Lost In A Daydream

 

Last night after Trevor left, their mom had called Sofia to give her the good news. Sofia, Davion were sitting at the dining table for dinner. Even Colton was with them. "Congratulations, mom," said Sofia. Colton listened intently as she spoke. With Victoria’s delivery being rescheduled, he was upset that she couldn’t receive the painting that he had sent. He was upset at it receiving any update about her reactions to it. Did she know? Did she remember? A thousand questions crossed his mind and he hung around Sofia, unable to ask her. After knowing about her delivery, he had scheduled a grand event at one of their casinos in Las Vegas. Although both Davion and Sofia knew the exact reason, they didn’t mention it to Colton at all.

"Turn on the speaker mode," said Davion. Sofia did as he asked her to do.

"Congratulations mom. We're coming down in a day or two," said Davion, making Sofia's eyes widen with shock. They had discussed their plans of visiting Las Vegas next week and Davion was the one who had suggested not to tell them. Now he himself couldn't keep it in. 

"Really? That's the third good news I heard today," said her mom. 

"What's the second good news, mom?" Asked Sofia with rounded eyes. As far as she was aware there were only these two pieces of news that were good.

"Oh, Vicky hasn't told you?" Gushed her mom. 

"No, mom. What's it? You're killing us, " groaned Sofia with curiosity. 

"Trevor has proposed to Vicky today. He wants to marry her and be a dad to baby Asher! Isn't that the most exciting news of all?" Asked her mom excitedly. 

"Who's Trevor?" Asked Sofia with horror.

"Trevor's the one who treated her for so many months. He's her Therapist," said her mom. 

"F*ck him," swore Colton as he got up angrily and stormed out of the house as if a tornado was chasing him. 

"Who was that, Sofi? What happened?" Asked her mom with confusion. 

"Nothing mom. So has Vicky agreed to marry Trevor?" She asked curiously. 

"She hasn't said no," said her mom in a smug tone. 

"She hasn't said yes too," pointed out Davion. 

"Oh yes. She has said yes. She'll marry him," said her mom. Although Sofia had her doubts, she preferred not to say anything before speaking to Victoria. 

Their mom paced impatiently as she waited for Victoria and baby Asher to come home. She was the happiest mom alive. With Sofia well settled and Victoria agreeing to marry the nicest man on earth, she was too excited to make the wedding plans with Sofia. “Calm down, Ava. Trevor has to complete all formalities before bringing them home. It’ll take time,” said Victoria’s dad.

“I can’t. I’m so happy,” said her mom. 

“Don’t tell her about Sofi's plans the moment she comes. I know that you can’t keep it from her,” chuckled Gregory Blakesley. 

“I’ll try but I can’t promise,” smiled Victoria’s mom. 

Trevor parked his car outside and they rushed out to welcome Victoria and Asher home. After a lot of catching up, her mom couldn’t keep the secret from her. She blurted out about Sofi’s homecoming making Victoria grin happily. She would finally get to see her niece. Her mom led her to the nursery and Victoria gasped seeing the décor which was incomplete when she went to the hospital for her delivery. 

“Wow, mom. How did you manage to complete this so soon?” she asked with disbelief. 

 “Trevor helped. Do you like it?” asked her mom.

“I love it and so does Asher,” she gushed. Afterwards Trevor had a few back to back appointments and he left. Victoria fed and put Asher to sleep. She was extremely exhausted and couldn’t do anything else but sleep. 

“Mom, I’ll get some rest,” she said, going to her room. 

“Oh, I completely forgot to tell you. A huge gift arrived the day you went to the hospital. I kept it in your room,” said her mom. Victoria gaped at her with surprise. 

“Gift? Who sent it? Sofia?” she asked, walking towards her room to see what was there waiting for her. Her mom shook her head.

“No, Sofi didn’t send it although it came all the way from Reno,” said her mom. Victoria’s heart thumped in it’s rib cage as if it would explode. Who in Reno would send her a gift? Colton? No he hated her! He didn’t remember her. Pete? Did he know that she had given birth to his baby? A strange curiosity and apprehension filled her as she entered her room and looked around. Her mom followed her inside.

“There, I placed it there, against the wall,” she pointed out. Victoria’s jaws dropped seeing the huge thing. Without opening the packaging, she knew what it was and who had sent it to her. It’s gigantic size and shape denoted that it was none other than Colton’s paintings. But which one? Slowly walking to it, she tried to open the cover. Her mom helped her with it.

Out came the beautiful painting, the familiar life-like portrait of her that Colton had created many months ago. Her mom gasped seeing the masterpiece.

“It’s beautiful. Rest a little now, Vicky,” she said, walking out of the room. Victoria was dumbstruck seeing the painting in front of her eyes. Tears pricked at her eyes seeing it. She vividly remembered what he had told her that day.

You can have it if you win the bet and make me fall in love with you...

Victoria gasped with shock as the tears fell from her eyes in a continuous trickle. Why did Colton send this now? Did he love her? She slumped to the bed and wept brokenly. She didn’t know how to react! She didn’t know whether to demand an answer from Colton or just ignore it as a passing whim of his. Why after so many months? If he felt anything for her, why did he not pursue her? Overcome with grief, Victoria lay down to rest but she tossed and turned on her bed. She somehow couldn’t calm herself. She had tried to move on from him. She had tried to embrace the new life that God had thrown at her but deep in her heart she cried for Colton every day. She couldn’t forget his heart-breaking message to her. It had hurt her more than Pete’s crime had! 

Her phone buzzed with an incoming call from Sofia. Curious to get some information about Colton, she accepted the call. “Yeah, Sofi,” she said in a dull voice.

“What’s wrong with you? Are you unwell?” asked Sofia with concern. 

“I’m fine,” she lied. 

“Are you crying, Vicky?” she asked in a worried tone. 

“It’s nothing,” Victoria sniffed, wiping her eyes. 

“You don’t need to marry Trevor if you don’t want to,” said Sofia softly. 

“It’s not about what I want, Sofi. It’s about Asher. He needs a dad and a father’s name. I don’t want him to be labelled an illegitimate child all his life. Trevor is the only one who cares for us,” pointed out Victoria. She would marry Trevor for Asher’s sake. All the men she had met so far were selfish and heartless. Trevor was the only one who cared. She couldn’t break his heart. Neither could she repay his kindness. He had given her a new meaning to her broken life. He had made her normal again. She was indebted to him. 

Sofia sighed knowing what she said was true. “Please think before you act,” she advised. 

“I’ve thought about this and I’ve already decided to marry Trevor,” said Victoria determinedly. 

“What about Colton, Vicky?” asked Sofia hesitantly. Victoria was dumbstruck by her sudden question. 

“He hates me, Sofi. He hurt me with his harsh words. I can’t forget the way he judged me without even asking me what happened. I’ve blocked his number ever since. I thought he had forgotten me but he just sent me a precious painting of his. I’m at my wit’s end,” said Victoria. 

“He doesn’t hate you, Vicky. Maybe he’s short-tempered and misunderstood you initially but he loves you,” said Sofia.

“No, I don’t believe you,” said Victoria as a sob broke out of her quivering mouth. 

“It is the truth. He has never been the same old Colton after you left. While you were pregnant, he hunted for Pete. He has taken all the pains to get you justice, Vicky. It’s only because of him that Pete’s in prison for what he did to you. Why would he do that if he didn’t care?” asked Sofia. Victoria’s eyes widened with shock and the phone fell from her hands. She froze hearing what Colton had done for her. He had done what no one else could! Not even her parents who were renowned lawyers! He had got her justice. Why? 

She could hear Sofia’s voice through the phone lying on the bed but she wasn’t in the frame of mind to talk to anyone.