Chapter 58
The reunion
Orthon’s POV
Being with her was simply the happiest thing that has ever happened to me but knowing that I couldn’t have her was another thing that completely destroyed me.
I was driving home when I got a call from an unknown number. I ignored it at first but the caller was so persistent that I had to pick up.
I didn’t speak first.
“Hello?” The voice was feminine and awfully familiar. “Orthon Grayson, right? Please tell me I’m right.”
are you?” I asked.
Oh, thank God it’s you. You don’t recognize my voice? It’s me, Arie!” She said with a mix of relief and excitement.
Arie… Arie… there was only one Arie I knew… and she was a medic in the
army.
“Arie Mensah?” I asked.
“Took you long enough, genius!” She huffed.
“No fucking way!” I exclaimed, unable to control the sudden rush of happiness speeding through my veins. “You’re supposed to be in Poland!”
“Would you stop blabbing and come pick me up or I swear I’m gonna kick your fucking ass!” She threatened and I laughed.
Chapter 50
It was definitely her!
“You keep forgetting that you are just a medical staff not a soldier. Send me your location, I’m coming,” I said. “I can’t believe you’re back.”
“Best believe, nerd. You’d never believe who I brought with me,” her tone already told me that I would like it.
“A kid?” I snorted.
“Son of a bitch! You’re still as good as you were in college,” she laughed. I had to slow down for a second.
“Wait a second… you brought a kid? As in, a child! Your child!”
“Why is that so surprising?” I knew she was doing that signature brow raise, even without seeing her. “You think I sealed my pussy?”
“First of all, language! I know you’ve seen a lot of things out there and drank a lot of alcohol and of course, weed but some of us are still well- groomed so please tone down the vulgarity. Besides, you have a kid there!”
“You mean this six months old rascal? Don’t worry, we’re both safe,” she said and I laughed in spite of myself.
“Who else are you there with?” I asked.
“Are you expecting someone?” She retorted.
“Uhmm… I don’t know, the father of your kid, maybe. You know… a husband or boyfriend, whatever he is,” I said.
“So what use are you to me then? My legs are getting tired, Orthon. Get the fuck over you,” she groaned but as I took the next turn.
“Find a place to sit, I’m ten minutes away,” I answered.
“I thought the main reason you was obsessed with physics back then in school was to projectile cars to wherever you need to go?” She huffed.
“Very funny, Arie,” I rolled my eyes. “I wasn’t obsessed with Physics, you made me study it so I could do your homework. I’m surprised you even got through college and landed a job!”
I paused for a second. “Oh my God, is that why you’re back? Did you accidentally inject bleach in the wrong vein?”
“I fucking hate you!” She muttered under her breath and I laughed. “Suggesting bleach is very diabolical of you!”
“Diabolical? I’m just being realistic!” I teased. “How many mistakes did you make before you finally got certified?”
“Too many to count,” Arie admitted with a dramatic sigh, but then her voice softened. “But I’ve missed this, Orthon. Us. Just talking, you know?”
I couldn’t help but smile. “I missed it too. You were always the one person who could keep me on my toes.”
“Well, buckle up, genius, because I’m about to turn your life upside down all over again,” she said with a hint of mischief in her tone.
“What does that even mean?” I asked, half–laughing but also slightly
nervous.
“You’ll find out soon enough. Now stop stalling and get here already! I’m sending you the location,” she said before hanging up abruptly.
I shook my head, grinning as I glanced at my GPS. Within moments, a ping came through with her location.
“Wait, if I’m just sending you my location, why’d you tell me you were ten
11:3900
minutes away?” She asked.
“Because I assumed you would be at the airport. There’s only one active in the city, the other’s closed.”
“Tough luck, nerd. You owe me for saving you a refill,” I could feel the smirk in her words and it prompted me to check the GPS for her exact location.
Fuck me!
She wasn’t too far away, near an old café we used to visit in college. Memories flooded back, and I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of chaos Aric had brought into my life this time.
When I pulled up to the café, I spotted her instantly. Arie hadn’t changed. a bit, still rocking that unapologetically messy bun and a jacket that. looked like it had been through a war. Literally. But what caught my attention was the baby carrier strapped to her chest and the tiny, squirming bundle inside.
I got out of the car, unable to suppress my grin. “Arie Mensah, the mother. Never thought I’d live to see the day.”
She rolled her eyes but smirked. “Yeah, yeah. Get your laughs out now.”
I stepped closer and looked down at the baby, who was wide awake and staring at me with big, curious eyes. Beautiful ones too if I may add. “So, this is the rascal?”
“Meet Keon,” she said, her voice softer than I’d ever heard it. “Keon Grayson.”
I froze. “Wait, what?”
She shrugged, like it was no big deal. “Named him after his uncle. Got a problem with that?”
Chapter M
My brain short–circuited. “Arie, are you saying…”
“You’re his godfather, dumbass,” she cut me off, smacking my arm lightly, “What did you think I was saying?”
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “Godfather. Right. Okay, That’s… cool.”
“Cool?” She raised an eyebrow. “That’s all you’ve got?”
“Give me a break, Arie! You just dropped a kid, literally and figuratively, into my life out of nowhere!” I gestured toward the baby, who gurgled happily.
She laughed, the sound so genuine it made me feel like we were back in our college days again. “Relax, Orthon. You’ll be fine. Keon’s not here to ruin your life. That’s my job.”
I shook my head, chuckling. “You’re impossible.”
“And you’re predictable,” she shot back. “Now, come on, Buy me a coffee. We’ve got a lot to catch up on.”
As I followed her into the café, I couldn’t shake the feeling that life was about to get a lot more complicated, and a lot more interesting.
