CHAPTER 39
LILY’S POV
It’s been a week since Cassandra burst into my office and threatened me. Miley told me it’s better I stay clear of her but truth be told, I wasn’t shaken one bit by her empty threats. I was ready for whatever she had planned out for me and more than ready to return the favour. Good thing she was suspended indefinitely and no longer coming to the office. So I had nothing to worry about.
My shift just ended. I had to rush to my kids’ school in a taxi to pick them up. My car was being fixed at the mechanic and will be ready for pickup tomorrow morning. The school bus was also being maintained so they couldn’t bring school children back home and take them to school in the morning for the rest of the week.
Taxis and unidentified vehicles weren’t allowed into our estate for security reasons. We had to drop at the bus stop close to the estate l. As we got out of the taxi and I paid the driver, I took my kids’ hands and we began walking into the estate. I couldn’t help noticing their faces were sad unlike before when they were always excited to be back and looking forward to what they’d have for dinner.
“Why the long faces?” I asked, trying to cheer them up. “What happened to my babies in school today?”
Liam squeezed his face and looked away.
That act alone was enough to tell me whatever happened in school wasn’t good at all. Maybe he had a bully. I know how bad bullying can be because I experienced it firsthand. I didn’t want that for my kids. But Liam didn’t have any scratches or bruises on his face or arms as I took a closer look at him. I’ll have to stop by the school tomorrow and see their teacher since they were in the same class. If my assumptions turn out to be true, not only their teacher but the entire school will see the other side of me especially his bully, whoever it was. As one of the best schools in the city, they should have proper measures put in place to prevent these kinds of things from happening.
“Mummy?” Lila called for my attention with a low voice.
“Yes honey,” I answered, looking at her. I patted her head and tucked the loose strands of her long, sun-coloured hair that got in her face behind her ear. “Can you tell mummy what happened in school today?” I asked keenly while pampering her.
“Why don’t we have a daddy?”
Her question threw me off guard and I took in a shaky breath. I never expected it. All these years, I have been doing my best to avoid them asking that question only for it to happen now. Something or someone at school must have triggered it.
My mind raced as I snapped my gaze away from her and looked ahead. I didn’t know how best to answer.
“Of course, you have a daddy,” I said with an awkward smile as I briefly returned my gaze to her. “He’s just not around at the moment.”
That was the best answer I could come up with. I can’t let them know anything about the man who never loved their mummy and wanted them dead in the first place. They shouldn’t do.
“Why?” Her bow-shaped brow knitted as she asked curiously. “Is he dead?”
“No…” I blurted out, agitated over why she would be asking such. Even though Robert hurt me more than anyone else in this world, I didn’t wish death or for any bad thing to befall him and his family members. I just wanted him to know that I was doing well without him in my life and for him to regret everything he did to me.
“Then where is he?” She pressed on persistently. “I want my daddy here with me.”
Angrily, Lila left my hand and stopped walking with us. She crossed them defiantly across her chest and frowned intensely. This must be very serious because she hasn’t acted that way before. Some of the other residents of the estate were looking at us with curious expressions on their faces as they passed by.
Worry and helplessness overtook me as I rushed and lowered to her level. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want this happening. That’s why I have been working hard over the years to act as both a father and mother to them so they won’t feel the absence of their father.
“All the kids at school have a mummy and a daddy,” Liam said from behind me, catching my attention. He still looked sad and angry. “We are the only ones that don’t have a daddy and they make fun of us every time because of that. Some of our seniors even say you slept with so many men you can’t tell which of them is our daddy…”
My eyes widened and a loud gasp escaped my mouth over his last words. I can’t believe little kids at school will be saying such nonsense. I was right to think something at school triggered them to ask this question about their daddy.
“Liam,” I called out desperately, leaving Lila behind as I hurried over to him. I grabbed his shoulder, gently cupping his face. I needed to rid his mind of the nonsense his seniors had fed him. God knows I’m a virtuous and faithful woman. I never for once slept around with men, even in my teenage years like most girls I knew at that time. “Don’t believe them okay? You can’t let what they say get to you. None of it is true. If they keep saying that, ignore them. You’re better than they are. And if it happens again, go straight to your teacher or the principal and report to them.”
“If it’s not true then why don’t we know him…why don’t you ever talk about him?”
I could feel the pain laced in his voice. It was making my heart break in my chest. I was doing my best to hold back my tears and not cry in front of him.
“Yeah!” Lila reinforced behind me. “Why don’t you tell us anything about him? We want to see our daddy! We want our daddy!!” She shouted.
“Is everything okay here?” I looked up to see a sophisticated middle-aged lady in a tailored blazer and elegant trousers, with a sleek bob haircut asking. I had seen her before. She lived about a stone’s throw away from our house.
“Yeah…” I stuttered, managing a smile. “They just had a long day at school.”
She took a glance at the kids before looking back at me, not seeming so convinced with a suspicious look on her face. “Do you perhaps need help or something?”
“No,” I said rather too quickly, keeping up my smile as my cheekbones protested.
“Ok…” she said before leaving but momentarily kept looking back at us. I could see she was digging out her phone from her purse to make a call. At once, I knew I needed to act quickly and take the kids off the street and inside. She might be involving the police or worse, a social services investigation. I know how strict child laws are in this part of the world. The last thing I want is for anyone to take my babies away from me on the grounds I wasn’t being a good mother to them.
“Listen, kids,” quickly I brought Lila forward and addressed them both. “Your daddy is on a secret military mission in a far, remote part of the world. He can’t be around now but will come back soon. He’s planning on surprising you both with a very big welcome so he said I shouldn’t tell you yet.”
“Wow!” Lila’s hazel eyes widened and sparkled in awe. “He’s out saving people like Superman and Supergirl?”
“Yes…” I answered rather too desperately, glad she was buying the story.
Liam stared at me with his brows furrowed deeply like he was trying to understand what I was saying. He was the smarter one. It will be a bit harder to convince him but I was optimistic and determined. He’ll buy the story and eventually give in. I just needed to make it sound very real.
“In another planet?”
“Yes.”
“Which one?”
“Mars,” I blurted out. “Planet Mars.”
“Wow…” She gazed up at the sky as if she could see planet Mars from here, her eyes sparkling with wonder like one lost in a daydream. “That’s so cool! I can’t wait to tell my friends at school that my daddy is a superhero up there saving people on another planet.”
My eyes softened as I smiled in relief, glad that the matter had been settled though I felt a bit sad I was lying and cooking up impossible stories for them. I can’t keep hiding something this important from them. Eventually, they’re going to grow up and know the truth. I just hope they don’t hate me for lying and keeping it a secret from them.