Delectable Benefits

Twenty Two

Pam was watching her friend circulate the room with Lucas next to her. She was even surprised to see a smile plastered on her friend's lips. But Pam could see the smile was fake. She looked at her husband with a sigh.

"If I'm going to think about Anya right now, I just might give birth here and now," she said with a heavy sigh.

Paul followed his wife's gaze then searched for Nick with a frown. There he saw Nick with Michelle, they were standing a little too close together by a private area of the ball room. If you didn't look hard enough, you wouldn't spot the couple. He wanted to hit the shameless man behind the curtain. But he noticed Nick's abrupt departure and began searching for his wife.

He was about to signal Anya to move away from Lucas, but the other man seemed to have an ear piece and steered Anya away from her husband. He didn't know what to make of that. "Don't bother with Anya, my dear, she is in capable hands."

"I don't think so. I doubt Anya is in a festive mood now," Pam said as she shifted her weight.

"I spotted Dr. Brenda a while ago, honey. Your gynecologist is here," Paul remarked.

"Well, she is Nick's cousin, and the family matriarch is looking out for her delicate daughter-in-law and friend. Having you, you useless wall of meat, next to me in the delivery room is a waste of space." Pam remarked.

Paul had the guts to look offended, "Hey. I did manage to get you to the hospital."

"No, Anya was the one who brought us the hospital. You drove us in circles," Recalling an eight-month pregnant Anya driving them down to the hospital for their daughter's delivery. Her husband fainted at the sight of the water gushing between her legs as her water broke the later fainting again at the sight of their daughter as she came out of her mother.

"Fine," Paul conceded with a heavy heart.

Judge Brown was on the center stage calling the attention of the party goers so they could start with the program. He looked at them and pretty soon he had all of them focused on the man.

"My... My... I never thought this day would come where we all can pretend to be millionaires for one night. Even the janitor looks spiffy tonight," Judge Brown said and waved at the man.

Anya closed her eyes, she had only been around for an hour and she felt ready to call it a night, "Hey, are you all right?" Lucas asked worriedly.

Anya opened her eyes and hoped it was Nick who asked her that, but it was Lucas who was staring at her with searching eyes. She gave him a weak smile. "I'm fine, Lucas, thank you."

He didn't believe her. "You can always step out you know. You have been here for more than an hour."

An hour, she haven't seen her husband since they came down. Michelle might be taking him to greater heights by now. Then she spotted several men in black suits looking at her. "Before we formally start our program, where is that darned woman and her husband?" Spotlights searched the crowd until one found Anya and Nick was spotted next to the control area. Nick looked dishelved. "Come on over here, you two and Frankly, Nick you look like you need to change. What happened to you?"

Anya didn't want to listen to her mentor and looked around, she spotted Chadwick with a sad expression on his face and Anya immediately knew she didn't want to stay longer. She could stay for only thirty more minutes and then she was going up, she was tired. She plastered a fake smile and waved at everyone. Ten minutes later, her husband was taking her hand and escorting her to the stage. She pretended he just didn't break her heart. She pretended that the worried look on his face was his concern for her. She pretended her world wasn't falling apart and that everything was all right.