The Baby Contract – Episode 13

Like other years,Pearl sixth birthday is going to be a glamorous one thanks to Deville, he’s doing everything humanly possible to make sure of that.The celebration would be in the Salvador’s Mansion and of course the mansion was heavily decorated,it was a Disney Princess’s themed party and everything in the mansion represented one princess or another,fairy god mothers were hung in the ceiling and the stage was a somewhat fake Kingdom with paper guard and a prince waiting for his princess,who Deville guessed was his only daughter. The day began with Pearl waking up to the traditional birthday morning song that wakes her up from her sleep by her dad and grandma,

????Happy Birthday to you????

????Happy Birthday to you????

????Happy Birthday to my Sunshine????

????Happy Birthday to you.????

She woke up smiling then she sat up on the bed,Deville and his mom sat by her both sides,he was holding a cake with six candles lit on it,while his mom was holding a wrapped parcel in her arms,

????How old are you now????

“Six!” She shrieked with laughter,

????How old are you now????

“Six!” She said again,

“Dad,cut out the singing,let me make a wish.” She was overjoyed,he nodded and motioned her to go on,she closed her eyes and made her wish.The same thing she has been wishing for,for over four years now and today she feels positive about her wish,

“I hope it comes true.” She said in a whisper that no one except herself hears it,she opened her eyes and blew the candles on the cake,fed her dad and her grandma and they fed her too.

“Happy birthday Sunshine.” Her dad kissed her and stood up from the bed,

“Marisa!” He called,Pearl frowned,

“Dad don’t call her up here.” She said,he was surprised at her request, she had always asked for Marisa for help,why today?

Honey,why don’t you want her to come up here?”He asked,

“Did she hurt you?” He asked,she shook her head and chuckled,this got him more confused but relief that no one has hurt his Sunshine,

“Dad,I’m grown up and won’t need the help of Marisa to freshen up or dress up.” She said giving him her cutest but mischievous smile,he found that absurd,

“Honey,you…” His mom cut him short,

“Allow her,she’s grown up,” she turned to her granddaughter,

“You sure you’ll do okay?” The girl nodded giving her grandma a heartfelt smile,she pecked her forehead,

“Make sure to come downstairs for breakfast soon.” Deville said not fully convinced leaving his six year old Sunshine alone to freshen up but just did as he was told,the little GI ran to the bathroom to shower as they closed the door behind them.

Breakfast was as noisy as other breakfast on other birthday,Pearl chattered like a bird,she talked continuous on what gift she would get and what her dad surprise gift would be,

“A car?” She said and he smiled,

“I’m not getting you a car until you’re seventeen,” he said,

“So what’s the gift?” She asked him,

“You’ll find out later today.” That was the least he said and turned to his breakfast of egg omelettes and coffee,

“Pearl stop!” He caught her right in track, she was trying to sneak more sugar into her cereal,she frowned at being caught,

“Dad,its just extra sugar cubes,it won’t hurt me for just today.” She said giving him a puppy face,

“Dev,allow her,a sweetened cereal won’t kill her and remember, its her birthday today.” His mom said to him,he looked at the them and gave a surprised face,

“The both of you are against me and I don’t stand a chance,so I surrender.” Pearl clapped her hands and added the sugar to her bowl of cereal,

“Thanks dad.” She smiled at him,he shook his head,

“You both have casted a spell on me,I tend to lost my will power with you too,”

“And mommy too.” Pearl said,he nodded at her statement,the table was quite for awhile then Mrs Phina broke the silence,

“Are we eating or we’re going to the mourning house?” She asked,Pearl smiled and Deville grinned,

“You’re the best,mom.” He placed his hands on hers and looked at her,

“What about me?” Pearl asked,everyone

laughed,

“And you too,Sunshine.” They said in unison.

After breakfast,they went to get a better view of the decoration in the living room,

“Wow daddy,this is awesome and pretty and…..” She was excited,

“And perfect just like you.” Deville said,she ran and gave him a big hug,

“You deserve the best.” He said and his mom nodded in affirmation,

“Dad,I’ll be upstairs in my room,gat to have my beauty rest.” Once again she stunned him by her utterance,

“I don’t need to ask where you learnt that from,” No one would teach her all this girlish stuff if not his mom,she’s a beauty fanatic.Pearl glance at his mom gave him assurance that’s she’s the culprit behind the new found beauty life his daughter is about to possess.

“Okay,have a nice beauty sleep.” She rushed upstairs leaving both of them in the living room.

Anne woke up to her ringing phone,she lazily checked the caller,it was Charles,she dragged the call icon to receive the call,

“Anne,are you still sleeping?” He asked,she stood up from the bed,

“Nope,I’m in the kitchen,why do you ask?” She lied,he laughter could be heard from the other side of the phone,he doesn’t believe her the slightest.

“I’ve been calling you for ages but never mind,when should I come pick you up?” He asked,she was carried away,

“For what?” She asked

“Anne!” He was slightly offended,

“For the birthday party.” He reminded and she sighed,Charles has invited to the client’s daughter’s birthday which was today… Today, oh no,today’s Amanda’s birthday,how come I forgot about the one day I haven’t forgotten for years now,she cautioned herself.

“Charles,sorry I forgot,got a lot on my mind but you can come by twelve pm,” she checked the alarm clock by her side,it shows nine-thirty-two am,she shrugged,

“Okay,I’m coming by twelve then.” He blew her kisses from the phone and hung up.

“Charles’s coming here in the next two and half hour,I need to be ready before he gets here.” She said as she rushed to the bathroom to freshen up.

After her shower,she clad herself with a summer thigh length jumpsuit and came outside, just to see Ace in the living room,

“Ace,where’s your mama?” She kissed the little boy,

“Aunt Anne,good morning.” He greeted not turning to her but gave his attention to the cartoon he was watching,

“She’s in her room.” Anne went in and made herself a cup of coffee,draining almost half of it before she went to Cheryl’s room,

“Wakey wakey!” She kept the mug of coffee on the table and jumped on the bed,this gave Cheryl a fright,

“Anne!” She was shocked and was about spanking Ace thinking he’s the one but surprisingly saw Anne giggling like an impish kid,

“Anne,you almost killed me.” She cried,Anne wrapped her arms around Cheryl’s waist,

“I’m going out with Charles today.” Her face gave away every happiness it has,

“And was that why you decided to kill me before you go?” Cheryl asked jokingly,

“I still have to take care of,so don’t kill me now.” She stood up and went to the bathroom to wash her teeth and her face,

“Speaking of Ace,he’s going I’ve a birthday party wouldn’t he?” She asked Cheryl who nodded like a lizard,

“Maybe we can all go together,Ace would love it there,partying with kids his age not being stuck with two adult woman whose plans are unpredictable.” Cheryl smiled,

“That’s a good one,when is he coming to pick you?” She asked Anne,who now has her cup oof coffee in her arms,

“Twelve noon.” Anne replied,

“Okay,let’s go get prepared.” Cheryl said,Anne got an odd stirring,

This is the first time in six years,she had forgotten about her gloominess on Amanda’s birthday, she and Cheryl just forgot about Amanda’s birthday and the sadness it brings to her,all none was found,not a trace of it.

Its no use bringing it up and spoiling the already good atmosphere that has just been created,she thought to herself.

It took Anne and Cheryl to realize that after forty minutes of driving that they are going to somewhere to Deville’s mansion,

“Charles,what are we doing here?” Anne asked with a trembling voice,Charles out of sheer innocence smiled not taking his gaze from the road,

“We’re almost there,its the venue for the birthday.” Anne gasped,she had been preparing for her daughter’s birthday,for Amanda’s birthday not knowing,wonder why I had this odd stirring lately,she turned to Cheryl and then back to Charles,

“Charles please take us back home.” Cheryl objected,

“But why Anne,aren’t you feeling well?” He asked her confused about her sudden change of mind,

“Charles don’t pay attention to her,take us inside.” Cheryl said boldly from the back holding Ace,who was on the verge of sleeping,

“Okay,” he drove in and parked his car then gave his car key to Anne and Cheryl who were still inside,

“Charles mind if you take Ace inside,I need to talk to Anne alone?” He nodded and took the boy’s hand,he was fully awake now.

“Anne whats wrong with you?” Cheryl asked when she was sure that Charles was out of earshot,

“Cheryl,I’m scared,I might ruin their already perfect lives.” She said already crying, Cheryl pulled her closer and wiped her eye’s,

“Anne,you’re stronger than this shit,this is one opportunity of a lifetime to finally meet your daughter and you want to refuse it cause you’re scared of some past shit,I won’t take that.” Cheryl cautioned her,

“Anne,you’re going to go inside and act like every mother should on her daughter’s sixth birthday,play cool and congratulate the your child,okay.” Anne nodded,Cheryl dabbed her tears and did a little make over on her face and they got out of the car,

“Everything would go well.” Cheryl assured her and they walked inside holding each other hands.