The Fallen One

Chapter Nineteen

Hi all,

So this book is now moving at the same time as The Broken One. As you would know, Chris is barely in The Broken One, so you'll be able to see what he was up to during that period.

Thank you

Happy reading!!

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"So tonight's the big night" Isaiah grins as we walk beside each other, down the hallway.

"Crazy, right?" I can't wipe the smile off my face.

"How's my girl Cleo?" He asks.

Isaiah Pérez is the first person I met freshman year. We sat next to each other during our first class and have been inseparable ever since. We're graduating college together in four months time. I trust him around my daughter and around Sherry - that's a pretty big deal in my world.

"Excited" I admit, "she's always wanted a mum. I've spoken to John and Gina and they both think it's a good idea"

"What about the Godparents?" He cocks a brow.

Shelby and Calum have both remained a big part of Cleo's life. They're the closes thing to her mum's legacy that she has. I also consider them family. I've always seen them as co-parents, as well as Gina and John. It does take a village to raise a child, after all.

"I'm seeing them after class today" I sigh, "last minute, I know...I just..."

"Don't know how they'll react?" He finishes my sentence.

I nod. "Yeah..."

"Chris!" A voice cries from the distance, when I look up I find Jenny walking towards me, throwing her arms around me. "Happy birthday"

Jenny and her new boyfriend Tom just got back from Washington, visiting Blake, Ned, Eva and Sam. They all see each other often. I'm no longer part of the picture. After all, Ned and I can't stand each other and I dated Eva, so being friends with my her and her now-husband Sam, isn't an option.

"Thank you" I smile. "How was Washington?"

Jenny grins "well, remember Sam's sister Sarah? I have appointed her to Ned, to help guide him"

I almost burst out laughing but instead exchange a look with Isaiah. He too hold back his laughter.

"What?" I look back at Jenny.

"See, I've figured Ned all out, he acts like a chauvinistic pig because he doesn't know how not to act like one" she explains, "so Sarah is going to give him gentlemen classes to help him settle down"

Isaiah and I laugh simultaneously. Jenny's face is straight and stern. 

"You're kidding right?" I cock a brow, "Ned couldn't settle down if his penis depended on it"

Jenny rolls her eyes.

"Hey, it's worth a shot" she shrugs.

I look down at my wristwatch and find that my class starts in three minutes.

"We gotta go, I'll talk to you later, Jen," I tell her.

"Let me know how it goes tonight with Sherry!" She calls out as we walk down the hallway.

***

Once class is over, I drive myself to a local coffee shop where I find Calum drinking his coffee. He's always punctual.

"Hey, man" I greet him as taking a seat around the table.

"Happy birthday" Calum smiles, "I've ordered for you and Shelby"

I nod "thanks"

"So are you going to tell me what all this is about?" He asks.

I hold my breath for a second then exhale. My heart beats violently in my chest as I open my mouth to answer his question.

"Hey, happy birthday, Chris" a voice greets from behind me. She kisses my cheek then Calum's before taking a seat beside him. "What time did you want me over tonight?"

I sigh "that's actually what I need to talk to you guys about"

The waitress then brings over two cups of coffee, placing one in front of me and the other in front of Shelby.

"Thank you," Shelby says to the waitress before reverting her gaze to me.

"What is it, Chris?" Calum folds his arms nervously.

I need to say what I came here to say, no bullshit, no stalling.

"Tonight...Cleo and I are going to ask Sherry to adopt her" I announce slowly, "Cleo has always wanted a mother and with the wedding coming up, we thought we'd make it official..."

"She has a mother" Shelby retorts quickly, her smile faded.

My heart sinks.

"You know what I mean" I sigh.

"So what do you want from us? Our permission?" Shelby narrows her eyes.

"I don't know..." I shrug, "I just want to have your support and understanding because you two are the closes things I have to Elise"

Her body radiates a heat that burns me from my seat. Her eyes turn firey and raged as she speaks the thoughts flying through her head.

"Well, you don't have it! I'm not going to sit here and watch as that little girl calls another woman mommy" her words pierce my skin like sharp fragments of glass. 

"Doesn't she deserve a mother?" I raise a brow, "Doesn't she deserve that much?"

"She has a mother and she's gone" Shelby clenches her jaw, "if Sherry adopts her, then all this is for nothing! Elise died for nothing"

Her eyes water and her voice shakes. I see her trembling lips as she struggles to speak. I see her pain. I see she's hurt.

"That's not true" Calum sighs.

"She didn't die for Cleo to call someone else mum" Shelby shakes her head, "she didn't die to be replaced"

"She's not being replaced" I shake my head, "I think Elise would have wanted us to move on with our lives and that's what I'm trying to do"

"How would you know what Elise would have wanted?" Shelby snaps, "You knew her for less than a year! I knew her my whole life"

"Shelby, please" Calum begs.

"No" she shakes her head, looking me dead in the eye, "You came here to ask for my blessing and you don't have it" with that, she stands up and storms off.

Calum and I sit silently for a moment.

"I'm sorry about Shelby...She just needs time"

Shelby has remained loyal to Elise's memory. So much so, sometimes she acts as though Elise is still here. She's hurt and angry and resentful but not because of me but because she misses Elise. She hasn't learnt to let go and no one is asking her to, she just doesn't know how I think. After all, she lost her sister that day. Her best friend.

"What about you? What do you think?" I ask Calum.

He shrugs.

"It doesn't matter what I think, it's your life," he tells me, "we knew it would happen eventually...The world doesn't stop moving because Elise isn't in it...Sherry has been like a parental figure to Cleo anyway...adoption is just making it all official"

I nod "exactly"

"Despite what Shelby says...we all love Sherry" Calum admits "and there's no better person you could have asked to adopt Cleo...It's like she was handpicked from the heavens"

I smile "thank you"

He stands up, pats my back then leaves the coffee shop.