Lost In A Daydream

Colton at last reached Las Vegas in the evening. It had taken a day to wrap up his work and free himself for the next few days. He was determined to talk to Victoria come what may. He would beg for her forgiveness and show her how much he loved her. Then he would whisk her away with him back to his house. With such dreams, he went straight to Victoria’s house from the airport. 

Victoria stared at the painting that Colton sent her and thought about Sofia’s words to her. All afternoon, she couldn’t get a wink of sleep. After feeding Asher and tending to him, all she did was stare at the painting. Why did Colton seek justice for her? Why did he send her this painting? What did it all mean? Did he love her? “Please tell me what to think of this, God?” she mumbled to herself. Suddenly the doorbell rang and she was brought out of her reverie. She didn’t want to face Trevor right now. Not when she was overburdened with grief and confused by Colton’s behavior. She needed time to get a grip over her emotions. For the first time she saw some hope from Colton’s side and she wanted to go to the root cause of it all.  She needed to know if Colton knew about her pregnancy and birth of Asher. Even if he loved her, he might run in the opposite direction seeing her now. She wasn’t the same Victoria whom he had fallen for. Her physical and mental changes have been huge. 

She was dreading yet waiting for Trevor to appear in her room and inquire about the painting. What would she tell him? How would she explain it? Then there was the wedding plans that she had been trying to postpone the whole day. Although she knew that she needed to marry Trevor for Asher’s sake, yet her heart was heavy even thinking about the consequences of such a marriage. Therefore marrying him would be equivalent to committing su*cide. 

The door opened and to her immense shock, Colton stood there with a brooding look on his face instead of Trevor. Victoria was dumbfounded by his sudden appearance. Why didn’t her mom call her downstairs? Colton strode into her room looking at her angrily while her mom rushed in after her.

“Colton’s here to see you,” said her mom. Victoria stood up tired lying from the bed. She knew that her mom had met him when she went to Reno. She somehow didn’t have any idea how much she knew about her and Colton’s relationship. Did Sofia tell her anything at all? 

“It’s okay, mom. I’ll talk to him,” she told her. Her mom nodded awkwardly and left the room. Victoria turned towards Colton who stood like a statue watching her with red blood shot eyes blazing with anger. 

“Why are you marrying your therapist?” he growled angrily. Victoria immediately went on the defensive. How dare he appear suddenly and start interfering in her life after saying those hurtful things to her?

“It’s my personal matter, Colton. You’re no one to dictate me,” she told him angrily. It seemed to inflame him all the more.

“It is my matter. You’re mine,” he growled out ominously. 

“Yours?” laughed Victoria sarcastically. “Do you remember your last message to me? I do and I don’t want anything to do with you, Colton. After judging me the way you have, I don’t think you have the right to even talk to me. Please leave,” she said furiously trembling with anger. Her head reeled and she felt like she would faint from the stress. Colton looked a little guilty after her outburst. 

“I’m sorry Victoria. I was very hurt. I tried to apologize to you but you just blocked my number. I waited for you for days outside your college, but you never came. I came to your house too but I didn’t see you,” said Colton, looking at her earnestly. 

“Sorry doesn’t change a thing, Colton. You and Pete have broken me. I was hurt more by your words than what he did to me. I’m happy to marry Trevor. He has given me a new life. He has made me normal. Goodbye,” she said, turning her back to him to dismiss him. But he didn’t leave. He just stood there with shock. He had expected her to forgive him after seeing the painting. Didn’t she remember what he had told her? Couldn’t she guess that he was in love with her? He held her by the shoulders and turned her to face him.

“I won’t leave. You have to forgive me, Victoria. I can’t live without you. I love you can’t you see it? Have you forgotten everything that we shared?” He asked earnestly. “ Did you forget the reason why I sent you this painting?” he whispered, his eyes searching hers. Victoria tried to wrench her tired body free from his hold.

“I’m sorry Colton. It’s too late. I loved you with all my heart yet I received nothing but hurt in return. It has broken me. I’m not the same Victoria any more. I have more baggage than you can ever imagine. Apart from the mental and the physical scars, I have a son. He might be a mistake for Pete but he’s my world. So please let me be. I can’t do this with you,” she said hoarsely as the stress started taking a toll on her body. She hadn’t yet recovered from childbirth and instead of rest, she was having to face this. Her head swam and she held onto her head to keep herself steady. 

“I know about your child, Victoria. I..,” started Colton but Victoria staggered to the bed and fell down in a heap, losing all consciousness. The door opened suddenly and in stormed a man who looked a few years older to them. 

“Victoria? What happened?” he rushed with panic. Then his glance fell upon an equally shocked Colton. “Who the f*ck are you? What have you done to my fiancée?” yelled the man, looking furious. Colton stood frozen like a statue as the man carried Victoria in his arms and gently laid her down on the bed. He quickly got water from the en-suite and sprinkled it on her face to revive her. “Victoria, please wake up. I’m here with you now,” he said gently, stroking her hair away from her face. Colton’s face clouded seeing him with his Victoria. He realized that this was Trevor, Victoria’s fiancé who had treated her. After seeing them together, he started having second thoughts about his relationship with Victoria. She had such a loving man with her, she really didn’t need a loner, a weird guy like himself in her life. He slowly walked out of her room and out of the house, his heart and hopes all being crushed forever. There weren’t any hope left for him. Victoria wouldn’t even forgive him. 

He went back to the airport and decided to get away from everything. He had to go away far from Victoria. She needed to be happy and she could never be happy with him around. 

Victoria came back to her senses and searched for Colton but he had left. “How are you feeling now? What did the ba*tard do to you?” asked Trevor angrily.

“My head just swam. Colton’s my friend, he would never harm me. Please don’t speak of him in that manner,” Victoria said, defending Colton. Trevor looked a little take  aback by her answer but thankfully he didn’t say a thing about it. 

“I’ll catch up on some sleep before Asher wakes up again,” said Victoria. Trevor nodded and left her room. Victoria lay down quietly and thought of what Colton said to her. He had said that he loved her! Her heart wanted to break out into a dance even thinking about it. But did he know about Asher? She hadn’t been able to hear his answer to that question. She hadn’t been able to thank him for punishing Pete. She hadn’t been able to tell him that she was ready to forgive him. Would he come to see her again? Her heart filled with hope and she finally felt, asleep. 

However the next few days although Victoria waited eagerly for Colton meeting didn’t come to see her even once. She unblocked his number but his phone seemed to be switched off. It was strange since today Sofia and Davion were arriving with their baby and yet there was no sign of Colton. It was lunchtime by the time Sofia and Davion arrived with baby Celestine. The whole family was united after a long time and soon Victoria forgot to ask Sofia about Colton’s whereabouts. 

“Ceecee, is the cutest nickname of all Davion’s nicknames. I think it suits her. I’ll call her Ceecee,” said Victoria as they sat in the nursery with the two babies. 

“Look, how Celine is staring at Asher. I want them to bond well just like us,” said Sofia. 

“Yeah, me too,” said Victoria. 

“So when is your wedding?” asked Sofia hesitantly. Victoria looked down  at her hands.

“The date isn’t fixed yet,” she informed her twin.

“Please don’t marry him, Vicky. Colton loves you. He’ll give up his life if you marry Trevor,” said Sofia with a sad look on her face. “You know how I almost lost Davion? Colton  thinks just like him,” she told her.