Souls Remember What Matters — Corey Gibson 19
Chapter 19 – Vivienne Makes Everyone Happy
DARIUS
An hour later, I was standing in the driveway waiting for Vivienne. Sera and Luna were already in the backseat of my car, Luna chattering excitedly about seeing Grandma Mary while Sera stared down at her with a soft smile stretching her lips.
“Are we waiting for someone?” Sera asked when I didn’t get in the car, her confused eyes meeting mine and my mind foolishly went back to the memories when I’d felt her lips against mine.
“Vivienne’s coming with us.” I said in a low, controlled voice. Still, I waited for her reaction.
The temperature in the car seemed to drop ten degrees. Sera turned to look at me, her eyes sharp and cold. I was caught off guard by it. I knew things were different now, but the way she looked at me…I felt so guilty under that gaze, almost ashamed and I couldn’t understand how she could make me feel that way. I avoided her gaze.
“Why is that?” She asked slowly, calmly, but I could hear the edge in it.
“She wants to meet mom properly. Clear up any misunderstandings.” I explained in the same calm tone, hoping she would understand.
“I don’t understand, Darius.” Sera’s brows pulled together in confusion and discontent, almost dangerous.” What misunderstandings would that be?” She asked, the look in her eyes wasn’t the soft and cautious look I was used to.
I felt my jaw clench. “You know exactly what I mean,” My eyes narrowed, and I felt instant regret for bringing it up at such a time.
Why couldn’t she just understand? Vivienne had already apologized, cleared everything up, why did she still have that hurt look in her eyes?
“Why does she have to come with us?”
Before I could answer, Vivienne’s silver sedan pulled into the driveway. She got out slowly, moving carefully like she was still feeling weak. She was wearing a simple black dress and a cardigan, her blonde hair pulled back in a modest bun. She looked innocent and harmless.
Everything Sera probably claimed she wasn’t.
“Hi,” Vivienne said softly as she approached the car. She gave a little wave to Luna, who waved back enthusiastically from the backseat.
“Hi Vivienne!” Luna called out. “Are you coming to see Grandma Mary too?”
“If that’s okay with everyone,” Vivienne said, her eyes flickering to Sera uncertainly.
Sera said nothing. She just turned and faced the window, her whole body rigid.
I opened the passenger door for Vivienne. She slid in with a grateful smile, settling her purse on her lap and buckling her seatbelt.
“Thank you for letting me come,” she said as I got behind the wheel. “I know this must be awkward,” She said
1/3
Chapter 19 Vivienne Makes Everyone Happy
+25 Bonus
low enough that only I heard it. Her eyes darted to Sera uncomfortably and I sighed.
I seemed to be doing a lot of that lately.
“It doesn’t have to be,” I said, shooting a pointed look at Sera in the rearview mirror.
The drive to the family house was torture. Luna filled the silence with stories about school and her piano lessons, while Vivienne made encouraging sounds and asked gentle questions. Sera might as well have been a statue.
But I couldn’t stop glancing at Vivienne in the passenger seat. She looked natural there, comfortable. Her presence felt calming after days of Sera’s cold shoulder and unexplained silences.
“Are you feeling better today?” I asked as we stopped at a red light. “You still looked pale this morning.”
“A little better, thank you.” Vivienne’s hand fluttered to her chest. “The doctor said I need to be careful not to overexert myself. That’s probably why I fainted yesterday.”
“You should have called me sooner,” I said. “I would have come right away.”
“I didn’t want to bother you. I know how busy you are.
“You’re never a bother.”
For some reason, I searched Sera’s eyes for a reaction through the rearview mirror and almost flinched when
our eyes met.
What is this feeling?
She held my gaze for only three seconds before looking away, no reaction whatsoever to my words or my conversation with Vivienne.
She was still ignoring me and as much as I hated to admit it, it bothered me. So much.
“Vivienne, do you want to sit with me at dinner?” Luna asked suddenly. “Grandma Mary makes the best mac and cheese.”
“That sounds wonderful, sweetheart,” Vivienne said, turning to smile at Luna. “But I should probably sit wherever your parents think is best.”
“You can sit next to Daddy,” Luna decided. “Mommy won’t mind either because she’s always sad. Right mommy?”
My heart clenched. I saw the look in Sera’s eyes when she heard Luna’s suggestion, she wasn’t happy.
“Luna,” Sera said quietly, speaking for the first time since we’d left the house. “That’s not appropriate.”
“But it’s true,” Luna said with the brutal honesty of a four–year–old. “You’ve been sad ever since you came back from your work trip. Vivienne makes everyone happy.” Luna said innocently, her green eyes lit up as she said those words out loud, but it made Sera’s eyes darken.
I saw Sera’s face crumble for just a second in the mirror before she put her mask back in place. But the damage was done. Even our daughter preferred Vivienne’s company to her mother’s.
2/3
Chapter 19–Vivienne Makes Everyone Happy
+25 Bonus
Maybe that should have bothered me more than it did.
Sera inhaled and managed a small smile at our daughter, “If sitting with Vivienne makes you happy then sit with her, baby, I don’t want to make you sad,” Sera said, surprising me and I noticed, Luna as well.
“No mommy…you don’t make me sad!” Luna’s eyes widened with probably fear that she’d hurt her mom. Sera simply smiled and patted Luna’s hair, she didn’t say anything else.
The rest of the drive was shrouded in silence.
As we pulled into our family mansion’s driveway, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I should have said something.
Join Our WhatsApp Channel For Fast Update Or More Novels: 
Join Our WhatsApp Channel For Fast Update Or More Novels: