Anton avoided the dining like a plague. He had footsteps and knew it was Kira, he took a step forward and stopped. He heard the sound of glassware and suspected she's started eating. "Go out there you coward!" his inner voice said to him.
Kira sighed as she noticed Anton's absence in the dining. He must hate her. After all she did to him back in China, she can't blame him for hating her. Her shoulders fell as she helped herself to the food and started eating.
"Hi" clearing his throat, Anton said to get her attention. He saw the way she froze, before she looked up at him and smiled.
"Hi Lao Tie. aren't you going to eat?"
Anton smiled as he remembered what she used to call him. He remembered all those times he use to visit her in China and she'd ask him to leave ....calling his name like a total stranger. He'd have given anything then to have her call him "Lao Tie".
"Yeah I'm eating, I was just clearing the kitchen" He walked forward, pulled out a chair and sat down to eat, just opposite her.
"Ok" She said as she continued eating.
Neither of them said anything as each ate quietly. Kira couldn't bear the awkwardness anymore ...so she said " How have you been?"
"I"m fine Kira and you? how have you been? "
Anton couldn't pretend anymore and dropped his fork and went straight to the point.
" You should have told me you were coming Kira. I don't know how my boss was able to bring you here but I'd like it if you tell me. Because she won't tell me everything."
"I know you weren't happy as a stripper, and I don't despise you. You didn't have a choice Kira, you were forced into it. I understand."
Anton noticed as her hand tightened around the napkin as he said the word "Stripper".
"You should hate me Lao Tie. Cause I hate myself. I had a choice, he gave me two options. Either I worked for him for ten years or run away right then. knowing the other option meant death, I took the other one. Knowing fully well it could be any kind of job."
"Kira. You were a child, and any one will choose to leave than to be shot while running away. Mr Xiao Tong didn't give us a choice then"
He paused as he remembered their childhood. " I'm sorry Kira. I'm sorry I left you like that. I had no choice, he almost killed me if not for Mr Jayden. I...." Anton looked down as he remembered that day.
"Hey it's ok, I understand. Ms Sky told me everything, including how you've been trying to free me. Yeah I was mad at you for a very long time. But as I grew up, I understood and didn't blame you much. Until Ms Sky explained the whole thing to me."
"I know you think I'm unclean now cause of my job...but I didn't sleep with..."
Anton cut her short. "Kira please. I don't want to talk about it, It must be difficult for you to discuss. It's in the past now. let's talk about how you got out."
"No Anton, I must tell you. I remember the way you looked at me, the last time you visited the club and I was on duty. You are right to call me a whore. But I didn't have sex with all my clients except the ones brought to me by the boss. And they were very few. We had a no touching policy in the club and when they tried to move me to the VIP, I broke a client's jaw and the boss punished me for weeks and I begged him not to move me there."
"Kira...." Anton said looking away.
"I know you don't want to hear it but I just wanted you to know. There are things in life that can't be controlled Lao Tie. So please don't blame yourself. It's all thanks to you I'm here today."
"I didn't do anything Kira, Sky did it all."
"She helped me because you were a good friend to her. She knew you had me in your thoughts. Thanks for not forgetting about me"
"You don't have to thank me Kira...please eat your food, it's getting cold."
The next morning...Sky woke up very tired. She touched her forehead and noticed she was sweating. " Thank God it's a dream" She said out loud."
She had the scariest dream ever . She was in labour and was in the labour room....she tried pushing but she couldn't. The doctors and everyone urged her to push but nothing. She cried as she felt all her energy leave her. She couldn't do it, she couldn't push, like she had no strength to push her baby out. She was almost giving up when she heard her baby..."save me mom"
She tried to push again but she passed out. She woke up after that...and it felt real cause she was exhausted. She pulled out her Bible and started her morning devotion.
Kira had gone to bed early last night. Anton tried to do the same but he kept having nightmares. He woke up around 5:30 to go get water from the kitchen. As he walked pass Sky's room, he wondered if she was awake. He was almost at the kitchen when he saw her walking slowly to the kitchen with both hands on her waist. She seemed to be limping these days and he wonders what could be the cause.
He phoned Mrs Onome yesterday after Sky left to see Jenna. And she said it happens sometimes. She's just seven months..he remembered her telling him during the weekend that she was seven months.
" Sky I know you've seen me and you are trying to fake it so we won't talk, but. I won't have any of that." He said trying to cheer her up.
" Hey Anton, you are up. I wish I was faking it. Look I'm sorry I surprised you cause I know how much you hate surprises. But I had to do it and please don't ask me why."
"Sky? " Anton said as he turned her to face him. " Your nose is getting big and your face is a little swollen. I know your face swells every morning now but your nose ..this is new"
Sky grabbed her face and touched her nose. " What! is it that bad? do I look like an ogre?" panicking she touched her face.
"Hahaha no deary you look great. Why are you up so early?" Anton asked as he removed her hands from her face and took it in his.
"I had a strange dream" Sky said looking down.
Anton saw the worry in her eyes before she looked away. " Ok how about you tell me about it in the kitchen, while I make something for you to eat."
"Ok, but I'm not really hungry"
Kira watched the two of them from the hallway. She heard footsteps and voices and she came out of her room to check. The two were so close up to the point that she was almost jealous. She watched as Anton planted a small kiss on her forehead and led her to the kitchen. "Will he ever look at me like that again? " She thought as they disappeared into the other room.
Brianna was against Sky's plan to use Jenna...so when she found out that Jenna was staying alone instead of with Sky. She drove to the apartment after she dropped her son off in school. Her mom and Mavis agreed to it but she felt ....giving Jenna that kind of freedom and money in her bank account is like giving a cat a fish to hold. Sky had pleaded with her so she hasn't contacted Jenna in a while.
She heard from Anton that Jenna was sick, so she decided to check on her. She bundled Beverly in her baby carrier and walked into the building. As she waited for the elevator. A sexy young man joined her...she smiled as she admired him...he was fine. Beverly started crying, so Bree had to focus her Attention on her baby.
As Aidenn approached the elevator ..he saw a lady waiting for the elevator, he thought it was Addy but the lady was bigger than Addy in size. As he got closer and said hi to her...he froze..she looked just like Addy but the matured version. But there was something about this lady's look, it reminded him of someone else, not just Addy. As he heard her say soothing words to her baby, he remembered. The lady looked like Ms Sky and talk exactly like her.
As the elevator door opened, she struggled with her baby and her bags. Shaking his head, Aidenn rushed to her and helped her with her bag.
" Thanks handsome" Brianna said smiling.
"Lao Tie" means bestie or friendship/ relationship as strong as iron