“Child, don’t rush everything. I think he’ll talk to you eventually. You just need to wait for the right time. For now, it’s better if you rest and don’t overthink things,” Mom said to me. She smiled before leaving my room.
The next morning, I woke up early. I hadn’t slept well last night because I kept thinking about it.
When I stepped out of my room, I heard my twins talking. I quietly peeked at them through the door, listening to their conversation.
” Gabriella, if Daddy doesn’t come home by Christmas, I don’t want him to be my Daddy anymore because he doesn’t love us. I see Mommy crying every night. I heard her crying over Daddy’s name,” Grayson said.
” Grayson, how did you see Mommy crying?” Gabriella asked.
“I wake up in the middle of the night and check on Mommy,” he replied.
“That’s unfair, Gray! Why didn’t you wake me up, too? Mommy needs our hugs, just like she hugs us when we cry. Tonight, I’ll sleep beside Mommy,” Gabriella declared.
“Me too,” Grayson added.
Hearing their words brought tears to my eyes. I slowly turned the doorknob and stepped inside.
“Good morning,” I greeted them cheerfully.
“Good morning, Mommy,” they both replied enthusiastically.
“I love you, Mommy,” Gabriella said and kissed me on the cheek.
“My twins are so sweet. I love you both so much,” I told them.
“We love you too, Mommy, super love!” Gabriella replied. “From now on, Mommy, Gray and I won’t ask anymore when Daddy is coming home,” she added.
“Alright, now go get ready for school, and Mommy has to get ready for work too,” I said, ignoring their comment about their father.
Maybe they’re already tired of waiting, and I’m the only one still holding on to the hope of their father returning.
—
Three hours later, when I arrived at Davis Company, my secretary met me in the hallway.
“Ma’am Lily, Sir Nick is in your office. Also, don’t forget you have a business dinner tonight with De Vora’s Company,” Caroline informed me.
“De Vora’s Company?” I asked, surprised.
“Yes, Ma’am,” she confirmed.
“Thank you, Caroline. Please make coffee for both Nick and me,” I told her.
As I entered my office, I saw Nick sitting seriously, his eyes fixed on the television.
“Have you been here long?” I asked. He simply nodded in response.
The news is about Mr. Bonde’s upcoming wedding. For five years, you’ve waited for him, but the person you cried and waited for is now marrying someone else. Lily, you need to wake up to the reality that he’s not coming back to you. If he truly loved you, he wouldn’t have left you so easily. You spent five years worrying about him. I love you as a sister, Lily , and you deserve to be happy now,” Nick told me.
My eyes stayed glued to the television. Arlo and Valerie were sitting side by side, holding hands. I could clearly see in Arlo’s eyes and smile that he was happy with someone else. I felt like I was running out of breath as I watched them kiss on the lips and display their affection for each other in front of the camera.
I couldn’t move from where I stood. The pain of seeing the man you love happy with someone else felt suffocating.
“Finally, Arlo Bonde, you’re ready to settle down into a peaceful life. You’ve been gone from the country for five years, but you came back with a beautiful woman by your side. Valerie Garcia, right?” said the reporter on the television.
“Lily,” Nick called my name as he turned off the TV.
ARLO
“Come on, babe. Join me outside. Let’s shop for new clothes for our child. Get up, babe!” said the woman lying on top of me, though I couldn’t see her face clearly. Yet I felt like I had known her for a long time. Every time she spoke, it felt as if she was a part of my heart, though I couldn’t explain why. She kept trying to wake me up. Eventually, she got up from lying on top of me.
She screamed at me loudly, but no matter how hard she tried to get me up, I didn’t respond.
“Arlo, Arlo, I’m leaving you. I’ll go with someone else. You won’t see our child anymore because I’ll take my child far away. If I don’t take them away from you, they’ll kill me,” she said.
