Contract Love

Chapter forty

Raymond's POV

It's a full house, this should be entertaining. Nobody answered Stella's question.
"Ray, what is going on." Susan spoke softly, approaching me. Immediately she reached an arm's length, I pulled her into my arms, breathing in her sweet perfume.

"Raymond, you have a lot of explaining to do." Dario commented. Evangeline still seating on the floor and sobbing in her brother's arms. I motioned for everybody to sit down. When they did, I told them everything but left out the part where we kidnapped her.

They stared in total shock. Gideon glanced at his daughter fiercely.
"So, now I brought her here to apologize to everyone that she hurt or upset in one way or the other." I finished explaining.
"Evangeline is what he said true?" Gideon boomed. She whimpers but didn't say a word.

"Evangeline Lori Jefferson, is what Raymond said true?" This time, he is vibrating in angry.
"Yes, dad." She whispers. Everybody gasps, Scott scoot over, staring at his sister in unbelieve.
"Jesus! Eva, what were you thinking." Scott scolds her.

"That is if she was actually thinking." Gideon spat. Her mum couldn't say anything, she's dumbfounded.
"Apologize to Susan and her family right now." Gideon hissed.
"I'm so sorry." She whispers.
"What? I don't think they heard you." He growled out.

She winced, "I said I'm sorry." She spoke louder this time.
"For?" He urged her.
"For causing trouble for everybody and I promise to stay clear from you."
"That's much better." He snarls. Turning to Dario, Stella and Susan, "I'm really sorry for what she has done." He apologizes genuinely in shame.

"It's alright, it's not your fault for the way she behaved." Susan said in a soft voice.
"I don't think so, I know she is mentally unstable but this is so unacceptable. I should have left you at that psychiatric hospital to get help, but no I didn't want you feeling lonely."

"I should have known better that you would never change. I'm taking you back there."
"Dad please don't take me back there, I promise to be a good girl." She pleaded, gripping her father's leg. As a man, Gideon tried suppressing the tears gathering in his eyes.

Though Jenna is already sobbing, Scott comforting her.
"Dario, Stella, Jayden, Susan and every other person here today, I'm sincerely sorry for the trouble, please forgive us." Gideon spoke in a remorseful tone. Dario asked him not to apologize any longer that all has been forgiven.

Scott hoist a yelling Evangeline into his arms, following his parents out the door. She yelled insults at Susan and her friends. Susan leaned into me.
"Are you okay?" I whisper to her. She nod her head. She wasn't okay but I didn't press on. Dario and Stella sat down still overwhelmed by everything that transpired.

"This is a lot to process but we will surely get there together." Stella took a deep breath. We nodded in agreement. We spent the rest of the day comforting each other and trying the forget the horrific episodes that happened.

We ate the cupcakes Stella and the girls baked. Jayden's son started fussing, according to Lizzy, it was time to leave. Moments later, Dario and Stella went to bed. Leaving I, Susan and our friends.
"It's late, I need to get some sleep didn't take a nap today and I haven't seen Joanna." Matt complains.

I noticed that Susan's eyes were dropping as she lay in my arms, she needed to sleep too.
"Sure, guys let's go." I untangled my arms from around Susan.
"We will see you beauties tomorrow then?" Santiago grins.
"Nope, won't be possible." Sam chirps.
"What! Why?" I asked in confusion.

"Next tomorrow is your wedding." Audrey clarifies.
"Your point?" I raised an eye brow.
"Well it's a tradition that the groom and bride has to stay 24 hours from each other. It makes meeting at the altar on the wedding day special." Sam elaborates.