Chapter Song: Got You On My Mind by NF
.....
I have to admit on this road I get lonely,
but you make me smile every time that you call me ...
You let me be myself ...
You don't control me...

After I finished cooking the garlic and kale soup, I brought it up to the bedroom for Henry. It had been a while time since I last made it for him.

Nick had already left for home shortly when Henry arrived. I tried to persuade him to stay for dinner, but he advised he had to clear some issues at work.

I knew he was lying. He was being too polite. He wanted Henry and me to alone together.

I set the table tray on the nightstand. "It's still hot, Henry. You should wait till the contents cool down."

He smiled, sitting on the bed with the duvet over his lap. "Thanks, honey."

I smiled. "You're welcome."

He reached for my wrist and pulled me onto his lap.

"Henry, what are you doing? You're still hurt and very tired after what you went through last night." I tried to move off him using my hands, but he wouldn't let me go, his arms held firmly around my body.

"With you next to me, I feel a thousand times better already."

"Liar," I teased him.

He chuckled. "Seriously, Ally. Can't I just hold my wife for a few minutes?" he asked softly, nuzzling his nose into my neck.

I chuckled lightly from the sensation of his soft lips and bristles rubbing against my skin.

"That's enough, dear." I placed a peck on his forehead, and then my hand caressed the side of his cheek. "I was so scared when you didn't return home last night. If anything happened to you, I'd go crazy out of my mind."

"I know, and again I'm sorry for making you in that position."

"You better be," I teased. "What did they ask you down at the station?"

He caressed my hand on his cheek. "What happened last night and a few questions about John's embezzlements and money laundering. There's nothing to be afraid of now. It's all over, sweetheart."

I nodded and smiled, hoping what Henry said was true. "I hope so."

"Thank you for everything you do for me always." Henry caressed my cheek. "Thank you for saving my life."

"Anything for you, Baby ... No matter where you are, I'll bring you back home. I promise."

Henry smiled before we kissed.

.....

The next morning all of the security around the house was removed by my husband. In a way, it made me feel better, knowing everything should be fine down the road.

No more dark crimes.

No more dangerous guns.

Henry didn't go into the office today after I continually pleaded for him to stay home. He needed to take time off and focused on his health first.

And for once, he listened. My stubbornness finally won over his, and I rejoiced in the victory.

"Ally, honey, what's taking you so long in their?" Henry called through the door as he walked back into the bedroom.

"It's nothing. I'm almost done." I flushed the vomit down the toilet and rinsed my mouth. Peering at myself in the mirror, my eyes moved down to my stomach, and I felt it with my hands.

Was I ... pregnant?

Counting the weeks with my hands, my period was long overdue. I didn't even remember the last time I had it with everything that was going on in our lives up until this point.

I walked out of the bathroom.

"Are you okay?" Henry asked, coming over to me.

"I'm fine." I smiled to assure him.

He placed the back of his hands over my forehead. "You don't have a fever."

"I feel a little tired. That's all. It's probably from the last few days and jumping into the cold water. I will be fine."

"Are you sure? Let's take you to the hospital to get checked up. Or I'll ask the family doctor to come here."

"I'm okay. I took some ibuprofen. I'll get better, I promise. If I don't, then I ask you to take me to the hospital. Come, help me make breakfast? I'm hungry."

Purposely I pulled him downstairs toward the newly finished hallway, hoping he would see the pictures without me telling him.

"Did you do this, Ally?" He asked as we headed to the kitchen. He noticed the portraits I placed in the hallway and stopped to look at them, one by one.

"I hoped you're not mad. I didn't want you to forget them—your parents and your sister." I looked at Henry to see if he was angry at me.

He studied one picture to the next. "I think," he turned to me with a big smile, "... it's wonderful what you did for me here."

I smiled. "I'm happy to know that. I was afraid you wouldn't like it or that you'd taken them down."

"I do think it's about time I see their faces again. You don't know how long the pictures were in storage."

"Its a good thing I found them when I did."

Seeing Henry like this, being able to smile upon looking at pictures of his own family, made me thrilled about how far he had come from his past.

It wasn't about forgetting the past. It was about learning to live with it and accepting it.

I made breakfast just like how Nana used to make it for Henry, and after the meal we sat down on the table in the backyard patio, observing the Koi fishes.

"Do you see something?" Henry asked, looking into the heated pond.

I attempted to find what he was hinting at. "What are you talking about? I don't see anything different."

"It's swimming there."

My gazed moved to where he pointed. A big, golden orange Koi was swimming toward us to collect the pellets along with the other smaller ones.

"I never seen that one before, Henry." I watched at the fish in amazement. It was swimming near the grey one—Henry's favorite.

"That's because I just recently had him put in there. I bought it for you. It's your Koi."

"Really?"

"Absolutely."

I beamed and leaned on Henry's shoulders, placing my hand into his. "Thank you! She's very beautiful. I think I'm going to name her Goldie."

As Goldie swam up to me, I slowly and gently placed my hand in the water with some pellets for him.

"He likes you already," Henry mentioned.

I softly chuckled.

After a few minutes of feeding the fish, I needed to make a run to the store. "I'm going to the store to grab some things for dinner tonight. I'll be right back."

"I'll come with you."

I stood up on my feet. "No, you should stay home and rest. I'll have Larry drive me, okay?"

Henry thought about it for a moment. "Okay."

I went up to our bedroom to grab my purse as Larry pulled the car into the driveway.

As I shopped in Trader's Joes, the grocery store closest to the house, Larry waited in the car.

I went around, grabbing the supplies I needed for dinner—lobster tail, lemons, romaine lettuce, and more items on my grocery list.

I walked down the women's section and noticed the pregnancy tests. It was still way too early, and I shouldn't get too excited, but I still wanted to do it anyway. I placed two packages inside the cart.

Before heading to the checkout registers, I forgot one item on my list—bread rolls. While I went back to the bakery section, I had a strange feeling I was being followed.

There was this one man I kept seeing from the corner of my eye throughout the store wherever I went. My heart started to beat out of my chest.

Henry was right. I should have let him come with me. His presence would have made me feel safer.

I quickly grabbed the rolls and pushed the cart to the front registers, trying to remain calm through the checkout process. It was a public place after all, I kept reminding myself. Nothing would happened here.

When I returned home, the mysterious man lingered on my mind. I tried not to let it get to me, but as always, I overthought these kind of matters.

"Did you need some help?" Henry asked as he came into the kitchen.

"No, dear," I replied, peeling the garlic.

"I wanted to help too." He was a busybody. It bothered him if he didn't have anything to do or occupy his time.

"You can by sitting there and watching me cook." I smiled.

"If you say so, Chef." He walked to the counter where the grocery bags were placed. "What did you buy at the store?"

When I realized what Henry would find in the grocery bag, it immediately dawned on me he might see them. "Henry, no. Don't look through my things."

"Why?" He said with a playful smile. "Is there something in here you don't want me to see?"

"No, it's just—I have something specially planned for tonight's dinner menu, and I don't want you to see it until it's ready. Please, would you step out of my kitchen?" I asked in nicely tone.

"You're like Nana now," he mocked me with a grin.

"Good."

As I shooed him out of my kitchen, Henry's phone rang in his pocket. I went back to the counter and my eyes followed him as he was walking out of my kitchen.

"Hello, Evelyn." There was a pause as Henry listened. I stopped what I was doing and turned my attention to Henry, who appeared tensed. "Okay. Which hospital? I'll be there soon."

"Henry, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Victoria's in the hospital for drug overdose. I have to go see her."

I nodded, unsure of what to say to Henry.

Victoria and Henry grew up together. They had known each other since childhood. If I asked him not to go, would it be too selfish of me?

"Will you come with me?" Henry asked.

"Of course."

We returned to the hospital, the same one Henry had check out from just yesterday. When we walked inside the ICU room, Evelyn and Annette were sitting on the couch. They looked distraught. And for the first time, I pitied Annette.

Victoria was lying on the bed with an oxygen mask over her mouth. She was awake but could barely speak, only in whispers.

Even after all the things she put me through, the sight of her in this condition still broke my heart.

She was a good person after all. She led me to help Henry. If it wasn't for her, Henry could have died already.

The guilt of helping my husband and betraying her own father, who then committed suicide because of it, must had made her done this to herself.

She was caught in between them, and helping one would lead to another being hurt. It was an inevitable trap she couldn't escaped.

After Henry hugged Evelyn and her mother, he walked to the bed and sat down on the chair next to Victoria. I remained silent near the hallway to the door, sensing I don't belong in this room.

I was the outsider.

Evelyn and Annette's stares weren't friendly either. I thought it was best if I retreated outside to the quiet hallway. I whispered to Henry I was going to be outside to take a call.

I waited in the family room for a few minutes before Annette came in after me.

"Good evening.

"Hello, Annette. I'm sorry for what happened to Victoria."

"You should be." Her tone was cruel and hostile, still the same as always. "It is good of you to acknowledge your part in all of this mess."

"This mess? Excuse me?" I asked, confused to what she was referring to. "I didn't start any of this."

"If it wasn't for you, none of this would have happened. If it wasn't for you coming in between, Henry and Victoria would have been together a long time ago. And my husband wouldn't have died."

"If it wasn't for your husband, Mr. Cavill and Mrs. Cavill would still be here. And I know Mr. Cavill wouldn't have wanted his son to marry your daughter anyways after what Mr. Sinclair did. Your husband is a embezzler and a murderer."

Speechless, Annette stared at me through her piercing eyes. "You've finally grown a spine."

"I wouldn't have to if I hadn't had to deal with people like you."

"You better watch mouth and your back, Mrs. Cavill." She emphasized the Mrs part.

"Is that a threat?"

"If you want it to be." Annette left the room abruptly, turning her back on me.

I never despised someone so much in my life. Even after losing her husband and almost her daughter, she didn't have any mercy or know when to stop.

I knew I shouldn't hate her, but the words of that despicable woman were too much to withhold.

Anybody in their right minds would know she was trouble.

When Henry and I left the hospital at nine, I didn't mention anything to him about Annette. He had enough things on his mind to be worried about tonight.

Mr. Sinclair's death.

Victoria's overdose.

I could deal with that woman on my own.

.....

Henry placed a kiss on the back of my shoulder. "I'm going into the office this morning."

I opened my eyes to see him all dressed up. "Are you feeling much better?"

He sat down on the side of the bed. "I'm feeling super all thanks to you. Don't worry, sweetie. I have meetings all day I have to be present for."

I nodded. "Okay, text me then."

"Larry's here. If you need to go anywhere, have him drive you there."

After Henry left, I opened the nightstand drawer and took out the pregnancy tests I had hid in there last night and grabbed them with me on my way to the bathroom.

Maybe it was a good thing Henry wasn't here this morning.

I peed on the stick and waited the three minutes, sitting on the toilet seat cover, counting down the seconds to the result.

I shouldn't be too excited. There was a chance I could not be pregnant at all, and that my period was just late.

But what if ... what if I was really pregnant?

When the three minute expired, my heart thundered in my chest.

I slowly stood up and walked to the counter to pick up the stick. Focusing on the readings, there were two red lines visible on the stick.

My eyes opened wide, absorbing in the moment.