Wing Of Change
Chapter 43

It was around 40:30pm when Aria got home that evening after all the things she had to endure earlier that day. She was mentally exhausted as her mind haven’t had a single rest with the thought of Frank and that woman.

She couldnt even get much work done at the office as she barely struggled through most of the manuscript she was overseeing. Thank God it was Friday_she could easily go through the rest at home before monday and so she took them along with her when she closed for that day.

With her brown leather bag in one hand and the file containing the manuscript in the other, she stood facing her door while struggling to insert the key through the keyhole which was proving to be difficult due to the amount of load in her arms.

Still faced with the task of unlocking the front door, she accidentally dropped the key in the process as well.

“You have got to be kidding me right now” she g*****d out in frustration.

“Let me get it for you” A very familiar voice had offered.

Looking up, she noticed Henry walking towards her with his black laptop bag in one hand.

Henry looked dapper dressed in a crème chinos trouser with a sky blue long sleeve and paired with black canvas.

Snatching it off the floor, he turned towards the door and inserted it through the keyhole and unlocked it.

“There you go miss” ushering her into her living room.

She offered him a smile of gratitude before adding”Thanks for saving me again”

“Yup..that’s what I do for a living so it’s no big deal” he joked as he casually leaned by the door way.

“It’s a big deal when you keep doing it almost when i need help the most_ so i think, I should be charged for such kind services”

“Oh is that so? Because I charge pretty heavy”

She turned with a raised brow “how much do you charge let see if I can afford more of those services or not”

Pretending to think about it, he counted his five fingers and gave a nod.

“Just a plate of nicely cooked food and a bottle of wine should be enough! What do you say?”

Aria only chuckled at his statement. “Is that what you want as payment?because that sound like a date to me”

“Well it is actually” he looked as serious as he sounded as he took a step closer to her by the door way.

“Are you asking me out on a date?” Her brow furrowed in confusion.

His eyes weaver as he gave a nod!

“Yes! I believe I am”

Aria only chuckled at his honest replied.

“Well I will take that as a joke because we both know I have a boyfriend Henry”

“Yeah! You are right Aria. That was a really bad joke. Don’t mind me” he said before pushing himself off the door way, he offered her a small smile .

Aria could see the disappointment in his eyes even when he was being nonchalant about his request but she knew better than to give him false hopes.

Now wasn’t the time for such games and besides she was with another man she loved and also loves her too.

At least she hopes to God he does.

Her heart sank within her chest at her own thought. Aria wasn’t so sure anymore especially not after what happened earlier with that woman but either way, she still wasn’t going to tag anyone along unless it was genuine friendship.

“Well I can always cook us late night snack whenever you are hungry?” She offered.

His eyes went wide with smile as he considered her offer.

“Yeah am sure you would! Anyways, am sure those items in your hands are pretty heavy so you should probably go in and rest”

“Yeah, it’s and thank you once again”

“Yea,goodnight Aria”

“Good night Henry”

Pushing the door open,she found a brown envelope lying under her door when she stepped into her living room. Placing the loads in her arm on the dinning table, she went back to retrieve the envelope from the floor.

No name or address was written on it as she looked it over and wondered what it was.

It was paper alright? but the content was what she couldn’t figure out and given just how curious she was; she proceeded to tearing off the lid.

Whatever was inside would have to wait when she heard a resounding knock on her front door.

Placing the envelope among the files on the table, she strode back to get the door, wondering who could be there.

Aria opened her front door to let Frank in. He was still dressed in his outfit from earlier. He gave her a quick k**s on the lips before walking into the living room and settled down on the cushion.

Aria couldn’t read his face expression as he was barely looking at her. She just stood at a corner watching him closely before he also looked up to replace her leaning against the door way with arm crossing her chest.

“Come seat with me” he said, tapping the space beside him on the cushion.

She sighed and walked over to settled beside him before his hands reached out and grabbed at her waist instead and pulled her to seat on his legs.

His arms snake around to wrap around her and causing her to erupt into soft giggle

Aria wasn’t surprised by his sudden show of affection. In fact she was beginning to get used to it . She leaned in against him and gave a little m**n at the body contact, enjoying the warmth radiating from his body.

Heaven knows just how much she loved that man. Just the feel of his arms around her was enough to make the butterflies seating in the pit of her stomach come alive.

Aria was in tone with her feelings at that moment. All the uncertainty she felt earlier slowly dissolved under his warmth.

She could have him hold her in that position for ever but she knew it won’t be long before he let go when she felt his warm breath caress her neck in a whisper.

“I’m so sorry Aria. What happened with that woman earlier was my fault. None of that would have happened if I had just told you the truth before now my darling”

Aria felt the same anger surge inside of her once more but this time it wasn’t directed at Frank but at the mere thought of everything that woman had hinted earlier. She realized just how clueless and vulnerable her very presence made her.

Aria felt threatened by Sandra’s sudden appearance and watching her act as though she has something on Frank that bind them together was causing her a great deal of torment.

She was quite enraged back at the eatery but had to control herself because she trusted him enough to wait for whatever reasons he has but now that she was seating between his arms and listening to his apologises makes her heart beat even faster in an unknown anticipation.

She swallowed a saliva just to calm her nerves.

“Just tell me what happened alright?”

Frank was quiet for a moment. Hesitant even to answer but he did anyway. Frank was there because he wanted her to know everything. He has kept quiet for too long and each day seem harder than the next.

“She_” he began but paused for a second..”Sandra has a son and am the father!”

He finally let out the word and waited for her reply but none was forthcoming for Aria has gone stiff in his arms as series of emotions began to whirl in her mind.

He has a son?

Out of all the things she was expecting him to say tonight, having a son wasn’t part of it.

Aria was beyond speechless but a huge part of her wanted to know more. She needed to understand how it even happened and why he never bothered to tell her about it.

“You have a son with that woman?” Her breath came out labored as she waited for his reply.

Frank wished he could simply say no and put her out of the misery he has caused her but that truth must be told tonight as he could only hope for understanding and nothing else.

“Yes I do Aria. Turns out, I have a son with that woman even though I never asked or wished for one”

A little grasp escaped her lips as her fears were being confirmed the second time.

He has a son!

Frank has a son with that bloody woman!

Oh God!

She was dreaming right? He couldn’t possibly have fathered a child with that vicious woman of all people and how in the bloody hell did it happened.

“How did it happened?” She found herself asking out loud before she struggled back on her feet and whirled around to face him.

She saw the pain in his eyes when he reached for her hand and she flinch backward and took few steps away from him.

Aria was too hurt on her part to concede to his pleas. Frank had to understand that fact. This was shocking for her as much as it was for him and choosing not to push his luck further, he continued to explained either way.

“We were together for six year Aria and a lot of things happened in the span of years as well and one of those things resulted in her getting pregnant which I only found out days ago”

“Days ago?” Her head snapping at his direction.. “How recently did you replace out she had your child”

“That day we left my mom’s house after we spent the night there”

Realization finally dawned on her as the event from that day hit her.

Aria remembered how he reacted that day after he got that call and now she could clearly understand why.

Aria couldn’t hold back the tears swelling in her eyes anymore as they began to flow freely and clouding her own vision. She was beyond just heart broken as she turned away to hide her tears.

Aria couldn’t afford for that man to see her cry and for what? That he has a son with his ex whom he just found out about his birth? Or was she hurting because she wasn’t the one who bore him the child.

Why didn’t she realized it before. Sandra Bassey always had that aura about her as if to say, she was came back to claim what she believe to be hers.

She felt his arms wrapped around her once more just when she thought she would really break down and scream.

“I’m sorry Aria, believe me I am”

“What do you intend to do about the boy” she asked, her voice shaking.

She felt him shrug as he turned her around to face him. “I want custody of the boy Aria because in as much as I very much dislike his mother, he is still my flesh and b***d and I can’t possibly have him grow up with that woman”

The finality in his voice only baffled her the more.

“Are you sure he is your son?” Her eyes searching his cautiously.

“I also had my doubt when she told me so we had a paternity test conducted and it came back positive Aria. I can’t doubt that”

Aria couldn’t help but swallow her next word with her shoulder slumping in defeat. If the test says the boy was his then he was indeed and nothing could change that fact but she needed to know the place of the boy’s mother in his life.

“What if you can’t get the boy without any trouble from his mother”

“She already threatened me when I told her I would take Daniel away from her”

“Daniel?”

“His name is Daniel”

Aria could see the smile in his eyes when he mentioned the boy’s name.

Frank has already accepted the idea of being a father and she hates to break it to him because things might not turn out so well.

“You can’t separate an underage child from his mother you know?. It’s not done anywhere”

“I know it won’t be easy but I have to give it my best shot. Daniel is better off with me”

Aria couldn’t argue any further. It was really not in her hands anyways.

**

An hours later, Aria laid in bed but couldn’t sleep. She wanted to cry more. Scream even! Until the heaviness in her chest could just disappear.

She hate the voices in her head telling her otherwise. What mother would gladly hide the existence of her child only to show up years later with the same child.

“What are you really up to Sandra”

She couldn’t help but ask out loud.