Angel

XIX

   "Some more amazing news, Lady Gaga's reportedly dating talent agent Christian Carino ! They've been seen...
   - Turn it off. Mad, turn it off."
   Angelina walked into the living room, straight to her 16-year-old son, her stilettos clicking as she made her way in.
   "Please."
   Maddox turned the television off and turned around to face his mother.
   "I know I'm just a teenager but I'm your son and I do worry about you."
   Angelina stopped dead in her tracks. She realized just how much he'd grown up and how assist he sounded, always caring about her, almost more than for himself.
   "I know Maddox. But I'm okay. I'm okay."
   She smiled, and laid her hands on his shoulders as passed him to leave the house.
   "We all loved her you know ? And I know you loved her way more than you ever loved... dad."
   She heard how difficult it was for him to keep on calling Brad his father.
   "We all thought we could be a family again.
   - I'm sorry it didn't work out honey.
   - I'm sorry it didn't work out."
   Angelina bit her lips, slightly nodded and smiled.
   "I'll be here by six. The twins are still away, and Pax should be back in a half hour.
   - Yup. I know. Focus on yourself now. You deserve it."
  Angelina felt the tears coming to her eyes so she quickly smiled before turning around and leaving the room. She sat in her car, locked the door and laid her head on the headrest. She took a huge breath as her tears started to roll down her cheeks. She lifted her head, quickly wiped her tears and started the engine.

"So we're official now."
He kissed her softly on the lips, all smiles.
"We are."
She kissed him back.
"What made you change your mind so quickly ? You said you liked the privacy."
Stefani stepped out and turned around, faking looking for the television remote, but actually avoiding Christian's gaze.
"Oh, ahem... you know..."
She turned back to face him again and smiled.
"I just... I love you. And... I don't want it to be a secret anymore, and I know for a fact that people would've found out so I guess I liked the idea of getting public on our own. And I just love you. And I want the world to know that. You're my rock."
Let's just say that if she wouldn't get public before, it was only because this wasn't the only relationship she was involved in. But she would've never said that to her boyfriend. Of course.
"I love you too."
He kissed her again before lifting her up which made her stupidly giggle, and he carried her onto the couch.
"Netflix and...
- Just Netflix."
He took a fake upset face she knew more than well.
"Christian !
- Alright, alright, he laughed"
She smiled at him and slightly raised her eyebrows as a sign of victory. She grabbed the remote and gave him to Christian, telling him to find a movie, a fun one.
She jumped out of the sofa and ran to the kitchen to get two glasses of red wine. When she came back to the living room she froze, almost letting the glasses fall on the ground. She succeeded in bringing life into her body again just when Christian turned around with a smile.
"I saw this one a couple years ago, I don't know if you've already seen it, but it's kinda fun. If you like people blowing up their own house, but in anyway there's still humor in it."
Mr and Mrs Smith.

   "Alright honey, be quick, we have an appointment in less than an hour."
   The little blond head shook her head with a smile and ran straight to the back of the store. Angelina slowly followed, making each step heavy, a small grin on her face. Vivienne was always so happy when she was in this store, around the old records and all that, looking for the best deals just because she loved to do so. Seeing her daughter happy made her stop hurting so much, and God knew she needed it after three months of total grief.
   She walked towards the closest basket full of old DVD's, her heels clicking on the ground. She bent over to dig into the thing, not really looking for anything if not time to waste, waiting for her little one.
   She took a quick look at the back of the store, watching her little blonde head with headphones almost as big as her head, a bright smile on her face. Angelina smiled.
   Her gaze went back to the bucket in front of her, though she wasn't truly paying attention to what she was doing, and she randomly picked a DVD, barely looking at it. She distractedly played with with it for a few seconds before actually taking a look at it. She froze.
Even though she'd told herself not to watch TV anymore because she was so scared to see her, she couldn't help herself, and even if she hadn't internet gave it up. Stefani was gonna be in a movie.
Angelina dropped the DVD and she felt her knees buckle and before she knew it she was on the ground. She felt dizzy, and the world seemed to move in slow motion around her, all blurry and confusing. She couldn't see all the people running towards her to help her.
   A little hand pushed her shoulder and soon enough she felt a small body hug her.
   "Mommy !"
   Angelina came back to herself as she heard the voice of her daughter. She hugged her back, whispering she was okay. The owner of the shop helped her to get back on her feet and picked up the DVD she dropped seconds earlier. She tried not to look at it but the name was sparkling to her eyes.
   A Star Is Born.

"Hey baby, what do you think of this one ?"
Christian put the sample of paint next to the wall, looked at it a little more closely and put it back on the wall before titling his head to see his lover's reaction. Stefani was standing a few feet away, her arms crossed. She smiled.
"It looks good."
She stepped up to kiss her man, softly and smiled back but now a few inches away from his face.
"We'll have to change the furniture though.
- Yeah you're right. That creamy sofa doesn't really fit anymore I guess.
- Nope, it doesn't."
As she answered, Stefani disappeared into the kitchen and started to put some plates on a tray so that they could eat in their soon-to-be-not-color-fitting sofa. As she did so she felt some arms slip around her waist and she could not repress a smile. She turned around and as she saw Christian was about to kiss her she put a fork in front of her lips to stop his and whispered :
"It's decoration day. We said no sex before we're done.
- That's a dumb idea.
- It was your idea.
- Well I'm dumb then."
Stefani looked up to the heavens as she smiled and finally kissed him. She grabbed the tray and walked back to the living room. She dropped it on the low table and turned around to face her lover and faked being bossy for a second.
"We finish dealing with this okay ?
- Okay well it's gonna be quick and easy, just put the white sofa of yours back here."
Stefani almost spit out the water she was drinking. She changed to that cream-colored sofa because the former one was the one where... Angelina and she had had sex on so many times. Only no, it wasn't having sex, it was pure love making every single time. She changed it so she wouldn't think about all these times again, especially with Christian around.
"What's wrong ?
- I... I just don't like that sofa anymore... I... Well just buy another one."
She sat so that Christian would only see her back, because her eyes slowly became wet from thinking of Angelina, of what happened, her decision and how much she knew she still loved her.