housekeeper

36. My sister's birthday party.

The living room buzzed with activity as soon as we stepped in, and I could feel the weight of numerous eyes upon us. Melissa, approached with her trademark enthusiasm, a wide grin splitting her face. 

"Vanessa, I'm so glad you're here!" she exclaimed. 

"Hey, Melissa. Happy birthday," I replied, giving her the customary three kisses. 

She quickly accepted before nudging me aside to focus on Dave. "Hello, Mr. Lavens. Welcome to my birthday party," she said, her tone shifting to a flirtatious lilt.  

I rolled my eyes as Dave responded, "Happy birthday, and just call me Dave. I'll be your brother-in-law soon enough." He winked at me before leaning in to kiss her cheeks, which she took the time to alternate.  

Ryan came to stand next to me with his jaw clenched, his eyes following every action Melissa did to Dave.  

Dave handed her an envelope which includes a weekend trip to Paris. "A gift from Vanessa and me."  Melissa's eyes lit up as she tore into the envelope, her fingers moving quickly. When she saw the contents, her face broke into a radiant smile. She nearly jumped on Dave in her excitement, hugging him tightly. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. What a beautiful gift."  

Dave glanced at me with an exasperated look before reminding her, "It's from your sister, too." 

"Oh, yes," she said, releasing him. "Thanks, sister," she mutters coldly. Her hug for me was perfunctory, and I turned to greet the woman who had come to stand beside us. 

"Hello, Mother," I said coldly, giving her a single kiss on the cheek.  

"Good evening, Vanessa. I see you brought your fiancé. Nice to see you again, Mr. Lavens," she said, extending her hand.  

Dave shook her hand warmly. "Nice to see you too."  

As the party progressed, more people came to talk to us, or rather, to talk to Dave. His wealth and fame were the focus of attention, and I could feel the jealous looks from the other women. But it didn't bother me. I was with Dave and we loved each other. 

 The party was in full swing and I looked around. Even though the room was full of people, I still felt alone. Dave was in a heated conversation with a man about the various businesses under his name. And everyone else was busy with their life stories. I looked at my sister who was selling herself to some women and decided to go find the bathroom myself. I walked down the small hallway and up the stairs. 

As I reached the top, I quickly saw an open door. I entered the room and found myself in a small office. Pictures of Melissa and Ryan hung on the walls, capturing moments of their shared happiness. Despite the past, I was genuinely happy for them, now that I understood that Ryan and I were never meant to be together.  

"Admiring our pictures?" 

Startled, I turned to see Ryan leaning against the door frame, a casual smirk on his face. He sauntered in, invading my personal space as he reached for their wedding photo. With a dramatic sigh, he lamented, "This could have been us," his words hanging in the air like a forgotten melody.

Gazing at the photograph, I responded with a calm voice, "You made a different choice. You're with my sister now, and I'm content with Dave." 

"Are you actually happy?" he inquired, scepticism lacing his voice.

"Indeed, is that concept so alien?" I retorted, annoyance edging into my words.

"We were the dream team, weren't we? Where did the plot twist happen?" 

My anger surged as I raised my voice. "Do you really mean that? You decided to sleep with my sister, and now you're questioning what went wrong? The mistake wasn't mine."

 Ryan's expression darkened, and he pushed me against the wall. 

"What are you doing?" I demanded.  

"Something I should have done a long time ago. I miss you, Vanessa, and I can't stand seeing you with that bastard Dave." He pressed his lips to mine, and I struggled against his grip. 

Gathering my strength, I kneed him between the legs, and he stumbled back, clutching himself in pain.  

"I'll never return to you. You picked my sister, but guess what? I've found the one who truly lights up my life. He's incomparable. And now, I'm your sister-in-law, so let's keep it civil," I declared, my voice quivering with a mix of fury and triumph. 

Ryan gave a pained nod, his features twisted as if he'd just bitten into a lemon. 

"Is everything okay in here?" Dave asked, appearing in the doorway. 

I briefly make eye contact with Dave. "Yes, everything is excellent. Ryan and I had a disagreement, but it's all cleared up now. Right, Ryan?" I said, not breaking eye contact with Ryan.  

"Yes, completely cleared up," he managed to say, still hunched over.  

"Dave, can we go home? I'm tired," I ask, placing my hand on Dave's chest.  

"Of course, my love," he replied, his voice soothing. We leave the room and I ignore Ryan when he calls my name again.

 Despite Melissa's protests to keep me at the party longer, we said our goodbyes. I settled into the back seat of the car next to Dave. He patted the seat beside him, and I slid over, his arm wrapping around my shoulders. He kissed the top of my head. 

 "I think you had a good conversation with Ryan just now. Should I be worried?" he asked, a teasing note in his voice.  

I chuckled. "No, he won't bother me any more. You're my man, and I made that very clear to him." 

"I know," with a much too amused twinkle in his eyes.

"What?" I ask in a raised, playful voice.

"I will never make you angry because I am not tired of my life, and that of my future offspring."

"It was just a knee strike," I answer nonchalantly.

Dave laughs so hard that his whole body shakes. 

I look at him sweetly and sing: "What?" after which I ask with a furrowed brow, "Does it hurt that much?"

"I have experienced it once, and I don't want to experience it again. Feather, you're truly fantastic. Did you know that? I love you." 

 I smiled, warmth spreading through me. I lifted my head to meet his gaze. "Yeah, I know. You've mentioned it several times. And I love you," I replied, our lips meeting in a deep kiss. We kissed until we were both breathless, and I leaned back against him. 

The driver glanced at us through the rearview mirror, smiling. I returned the smile before closing my eyes, feeling safe and cherished in Dave's protective embrace.