Her Right Mistake

(13) Audrey

***Hi! This book is under MAJOR revision, so some things might not add up in the next chapters. Please read on with this in mind.

"Audrey, your doctor's appointment today is.... Ahhhh." Kylie gapes at her, her head tilting to the right. "What are you doing?"

Audrey frowned. "Do you think you can buy me more vases? If I put so much water will the flowers drown?"

"Uh. Yeah, I think they will."

"But if I put just a little water they will get thirsty, right?" Audrey just had her first bouquet of the day delivered and she couldn't bear to not tend to it after the story Vren told her. He's getting into her nerve; that's something she will deny even to herself.

"Uh, maybe?" she hesitated.

"So, how much would be enough?" she slumped on her swivel chair.

"I'm not sure. You want me to look it up?"

"How do you not know that?"

"I don't really get flowers." She types something on her phone. "It says water should be about 3/4 of the vase's height. And there's more complicated stuff." Her brows wrinkled.

"Okay. Tell me." Audrey stare at the flowers on the vase.

"It says you should add two tablespoons of cider vinegar or half a teaspoon of bleach to help kill bacteria and mold."

"Flowers get mold?" She questioned out. Maybe Vren was right. These flowers are way more complicated than she thought. And she allowed to admit that. Only to herself.

"Yeah, they get mold. You want me to get you this stuff?" She offered with a smile.

She nods.

Kylie exited her office only to be shoved back in again by a territorial effort to keep a handsome intruder at bay.

"She's having lunch with me, I swear." Vren had his hands in the air even when he was clutching another bouquet of flowers.

Great. As if one can't be too difficult enough.

"Let him in, Kylie." Audrey sits back on her chair, watching the aforementioned intruder walk around her assistant like a small prey. To be honest, the way he towers over her assistant in his six feet self, it should be the other way around.

Vren's eyes found hers. His lips curve to one of those slow smiles that she just heard about in novels. "Hi, gorgeous."

She needed to flick her eyes away for a split second – which she immediately regrets because now his attention is on the flowers bunched in the vase in a way someone with no experience would.

"I take it you're warming up to these flowers?" He grinned, looking so smug.

"I didn't put them in the vase. Kylie did." Audrey wasn't about to admit anything. She would deny it with her dying breath. "Ask her yourself."

Kylie's eyes broadened and points to herself. Luckily, her shock wore off when Vren turns around to sense if there's a female conspiracy.

"I did." She smiled. "Excuse me. I need to go back to my desk."

God, Audrey owes her a doughnut. Make it a dozen of them. "You're too early."

"I am?" He sits to the chair in front of her desk. "Well, I figured I could be charming in your eyes if I sprinkled a bit of punctuality on myself."

"And that's supposed to be sweet because?"

He shrugs, his mouth sporting a boyish smile. "Because I meant it."

She had to roll her eyes and hope the heat on her cheeks didn't color them pink. "We better go. I have an appointment at 1:00 PM."

"You mean our doctor's appointment."

"Yes. I don't want to be late. Kylie is taking me to my OBGYN." She stands up and collected her bag.

Vren was on his feet. "Wait, I'm not coming with you?"

She didn't expect him to be severely offended. She actually thought he would be relieved not having to spend his precious time listening to a doctor talking on and on. "I'm saving you the time."

"What do you mean? Kylie is taking my place as the father? No offense. I respect people and their sexuality but that's not what's happening here, right?"

She clicks her tongue. "No. We're both straight."

Audrey had to hold back a smile when he actually sighed in relief. "So, why not me?"

"Why not you?"

"Why can't I take you to the doctor? I'm capable of driving. And I'm capable of spending my time however I want."

She slid her bag to her arm. "Fine. Let's just go."

"Audrey, please."

She stopped dead in her tracks when she felt his hand on her elbow. She was just was just walking past him, assuming he'll be over it. She look up to meet his blue eyes. They were so soft and still it caught her off guard.

"Seriously. I'm taking you to every single appointments. Forcibly if I have to."

She arched a brow. "Forcibly? Like fling me around over your shoulder?"

"Forcibly careful." He winks. "Like a groom carrying his bride of the church in case she changes her mind."

Audrey shakes her head. She couldn't help it. She smiled.

Kylie knocks on her office door before her head popped in. "Mrs. Parkinson is here to see you."

Right. Kathie must have seen the papers. They started to circulate around this morning, bearing with them pictures of her and Vren splayed across the page. There goes their story. "Let her in."

"Okay." She beamed and opened the door further.

Audrey turns to Vren warningly. But he was gaping at the door, to whomever entered the said door.

"Mom? What are you doing here?"

It was too late when she realized what was happening. Turns out, Kathie isn't the only Mrs. Parkinson she's expecting to have to explain herself.

Margaret Parkinson is frozen by the door, this morning's paper in her hand. Her gaze bounces from her to Vren. And the bouquet of flowers he's yet to give her. Then his arm on her elbow. "I think I got my answer."

It wasn't like she caught them in an awkward moment but Audrey's face felt like they were just set on fire. She cleared her throat to collect herself. "You should come and sit down. We'll explain everything."

She strode in, her mouth slightly parted.

"I know all this might be too sudden but—" she trailed off when she laughed.

"Oh, hush. It's not a crime to date my son. I'm just really shocked you would."

It was his turn to clear his throat. "I'm right over here and you're saying mean things about me."

"It wasn't mean, sweetie. I raised you well but I had my flaws." Margaret smiles brightly.

"We're dating. Let's leave it at that."

Her eyes sparkled at the statement. "Okay, fine. I'll be on my way."

Audrey was nailed to the ground. This reminds her of her own mother whom she still had to slowly feed this morsel of information. That and the other information that will be much bigger to swallow. She's still struggling to come to terms with it. Every night, she would wake up and put a hand over her belly asking, "Are you really there?"

She refuses to take the time off work. When she set up a meeting with her fellow editor-in-chief Christian Parkinson, she wanted to change her mind and wished Christian was not willing to shoulder her responsibilities for a while. In fact, 'more than' willing. As she shook his hand, the thought that's only been just a thought feels like a something tangible looming over her. And the moment it starts to rain down on her, it will rain hard.

Happy Quarantine! Stay at home, wash your hands and don't forget to vote and leave me a comment. Love y'all!