***
Vincent’s back was aching cuz he bent to her level so he could kiss her.
He lifted her up from the ground without stress, and Dove’s legs found it way to his waist, and like that they began kissing each other, sweetly.
They didn’t have plans to end the kiss, their lips were entangled on each other with their heads turning left and right.
Dove’s phone rings, making her halt from kissing Vincent.
“I got a phone call” She said, with her lips an inch away from Vincent’s lips.
“Let’s kiss some more” Vincent locked their lips, and they continued kissing from where they stopped.
Dove’s phone rang again and she broke the kiss.
“I should answer it”
Vincent only nodded.
“Put me down”
“Oh” Vincent uttered.
He wasn’t aware that he was carrying Dove, she was so light weighted.
Vincent carried her down, and Dove picked up her phone from the table, she looked at Vincent with widened eyes.
“What’s wrong, Dovey?”
“The call is from the hospital”
“Answer it and hear what they got to say”
“What if something terrible has happened to my dad?”
“Be positive Dovey, you never can tell”
Dove shook her head and gave Vincent her phone.
“Answer it, I don’t have the mind to answer the phone”
Vincent took the phone from her and answered the call.
“Hello Miss. Dove”
“This is Vincent Moore speaking, how is Jacob doing?” He asked, and Dove held her breath.
In her eyes lies lots of worries.
“Okay Doctor, we will be there in a few” Vincent said.
He ended the call and looked at Dove with sad eyes.
“What did he say? What happened to my dad?” She asked, looking scared.
“He said we should come to the hospital” Vincent maintained the sadness in his eyes.
“Why? Is my dad dead?” Dove asked, she was already shedding tears.
“He said your dad wants to see you,” Vincent said with a smile.
“My dad?”
“Yes. He has woken up from coma”
“Why did you scare me like that?!” She hit his chest and he laughed.
“I just wanted to see your reaction”
“You are so evil!” She hits his chest like a baby and Vincent smiles.
“Are you ready to see your dad, little one?”
Dove nodded her head smiling.
******
•HOSPITAL•
“I’m fine Dove, stop worrying about me” Jacob said
He was in a VIP room which was paid by Vincent.
“I was so scared when you fell into a coma. I thought I won’t see your face again”
“That’s why I came back to the land of the living cuz I know my jewel will be worried about me” Jacob patted her cheek.
Dove hugged him.
“Thanks for coming back dad, I’d have gone crazy if you died. Thanks for coming back to stay with me” Dove said, crying.
“Here she goes again, take her away from my body, Vincent”
Vincent smiled and helped Dove sit down on the bed. He cleaned the tears in her eyes and said; Your dad is fine, no need to cry”
Jacob smiled seeing how caring Vincent was to Dove.
“Are you double dating?” Jacob asked, Vincent and Dove looked at him.
Jacob is a blunt man who says what he has in mind not caring about what it might bring.
“Dad! I’m not double dating! Why would you think so low of me?”
“I’m just asking Dove. Why is Niko not with you? He is your boyfriend, right?”
Vincent felt sad at the mention of Niko.
Hearing Niko’s name makes him feel he is just a replacement for Dove’s broken heart even if he was Dove’s first love.
The feeling came when she was still a kid, and he didn’t know if the feeling she had for him 12 years ago was as strong as her feelings for Niko.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Jacob asked.
Vincent looked at her, he saw the sadness in her eyes and it broke his heart.
Dove inhaled and exhaled before talking; “Niko and I broke up already”
“You both broke up, why?”
“He chose to end our relationship”
“Are you okay? You loved him a lot”
Vincent’s eyes fell on Dove’s lips eager to hear what she had to say.
“It’s all in the past now Dad. I don’t want to talk about him”
A little smile formed itself on Vincent’s lips.
“And him?” Jacob points at Vincent.
“He is courting me, Dad,” Dove smiled.
“Just after your break up with Niko?”
“He was the one who ended our relationship, so I don’t see why I should still hold on to someone who no longer loves me. What matters more is you, Dad” Dove smiled.
“I’m fine. I need to get discharged immediately so that I can investigate the person who shot me”
“You want to resume being a cop?” Dove asked, disappointedly.
“Yes. It’s my job”
“I won’t allow you to go back there, Dad. Once you get discharged you’re going to resign from being a cop”
“I can’t do that, Dove”
“You almost died, Dad! It’s a miracle that you survived and you want to go back to the job that almost ki||ed you?!”
“Listen Dove…”
“I don’t want to hear anything. It’s either you resign or I won’t talk to you anymore”
“Dove….”
Dove stood up and left the room, Jacob sighed sadly.
“I will talk to her, sir”
“Thank you, Vincent. I will try to pay back the money you spent on my hospital bills”
“You don’t have to sir” Vincent smiled at him and left.
***
Vincent searched around the hospital premises for Dove, and he sighed when he saw sitting on the swing.
The hospital has a playground for children.
“That swing isn’t meant for you, Dovey”
“I want to be alone”
“You’re going to ignore me too?”
Dove stood up frustratingly. She screamed and ruffled her hair.
“Did it calm your anger?”
“No it didn’t, Vinny. He almost died so why can’t he quit being a cop?”
“He is just passionate about his job”
“A job that doesn’t pay well? I am so mad at him right now!”
Vincent smiled and walked close to her.
“Don’t pressure your dad, Dovey”
“I just want him to stop being a cop. We haven’t even caught the robber who shot him” She sounded like a baby.
Vinny cupped her face and smiled. “Are you trying to be cute for me? These past few days you’ve been acting like a baby”
“I’m not in the mood for jokes”
Vincent chuckled and said; “Don’t worry, I already hired someone to investigate the incident that happened at the mall”
“Really?”
“Do you think he’d do a good job? The police couldn’t trace these robbers”
“He is good at what he does, Dovey. He’d give a call when he finds something”
“Thanks Vinny”
Vincent smiled.
“So I’m courting you?” He asked with a sêxy smile.
“Aren’t you?”
“So when are you going to say yes to me?” Vincent asked, bringing his face closer to hers.
Dove smiled and pushed his head away slightly.
“Where is Dora?”
“Dora?”
“Yes”
“I dunno where she is” Dove answered.
“You should keep an eye on Dora, Dove. She is not always at home and that’s not a good thing for her”
“I will just call her” Dove brought out her phone and dialed Dora’s number.
******
Dora wears a smile on her face as she looked at herself in the mirror.
She was going to a night clubbing with Alex.
She was dressed up like a bîtch going for a bîtch party.
“It’s a good thing Dove is at the hospital, I can do what I want” She giggles, but the smile on her face went off, when Dove called her.
“Why is she calling me? I can’t even change my phone thanks to her, cuz she will be suspicious” She hisses before answering the phone.
“What do you want?” She asked, rudely.
“Is that how to talk to your older sister?” Dove asked.
“I will hang up if you don’t have something useful to say”
“Where are you?”
“I’m at home reading”
“Come to the hospital”
“Why?” She frowns.
“Dad woke up already and he wants to see you”
“Can’t I see him tomorrow? I am busy with my books”
“You never read even if tomorrow is an exam, so don’t think I am going to fall for your lies. Get yourself here, or I’m coming to get you myself”
“Gosh! I h@ťě you!” Dora shouts at Dove and ends the call.
She texted Alex she won’t be going to the nightclub anymore, and after that she began taking off her bîtchy clothes.
******
•NIKO’S APARTMENT, NEXT DAY•
Niko was busy looking at Dove’s pictures, he was on the verge of shedding tears when someone knocked on the door.
He cleaned his tears and went to open the door.
“Hi” Candy waved at him.
Niko hissed at her and closed the door.
“What the heck….” Candy knocks on the door again.
Niko opens the door and shouts at her; “What in the god’s name is your problem?!”
“Don’t shout at me, okay, I’m not the cause of your problem!”
“Then why are you here?”
“To check up on you! Excuse me” She pushed Niko away and went inside.
“Nice apartment,” Candy said, looking around.
“The door is still open, leave”
“No I won’t” Candy said and went to a picture flame.
“This is a picture of you and Dove. If you still love her, take her back”
Niko takes the picture from her.
“I already told you I won’t! Don’t get me angry cuz you won’t like me”
“I don’t like you when you’re calm, so there’s no need”
“What do you really want? You weren’t this constant in my life!”
“That’s because you chose to end your relationship with Dove, closing my way to be with Vincent”
“That’s not my problem, leave” Niko points at the door.
“You’re wasting your time. I welcomed myself in and I will be the one to see myself out” She sits on the couch and turns on the TV.
“Oh it’s my favorite tv show. Are you a fan of how I met your mother?”
“Did I tell you I’m looking for my mother?” He asked rudely.
“I bet you’re not a fan of tv shows. Anyway get me a glass of wine, I need to entertain myself while watching tv”
Niko just stood
“I need a glass of wine, get me one!”
“Don’t shout at me”
“Are you going to get it or not?”
Niko walked to the cellar to get her a glass of wine.
“It’s so funny,” Candy laughed as she watched Tv.
Niko glared at her as he poured the wine on the glass.
“Here you go,” He said, giving the wine to her.
“Thanks” Candy takes it from him and sips it.
“I’m hungry make me noodles”
“Do I look like your boyfriend?”
“I won’t even accept you even if you ask me out. Prepare me noodles!”
Niko sighed and went to the kitchen to prepare noodles for Candy.
******
•DAYS LATER•
Jacob enters Dove’s room and sees her arranging her clothes in a luggage.
She was leaving with Vincent to see his grandpa.
“Are you going to leave without talking to me?”
“I will be back after three days. Dora isn’t useful so, Izzy promised to take care of you” Dove said without looking at her dad.
She tried to leave, but Jacob blocked her.
“Dove”
“Let’s talk properly when I am back. Maybe you’d rethink resuming work at the station,” Dove said and went outside.
She met Vincent already waiting for her.
“Let’s go”
Vincent sees Jacob standing by the door.
“Are you still avoiding your dad?”
“Let’s go Vinny, or I won’t go with you anymore”
“My grandpa is already waiting. He knows we are coming today, he also said he has a surprise for us”
“What kind of surprise?” Dove asked.
“He didn’t tell”
“Let’s go then” She enters the car.
Vincent waved at Jacob before entering the car with Dove.
“It’s a little bit far, you can sleep if you want”
“I’m not sleeping”
Vincent hadn’t driven for thirty minutes before Dove slept off.
Vincent looked at her and smiled.
******
It was four hours drive before Vincent arrived at his grandpa’s house.
Dove woke up stretching her body.
“You said you weren’t sleepy”
“I just got tired…. Vinny, what’s going on?” She asked with widened eyes.
“What?”
“Take a look” She points at the banner on the gate.
Vincent’s eyes went to the gate and he was shocked when he saw what was written boldly on the banner
YOU ARE WELCOME TO MY GRAND SON’S WEDDING
“Does your grandpa have another grandson?” Dove asked.
“From what I can remember, he only married my late grandma, and both have two daughters, my late mom and Auntie Snow. Jovita and I are his only grandchildren”
“Did your grandpa have a secret wife, maybe it’s the surprise he is talking about”
“He’d have told my Auntie”
“Maybe he only wants you to know, that’s why it’s a surprise”
Vincent got down from the car, Dove also the same.
They entered the compound, and they saw lots of people sitting. There was a priest, and the whole place was decorated like someone was having a wedding.
“When are they coming?” Someone asked from the crowd.
Grandpa Joe spotted Vincent and Dove and he began to clap.
“The bride and groom have arrived!” Grandpa Joe said in a loud voice.
“Bride and groom?!” Dove and Vincent asked at the same time.
The crowd stood up and began clapping for them with smiling faces.
“Come forward for your rings” The priest said.
……
TBC