She looked closely behind her.

'Mom…..'

'Perry?' Her grandma called her.

'Grandma…..' She had invited them in, William dealt with the introductions and everyone seated Pearl served drinks and she stood close on her mom.

'Where is Katie?'

'She is resting, grandma.'

William's mom stood up; 'I will like to stay but I can't, I have to rest.'

'Mom, will you be alright?'

She nodded and headed up.

'Ma'am, why are you here, I didn't send you any invites.' William asked the madam Sarah when his mother had closed the door behind her.

'I do my research, finding this place was.....'

'Not easy, so I have experienced, please get to the point.' They heard William.

'William, please...' She knew her grandma was tough but he shouldn't be hard on her.

'There is no problem, Perry, he have every right.'

Pearl look at them. confused. But her grandma was still talking.

'Perry, I know I have been holding this grudge or you can call it whatever you like, but I'm sorry, I know I have no right, to tell you anything but.....'

Pearl blinked was this the same woman her mom had pleased on her behalf and she didn't listen? Was this Sarah Jackson? Tough nut to crack?

Pearl listened for a few seconds, she didn't even know when she was slowly moving to where her grandma sat.

Just hearing her attempt an apology was more than she could ask for.

Pearl bent down and her arms went around her grandma. 'I love you grandma.'

William watched her. she really sounded grateful, remorseful.

That didn't sound like a broken glass; it sounded genuine and from her heart.

'I am sorry, I didn't listen to you, I'm sorry I got married to Richard, if I had listened maybe I couldn't have made Katie suffer, I wouldn't have cause Richard's death, maybe I would have been happy living with you and mom.' She said regretfully.

Sarah Jackson removed the hair from her granddaughter's mouth and held her back. 'We parents cannot always make decisions for our children, one day, you make a decision although you will feel lost but we will always be here to guide you through it, we are to believe you children and that whatever thing you do will prosper.'

'Honey, God has a reason for everything, if you haven't gotten married and left him; you wouldn't have met someone who could do anything for you, someone who was ready to help you out, you wouldn't have made friends.' Her mother added from where she sat

'Mom, Grandma, I'm sorry, honestly, I really am.' Pearl sniffed. She was sad things turned out like this.

Mrs Sonia joined in the group hug. 'You are my princess and I love you regardless what you did; stupid or reasonable.'

She looked at them as she moved from them and wiped her tears; William was still there just watching.

'William.....' Grandma called.

William nodded. This was indeed the love a granddaughter needed guilty or not guilty.

'Mom…..' They turned when they heard Katie's voice.

When Katie saw her grandma and great grandma, she ran towards them forgetting she just woke up from an illness and hugged them.

'Great grandma, grandma, I missed you guys so much.' She said as she hugged them.

'My little, little princess.'

'Grandma.' She said as she hugged them again.

Katie stood up from their arms and looked towards William.

'Dad, can they have lunch, with us, please.' The two elder women looked at William.

He nodded.

Pearl looked at them; wasn't this the kind of family she had always wanted?

She sat up on her seat and Katie asked her again.

'Mom, why are you like that? We are almost there, aren't we?'

It had been three months since the family reunion; her mother and grandma had gone back to the ranch with a promise that she would always come and visit them and William's mother and his son had gone back to where they belong but where did she belong?

This morning when she woke up, she had bathed, brushed and dressed but with nowhere in mind to go and nothing to do and then she decided; they were going for a vacation; Katie packed her bags and they headed to the airport and boarded a plane, vacation to where; she closed her eyes and picked the familiar places; San Francisco; she could have called Gracie that she was on her way besides, besides Gracie who did she know, then she looked at the calendar and checked the date; it was William's birthday; although she hadn't known why or how she strike it down on her calendar she had just know; it say;

24

William's birthday

She now was heading to his ranch with no invite; what if he chased her away; the last time they spoke was when he had entered his car and waved to her and Katie and they never spoke, maybe she never should have been crazy about qhim.

When she had showed her daughter the date; Katie just smiled and said;

'I am sure, daddy would be expecting us, he knows we are coming, right?'

She managed a nod because with the love Katie had for both William and Jacob, she couldn't say no to her baby.

But when she gets there, what will she say, they had not met for three months; which seems like forever, she had not seen his face; she could only remember from the last time he looked at her and what will happen today then?

She told the cabman after they got the plane, to stop at the fair first so that; they could buy something…..I mean Katie could buy something for him because she didn't even know what to give him on his birthday.  The cab dropped them off at the gate with their bags and Pearl took three deep breaths; calm down, it would be like meeting him the first time, she was asking him for a job as a teacher, only it would be different because she have seen him before and face to face, direct contact.

Was it too late to change her mind, because they could always go to a hotel suddenly, Katie with her bag pack ran towards the opened gate.

'Katie…..'She cursed silently.

She ran after her with her bags, it was too late now.

Although the place was filled with people, she felt she was being fished out; she saw her daughter and held her by the hand.

'Mom, let me go and find dad and I will change.'

Katie didn't give her a chance to say no or okay, she just wrings out of her hands; she should really straighten that girl.

Pearl went inside changed actually, she kept her bags inside the house at least if it was time for her to run, she would silently look for Katie and run.

'Ma'am.'

'AHH!'

She looked at the lady in front of her, great! One of them recognised her.

'Hello, Anna.'

'Ma'am, are you alright?'

She nodded and straightened her hair.

'Aimer.' The maid said and walked away.

She wasn't the loquacious one, thank God, so what does she do now?

She shrugged.  Great! She was dressed for the party, she had to enjoy but lay low, in case she had to run, and she wouldn't hesitate.

Suddenly she stopped walking when she noticed Elizabeth a few meters away from her. What was she doing here? Were she and William now together, what is she doing here, trying to win her over?

Wake up; Pearl is it a crime if she attends his birthday party besides she is his neighbour and his friend or they were once friends, is it that if a relationship ends they can't be friends? Wake up Pearl.

Great, she turned and walked towards the garden; where was Katie, she should have told her to stay close, at least they didn't know everybody here; she gasped when she noticed; William's mother; if she sees her, she will like to chat and she didn't have anything to talk about, she would pretend to not see anyone and no one will see her, she will attend the party and go back just the way, she came with Katie. Suddenly His mother turned, she quickly bend down; she couldn't not be seen, she was not invited, she had no shame, she bent down and tried to walk through the crowd then suddenly she bumped into legs in heels; blacks heels.

She looked up.

'Clarissa.'

The lady smiled at her and helped her up; 'What are you looking for, ma'am?'

'Katie's earrings, it fell so I was looking for it.'

'I could help you look for it; you might ruin your dress.'

Pearl shook her head.

'No, no, actually, I think I left it somewhere, I will go and look for it by the way, do you where Katie is?'

'At the green house with Jacob.'

Pearl smiled and nodded. 'Don't worry; I will look for the earrings.' She said and walked away. At least they didn't know anything about anything, she should stop hiding now, she would look for Katie, drop the gift she wanted to give him and book into a hotel; she wasn't sure she could face them; she walked towards the green house.

From where she stood, she could see Katie and Jacob; if Jacob see her, he might tell his dad, so she could signal Katie from here when it's time, from where she stood a hand touched her, she turned her heart went to her mouth.

'No, no….' Then she ran. William of all people, she had been hiding from him.

She turned back only to see him running after her with a confused expression on his face.

When she was tired she relaxed and sat down by a tree side; she looked back, he wasn't following her. 'Thank God.'

'Hello, Pearl.' His voice came from the other side.

'AHHHHHHHHHH!' She screamed and he covered her mouth with his hand.

'Shush...it is enough. Calm down.' He told her.

Pearl blinked, blinked, took a deep breath and then he let go; she tried to ease her heartbeat.

'What are you doing?' She asked him.

'What were you doing?' He asked her.

  She was taken back; fine she had been hiding;

'Why did you scare me like that?' She asked him.

'Why were you scared?'

Should she tell him, she was not invited, she was afraid she had hurt him, she was afraid he couldn't accept her, she was scared he'd forget about her and Katie and she was scared, he wouldn't love her. Should she say it?

'I wasn't invited.'

'Do you have to be invited before you are accepted in a party?'

She shrugged.

'Madam Sarah must been a good disciplinary, why didn't she let you?' He said sarcastically.

'Grandma does not tell me those things, I am not sixteen.'

He scoffs. 'Act like an adult.' Then he stretched his hand and raised her up.

She straightened her clothes and looked at him.

'Tell me the real truth, Pearl, why are you here, I am not sure you came here for my birthday.'

'For Katie to see Jacob, she missed him a lot.'

'Really?'

Pearl managed a nod.

'What about you, why are you here? You could have called and told Molly to come pick up Katie beside you trusts us now, don't you?'

She sighs. Yes she trusts them but...

He turned away from her. 'Pearl, go back to Chicago, Katie will be fine.'

'William...'

'One more thing....' He said and turned back to her. 'You didn't need an invitation to come here.'

She watched him walk away from him; what was the truth, the real truth?

She missed, him, she needed him, she needed him for Katie, she need him to be by her side, she needed his love for her, for her daughter, for her to move on, she needed someone to make bets with, she loved him and she needed him to love her back. Yes, she loved him; why did it take her long to decide, to accept and recognise it.

'William?' She called as she wished he would wait, that he would forgive her.

He waited as she moved closer to him.

'Quoi?'

She took deep breath when her feet stopped in front of him;

Then she started. 'I am human, I make mistakes, I lied, yes, I lied and I have feelings, I am not perfect, I cannot always do everything right, I have needs too but Katie's is more important. I heard something that the person who asks for forgiveness does not make him small but the person that forgives is the one with a big heart and you have a big heart.'

She took a deep breath as she moved close to him trying not to say the wrong thing. 'I just want to say that I want to keep that promise I made to you; I can be your maid, your son's teacher anything you want but don't shut me out of your life, William, please, I can teach Jacob anything, I can learn how to ride horses, I can learn how to help give birth to animals, I can help in their delivery....'

That brought smile to his face.

'Please, accept me back. Although I am not used to begging, I am asking you. we need each other, Katie needs you, she already calls you dad, William please forgive me, I promise...'

He smiled at her as he placed his hand on her cheek.

She stopped as she closed her eyes for a few minutes remember the feel of his hand on her cheeks.

But his voice broke the connection.

She opened her eyes and looked at him.

'Don't make any promises you can't fulfil, yes, we are human beings, we make mistakes, I have made mistake, I am not perfect, I lied to myself even when the world knew me, I didn't know myself, I didn't want to recognise it.'

'William...' Maybe she wasn't explaining her self enough. She meant she not him.

'I'm sorry, Pearl, I just wanted.....' But William was still talking.

Like water on a flower, like pillow under one's head and like kisses that heal wounds, so did her lips meet him like a wet soft whisper, she kissed him and he held her; it felt so right then and there; this was what he had been waiting for all those times, they were alone, he had been waiting just this one touch that felt like a soft kiss from God himself; it was filled with Kindness, happiness and contentment and it was all they needed.

William looked at her up she stopped the kiss.

'Have I been dreaming?' She asked still with her eyes closed.

'Open your eyes and tell me.' He said with a. smile.

She drifted them open and smiled at him, she smiled back.

'Should we make a bet?' He asked her the same time, he wrapped his hands round her waist.

With a happy face, she looked at him and nodded.

'N'importe quoi.'

'Give me the best birthday present by marrying me.' He told her what he wanted.

'I do.' She said without thinking.

Then paused and said it again, believable this time.

'Yes, I will marry you.'

He laughed and looked at her face and captivating eyes.

She moved closer and wrapped her hands around him; this was the kind of love he had always wanted; this kind. He kissed her.

'Will you ever leave?' He asked her.

He didn't know what would happen if she did but she didn't want him to.

She smiled with a 100 degree of certainty.

'Non.'

He smiled at her before he pulled her closer in his arms.

There was nothing much better than this.