Chris And Hazel - Volume 1 Chapter 58 57

‘Everything is going down the drain. I didn’t expect this at all’ Grayson shouted in disbelief.

‘I already tried telling you Mr. Grayson. You ignored my warning completely’ William said looking at Grayson who was prancing back and forth in his office.

‘I didn’t know it would turn out like this, what am I gonna do now?’ Grayson asked looking at William.

‘Just leave it to me’ William replied smiling lightly. He already had everything planned, so he didn’t panic over such small turnover of events.

‘And then we played all afternoon but Aurora kept getting caught easily’ Robert said explaining his day at school to Hazel.

Hazel looked at the time as she patiently listened to Rob’s story. It was quarter past ten at night and Chris still didn’t come back. He’s been late for the entire week and also looked worn out from all the work.

‘That’s because Rob was only trying to catch me’ Aurora defended as her brother continued bragging about his day in front of Hazel.

‘I know honey, he’s just excited’ Hazel replied leaning close to Aurora trying to console her.

‘Hazel you are supporting me, right?’ Robert asking suspicious from the way Hazel and Aurora continued talking to one another secretly.

‘Of course honey! I am totally supporting for you’ Hazel replied at once laughing at his suspicious tone.

‘Daddy..!’ Aurora cried out happily as Chris walked into their room.

‘Dad, come sit with us’ Robert offered beaming pleasantly at the sight of his dad.

‘I am gonna pass honey, daddy is tired. You guys talk to mo.…Hazel’ he said correcting himself half-through the sentence. Hazel gave him a startled look as she fished out what he was about to say.

‘Ok daddy’ the kids nodded obediently nodding at him.

‘I win! I will need all your chocolates’ Aurora whispered to Robert as Chris turned to leave.

‘Not fair! I thought dad will stay’ Robert said pouting sadly at his sister’s win.

‘In this game you’ll never win bro’ Aurora smiled with victory as Robert sat there looking dejected.

‘What’s wrong?’ Hazel asked turning to look at the kids.

She noticed Rob’s sullen look.

‘I lost again’ Robert answered looking up at Hazel.

‘Lost what sweetie?’ Hazel asked confused.

‘Aurora said that dad won’t come to talk with us once he returns from office but I was like, no he will but now that he didn’t I need to give her all of my chocolates’ he explained sadly.

‘What’s with you guys and bets? Promise me that you won’t play games like this anymore’ she asked worried over their little game and she certainly didn’t want them building this into a habit.

‘But dad and Ed uncle always keeps playing like this’ Aurora replied as Hazel finished.

‘Promise me’ Hazel asked again not wanting to hear any more excuses.

‘Fine’ they replied in unison understanding that Hazel was serious this time.

‘But Rob since you lost this time you need to give her all your chocolates to Aurora and no more playing after that, is that clear?’ Hazel asked as she prepared their bed.

‘Ok mom!’ he answered teasingly as he walked towards his side of the bed.

‘What did you just call me?’ Hazel asked dropping the blanket back on the bed.

Though she knew that he was just teasing, it sounded different but she didn’t hate it.

‘Well you are definitely acting like one’ he replied cutely rolling his eyes at her.

‘It’s time for bed’ she said after a few minutes. His words kept replaying in her mind. She was happy to comply as their mom, she always thought them like her own but she was partly scared that they wouldn’t accept her that easily but it turned out a lot better than she expected.

She looked over at Aurora; she was quiet and didn’t even bother listening to Robert. Hazel always knew that Aurora understood things a lot better than Robert did and her silence actually bothered Hazel a little.

The kids quietly laid down she pulled the blanket over them and as she was about to leave Aurora signaled her to come closer;

‘Yes dear?’ Hazel asked bending over to Aurora.

‘Good night mommy!’ she whispered kissing Hazel’s cheek.

‘Good night honey!’ Hazel replied slowly smiling at her.

She was too much overwhelmed to talk further.

She couldn’t stop smiling even after going back to her room. She was genuinely happy after a really long time. She has a family of her own now. Just thinking of the three made her feel like it was worth the entire wait. As she immersed herself into her own thoughts, she felt two hands wrap around her waist, she turned to find Chris hugging her from behind.

‘I thought you were tired and wanted to sleep’ she said placing her hand over his.

‘I wasn’t tired just stressed and so I came to find my stress buster’ he said slowly kissing her ear lobe. Hazel smiled on hearing his reply, today must be her lucky day.

‘Tell me one thing’ she asked as he continued hugging her.

‘Did you and Ed anytime play bets in front of the kids?’ she asked looking up at the ceiling.

‘Why do you ask?’ Chris asked surprised by her sudden doubt.

‘No, the kids said that they learned this habit from you guys’ Hazel answered as she partly turned her head to look back at him.

‘Well…’

‘So that’s a yes?’ she asked as he struggled to give her a reply.

‘Yeah…’

‘What would your bets be about?’ she asked growing curious. She didn’t Chris liked to place bets and stuff.

‘You..!’ came his quick reply but then quickly regretted his answer too.

‘Me..?’

‘Yeah..! Whether you would go out with Ryan or not and stuff like that’ he answered in a low voice as he saw her reactions changing slightly.

He could feel the cold stare from Hazel but decided to ignore it.

‘How did you know the kids do that?’ He asked after a moment of thought.

‘They told me’ she answered as Chris rested his head on her shoulders.

‘Anyways it’s been a week, was Edwin of any help?’ She asked Chris as he let go of her and sat down on the bed.

‘Yeah, he’s been telling me some stuff about Grayson but nothing of the sort I don’t know about’ he replied as his reaction changed lightly.

‘You don’t like involving Edwin here, do you?’ Hazel asked noticing the changes in his behavior.

‘Why do you think we should trust Edwin?’ Chris asked wanting her to answer his question first. It was weird that Hazel didn’t get suspicious of Edwin at all.

‘I felt that he was telling the truth, so I decided to go with my gut’ she responded not quite understanding the reason behind his dilemma to trust Edwin or not.

‘Just like that..? Without any background research, you just decided to trust Grayson’s right hand?’ he asked with a hint of sarcasm. He was thirty percent sure that Hazel was losing her mind.

‘I do’ Hazel replied right away without any hesitation. She wanted Chris to understand that she had no doubts in her decision, she was sure that Edwin would be of great help.

Chris looked at her for a moment he didn’t want to say anything.

‘As you wish honey’ he said slowly walking out from her room.

‘What’s wrong with him?’ Hazel wondered as she watched him leave.

It was clear from his expression that he wanted to say something else but ended up blurting out something else.

Hazel was unable to guess the things going on with him but she knew that he was disturbed. His mind kept wavering from reality and lately he had been too distant. It has been a week since Edwin came to meet them, though he regularly manages to come and meet Chris in his office, Chris refuses any kind of help from Edwin and she didn’t know what was stopping him from doing so. The help was coming to his door but he keeps declining.

‘Chris, wait up!’ she said following him all the way to his room.

‘What is it?’ he asked stopping right in front of his room.

‘Something good happened today’ she answered as her lips curved into a smile remembering the events.

‘What is it?’ he asked turning to look at her but she couldn’t seem to find any earnestness there to hear her out.

Hazel looked at him as he closed his room’s door.

‘Guess what Rob and Aurora told me today?’ she asked elated.

‘I don’t know honey and I am tired. Can I hear about this tomorrow?’ he asked looking at her but weirdly enough he went inside his room without bothering to hear her reply.

‘Well that’s a new twist’ she told herself making her way back to her room. Something was definitely troubling him.

‘Hey Haze! What’s up?’ Charlotte asked answering her phone.

‘Hold! Let me add Ava in the call’ Hazel said setting up the conference call.

‘Ava?’ Hazel called out as she rang up to Ava.

‘Hey Haze!’ Ava replied on hearing Hazel’s voice.

‘Hey Ava..!’ Charlotte called out as she heard Ava’s voice back on the line.

‘Hi Char! Haze, what’s wrong?’ Ava asked after understanding that they were in a conference call.

‘Nothing..! I just wanted to talk. It’s been a while! And we all are equally occupied with work’ Hazel said lying flat on her bed.

‘Yeah..! I hardly see Ed at home too. He’s always busy with the company stuff’ Ava answered.

‘Ohh..! Charlotte?’ Hazel called out as there was no comment from Char’s side.

‘Huh? Sorry guys, I was working’ Charlotte said as she heard Hazel call her name.

‘If you are busy we will talk later’

‘That’s fine I am done! What were you guys talking about?’ she asked trying to keep up with their conversation.

‘I was complaining that your brother hardly makes time for me’ Ava repeated.

‘Join the club! It’s been a week since I spoke to Will. He says he too busy with work’ Charlotte replied relating to her situation.

‘That’s sad! Well in my case, Chris has been having a hell lot of mood swings I guess’ Hazel replied as they sat there complaining about each of their boyfriends.

‘Mood swings?’ the other two asked in chorus as Hazel finished.

‘Yeah, one minute he’s fine and the next minute boom, upset!’ Hazel replied enlightening them with today’s incident.

‘I think he’s going crazy cause of work’ Hazel added as she turned on her side.

‘Girls, I will have to call you back!’ Hazel said quickly sitting up straight.

‘Chris is standing at your door, isn’t he?’ Charlotte guessed.

‘Yeah..! I am totally finished’ she whispered before disconnecting the call.

‘What is it?’ she asked indicating that she was angry on him.

‘Nothing’ he answered as he sat next to her on her bed.

‘Then why are you here?’

He didn’t give her a reply instead he laid down next to her and pulled into his arms, holding her close as he silently laid down.

‘I am sorry for being rude. I was just really tired’ he said as she turned to face him.

‘It’s fine! Just sleep’ she said settling between his arms.

‘I spoke to Edwin, he told me that he knows something about the hard disk and will tell us everything tomorrow’ Chris said after some time.

‘Really..? See I told you he would be of some help’ Hazel replied happily.

‘Yeah, thank you! Now let’s get some rest, ok?’ he asked looking at her.

‘Ok..!’ she replied trying to move away from him.

‘Just stay!’ he whispered slowly drifting off to sleep as he held her gently in his arms.

It was half past midnight when Hazel realized someone tugging the corners of her sleeve. She opened her eyes to look at Chris beside her but he was deep asleep.

She turned to the other side and found Robert standing beside her.

‘Rob? Honey, what’s wrong?’ she asked surprised to find him at her bedside in the middle of the night.

‘Don’t wake up dad, come outside we need to give you something’ he said quietly looking at Hazel.

Hazel carefully got out of the bed hoping not to wake Chris up and followed Robert.

Rob led her to their room where Aurora was readily waiting at the door.

‘Aurora? What’s this about?’ Hazel asked still trying to figure out why they were up at this hour.

‘This is for you’ Aurora said giving her an envelope.

Hazel got the envelope form her wearing a puzzled look on her face. What was the occasion?

‘We didn’t want to give you this when dad was around’ Robert said as she opened the envelope.

Hazel found a red card inside the envelope and saw that there was something written on the other side of the card.

‘We accept you as our full-time mom. Is that okay? Love, Rob and Aurora’ it read.

Hazel let out a small chuckle after seeing the words. It was personally written by those two which made her eyes whelm with happy tears. Just by looking at it she understood how much effort they have put together to make her something like that and then surprise her after everyone else were asleep.

She looked at the kids who were eagerly waiting for a reply from her side.

‘I love it!’ she said bending over to hug them.

‘And I would love to be your full time mom’ she replied still hugging them, holding back her tears.

‘Well its late now go back to…’

‘What about full time wife?’

She heard a question interrupting her sentence.

‘Chris..?’ she wondered turning around.

‘Oh my god..!’ she screamed as she saw him on his knees holding out a small jewellery box.

‘Chris…’

‘Will you?’ he asked looking up at her.

‘….’

Hazel stood still. She wanted to speak up but her lips were sealed, sealed with shock. She couldn’t believe it at all. Chris was proposing? That was something she thought would never happen. She always imagined that she would be the one to tell Chris that they should get married soon and ask him to be on time for their marriage but what does she know?

There he was, right in front of her showing her how much she means to him.

‘Haze..?’ he called out worried over her stiff expression.

‘Yes! I will’ she replied slowly as tears flowed down her cheeks.

Chris stood back up and moved closer to her taking the ring off the box but Hazel didn’t wait, she leaped right into his arms overflowing with happiness.

‘Yes, I will marry you’ she repeated holding him close.

Just as she pulled back all the lights around the place went back on and she heard a chorus;

‘Congratulations!!!’

She found her friends walking towards them, cheering loudly.