Marvels Of Fate

Sadly, I Can't

  3 Years Later
"Yeah, I'll be there. Don't worry, Tyler." I say, wrestling to handle myself, my laptop bag and the phone that's tucked between my shoulder and ear.
"Mus, please don't be late for this one." Tyler practically begs, his panic oozing through the phone.
"Oh, shut up, will you? I said I'll be there, so I will. Plus that was a one time thing and I've apologized for it millions of times." The coffee mug slips from my hand, landing with a clatter on the wooden flooring of our house. "Ah, fuck!" I curse, bending down to pick it up. Thankfully, it's empty. "Tyler, I'm dying right now. I'll call you later." I end the call before he can get another word in. I shove my phone into the laptop bag and swing it's strap over my shoulder.
"Need help?" Carter asks, sauntering into the study; his eyes glued to his phone's screen, as per usual.
"No, I'm okay." I say, buttoning up my blouse. "I'll be late for dinner, so just go ahead without me." I stride over to the door of the study, give Carter a peck on the cheek and exit.
"Late? Again?" Carter questions, eyeing me.
"Yeah," I shrug my shoulders, nonchalantly. "These book signings and meetings take forever."
"You were better off being a doctor, Mus. Why'd you have to leave your studies and become this best-selling author?" Carter questions, huffing.
"We're not starting this argument again. Bye!" My heels clatter against the floor, as I rush towards the garage. I should've left the house ten minutes ago. Tyler's really going to chop my head off someday. I press the button for the garage door to open, and it does, taking longer than usual. Being the impatient and late person, that I am, I slip underneath it, before it has opened fully. I place my laptop bag on the bonnet of my new Range Rover and search for the car key. Once I've settled myself in the car, I take a long deep breath. I overslept. Again! If only Carter wouldn't insist on going out to dinners, parties and movies - I'd be better off in the mornings. Sighing, I start up the engine and reverse out of the garage. Carter doesn't realize the fact that just because his work doesn't start till ten in the morning, doesn't mean my work starts late as well. I have to go for meetings, book signings, readings! And that takes up a lot of time. My phone rings in the laptop bag that I've placed on the passenger seat, but I just ignore it. It'll be Tyler, I know it. And his frantic nature will just panic me more. Sometimes doing the thing you love also seems like a burden. But a burden that I'm happy to carry. Since I was twelve, I've had this dream of becoming a best-selling author and now I am one. The market sales for my books just seem to go up day by day. The publishing house I work with says they haven't seen such a drastic climb in the charts, since the days of J.K.Rowling. It's an honor to be compared with her. Last month, I released another book and for the next six months, I'll be doing book tours, and all the add-ons that come with it. My phone rings again, but this time the ringtone is different. Signalling the caller. Hastily, I dig my phone out of the laptop bag, put it on speaker mode and place it on the passenger seat.
"Hola!" I exclaim, grinning from ear to ear, as I pick up my best-friend's call.
"Howdy, partner!" Kate yells back, with equal enthusiasm. "How's my kids aunt doing?"
"Great! She's rushing to a meeting right now. How're my fave twins doing?"
"Kicking and urinating. I mean honestly, I've been to the bathroom like four times in the past half hour." Exaggerator, I roll my eyes at Kate's words.
"Well, there are two of them." I shake my head at the thought, still not believing the fact that Kate's nine months pregnant, with twins!
"They're terrors. Imagine what they'll do when they come out?" Kate laughs and lets out a low whistle. I laugh, happiness bubbling inside me at the thought of those two dynamites running around Kate's house.
"Hello, Godmother!" Liam yells, his voice sounding far off.
"Hello, father." I greet him back. "How's life treating ya?"
"Like a bitch!" This time Liam sounds closer to the phone. "And you know what's the synonym for life in my dictionary."
"Did you just call me a bitch?!" Kate exclaims, and I can imagine her pouting right now.
"Oh, Liam, you're in big shit!" I make a sharp turn, almost missing it altogether. "I'll call you later, Kate. During lunch."
"No, no! I called to tell you something very important." She says hastily.
"Okay, go ahead." I urge, wishing the red light in front of me to change colors.
"The babies want their aunt to be with them during the delivery time."
"The babies, or the mother?" I arch my eyebrow.
"Okay, all three of us!" Kate laughs. "Mus please. I need you in a week's time."
"A week?!" I practically choke. "No, Kate, I can't. I'm sorry."
"Oh, come on! I'm not doing this whole pregnancy fiasco again. I beg of you, pretty please." My heart clenches with guilt. How can I go? I have so many things scheduled.
"Kate-"
"Mus, please. You're the only one who I want with me in the delivery room."
"What about me?!" Liam exclaims, sounding hurt.
"Shut up! Mus, this is a one time chance. Please," Kate begs. I sigh and purse my lips, thinking. Carter will not be able to go last minute and he won't want me to go either.
"Okay, I'll see what I can do, Kate. Give me some time."
"No, Mus, you're coming. Period." Kate says sternly. "Liam's booked a ticket for you for tomorrow night and it's non-refundable."
"Tomorrow?! No, absolutely not." I shake my head. That's impossible.
"My due date is for next Monday, that'll give us a week to get you familiar with the kids and the procedure for the hospital." Kate says, clearly not comprehending what I'm saying. "Liam will e-mail with you ticket right away. Bye!" The line goes dead and I'm left in silence once again. I slam the heel of my palm against the steering wheel.
"Fuck!" I curse. I'm in a real serious dilemma. Of course I want to go and visit Kate, spend the last week of her pregnancy with her and then be there with her in a hospital, while she's in labor. However, I can't. I have Carter to think of and my career. It's just not feasible the idea. I turn into the Four Season's hotel parking lot. Let's think about all this later. For now, I should focus on my book and the conference that I'm attending in ten minutes.
*******
"Hey, Mus!" I turn around to find Hale, rushing to catch up with me. I smile at him warmly and give him a quick hug.
"Brilliant reading, Mus." Hale says, grinning from ear to ear. "Your books keep getting better and better. Honestly, what's your secret?" He winks, making me laugh.
"I don't know, to be quite frank. Love stories just seem to pen themselves from my mind onto the keyboard." I say, shrugging my shoulders.
"Honest to God, woman, the way you describe the pain of heartbreak and loss...hats off." Hale tips his imaginary hat.
"Thank you, I'm honored to have pleased a critic, such as yourself." Hale's grin increases, exposing his almost non-existent dimple.
"But do tell, Mus, how do you capture their emotions so perfectly? It's as if you're going through that heartbreak." Hale laughs, just as someone yells his name from the conference hall. The smile that I was adorning for a few seconds, gets wiped off my face immediately. If only he knew, I internally sigh. "Gotta go." Hale waves at me and turns on his heels, jogging back toward the conference room. I turn around as well and resume my original path. This time, my agent, Tyler jumps in front of me.
"Where're you going?" Tyler questions, falling in stride beside me, his arm over my shoulders.
"Home." I answer simply, searching for my keys in my laptop bag.
"Oh, come on! We have to go and party. After all, you reached this conference on time and made it successful, as always." I turn my head to face him and shake my head.
"Sorry, not today, I've got dinner with Carter." Tyler purses his lips and the smile is immediately wiped off his face. He doesn't like Carter at all and vice versa. "Hey, don't look so down! What about tomorrow?" I question, lightly punching him in the gut. Tyler grins and nods his head enthusiastically.
"Of course! You know I'll always be up for dinner, lunch, brunch or breakfast with you." I laugh and nod my head.
"As would I. By the way, shall I drop you off at your house?"
"That'd be great, Mus. Sometimes I really wish I didn't have a phobia of driving. But then I think of getting behind that wheel of death and stop wishing." I nod in understanding. Four years ago, Tyler's dad died in a car accident and Tyler was driving. Since then, he hasn't driven a car, motorbike or any other mean of transportation. Yeah, he's been to psychologists, but nothing has worked out so far. I unlock the car doors and Tyler and I get in hastily. It's already started to drizzle and the forecast is for a thunderstorm. I hate thunderstorms with Carter; he doesn't even let me open a window slightly, or leave the house to drive around. It's highly unfair. But if I argue, then his mood gets off, ruining the lovely weather for me.
"Gosh, your playlist is trashy." Tyler says, as he scrolls through the list of songs I have stored in my USB, from which I play songs onto my car's stereo. "Let's put on the radio."
"Tyler, I rather not." I say, my tone clipped. He frowns, noticing something's off immediately.
"Why, what's wrong with the radio?" Tyler questions, still going through with what he originally had in mind. He toys around with the radio channels, while I debate throwing him onto a sidewalk and hoping that no song of his would play on the radio. My grip on the steering wheel tightens, as my fears turn into reality and their song plays.
"Holy hell, I love this song! You know it's been at the top of the charts for two months now." Tyler says, practically squealing. I nod my head, staring straight through the windshield, trying to focus on nothing but the road. An agonizing couple of minutes pass by, before the RJ's voice fills the car.
"Another number one by the band that hasn't stopped selling albums and concert tickets in less than five minutes!" The RJ says, his voice dripping with enthusiasm and excitement. "And today is a very special day, as we're joined by this band. What's up, guys?"
"Nothing much, Ralph. Touring as per usual," Niall answers. "I mean, now that the new album has released, we'll be busy with interviews, and another world tour." A small smile tugs at the corner of my lips at the sound of his voice. It's been so long. I've only been in touch with Liam and that, too, because of Kate. After all, they're an engaged couple, who are expecting their first babies this month.
"What about you, Louis? I heard that you're organizing a charity function for the St. Bart's kids."
"As a matter of fact, yeah, I am." Louis says, sounding cheerful. Wow, that's new! "It'll be a great night for the boys and myself. So yeah, we're all looking forward to it."
"And congrats, Liam, on your babies. News is your fiancee will be delivering during this month." The RJ sounds highly curious. Of course he does; I'm sure the world is, too.
"Yeah, she might. Though I don't really wanna spill the beans." Liam says, his tone warm as usual. Yet, he's managed to avoid the topic quite smoothly, without offending anyone.
"Always the private one, eh?" The RJ laughs. "What about you, Harry? What's been going on between you and Rain?"
"What's been going on?" My heart clenches at the sound of that voice, and I miss the turn I was supposed to take.
"Mus, my house - it's behind!" Tyler exclaims, turning his body to face me.
"Yeah, sorry." I murmur, turning on my indicator, so that I can make a U-turn. "Got distracted, that's all."
"No prob," Tyler says nonchalantly.
"I mean, you guys have been photographed together many a time. So, it's not like there's nothing going on." The RJ continues, Tyler and I, having missed the former part of the conversation.
"No, there's something for sure. Yeah, we've been together for a couple of months now." Harry answers, sounding far off and disinterested. I haven't heard his voice in three years. God, I was doing such a great job of avoiding his interviews, and songs. However, all that effort went down the drain in a couple of minutes.
"Oh, really? So what's the scoop? Things heating up between the two of you?" The RJ digs further, making me bite my lower lip hard.
"Tyler, I'm in no mood for all this shit!" I exclaim, changing the stereo mode to USB and filling up the car with the voice of Adele. I see Tyler glance at me warily, from the corner of my eye. However, I don't care and nor do I acknowledge his upset mood. Fuck! I want to break the car and just rush out into the downpour of rain, and drench myself; forgetting about my past and all the memories of Harry. I wish I could erase them, but I can't. Sadly, I can't.