Chapter 1815 - Sunday Morning Wakeup Call (1)

~ Los Angeles ~

While Sarah and Aiden handled things in the main base of the Lebedev family, it was early morning in Los Angeles.

In Penny's and Ben's villa…

"Penny… Honey…", Ben called while nudging his wife gently.

"What?", Penny asked drowsily.

"Becca didn't come home last night, and she is not answering her phone."

Penny's eyes sprang open. "What? How come? What…?" Penny realized that it's Sunday morning and groaned. "Ah… you forgot… she said that after her date with Gabriel, she will go to her apartment."

Ben made a face. He forgot. However… "Why is she not answering her phone?"

Penny wanted to sleep more, but she could hear that Ben is concerned. She opened her eyes and noticed the darkness through the window. "What's the time?"

"Five-thirty."

Penny hoped that he is joking. "In the morning?"

Ben nodded. Penny propped herself on her elbow to reach for her phone and check the time. Her face dropped when she saw that it's 5:21 AM.

"Beeeeen…", Penny whined and plopped back in the bed, pulling the cover higher to tuck herself in. "Becca is not answering her phone because she is sleeping. Everyone is sleeping. Why are you awake?"

"I got up to drink water and saw that the door of Becca's room is open, and the bed is empty and… I panicked."

Penny snorted. "Un-panic yourself and get back to bed. Or at least stop waking me up… I want to sleep more. It's Sunday… why are you punishing me?" Penny opened one eye and saw Ben who is sitting on the edge of the bed and sulking. "What?"

"Becca is not answering her phone and I am worried."

Ben reminded Penny that even though there is an explanation for Becca's absence, he would still like to hear that Becca is fine.

Penny was exasperated. "Becca went on a date with Gabriel and he dropped her off to her apartment. She sleeps there most of the time, why are you worried now?"

"I have a feeling that something is wrong."

Penny puffed her cheeks. "If Becca is not answering and you are set on checking on her, you have two options. One is to go to her apartment and see if she is there in which case you will wake her up and she will probably slam the door in your face. The other option is to call Gabriel and confirm that he dropped her off last night safely. Keep in mind that if you do that, you will wake up Gabriel unless he got up to drink water or some other nonsense this early in the morning. Whatever you do, unless it's a real emergency, leave me alone and you should probably leave Becca and Gabriel to sleep as well."

Ben thought how calling Gabriel is a good idea. At least he will not throw a tantrum and slam the door in his face, like Becca. Ben checked his contacts and realized that he has a problem.

"Penny… Honey… Love…"

"What!?"

"Do you have Gabriel's phone number?"

"First, don't call me honey or love when you are waking me up at five-thirty on a Sunday. Second, I don't have his number…"

Penny would call Victoria or Bridgette from the Long family, and she has their numbers. She never had any need to contact Steve or Gabriel, so she does not have their contact information.

"Penny… Love... Sweetheart... You must have some way to reach him..."

Penny groaned when she heard Ben calling her sweetly. "Give me my phone..."

~ the Long family's villa ~

Bridgette slapped her phone which was on the nightstand, thinking that it's an alarm, but the thing kept on making noise.

"Ugh…", Bridgette made unintelligible sounds when she realized that it's her phone.

"What?", she mumbled into her phone as she placed it next to her ear.

"Sorry, Biddy for waking you up…", Penny said. "I'm trying to get ahold of Gabriel, and I don't have his number."

Without thinking, Bridgette poked Steve who was sleeping next to her.

"Hmmm?", Steve mumbled half-asleep.

"It's for Gabriel…", Bridgette said and gave him her phone.

Steve blinked his eyes open. Why would someone call Bridgette's number if it's for Gabriel?

"Yes?", Steve spoke into the phone.

"Oh, hi, Steve…It's Penny…", Penny felt like dying from embarrassment. Talking to Bridgette is one thing, but with Steve is totally different. They know each other, but they are not buddy-buddies and now she woke him up. She felt like strangling Ben. Why did she agree to call Bridgette? How many people will she disturb on Sunday morning because Ben has a feeling that something is off?

Penny cleared her throat awkwardly. "Sorry to wake you up…"

"What time it is?", Steve interrupted her.

"Five-thirty."

"Must be important.", Steve said with warning laced in his voice.

"Uhm… I'm trying to reach Gabriel and I don't have his phone number. Can you send it to me?"

Steve was NOT happy about being woken up. "Did he have an accident?"

"No… Not that I know…", Penny stuttered.

"Did something horrible happen?"

"I don't know…"

"Then why couldn't this wait for after the sun is up?"

Penny exhaled. "Please, don't shoot the messenger. Can you give me Gabriel's phone number? ... Please?"

"I will shoot at whoever cuts my Sunday's sleep short for no good reason.", Steve ended the call curtly and flicked the phone back to Bridgette.

"Who was it?", Bridgette asked with a yawn.

"Penny.", Steve grumbled while finding a comfortable position with hope to continue his sleep.

"What does she want?"

Steve could not believe this. "You woke me up and gave me your phone, and you don't know why?"

"It was a female voice, mentioning Gabriel, and I assumed it's work-related…"

Steve wanted to ask, if it's work-related, why would anyone call her? But he was super-sleepy, and he didn't want to talk about anything. "It's Sunday, damnit. I want to sleep."

"But what did Penny want? She must have a reason to call this early."

"She wants Gabriel's phone number."

"Why?"

"I don't know, but it does not seem to be important. If you want to know more, call Penny…"

Steve turned his back to Bridgette, covering himself almost over his head as a clear indication that this discussion is over.

Bridgette could not leave it be. If Penny called because she wants to get in touch with Gabriel, it must be related to Becca. She called Penny to hear what happened.

Penny apologized again and said that Ben is worried and that Gabriel had a date with Becca last night and that is why she wants to get his number.

"Only to confirm that he dropped her off home last night."

Bridgette could not believe the reason behind the call, Steve was right in refusing to talk about this further. Bridgette thought that something serious happened, yet it was the case of Ben being thirsty at five-thirty in the morning and forgetting that his daughter (aka Becca) has her own apartment. But Bridgette was awake already and she gave Penny Gabriel's phone number before going back to bed with the hope that she can resume her sleep.

Bridgette scooted under the cover, and she was surprised when Steve's arms wrapped around her and pulled her until her back stuck to his chest.

"You are not sleeping?", Bridgette asked the obvious, feeling guilty for waking him up.

Steve works hard at the Long industries and on top of that he is managing the Long family and it's rare that he gets to sleep properly, yet she disturbed his rest. If she listened to the call in the first place, she would talk to Penny without waking up Steve.

"I'm sorry for waking you up.", Bridgette said when Steve didn't respond to her previous question.

Steve nuzzled her neck with his nose. "Did you start taking the pill?"

Bridgette was surprised by this sudden change in topic. "Not yet."

Their daughter, Denise, is ten months old, and Bridgette was breastfeeding until recently. Actually, Denise still asks for her mom to breastfeed her, and Bridgette gives in to her daughter's demands once or twice a day.

"How about we make another baby?", Steve's husky voice caressed Bridgette's ear.

"Now?"

"It's Sunday morning, we are awake… Do you have anything better to do?" Steve's hips moved, allowing her to feel his erection on her bottom.

Bridgette giggled and turned to face him. "Stephen Long, you don't make a baby because you are bored on a Sunday morning."

Steve pecked her lips and looked into her blue eyes. "Mrs. Long, how about we make a baby because I love you and I want to impregnate you?"

Bridgette inhaled a shaky breath. Even after all this time with Steve, his intensity makes her mind stutter. She could not find words to answer, so she wrapped her arms around him and returned his kisses.

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