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Chapter 18

"Hello beautiful people." Elise said cheerfully as she entered Barbara's kitchen. She stopped short when she spotted John leaning against the counter.
"Whats up John?"
"Hey Elsie. It's good to see that you're okay?"
"Is it?" She asked. That awkward moment came over everyone.
"You may not believe it but yes I'm glad you're okay."
"Thank you. I appreciate it." She then gave her attention to Max. "Where my baby at?"
"In the living room in her bassinet."
"Can I get her?"
"Of course you can. You can change her diaper while you're at it to." Max said and Elise stopped in her tracks looking at her with fright in her eyes.
"Is there a problem?"
"Ahh of course not. I'll change her diaper. I ain't never scared." They all laughed as she walked away.
"It wouldn't have been the same without her." Barbara said and Max nodded her head in agreement.
"John would you get the door please?" Barbara asked once the bell chimed.
"I got it!" Elise called. "Baby what are you doing here?" She asked surprised to see Tim at the door.
"I came to get some of Barbara food." He leaned over giving her a soft kiss. He would have pulled her to him kissing her more roughly but she had the baby in her arms.
"You see my baby?" She gently rocked her in her arms.
"Yes. She's beautiful just like you."
"Awe thank you." She leaned up kissing him again. He followed her into the kitchen. He went and gave John a pound then kissed Barbara and Max both on the cheek.
"You're food is in the fridge. You'll have to warm it up."
"Thank you. I'm starved."
"I would have cooked for you." Elise said and Tim smiled.
"I know you would have beautiful. I just figured I'd give you a break today."
"I would never get tired of cooking for you or doing anything for you."
"Awe isn't that sweet." Barbara said and Elise smiled.
"That's my baby right there y'all." She said and Barbara's smile widened. "But I do have to admit that my love is stronger for someone else." They all stared at her shocked looks on their face. Don't tell me she's still in love with my brother. Max thought.
"Who's that?" Max asked.
"This little girl right here. She has my heart already." She said and everyone let out a breath of relief. "No one tops you. No no no." She cooed. "This my baby Max. You can't have her back." She said as she made her way back into the living room.
"I think she'll make a great mother." Barbara said.
"Yeah me to." Max agreed. "She better hurry up and have one though before she steals my baby." Max said and they shared a laugh.
"You want to be a dad Tim?" He stopped in mid chew and looked up at Barbara from where he was sitting.
"Yes when the time comes I would love to be a father."
"I think you two will make very beautiful babies. She tell you how many she wanted?" Max asked.
"No. There's a number?" Laughing Max said.
"Can you count to ten...?" Tim dropped his fork.
"You're joking right?"
"Nope she wants to at least make an attempt to have ten." Barbara laughed.
"Stop Maxine you're scaring that poor man."
"How many kids you want Tim?" Max asked.
"Two maybe three. God knows not ten." They all shared a laugh.
"You two will have a beautiful family."
"The man is not trying to marry her." John retorted hating the fact that he was getting jealous.
"Actually..." Tim stood.
"I came here to ask you something but I didn't know that Elise was going to be here so soon." Digging in his pockets he pulled out a black velvet box and slid it across the counter to Barbara. Her mouth immediately dropped open in shock before grabbing the box.
"Tim that isn't what I think it is is it?" Barbara asked still shocked. Max looked over her mother's shoulder at the ring.
"When are you going to ask her...?"
"Changed diaper equals happy baby." Elise said as she entered the kitchen. Barbara quickly closed the box putting it behind her back.
"Whats going on?" She asked. She was walking towards Tim but was giving her mother the side look. She knew something was up her mother was giving herself away. "What's wrong?" She looked looked up at Tim. Reaching up she caressed his cheek with worry in her eyes and his heart melted for her even more. She wasn't afraid to show affection in front of anyone.
"Well now is better than any." He said. Leaning over he kissed her softly on the lips. Barbara handed him the box and looked at Elise to see that she was still confused. Both Max and Barbara had dreamy eyes.
"I never thought that I would or could love someone as hard as I do you." He began. "I was going to ask you on a date and have soft music the whole nine..." He gave a nervous laugh. Although it was now registering what was happening she was stuck. She listened as he continued. "I had just got your mother's blessing." Clearing his throat he bent down on one knee and Elise mouth dropped open. To say he was nervous was an understatement. But he continued.
"I know that we haven't dated long for me to even consider doing this but I feel it only takes a day to determine if you want to spend your life with a person and with what happened with you and being without you those three months killed me inside. I want to give you my everything and make you the happiest woman alive. Would you marry me and make me the happiest man alive?" Tears was already pouring out of Elise's eyes.
"Yes I'll marry you baby. Yes. Yes. Yes" He thanked God that his hands wasn't shaking as he placed the ring on her finger. Standing he pulled her into a bear hug. "I love you so much. You want to spend your life with me?" She asked her adrenaline pumping. He placed her on the counter her arms still wrapped around him.
"Yeah. I want to roll with you."
"You want to roll with me?" She laughed. "You can see how I roll. I have no problem with that. "She hugged him tight. He had no idea how happy she was right now. "I'm going to make you the happiest man alive, you know that?"
"I'm already the most happiest man alive." She kissed him. She was still on cloud nine when she slid off the counter and her mother pulled her into a bear hug.
"Thank you so much Barbara." She placed her hands on her hips giving Elise an angry stare.
"What did you just call me?"
"Mom. That's what I called you." She quickly corrected. "You thought I called you something else? I would never do that." They all shared a laugh even John.
"Congrats man..." He gave Tim a brotherly hug. On the outside he looked happy for them but why did it feel as if his life was going to change drastically from this point on? And that he wasn't happy about. He went and gave Elise a light hug and congrats and excused himself to leave.
"John!" Elise called before he could get to the door. Rushing to him she said.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" She wasn't oblivious to the fact that everyone stopped talking. Even John had a strange look on his face. He followed her into the living room.
"Whats up?" Pulling a card out her pocket she handed it to him.
"I meant to give you that before everything happened with me you know." He looked at the card and seen it had Mason Angulo name on it who was an expert at helping with businesses. He was great at what he did but so expensive.
"How did you get this?" He asked.
"I have my ways." She said popping her pretend collar.
"Don't worry it's one hundred percent legit. I wouldn't give it to you if it wasn't. Just when you call him tell him I sent you and he'll hook you up."
"Morgan is expensive Elise."
"I know that but he'll talk to you once you mention my name and don't worry about the money. He owes me."
"How does Morgan Angulo owe you?"
"Don't worry about that just know that it's legit. I promise."
"Wow thank you."
"No problem. If I can help I got you. I've always told you that and I'm not one to break my word. Good luck with your business John."
"Thank you Elise."
"No problem at all." He watches as she walked away. How could she be so nice to him after the things he said to her. The answer was because she didn't hold grudges. She overlooked the bad and dug for the good in people. Why couldn't he see this before?
"What do you have planned?" Tim asked Elise as they drove to his place later that day.
"I actually want to go home. I haven't been there since I got back."
"Oh okay we can do that." He made his way to her house and she noticed that something was bothering him.
"Babe... Are you okay?"
"Yes I'm fine." He said forcing a smile. She knew that he was lying but left it alone for now. Elise looked around her house in shock that it was so clean.
"It doesn't look as if I've been gone for three months."
"That's because I've been here." She turned and looked up at him.
"Really why? I mean not that i mine but why spend your time here?"
"I mostly came to try to find a clue as to where you might be so I do have to tell you that I did go snooping thru your stuff." She nodded her head not caring that he was snooping because of that he had found her.
"You kept it clean in here." She said as she looked around.
"I mean I did stay here a couple of nights so I felt it was only right." He said with a hunch of his shoulders. Sighing she said.
"Thank you."
"It was no problem at all."
"You are the best person in the world."
"Even more better than John?" She turned back to face him. So that's why he was so quiet.
"Why would you bring him up?" Hunching his shoulders he said.
"You went to talk to him earlier."
"You think I'm still in love with him?" He hunches his shoulders again not sure how to answer that question.
"I'm a one man woman..." She began. "I wouldn't have given myself to you if I was still stuck on John. You should know that with all the times you asked me out and I turned you down because of my so call love for that man. You stole my heart Tim. I no longer think of John in that way. You are my everything. Yes I went to talk to John but it was for his business and that's it. I wanted to help him out."
"I'm sorry. It's just because of your history with him..."
"It's okay baby I do understand your reason for questioning me but like I said I'm your's and your's only and I only want to make you happy. I would never deceive you in such a way." She went to him stood on her toes and kissed him.
"I love you baby." Pulling her to him he said.
"I love you to."

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"I have to find a way to get out of here and avenge my brother!" George said anger fuming from him.
"I already have that in motion cousin don't worry about that. Elise Watson will get what's coming to her. I promise you that."
"Good.
"I'll get you out of here as soon as I can but until then I have men out looking for her. You have my word that she will pay for what she did.