” You tell him, he always listens to him.” Lily said, pushing his brother Aiden towards their father who was seated on his office chair going through some files.
The two had asked their driver to purposely drive them to their father’s company because they had something to discuss with him.
” Why should I be the one to talk to him? You are the elder sister.” Aiden complained. He could not understand why his sister was pushing him to speak to their father about the trip when she was the one who won the voucher.
” What’s the matter?” David, who was aware of his children’s presence in his office, asked.
” Lily has something to tell you.”
” Aiden wants to tell you something.”
The two said simultaneously, making David lift his head to look at them with raised brows.
” Come here,” he beckoned the two who walked to his side.
Pulling them each into his arms, he kissed their cheeks.
His two children have been the reason he is still strong even after losing his wife.
When he found Aiden left behind, he had thought that maybe his wife would come back but after waiting for years and looking for her, he was not sure anymore whether he’ll see her again.
” What is it that you want to tell me? I’m all ears.” He urged.
” Lily won a three day trip voucher to country B. It’s a family trip and she can take at least three people. We want to go.” Aiden said in his childish voice.
Looking at his children who had looks of anticipation, how could he bear to say no to them?
As their father, he hasn’t been taking them out since the company has been needing his attention. Now that everything was settled, maybe taking the trip was what he needed to relax and the children to have some fun.
” Okay ” David replied with a smile.
” Okay? You are saying that we can go?” Lily beamed.
” What? You don’t want to go?” David asked and the two children shook their heads.
” Of Course we want to go.” Aiden replied hastily. He was afraid that his father might change his mind and stop going.
” When are we leaving?” He asked and Lily grinned.
” Tomorrow,” she announced.
” Tomorrow?” David asked with a frown.
Today was on a Thursday, so tomorrow would be on a Friday? He still had some files to finish before leaving.
” Alright then. You guys leave first. I’ll finish my work here. Ask your aunt Meng to pack your clothes.” David Instructed.
He watched as his children skipped away happily. He could not help but smile seeing them happy.
His smile however disappeared the next moment. He stretched out his left hand, caressing the ring on his finger.
” The children are all grown up now but where are you? Are you still angry at me?” He asked no one in particular.
David buried himself in work until he was done. He then gave Jordan instructions, informing him about his absence in the company in the next three days.
Leaving the hospital, he drove to the mausoleum carrying with him two bouquets of flowers.
David made his way to the twin graves where Mr and Mrs Mason were laid to rest.
After placing the flowers down, he bowed in respect.
” Mom, Dad, do you think she can ever forgive me? I have been waiting for her for years. The children need their mother and I’m helpless. I miss her so much.”
David poured his heart out. This was the place he would visit everytime he was overwhelmed by her absence or missing her. For the last five years, this place has been his best friend and consolation.
Ten minutes later, he drove away.
The following morning, the persistent knocking on his door woke him up.
” Good morning Daddy, are you awake?” His son’s Sweet voice greeted him, making him smile.
” Yes baby, I’ll be down in a few minutes.” He replied before pushing himself up and out of bed.
After his morning routine, he made his way downstairs.
He found his children already waiting for him at the dining table.
” You guys look happy.” He commented.
It was written all over their faces. Lily just smiled at her father.
” Daddy is finally taking us out. We are happy.” Aiden replied enthusiastically.
David felt a pang of pain hit his heart. He had neglected his children while wallowing in his misery and managing the company at the same time. He could not remember the last time he took his children out.
Their aunt Alicia would take them out from time to time but at the end of the day, she could not fit the shoes of their parents.
” Don’t worry baby, from now on, Daddy will take you out frequently.” He promised.
” Yaay! You are the best.” Aiden happily said.
The family of three soon finished their breakfast.
Aunt Meng dragged down two suitcases and a duffel bag.
David was surprised to see his children packing suitcases for a three day stay. One would think that they were going for a whole week vacation.
” They are just excited.” Aunt Meng said as if reading David’s mind.
Twenty minutes later, the three arrived at the airport. Since it was a family trip, David decided to use his private plane to travel.
When everything was set, the plane took off. Aiden fell asleep immediately and David carried her to the cabin housing a bed.
The flight to country B took three hours.
David, who had informed Gabriel about their visit beforehand, was glad to find Gabriel’s people waiting for him.
Although this wasn’t his first time to country B, it was his first time to bring his family here.
Apart from business meetings, he never visited the country purposely to tour.
Now that he was here, he would take the chance to look around. He might be lucky enough to find an investment deal.
After Gabriel’s men picked the family of three from the airport, they drove them to a beach hotel where they would be staying.
Meanwhile, Amelia had been crying for hours after her mother denied taking her out on a vacation.
She had requested her mother to take her to the newly opened beach hotel but her mother was reluctant with the excuse of working.
Amelia had already promised his uncle to bring her mother to that hotel because that’s where her mother will find a husband and a father for her without having to spend her Money so how could she give up?
” Amelia, I am really busy. There’s a client who needs this design as soon as possible.” Sheila spoke in an attempt to convince her daughter but the girl was not having any of it. She even cried harder.
” Why don’t you just take her there? You can design while she plays with the other children. Besides, being in a new environment might help your creativity ” Mrs Fernandez, Sheila’s mother, advised.
Left with no choice, Sheila packed hers and her daughter’s clothes before driving to the hotel.
After checking in, she gave Amelia to a caregiver before she found a quiet place overlooking the Sea and started her work.
On the other side of the beach, Aiden was playing with Lily as they swam happily.
David chose to sit at the beach chairs, sipping on his drink as he watched his children.
Lily and Aiden joined the other kids and started playing.
” Hey handsome Uncle? I finally found you.” Amelia who had been walking around the beach looking for David beamed when he finally found him.
His uncle Gabriel sent him the picture of the handsome Uncle who would become her father if she convinced him to marry her mother.
” Huh? Are you talking to me?” David asked, looking around before his eyes wandered back to the little one’s face.
He was taken aback seeing her beautiful oval face. She was the spitting image of his wife Sheila.
He was about to ask her about her mother when he stopped himself.
It was impossible for the child to be his wife’s. What was he thinking? The child his wife was carrying was Aiden.
” Yes, I’m talking to you.” Amelia replied, moving closer to David.
With her beautiful crystal clear eyes, she observed David, like a buyer scanning a good before purchasing it.
” You are good-looking, ” she commented.” Do you have a wife?” She asked.
David was taken aback. Just when he opened his mouth to answer her, a voice interrupted her.
” Amelia, how could you hide yourself and run off to? Do you know how worried I was?” Sheila said, lifting Amelia in her arms and kissing her face.
Turning to look at the man before her, she bowed slightly, ” I’m sorry about this. My daughter can be naughty at times. Please forgive her if she bothered you.” Sheila apologised.
David who was momentarily shocked frowned when he saw how Sheila was acting unfamiliar with him
He then looked at the beautiful girl in his wife’s embrace and his heart trembled.
She was the same age as Aiden so that meant that his wife gave birth to twins?
At that moment, he didn’t know what to feel anymore.
He had imagined the reaction he would have seeing his wife again but the anger he was feeling was not part of the possible reactions he hoped for.
He was about to say something when Aiden and Lily rushed to him.
Lily was the first one to notice Sheila.
” M-mommy!” She called, tears leaving her eyes as she threw herself into Sheila, hugging her waist.
” Mommy, are you finally willing to come back to us? I missed you all these years. I have been a good girl and didn’t make trouble. Mommy, why did you take so long to come back to us?” She cried.
Aiden too hugged her legs, crying.
Sheila was taken aback.
She wanted to push the children away and tell them that they had mistaken her but she couldn’t.
She turned to look at David to ask firthos help but she only got a glare from him.
David then turned around and left.
Sheila was dumbfounded by his reaction.
Why did it seem like he was angry at her? She was sure this was her first time seeing the man, not to mention the kids calling her mommy.
Sheila could only use her free hand to pat both Lily and Aiden’s back.
After the two children calmed down, Sheila took them to her room. Ofcourse, she had wanted to get rid of them but the two children wouldn’t stop clinging to her.
Left without a choice, she could only entertain them.
Amelia and Aiden soon fell asleep.
” Don’t you remember us anymore mommy?”