Chapter 18: Don't Say No Just Give In

The next morning Pauline woke up and found Melina on the kitchen having breakfast. "Morning." she said. "Morning you too. I'm sorry about yesterday I didn't know that." Pauline said and sut next to her. "You don't have to apologise to me. How was your lunch with George?" "Pretty good." She said and looked down. Melina looked at her and asked. "What happend?" "He want to be the father of my kids." Pauline said after a few seconds.

"He wants to be what? B-But how?" "He said that he never stopped loving me. I believe him." "And now what? Are you going to marry him? And Jesse?" Melina asked but she regret it a second later. Pauline looked back at her with the stink eye. "Don't ever say his name again, do you understand me?" "I'm sorry." Melina felt very bad right now. "I think he has the right to know. He hadn't heard new from you since you left. We both know that he doesn't deserve it, after what he had done. But he's the father of your childern. If you were in his shoes you would had gone crazy."

"In case you forget, i wasn't the one who cheated. He deserves everything. I still can't believe that i gave all those years of my life to him. But the years flowed by and i'm changed, Melina. I'm not going to do the same mistakes again." she paused. "I think George will be a great father." Pauline said and stood up. "Now, if you excuse me i'm going to take a nap." Pauline said and left Melina with no words.

Minutes later Pauline was laying on the bed listening to music. Music always had been the best way to forget your problems. Louis was sitting next to her like he always did. But this time was different. She couldn't see him because of her belly. Her belly was getting bigger and bigger by the day. Now, knowing the sex of the babies she was carring, she should think about some names too.

In Greece there is a tradition that the first born kid of the family is named after the the father of the man. In that case Pauline didn't mind her son been named John, which is also a Greek name. On the other hand she wanted to name her other son Contastine, just like her father, but that couldn't work as an English name. It was a hard decison which was needed to be taken. But they have 4 months until the birth, that's a long time to think two names.

her thoughts were in a chaos when her phone rung. She saw the ID and it was her mother calling her. "Hey mommy! How are you? she asked. "Where the hell are you?" Pauline raised her eyebrows. "In the house." "Don't lie to me Pauline. I'm in your house right now an neither you or Jesse is here. I was calling you like 10 times a day the past week and you didn't answer your home phone. Are you guys on vocation?" "Not exuactly. Actually, i'm in ..." she paused to take a deep breath. "I'm in Athens." Oh great! You went to show Jesse your hometown, great! But the next time give us a call."

"I'm in Greece mom! And probably Jesse is in his house too." With these two sentenses Pauline creat a silence between the two lines. "What happend?" her mother asked. Pauline knew that she was going to hear it one way or another. It will be better to hear it from her. "Jesse and i broke up." and after that silence. "What do you mean broke up? How had broke up severale times before." "I know, but this time final." she said closing her eyes for a second. She didn't want to believe it.

"Are you joking?" "No, mum i'm not. It's the truth and you need to get over it." "What about the marriage? Your childern? The house? Will you come back?" were a lot of questions with one breathe. "Mum i'm sorry but i'm not going to marry him. The kids will be born here, in Greece. As far for the house and me coming back don't expect me because i'm not coming back." Pauline said.

"Honey, what did he do to you?" her mother asked. "Look mum, i got to go. Is getting late here and i'm very tired." her mother couldn't say anything but "Okay, sleep well and take care. I'll call you tommorow." "Okay, mommy. I love you." Pauline said and blow her a kiss over the phone. "I love you too." her mother answered and Pauline hung up the phone.

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Pauline had pressed the call botton on her phone the next morning. She put it on her ear and waited. "Hello?" she heard from the other line. "Hey, George it's me, Pauline." "Oh hey girl! How are you doing?" George asked back. "Pretty good thanks." she paused. "Look, George i thought what you said the other night." "And?" "We're not having this over the phone. Can you come over?" Pauline asked him. "Yeah, sure i'm on my way." George said and hung up .

About thrirty minutes later the bell rung. Pauline took a deep breath before she opened the door. "Hey!" George said with a smile. "Come in." Pauline said and George did. She closed the door and said. "Have a seat." George sut down to one of the two couches. "Can i get you anything?" "No no i'm fine." George answered.

Pauline walked and sut on the other couch. It was a weird momment for both of them. Both of them wanted to talk but none of them knew what to say. "So, what do you want to tell me?" George asked. He wanted to know. "Look George i thought of what you said and i want you to be the father, if you still want." she said and looked at him.

"Of course and i still want." he said exited. "You have no idea how happy this make me." Pauline smiled. "So, now you don't have to stay with Melina anymore. You can move in in my house in Dionysos." George said. "I don't know George..." she answered to him. She knew Dionysos is the richest suberbe of Athens and she knew her kids will have everything they need in their livies but she wasn't sure if she wanted to cross that line.

"Okay okay when you are ready."she stopped to take Pauline's hands in his. "I promise you Pauline you will not regrete this. I'll be the best father ever. I will love your childern like they are mine. I'll be there for them, i promise." Pauline's position was getting really weird. She didn't know what to say right now. All she could do was look at him.

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Meanwhile Ava just rung the bell on Pauline and Jesse's house. She was there for a few minutes but now she was sure that Jesse wasn't there. She sighed as now things were getting more and more clear. Pauline will never come back and Jesse moved back to live with his parents. She couldn't blame Pauline because she would had done the same things. Ava was hoping that Pauline will be back but now she is convined that this is not going to happen. All she could do now is be there for Jesse, even though he doesn't deserve it.

Minutes later she was in the Bongiovi house. "Ava what do you want?" Jesse asked her as soon as he saw her on his doorstep. "First of all who are you and what you did to Jesse?" Ava asked him. She was facing a different Jesse. He was wearing his pj's and he didn't shaved the last fouyr months that Pauline was gone. "You now how to use a shave machine right?" she asked him as she walked in the house.

"Ava i'm not in the mood." "You are not in the mood for four months now, Jesse. You need to get over it." Ava said as she walked to the living room. "Did World War III started from you living room?" several beer bottles were on the table as long as on the floor too. "If you came here to judge me the door is right there!" he said with agressive voise and pointed the door. "Woah Jesse chill out. I'm here to see how are you doing." Ava said with soft voise.

"I'm fine. I've never been better!" he answered and took a beer bottle in his hands and took a sip. Ava looked up at his tired blue eyes which had defently lost that sparkle. "We both now that's not true." "So, what do you want me to say? That i'm happy here? That i'm happy because i will never see my kids? Is that what you to hear Ava? Cause is not going to happen." he yelled.

"No, i just want to make you feel better." "Ava i'm sorry but nothing right now could make me feel better exept one." he stopped. Ava knew what he will say but she didn't hear it. "I want to see the rest of the video with me." Jesse said and put the cd on the dvd player before Ava could answer. "Jesse i don't think that's a good idea." "Just wait and see." he answered.

When the video finished Jesse sut next to suprised Ava. "This is what i wanted you to see. I knew that if i send it to Pauline will not see it and i was hoping you will." "So, this is what you wanted to explaine." Ava answered looking at him. "Yeah..." Jesse answered and looked down to his feet. Ava touched his hand. "This changes everything and you know it." "I know but she will not listen to me." "She doesn't need to hear Jesse, all she needs is to see." Ava stated.

Chapter 17: And I Will Love You, Babe - Always

Pauline opened the door of Melina's house and Louis run in first. After closing the door behind her she notised Melina with Peter sitting on the couch. She had that stupid smile on her face when she saw them. Melina looked at her and asked. "Why so smiling?" "Nothing, i just realized that the world is too small." Pauline answered and sut on the other couch.

"Yeah, i think it is. Who did you see?" Peter asked. "George." "George who?" Melina asked. "The one i was dating with on the Juniour High..." Pauline explained but still Melina didn't remember it. "Oh come on. The one who cheated on her with her neighboor on their anniversary." with a little help from Peter Melina remembered. "Hold on a second, how you know all this?" Melina turned to her boyfriend. "I've been watching you for years before we start dating, you just didn't notised." Peter asked back.

"You're the one who send her that huge boucket of red roses on her birthday?" Pauline asked with rolled eyes. "Yeah, that was me." Pauline start laughing while on the other couch Melina looked Peter with the stink eye. "He's good. We had no idea...." Pauline said between laughters. "Pauline shut up. How long have you been watching me?" Melina asked Peter with her bad look on her face. "About three months ago." he answered. "Okay, i'll go to have some sleep. Louis come here!" Pauline said to the dog and both of them walked out of the living room leaving the couple some space and time to talk.

Pauline was on the bed lying but she wasn't really able to sleep. George's name was pounding on her mind. She couldn't deny that he was the first love but things didn't worked out so well for them after he cheated. And even if he didn't Pauline had to leave for the Untied States. She was a mess when she ended and walked out in front of his eyes. She loved him and she was sure he loved her for a while after she left. They talked every day until they stopped.

But after she saw him today and talked he was much different. That meetting brought back memories that were deep down. She had done so many crazy things for him and with him. There were three amazing years that they were together. Lots of laughters when they were together. They were kinds sure that this relationship will last for a long time.

The next morning Pauline wake up a earlier than the usual time. It was a buzy day for her. She walked in dressed and saw Melina. "Good morning. Why up so early?" Melina asked. "I have to check that cleaning company fpr the house and i have an ulrtadound today." Pauline sut down. "Oh yeah i forgot about these. We'll go together on the ultrasound i'll finish work until then." "Yah, sure."
Melina checked her watch and she was late for her job. "I should get going. You'll leave?" "Yep, can you drive me to the company?" "Sure, let's go." Melina said and both left the house.

Moments later Melina left Pauline outside of the cleaning company. Pauline walked in and search for someone who can talk about the house. "Good morning madam. How can i help you?" a nice lady asked pauline as soon as she walked in. "Good morning. I want to talk to the headmaster, plaese." "I'm sorry but he's not here right now. He'll be here in seconds. You can wait him there." the woman said and pointed a little sallon on the right. "Thank you." Pauline answered.

She sut on the couch and waited for the headmaster to arrive. The same woman offered her an orange juise. She was reading some magazines waiting for the headmaster. "Excuse me Mrs Timson, Mr Papadopoylos is waiting at you in his office. Follow me please." the woman said. Pauline stood up and followed that woman.

She knocked the door and Pauline came in. "George?" she asked with a voise full of suprise when she closed the door behind her. "What are you doing here?" "I work here. What are you doing here?" George asked back with the same suprise on his face. "Are you the headmaster of the company?" Pauline asked. "Yes, please have a sit." George said.

Pauline sut on the chair facing him. "What can i do for you?" "Well, i told you that i'll move back to me house, which is been closed for almsot ten years. I was hoping if you can clean the house up. I'll pay you." "Of course and we can do that. You don't have to pay. Condire this as a welsome home gift." george said without taking his eyes of her.

That made Pauline a little unconfortable. She was used to only when Jesse was looking at her like that. She looked down and george sut back to his chair. "You don't have to do that." "Of course and i can do that. My first love came back after all those years is the least i can do. After the way treated you." he stated.

Pauline positions was gatting more uncomfortable but the second. Thankfully her her sell phone rung. She checked the ID and is was from the gynecologist. "I'm sorry but i have to take this." Pauline said and picked it up. "Hello. Oh, yeah i can be there now. I'm coming. Thank you very much." Pauline said and hung up.

"I'm sorry about today George. An ultrasound was cancelled and i have to go now." A few seconds passed and Pauline realized that she was supposed to go with melina who is in the office now. "Oh shit!" "What happend?" George asked and stood up from the chair. "Melina would and pick me up from here and go to the hospital but now she's in the office. Are there any taxis walking by from here?" Pauline asked. "They do, but i can take you to the hospital."

"George thank you, but you have work to do here. You can't leave." "I can leave whenever i want to. I rule this company. There is nothing to worry about." he said. Pauline closed her eyes and opened them again while she was facing him. "So, what do you say?" he asked her. She shallowed and answered. "Fine."

Minutes later Pauline and george arrived to the hospital. The doctor was waiting for them. Without loosing more time Pauline lyied on bed in the ultrasound room. The gynecologist was working her belly. "Very good. Every seems very normal. You want to hear their heartbeats?" the doctor said. How that young mother could say no? "Yes, please." was the only words she could say right now.

A second later Pauline was hearing their strong heartbeats. Boom. Boom. Boom. Her eyes filled with tears of happiness. She could hear her own heart racing as long with her childrens ones. "Want to know the sex? On this case of pregnancy there will be the same sex." "So, boys or girls?" "That's right. Let's see here." the gynecologist said and turned the screen so Pauline can see too.

She was now 23 weeks pregnant. Both of her children have their limps shaped legs and arms. They were face to face and they doctor was able to recognise the sex. "Do you want to call the father? I'm about to make a great anouncement." "No, he's not the father. He's just a friend. You can tell me." Pauline said and waited for the doctor to let her know what colour should paint their bedrooms on the house.

Hours later george offered her some lunch. That was Pauline's weak point for the past months. She knew that she and the kids she was carrying needed food. They ate on a very good restaurant and pauline loved it. But as the time was passing pauline was feeling tiried. george being a gentlman drove her home.

"Thank you for what you did for me today. I will not forget that." Pauline said on the entrance of Melina's house. "Everyone willhad done the same thing." he answered and smile. "Don't be so sure, George. On the hospital they thought you were the father." Pauline said and smiled a little. But as soon as she saw George looking down to his feet she stopped.

"I can be if you want me to." he saddenly said. Pauline roze and looked at him with a puzzled look on her face. "Be what?" "The father of your childern. Father is the one what raises them not the who participates on the sexual act." he said and took her hands in his. "The truth is that i can't stop loving you." he moved closer to her but she didn't pulled away, she stayied there until their lips met.

Pauline let herself free for the first seconds but she stopped. "I-I don't know if i, i mean we, can do this. At least not right now. I'm not on the best somaticaly and phycologist time." she told him looking at him. "I know. I know. I'll be there for you all the time, on any time. If we can't be together at least let me be your best friend." "I don't know George. It's too much for me right now."

"You have all the time to figure things out. I'll wait." he said. "I should go to the house." she said. "Yeah, sure. And get some rest, you have to raise two men." George said as Pauline was a few metters away.