Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 87967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“Why?” I asked.
“I wasn’t born into money. I married it and, well, like you everything seemed new and exciting. I bet Daimon doesn’t even notice. He was born to be his father’s son.” Her voice grew sullen, but she continued to smile.
“It’s different for me to be around such things,” I admitted.
“But it is nice,” she added.
“Yes, it really is nice.”
We ordered our food and sat quietly, not really knowing where to start. I wanted to ask her who she was exactly, but I didn’t want to seem rude. The moment her glass of wine came, she smiled.
“One won’t hurt,” she said as she picked it up and took a sip. “I’m glad my Daimon married you,” she said, putting down her glass. “He deserves to marry for love. Unlike his father who…well, he wanted Daimon to marry for money and power.” She smiled.
“Yes, his father seems…special,” I treaded lightly.
“You met Guilin. He was nice once, but not now.” Her happy disposition changed as a quiet sadness seeped in. She looked off to the side as though remembering something.
“Deidra?” I said softly.
“Yes, I’m sorry. Memories. Just simple memories.” She smiled and picked up her glass again.
“So, you’re Daimon’s aunt,” I started.
“You can say that.”
“I see he got your eyes,” I offered.
“He did, but he got his looks from his father, and unfortunately, his personality too.”
I looked across and saw the same brokenness I often saw in Daimon. There was no question who she was.
“He can be pretty rough,” I laughed.
“I know and I'm sorry for that. It was my fault,” she smiled sadly.
“I'm sure it wasn’t entirely your fault.”
“I should have been there for him when I could have, but I wasn’t allowed. He was even more upset with me when I came back from California. I heard he was getting married and I left the facilit…I left the hotel I was staying at and headed here. I wanted to see him get married,” her voice cracked. “But enough of the past, let’s talk about you and Daimon. He seems different when you are around,” she noted. I wondered how she knew that, but she did see him at the wedding.
“Really? I hardly see it,” I murmured. That’s why Daimon was angry that night at the wedding. Slowly, everything was taking shape.
“Daimon is different from his father. His father has a hard personality while Daimon’s is mixed. It confuses him, knowing how he should behave. Daimon is…Daimon,” she said quietly.
The waiter came and served us our food. It was spectacular. I ate every morsel of my butternut squash and roasted sausages with quinoa.
“You seem to like good food.” She watched me eat.
“I love good food and this is the best.” She ordered her fourth glass of wine and hardly touched her plate. “Aren’t you going to eat?” I wondered.
“I'm not that hungry.”
We finished our meal. Well, more like I had and she was now on her fifth glass of wine. “You don’t need to worry. I won’t make a scene,” she offered.
“No, I'm sorry I didn’t mean to make a face. I'm so sorry,” I choked out, nervously.
“It’s fine. I'm glad you made time for me. I wanted to meet you and to see who Daimon married. You are what he needs. I just hope he doesn’t do something to ruin it. Daimon might seem cold and unfeeling, but deep down, he’s loving and caring. He just doesn’t know how to show it,” she said sadly.
“Sometimes and I mean sometimes, I think I see it, but just as soon as it appears, it goes away just as quickly,” I offered.
“Give him time. My Daimon will open up soon, I know it.” She smiled confidently.
She walked me downstairs and asked the doorman to call me a cab.
“I'm glad to have met you.” She hesitated, but stretched out her arms and hugged me. I hugged her back.
“I would like to call you sometime and just check up on you two. If that would be okay?” she said softly.
“Of course.”
“Thank you, Addie.” She hugged me harder. “Thank you.”
The Truth
My quiet month had come to an abrupt stop when Daimon stormed into the penthouse yelling, “Who did you meet today?”
“Wow. No, hello. No, how are you. No, hey, haven’t spoken to you in a month, how are things?” I said sarcastically.
“Cut the crap, Addie,” he barked.
“I met your aunt,” I said carefully.
“My aunt?”
“Daimon, why didn’t you ever tell me?” I asked not standing up.
“What did she tell you?” he seethed.
“Nothing. She told me nothing. Daimon, she’s loving and caring. She wanted me to know you’re a good man and behind your asshole exterior, there’s a warmhearted person. I told her she was wrong, but she insisted.” I tried to make light of the situation, afraid of what he might do to her and to their already damaged relationship.