Tomas.
After the immense and unexpected appearance of Jennifer, along with her bold return home, I made the difficult decision to clear out both Amanda and Jennifer from my immediate space. I desperately needed time to think and gather my thoughts. The turmoil in my mind swirled like a storm, and I felt utterly overwhelmed. Then, I went to my child’s room and spent that night resting alongside him. I felt that I finally had everything I ever wanted: a family, a beautiful child, and even the one I truly cherished. However, I didn’t fully understand what love truly was. I had spent the last several years waiting for an unknown girl, convinced that this was the love of my life.
But I must admit that when I lost Jennifer, I lost the deep happiness that accompanied true love. Now, I found myself wanting to understand which one of them I truly adored, which bond was the strongest. I nodded off for what felt like a considerable length of time while snuggling my child, embracing him tightly and finding solace in his presence, feeling the warmth of his little body against mine.
Barely a few hours later, I woke up on this day, feeling refreshed for the first time in my life after a long period of hard work and stress. There was a light knocking at the door of my child’s room, and then Amanda entered, looking surprised that I was there with my child.
“Um, Tomas, what are you doing here?!” she asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion, as if my presence somehow violated some unspoken rule.
“What? It’s my home, and he is my child! Why shouldn’t I be here?!” I replied, widening my eyes in surprise at her question, feeling a mix of defensiveness and irritation.
“No, I just had an idea. It’s alright, don’t worry about it. Can I take little Tomas to the bathroom? I need to wake him up so he can have a bath,” Amanda informed me with a hint of urgency in her voice, clearly anxious to take control of the situation.
I shook my head firmly, resisting her insistence. “Oh yes, of course.” I extended my arms towards her, showing my willingness to cooperate. “And move his things to my room. I think I need more time with my child; after all, he doesn’t know me very well yet. So it would be much better if he stayed in my room,” I explained to Amanda, hoping she would understand my reasoning.
“But I don’t want him to disturb you. He is still just a baby, and he could cry in the middle of the night asking for me. He might even need to go to the toilet; you know he still uses diapers,” Amanda explained carefully, her tone softening as she tried to reason with me.
“So what?! Show me how to manage my child better! I could do those things as well, and doing so would make me much happier. Do you think I’m only good at business and having sex?!” I wrinkled my eyebrows, feeling frustrated as I realized the depth of my own insecurities.
“No, no, I didn’t mean it that way,” Amanda stammered, realizing her words might have come off wrong, her eyes reflecting a mix of concern and confusion.
“Quit talking and just do what I said. I will take a shower and wait downstairs for my child so we can have our first breakfast together as a family,” I insisted, determined to make this moment special for both my son and me.
“A family?!” Amanda exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief, as if the idea itself was utterly foreign to her.
“Oh god, she’s so clueless. Now I have two blockheads in my life,” I muttered under my breath as I got up and walked towards my room, shaking my head at the absurdity of the situation.
“Tomas! Good morning!” Jennifer called out my name cheerfully as I made my way downstairs, glancing at her in surprise.
“Good morning, Jennifer! But how did you manage it? I was always the one forcing you to wake up early! How come you are down here looking so fresh and clean like this?” I chuckled, genuinely surprised by her vibrant energy.
“I know, but I am going to do my best to be a better person, so hurry up, take a shower, and get ready. I prepared breakfast and will be waiting for you,” Jennifer laughed and headed to the kitchen, her enthusiasm infectious.
I stood there, stunned. What?! She prepared breakfast?! Who is she, for the love of all that is holy? She doesn’t even know how to cook an omelet! I whispered to myself as I walked to my room, shutting the door behind me in disbelief. I hurriedly cleaned up and then made my way to the dining area, my stomach rumbling in anticipation.
“What?! Who did all this? Did you really make everything by yourself, Jennifer?!” I exclaimed, my mouth agape as I stared at the table filled with delicious-looking food, colorful and healthy, each dish more enticing than the last.
“Who did this?!” Amanda asked as she entered the room with my child, her voice filled with incredulity.
“I did this! What’s wrong? We are a family now! So I think one of us should take care of meals! I even bought a baby seat for little Tomas and prepared his milk and healthy baby meals for him,” Jennifer said, folding her arms across her chest, looking at Amanda with a hint of pride, her smile radiant.
“What?! How could you do this for my child? Are you trying to harm him or something?!” Amanda shouted at Jennifer, her voice rising in anger and fear.
Jennifer huffed, looking incredulous. “Are you insane?! Harming a little child? Do you think I’m a cop or a murderer who kills people? I grew up in a foster home. I know how to take care of kids better than you!” Jennifer grimaced and walked over to my child, lifting him up gently to place him in the baby seat. I could only watch in amazement, my heart swelling with pride for her.
“Go ahead and grab a chair, everyone. I will take care of little Tomas. Don’t worry,” I said to both Jennifer and Amanda as I watched Jennifer interact with my child. My son seemed so happy with her; she truly knew how to make a child smile and eat well. Even Amanda looked a bit envious of that connection they shared.
I placed my hand on Amanda’s shoulder, encouraging her to sit down. “Come on, Amanda. We should have our first breakfast together as a family,” I laughed, casting a playful glare at Jennifer while she was making silly faces to entertain my little one.
Jennifer looked genuinely happy; it was clear she was not faking it. Even though she had previously mentioned turning this into a war, it was evident to me now that she didn’t understand what that entailed-or perhaps she did, and was simply choosing to embrace the chaos.
After we finished our breakfast, I lifted my child into my arms, and both women looked at me expectantly, their expressions filled with curiosity.
“What are you doing, Tomas?!” Amanda asked, clearly confused by my sudden movement.
“We are heading off to the pool. I want to play with my child for a little while before I go to work,” I told Amanda, feeling determined to make the most of our time together.
“Oh, okay, but be careful with Tomas. He is still so little; it could be dangerous for him. You should teach him to swim only after his fifth year, not at this age,” Jennifer warned me, her tone serious and concerned, her eyes narrowing slightly.
“Oh, you know a lot, Miss Jennifer, but don’t forget that I’m his father, not you!” Amanda huffed, crossing her arms defiantly, her competitive spirit flaring.
I tried to dismiss that feeling and took my child to the pool. I played with him for a little while, and both Amanda and Jennifer followed us, the air filled with laughter and splashes. Amanda was clapping and laughing, and I could see the happiness sparkling in her eyes. However, it was strange that Jennifer seemed to focus solely on my child, her gaze never leaving him, her concern palpable.
Carl approached me, “Mr. Tomas, we need to talk for a moment.” I shook his hand and climbed out of the pool, leaving my child inside, but I asked Amanda to hold his hand for a moment. I didn’t want him to get out and catch a cold.
As I stepped away from the pool to talk to Carl, I suddenly heard Jennifer yelling at Amanda. I turned my head to see what was happening, and I realized I had been wrong to suspect Jennifer. I thought for a moment that Amanda might be right and that Jennifer wanted to harm my child because she was so focused on him. But I was completely mistaken.
Once I turned my head, I saw that Jennifer had jumped into the pool, grabbing my child, who was struggling to stay above water. She lifted him up and began performing chest compressions to help him breathe, her movements swift and practiced. I rushed over to my child, shaking with fear, but Jennifer managed to save him, her determination shining through.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?! Are you even a mother? Do you understand how many women desperately want a child?! Do you know how many kids in foster homes were abandoned by their parents because they were reckless like you? Do you want to kill him?!” Jennifer yelled at Amanda, glaring fiercely, her indignation palpable.
“I was just looking at Tomas; that’s why I didn’t see my child! It was only for a moment!” Amanda explained, her voice shaky as Jennifer held my child tightly, kissing his cheeks with relief and affection.
“Do you love Tomas more than your own child?!” Jennifer asked with a smirk, her eyes narrowing.
“Of course, I love Tomas more than my own child! I can have another baby, Miss Genius, but I will never find another Tomas!” Amanda shot back at Jennifer, defensive and hurt.
“Then you’re a fool. Because if I love someone, I would want to have a child with him. His child is a part of that love. You are so childish, Amanda,” Jennifer yelled back, lifting my child up and giving me a fierce look before walking upstairs. “Don’t worry, Tomas. I will take care of him. I’m not the kind of person who would try to harm this child,” Jennifer reassured me, her voice soothing yet firm.
I had no choice but to let Jennifer handle the situation since I was living with her now. Amanda was just staring at me, her expression a mixture of anger and disbelief, her mind clearly racing.
“What do you think you are doing, taking my child away from me like this?!” Amanda yelled, but Jennifer ignored her words, wrapping my child in a towel and heading upstairs with determination. I quickly placed my hand over Amanda’s mouth to stop her from saying anything more rude.
I pulled Amanda close, looking her in the eye, my frustration spilling over. “Look at me! Is he even your child?! Do you lease this baby or something? How could you do something like this to my child?!” I shouted, my emotions boiling over, demanding answers and clarity.