The first thing I saw was Mom. Grayson’s face was serious. I couldn’t take my eyes off him because my son was the spitting image of Arlo.
I felt both crying and rejoicing because he was finally back in the States.
“I saw him; he’s here now,” I said.
“Lily , what did you see?” Big Sister Violet asked me, but I knelt and hugged my twins tightly.
“Mommy, why did it take you so long to get here?” Gabriella asked, pouting.
“Let’s go inside, Mommy. The program is about to start,” Grayson said.
“Wait, Gray. Mommy needs to retouch my makeup first,” Gabriella replied, acting fussy toward her twin.
“Mommy, why hasn’t Daddy come home to our house? Maybe he doesn’t love us anymore. My friends said their daddies come home, but why doesn’t Daddy? I don’t love him anymore, Mommy. It’s been so long since he came back. If he loved us, he’d be here, just like my classmates’ daddies. They have Daddy and Mommy, but Gabriella and I don’t. Christmas is coming, and he’s still not here. Mommy, call grandfather —I want him here so Gabriella and I can have a daddy, too,” Grayson said firmly.
“Yes, Mommy, please. I miss father, too,” Gabriella added.
“Okay, I’ll call your Grandfather. But please don’t pester him, and don’t be upset with your Daddy. He’ll come back soon, and we’ll all be together again,” I told my twins, kissing them one by one.
“Yes, Mommy.”
“Good, now smile, please.”
“I love you, Mommy,” my twins said as they hugged me tightly.
I helped fix Gabriella’s hair and outfit. Even if I didn’t call father, I knew he would come, and he’d bring his girlfriend along.
“Grandfather!” Grayson shouted excitedly as soon as he saw him arrive.
Dad came, too. I thought he wouldn’t because he said he was busy at work. But he approached Mom, and I noticed how he had changed since Grandpa died. He wasn’t as distant from Mom as he used to be.
Speaking of why my wedding with Nick didn’t happen, Nick found a way to stop it. He talked to his parents and Grandpa calmly, explaining everything. Nick could feel that I was being forced into it and that our relationship would never be happy.
At first, I thought Nick had an attitude and was arrogant because we had to pretend for two months in front of our families.
But when he overheard me telling Mom that I was pregnant, he found a way to cancel the wedding. Thankfully, his Grandpa was understanding and easy to talk to. Nick’s Grandpa then spoke with mine. In the months that followed, my Grandpa finally understood me.
He gave me his blessing to break free, even advising me to go to Alabama and talk to Arlo.
Mom accompanied me to Alabama, even though I knew deep down that I might not find him. I was merely hoping for a chance to see him.
When I went to their mansion, Ma’am Ella faced me with anger, blaming me for Arlo’s departure and the miserable state of her son’s life. She didn’t let me speak. When Ma’am Ella saw Mom, it was as if both of them had been doused with cold water.
—
FLASHBACK
“What are you doing in my house?” Ma’am, Ella asked Mom angrily.
“Ella?” Mom responded.
“Yes, Isabella. Should I call your daughter Lily or what? Oh, Isabella! Like mother, like daughter—both liars and deceivers. Leave my house, both of you. I will never allow your daughter to do to my son what you did to Philip!” Ma’am, Ella shouted at Mom.
“Ella, you don’t know anything, and you have no right to yell at me,” Mom replied firmly.
“And you, Lily—I treated you like a daughter, but what did you do? You gave my son false hope and deceived him. Leave my house, both of you!” Ma’am, Ella yelled. I couldn’t blame her because it was my fault.
“Ma’am Ella, please let me explain,” I pleaded.
“Leave, Lily, because things will never go back to the way they were. Arlo left us because of what you did. Leave now!”
“child, let’s go. Don’t force yourself on people who don’t want to listen to you,” Mom said to me. We left the Bonde family mansion.
As Mom and I were about to exit the mansion gates, we ran into Philip. He froze upon seeing us. He looked as though he had seen a ghost, his mouth slightly open in shock. His eyes darted back and forth between me and Mom.
