Chapter 78: Aunt Bridget

Simon woke up feeling extremely tired. He came back the previous night hoping to have a peaceful night rest which ended up being impossible. He had kept wondering what Paige was doing, If she was okay. The previous night was nothing peaceful for him and this was not a surprise to him cause he expected it. He knew there was no way he was going to sleep peacefully knowing that Paige was spending the night with another family.

He was woken up from his not so deep sleep by the sudden beep of his phone which caused him to jerk up immediately. Picking up his phone, he saw an incoming video call from his Aunt Bridget. Quickly, he picked up the call worried that something might have happened to her. "Aunt Bridget," he called sitting up on the bed with his back resting on the bed frame "is there a problem. Is everything okay?" He asked.

"Did I wake you up?" Bridget asked taking in the facial expression of her nephew as well as his surrounding.

"Not really ma. I was awake before the call." He lied as he didn't want her to hang up and propose calling back some other time. "Are you okay?" He asked still worried.

"I'm fine." She replied. "Are you?"

"Of course!" Simon said rubbing his eyes. "I'm very fine." He knew his Aunt would never call him so early in the morning for nothing. There must be something she wanted to tell him. So he waited staring at her with uneasy smile.

"I've missed you." Bridget finally said after few seconds of silence. "You haven't checked up on me since ages. When was the last time you called me, a week ago?" She knowingly asked. The Simon she knew would definitely tell her how long it's been. Simon have always been truthful and hardly afraid of anyone.

"It's been almost two weeks Aunt B, but that was because I knew you were fine. Moreso, it's not even such a long time." He told her.

"You think so? Is that what you think Simon?" She asked with a raised voice. You haven't checked up on me for a whole month and that's all you have to say to me?"

"Aunt B, it's not even up to two weeks. You're saying it's a month and it's not." He replied cutting her short.

"You will let me talk Simon-Micheal Kentley." She said aloud.

"You're calling my full name now?" He asked smiling suddenly. He knew how dramatic Bridget can be and he knew not to keep replying her if he didn't have time for her talks.

"Why won't I? Do you think it's so easy running your Bakery over here?" She asked. "I need you to check up on me Son. I need to know that you are okay. You are all that I have." She said tearfully. "Or is there someone that have your whole attention now that could make you forgot all about me and your business. You think I'm going to be here forever right. Have you checked on the bakery lately?" She asked Simon.

Simon had a flashback to when he started the Bakery at England. He was just fresh out of school and had so much money saved up from the extra cash he was getting from Emily, Bridget and even his father. Although he was not in talking terms with the him, he never faulted in playing his financial role in Simon's life. The bakery grew gradually. Bridget who loved baking took it upon herself to manage the Bakery. They started with baking of bread and snacks to baking of cakes that are cut into tiny slices, packaged and sold to their customers. Soon after the introduction of cakes, they got their first order for an event and subsequently, people started requesting that they baked for them during birthdays, weddings and other events. With the help of his Bridget, the Bakery expanded even more. 

Back then, he established the business as a way of providing employment to some of the people that needed help around them and also to stop his Aunt from stressing herself at her workplace. He hated her then Boss, in fact, he hated that she was working for someone. Simon have accomplished a lot in life right from a very young age. When it was time for him to return back to Yardstin, he handed the business to Bridget to be overseeing it while he went ahead to acquire more businesses like his ranch at Galvile. 

"Simon!" Bridget called bringing him back to reality.

"I felt I shouldn't disturb myself about the Bakery when you're over there Aunty B. I'm so sorry. You know I care about you a lot and I do not mean to upset you. I'm sorry if you feel offended. It's just that I've had a lot on my mind lately." He confessed.

"I thought as much." Bridget said. "You don't look too well, are you sick, what is wrong with you?" She asked him concerned.

Simon sighed. Looking at his Aunt through the phone, he could see the worry lines all over her face. She was already worried about him and this was something he didn't want. She's been worried about him almost all her life and now, he felt he was old enough to handle his shit and not involve her. But, he was hurting inside and he really felt like talking to someone especially this morning. "Nothing is wrong Aunt B." He finally replied. "Just a little sleepless night." He answered truthfully.

Bridget heaved a deep sigh staring directly at her nephew. "So, it's true then." She blurted out.

"What is true?" He asked confused.

"Lawyer called me. She said you might be in need of someone to talk to. Seems she's tried her luck and it didn't work or she's busy practicing Law." Said Bridget. "What happened to you son?"

On hearing her speak, Simon smiled wildly. He always find it funny each time she refer to Anna as Lawyer. "Aunt B, her name is Anna or you can just refer to her as my sister that she is." He told her with the cutest smile.

"Her name is actually none of my business. I'll call her whatever I want to call her. What is wrong with you honey?" She asked him worried to her bones.

"She didn't tell you?" He teased her knowing how pissed off she could get when he tease her. "I actually expected her to finish the story."

Bridget gave him a cold glare without a word. "I'm waiting Simon." She finally said coldly.

"There is nothing wrong. I had a very busy day yesterday, I was stressed out."

"You must have been so exhausted then. I wonder why you still couldn't sleep at night after such exhaustion." She said to him. "Does it make sense to you. Please Simon, I'm begging you. I'd kneel down for you if you want me to. Please tell me, what is wrong with you?" She asked again. Age waited for an answer but got none. When it was obvious that he was going to be silent on her, she snapped at him immediately. "Lawyer said you may have fallen in love. And please, do not blame her. I almost choked it out of her mouth." She said. "Is she the reason you ain't sleeping at night?"

Simon smiled dryly twitching his lips to the side reluctantly. "I don't know really, I don't know if it's okay for a girl to make me feel this way." He said in a tired and very subtle voice. "I mean life shouldn't be this complicated. There are lots of girls out there, I shouldn't allow myself to get stuck to one right?" He asked seriously hoping for an answer.

Bridget smiled at his question. "You know no matter how archaic you think this sound, your mother and I believe that there's always just one life partner for everyone and when you come across them, you'll never remain the same again. Neither will you be able to have the power to control your feelings. But you need to remember that love is a beautiful and you also need to remember that it's okay to be in love and not loved right back. All you have to do is to let them know how you feel, prove it to them abd give them space to decide by themselves if you are what they want." She told him smiling. "How do you feel?" She asked him.

"Seriously Aunt B, I don't think there's one word that can describe how I feel right now. I feel tired, bitter, betrayed, led on, heartbroken, angry, I could go on and on." He said as his voice faltered. "And it's so wrong to feel this way. 

"Simon," Bridget called him to distract him from his feelings.

"Yes." He answered.

"There is nothing wrong with the way you feel my love, especially for someone you have feelings for. It is actually normal. There is nothing wrong nor abnormal about it." She told him.