Acceptance - Chapter 16

By the time Grace reached Irene’s place with her favorite cupcakes, Irene and Melissa had returned from the hospital. Irene was advised to rest for a couple of days despite her constant insistence that she was fine.

“Don’t argue, Irene. You are not coming to college today.” Crossing her arms to her chest, Grace put the end to that particular conversation. “Such a careless one you are.”

“I love these -”

“Don’t even try changing the topic,” Grace warned, sharpening her eyes at her.

“You are saying as if tripping and falling is my favorite pastime.” Irene continued gobbling the cupcakes, after making a gloomy face.

“You can be such a drama queen at times.”

“Learning from you.”

Grace glared at Irene and Irene glared at Grace. Their intense gazes stuck at each other for a couple of seconds before they burst out in a peal of uncontrollable laughter until their stomachs ached and visions blurred with tears.

Slowly their laughs ceased but their tears stayed. The sadness in Irene’s eyes left Grace numb. Irene was not a bit better from the previous night, Grace was sure about that.

She caught the hold of Irene’s hand. “He regrets it.”

“Gr…Grace,” Irene stuttered as her mind went blank. She involuntarily pulled her hand away from Grace. Unable to speak, Irene sat stunned. Where was Grace referring to? Her lips parted but she could not come up with a single word.

Grace reached out for Irene’s hand again, worried that she was taking it all in the wrong way. “Irene.”

“No.” Irene did not push away her hand at that time but her tone was firm. She herself was not sure from where she brought that strength but if at all there was something that she was clear about, then it was her decision… the decision of not getting back with Ayden.

Irene was right in her stance, Grace believed but her brother’s depressed face was not leaving her mind. Even though she knew how awfully wrong her brother was, she braced herself to keep trying. Had it been only about Ayden, Grace would have let it be but Irene equally loved Ayden.

“You are misunderstanding me, Irene. I am just being honest. He really is guilty, sorry and… Irene… he truly regrets it.”

Grace’s attempt of convincing her left Irene disappointed. “Do you think that I do not know that, Grace? I have been with Ayden for long enough to know that he cannot be dancing after hurting me.”

“That’s not what I mean.” Pressing her hands on the bed, Grace inhaled a sharp breath. How complicated it really was!

“I cannot continue a relationship where I am not being trusted,” Irene turned her head to Grace. “Whatever his reasons may be, Grace… what he did… brought those demons back to me and honestly, I have no idea how to deal with them now. I have let go of a lot of things in our relationship, so has he. I do not deny that but then, compromises are supposed to exist in every relationship but I can’t do it anymore. Not after knowing that Ayden thinks that I can leave him for a richer guy.”

“No, no. He does not.” Grace jumped out of the bed. “It’s all that Ashton’s doing.”

“Ashton has come in his life after me, yet if he takes this step, trusting him more than me… whose doing is it really, Grace?” Even though Irene ended it with a question, they both knew that it was not a question.

“But you love him.”

“I do. Where am I even denying that? But like I said… love is not enough and -” Irene halted her words when she heard her phone buzzing.

‘Need to talk. Are you free? Don’t call if someone is around.’

Irene scratched her forehead reading Effie’s message. She had met Effie four years ago in the dance class she had joined. Effie was extraordinarily demure but they had not been in touch since Irene left the class. What could be the matter?

“I think you should get going. You will get late otherwise.” She had to say something to make Grace leave. She needed to check up on Effie.

“Can you not try and sort everything out with Ayden?”

“Irene.”

Grace had to walk up to Irene and shake her by her shoulders to make her respond. “Irene.”

“Uh, yes?”

Grace smacked on Irene’s head. “Where do you get lost?” Wuxiaworld for visiting.

“Uh, sorry. I… zoned out. What were you saying?”

“I was saying, can you give Ayden one chance? Just to explain himself?”

“Fine. I will think about it. Now, you go.” Irene felt awful for giving Grace hope. She had said it just so that Grace would go.

Relieved, Grace hugged Irene, thanking her for agreeing to meet Ayden and she left.

As soon as Grace moved out and Irene was alone in the room, she dialed Effie’s number.

“Effie. What’s the matter? You okay?”

Hearing Effie’s sobs increased Irene’s concern by multiple folds.

“What is it, Effie? Please tell me.” Irene earnestly urged, growing worried by every passing second.

“I… I… am pre…gnant.”

Irene’s face stuck in an incredulous expression. Effie was pregnant?

“Uh… congratulations, Effie. This is good news, isn’t this? What makes you cry?”

Something about the pregnancy thing was off. Why would Effie be crying? Irene remembered that the female choreographer that taught them had a cute kid, Effie was really fond of. Effie loved kids. Irene had not forgotten Effie telling her every once in a while about her love for kids.

There was no way Effie would be upset at her pregnancy news even if she was quite young unless something was awfully wrong.

“My boyfriend… he abandoned us. He told me that he has got nothing to do with this and I should get an abortion done. I… I don’t know what to do, Irene. I haven’t been able to tell Mom either. I am just… so scared, Irene.”

“What the f… How could he just abandon you like that?” A flash of anger crossed Irene’s face but she was quick enough to suppress it on hearing Effie crying harder.

“Effie… Effie, listen to me. Everything will be fine. Let’s meet and talk, okay? When can we meet?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Alright. I will see you tomorrow at your home?”

“No. Mom will be home. I will see you at ‘The Hideout’? I will message you the time.”

“Sure. I will be there. What’s his name though?” Knowing his name would be a good idea, she thought. If by any chance, she knew him, she would be able to ponder over it before she met Effie.

“Ash…ton. His name is Ashton.”

Irene sat helpless hearing Effie break down on the other end upon taking his name.

Ashton sounded familiar. Oh damn. No, it could not be him, could it?

“Ashton… Garrick?” Irene asked, not knowing what she should really hope for.

As Effie hummed in response, Irene went quiet. Effie disconnected the call, unable to continue the conversation and Irene… did not know how to react.

Why would Ashton do that?

Regardless of the weird vibes, he had happened to give her every once in a while, he had not come across as someone who would do what he did.

Effie’s issue occupied Irene’s mind and she was temporarily forgotten about her own one.

Effie needed her and she would be there for her.