TEARS

Jeremy was doing his best to promote his new photography idea. He was not only adding to his portfolio, but creating a new portfolio altogether. His intention was not to entirely ignore all his previous work, but to fashion something new and start again on a much higher level; and he was concentrating on taking baby pictures.

He seriously wanted the idea executed to the point that he could not wait any longer. He needed it done, and he needed it done like yesterday. When he was sitting on a chair, he was typing away some ideas as they came to his mind. Soon he was looking at websites which concentrate mainly on baby pictures, and he agreed that he surely had a lot to learn. It seemed to be a very interesting area to venture in. He already had a few baby pictures that he had taken before. He created an album for them, and made an appointment with Nesisa for him to go and take as many pictures as he could of baby Elvis.

He offered to take baby pictures for ladies from church. Literally Jeremy spent the whole day getting in touch with parents of toddlers and newborns, offering his free services.

By the time he went off to sleep, he had managed to create a business page under the name Elianah Photography. Elianah was the name that he and Kiara had previously agreed to name their child if it had been a girl.

He carefully designed his webpage, and made it look as classy and professional as it could be. There were no reviews on the page, but he quickly asked his family and friends to check out the page and leave some positive reviews.

On the following day, Jeremy was extremely busy taking baby photographs. It was quite an exciting adventure. Some of the babies cried, some remained calm while some stared at him with fear written all over their cute little faces. He enjoyed it more when the parents came up with a theme for the photo shoot, for example one young mother chose the zoo theme. There were numerous staffed animals and there was a huge container full of hay. Jeremy arranged the hay to make the image of a manger. Since Christmas had just passed, he figured adding a Christmassy touch to the pictures would be no harm.

The little one was carefully placed in a reed basket amidst the hay, and the staffed animals placed around him. In some photos he placed the child on the back of the elephant, while the father of the baby supported the child, Jeremy took his photos from an angle to make sure that the father would not come out in them. It was all really fun; he thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.

By the end of the day, he had taken a lot of photos, for he had managed to go to six different homes. Jeremy was tired and hungry, and he still needed to edit the pictures. He sat down to start working, and failed to realise that time had moved that much. It was only around 3AM that he resigned from the day's work and decided to take a nap.

On that same morning, Kiara woke up and checked to see if her son was OK. Everything looked perfectly well with the little one. The young mother fumbled in her bag and pulled out her diary. She opened it before throwing it on the bed and crying out, "It's full! This diary is full and I have nowhere to write and pour out my emotions!"

She whirled in irritation and headed for the bathroom to wash her face. When she came out, she found Vine standing in the room, next to the bed.

"Vine!" the lady was shocked.

"Kiara," he said in an emotionless voice. "The child is mine, I understand?"

"The DNA said so," she said.

"You look like you have been crying?" he asked.

"I wasn't. I was just sad and lonely. I needed something…something like a diary."

"A diary? You use a diary?"

"No, it's just a new idea which crossed my mind, that if I have a diary I might just make schedules and record my baby's milestones," Kiara lied.

While she was talking, she was moving closer to the bed and she sat down, throwing a pillow to cover her diary which was on the bed.

"Of course you have always used a diary. I know that on the day that you came here, you brought one."

"Oh, that," she looked away.

"I now have a son," Vine said before walking towards the little one and lifting him up.

"Do you think he looks like me?" he asked.

"I can't tell who he looks like," she responded truthfully.

Vine sat on the bed with the child in his arms. Kiara wanted to ask where he had been all the while, but she dared not, for she feared having to face his wrath.

"Happy new year," he said in a cold tone.

"Happy new year to you too," she responded, equally cold.

"Do you mind taking some pictures of me and my son?" Vine handed his phone to Kiara.

Kiara took a number of photos before handing over the phone.

"We will have a professional photographer coming in to take many photos," the new father spoke.

Kiara sat on a chair and watched as Vine admired the little one. He kissed him multiple times, and he seemed to be really in love with his son.

"I wanted him to be named Ethan Anesu," she found herself saying.

"And then? Why wasn't he named that?"

"Grandma said the Pinkertons' initials are always VL."

Vine chuckled and chose not to comment on what Kiara said.

"Here, take this," he pulled out of his pocket a small, neatly wrapped box and handed it to Kiara.

"Thank you," Kiara smiled while taking the little box. She could not help but wonder what was inside. Neatly she unfolded the wrapping paper to expose a beautiful black velvet box. Quickly she opened it and saw car keys.

"A car! for me?" she said.

"Yes, for you…"

Kiara did not know how to respond. Part of her heart wanted to hug Vine, but she dared not go that far.

The man was holding his son, admiring him with his whole heart, and kissing him as any times as he could.

"Thank you thank you so much! I truly appreciate the gift!"

"You can go and thank grandma. She bought that," Vine responded.

Kiara sat down and watched, wondering what was going on in Vine's mind. Vine stayed way longer than Kiara would have wished, talking to his little boy and showering him with love. The two of them did not talk to each other, for Kiara feared to start conversation, lest she upset the man. And the man was too engrossed with his son to talk to the child's mother. When he finally left the room, Kiara felt relieved. She badly needed her space to herself. She took her son and started feeding him.

When she finally went to meet Lady Pinkerton to thank her for the car, the lady smiled and said, "don't thank me. It was Vine who bought it for you."

Kiara immediately knew what had happened. The grandmother, trying to cover up for her grandson, had bought the car and wanted it to appear as if he had bought it.

Breakfast was served and after eating, Kiara was unable to control the urge to write down her emotions. Without her realizing it, she had become so addicted to her diary that she failed to survive another day without it.

"Why didn't I think of buying another diary sooner? The diary is the closest friend I have." she spoke to herself before bursting into tears. She roughly opened the drawers in her bedroom, wishing to find a book, any book, in which she could write. There was nothing. The drawers, some of which she had never cared to open before, were all stuffed with luxurious items such as expensive looking lingerie, jewelry and make up items.

"I want my diary! I just need it!"

She angrily shut them and cried some more. When she turned around, she was shocked to see Tessa standing in the doorway.

"Ma'am, are you well? Is junior master Vin also well?"

"I am well, please give me some space!"

Tessa quickly left the room and went straight to lady Pinkerton to report that Kiara was in tears and saying something about a diary.

"In tears?" the lady asked.

"Yes, real tears. She was crying."

The lady thanked Tessa for informing her, and left alone, she called Vine.

"Do you know anything about your wife needing a diary? Is this an ordinary diary; the book that we all know, or it's something else?" she asked.

"She did state something about a diary. And before you say anything more, please don't refer to her as my wife." Vine's voice was flat, as it usually was.

"Vine, my grandchild, the woman bore you a beautiful little boy, and you still refuse to acknowledge her as your wife?"

"Grandma, I really don't want to end this call on you. Don't make me do that."

"Ok Vine, listen, pass by a bookshop and buy a diary. You have to bring one today."

"I will do so."

And a few hours later, when Kiara was on the phone with her mother, she heard a soft knock and in came Tessa. She was carrying a huge box which she threw on the carpet and sighed.

"What is that? Why didn't you ask the butler to assign someone to help you carry it?" Kiara was very curious.

"I thought I was strong enough. They are books. Diaries. All of them for this year."

"Oh? Whose are they?"

"Yours! The young master was not sure what you wanted, whether you wanted something formal or informal, big or small, playful or serious…so he ordered one of each of all that were in the bookshop. You can choose one and ignore the rest," she smiled.

"Oh! Bring the box closer, let me see? How many did he buy?"

"Not sure. Let's count them. One, two…oh look at this one, it's so pretty. But its childish, look at the flower prints on it….eight, nine…oh this one is too formal and too big. It's for some serious CEO I tell you…eleven….twelve…oh these ones are a pair. It seems like they were designed for a couple. I mean, who buys diaries as a couple? It's a cute pair though. This one is for her, and this one is for him. Do you see how the covers are matching, and they made it all look so classy and…."

"I will take that one. The one for her." Kiara took the book and placed in on her laps.

"And the one for him? Should I give it to the young master?"

"No, no. Just leave it there."

"Ok, let me finish counting…sixteen…seventeen….oh…twenty in all!"

"Ok Tessa, thank you." Kiara smiled.