Page 82 of Unexpectedly In Love

Rosemary stands with her hand behind her back as my father bends to show my sisters me.

“She’s ugly, Daddy,” Cassia cries as she points to my face.

“Nuh uh, she is cute,” Sage comments as she goes to kiss mom.

“She is beautiful, Dad,” Rosemary stands closer to dad as they all look down at me. I wipe my nose and chuckle through my tears.

The screen goes blank, and it comes back to my dad sitting on an old rocking chair that still sits in my room. He leaves a message for each of my sisters then he comes down to me.

“Anise. I named you Anise. You are my star. The daughter I will have to be picking up at the airport and events. I’m so happy that you are here, your presence has brought more joy to our home. Be honorable, love your sisters, they are your first friend, respect your mom. Find love. Believe in yourself. You got your old daddy crying. I’m thankful that God chose me to be your father.” He looks down and wipes his face.

The door opens and someone walks in. “Dad, what’re you doing?”

A small Sage walks in front of the camera, my dad doesn’t fuss. He just pulls her in his lap. Her hair is a curly mess. Her white vest is covered in something that looks like jelly. “Making a tape, say Hi to Ani,” he kisses the top of Sage’s head.

“Hi Ani,” she waves to the screen. Her smile is wide with a tooth missing.

“Love you sweetheart. Sage, let’s get you cleaned, then we will go help Mom with dinner.” the screen goes blank.

My heart drops. “Dad?” Tears stream down my face, I stretch my hand out in the darkness.

“Dad.” My knees wobble, and I feel like I am collapsing, falling slowly to the ground.

Eryx arms surround me. “I got you, i psychi mou. I shouldn’t have done this.”

Turning in his arms I hold Eryx’s face close to mine. “This was the greatest gift that I ever received. Thank you, baby.”

I tiptoe and press my lips onto my husband’s, trying to empty all the love I have on him.

With tears running down my face, I whisper, “I love you so much.”

He pulls me and kisses me deeply, wrapping his arms around me. That night when we got home, as he led me up to his bedroom, I knew we were not going to have sex…We were about to make love.

ERYX

Inever understood what the phrase cloud 9 meant, but today I understand it. Even as I sit down in my board meeting, I think about how great my life has been in the past few months.

My son is healthy, my wife is flourishing, she just became an ambassador for a makeup brand in Milan. It’s a good life.

“Mr. Demopoulos?” Sherry, my manager of Finance calls out to me.

I blink like I was in a trance. “I agree.”

My employees all look at me like something is wrong.

“You are agreeing to meet Mr. Banner in one week?” Sherry queries. Shit I wasn’t paying attention, but the sooner the better. I smile and I wait for the meeting to continue.

“What? Did I say something wrong?” Shit, what the hell did I agree to?

“No sir, you’re I don’t know so… happy?” Joseph, one of my account executives said to me.

“Hmm. Either way, is everything set for a meeting with Banner Shipping?” I ask.

I open my leather-bound folder and begin to focus on the work at hand.

Two hours later, I entered my office. My cell phone rings, my screen says wife.

“Thisavró mou,” I answer as I wait to hear her voice.

---