I scrunch my nose when I feel someone pinch it. I opened my eyes and blinked away the sleep.
"Good morning, Mommy." Mara greeted me with her bright smile. I pulled her to me and wrapped the blanket around her. She giggled trying to get out. I let her go and sat on the bed. She sat in my lap. I kissed her head."Good morning, princess. Did you sleep well?""Good, Mommy." My stomach grumbled and she poked my stomach with her little finger. "Mommy is hungry. I'm hungry too.""Okay sweetheart, why don't you wait for Mommy to get ready? We'll go and have breakfast, okay?" She nodded."Can I play a game on your phone?" I raised my eyebrows, she's giving me her puppy eyes."How about you select what to wear?" I suggested. She nodded excitedly and jumped off the bed. She opened the closet and started looking through my clothes. I chuckled, shaking my head and went into the bathroom.When I came out I saw blue jeans paired with a red top laid on the bed. Mara sat next to them wearing a red frock. I'm so proud of her. She can get ready by herself. She's growing up so fast."Do you like it, Mommy?""Yes, sweetheart. Very much." Her face glowed happily. I kissed her forehead. I wore my clothes. I brushed her hair, I let it loose. It reaches her shoulder. I put on the hairband to stop the hair from falling on her face."Come in." I said when I heard the knock on my door thinking it was Elena."Hi! Good morning!" Julia greeted as she came in."Good morning." We greeted each other."Breakfast is ready. Are you guys coming down?" I nodded, giving her a smile. She sat on the edge of the bed. She looked at Mara. "She's such an adorable child.""She's my happy bubble." I told her and kissed Mara's cheek."Mara sweetie, why don't you go down for breakfast? I've something to talk, with your mother." Mara looked at me and I nodded hesitantly. She kissed my cheek before going out of the room. "Is everything okay?""What do you mean?" I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion."You didn't come to eat dinner last night, I came to check on you. You're crying in your sleep." She looked concerned. "You can tell me anything you know. I'm your friend.""It's nothing. I'll be fine." I don't know what more to say. How will she react when Mara's father is her husband?"Okay. Talk to me when you're ready, I'll wait." She placed her hand on my shoulder giving me reassurance. I nodded, giving her a small smile. "Let's go eat breakfast, before they finish everything. I've a surprise for you.""What surprise?" She stood up, pulling me with her. She literally dragged me down stairs. What's this surprise?"Julia, you disappeared saying you've a surprise. What is it?" I heard a familiar voice. I heard it long back but I still recognised it. She gasped when I came into her view."Maria?" She threw herself at me. I wrap my hands around her. My eyes moistened."Kathie? Are you trying to kill me?" I joked. She released me from her right grip."Sorry, I just missed you." She wiped her tears."I missed you too." It's been so long I've met Julia and Kathie. We used to be so close in middle school. The last day of middle school is the last time I've seen them. We used to message each other but those got reduced with time."Group hug!" Julia squealed and pulled us into a hug. I giggled.I heard someone clear their throat and we pulled away. I saw a tall man with good looks. Kathie happily goes to him. He wrapped his hand around her."Maria, he's Jason, my husband. And baby she's my friend Maria." She introduced. He looks familiar. Have I seen him before?"Nice to meet you." He extended his hand and I took it."Nice to meet you too." Where have I seen him? Julia nudged me from the side."Are you okay?""Yeah." I nodded but still thinking about where I've seen Kathie's husband.Holy shit! He's Oliver's friend. I've talked to him a few times over the phone.I froze dead in my tracks. There's a possibility that Oliver might be here. Why didn't I realize that before?"Come, I'm hungry." Julia pulled me into the dining area. There's a man already sitting at the dining table. Is it Oliver?Please let's not be him.Please not be him.He turned around slowly. Is it him or the time moving slowly? He smiled brightly looking at us and I sighed in relief. He and Oliver are of the same height. But he looked a little short when he stood up.Julia introduced him as Raymond's friend, Robert. They were colleagues back when he worked in Florida. Mara is nowhere in sight. Before I asked where she's, I heard her laugh from the kitchen. I turned around and saw her coming from the kitchen holding someone's hand. They stopped walking and I frowned. Mara looked up confused. I followed his hand and I let out a low gasp when I saw his face.His deep blue eyes staring at me. They're pulling me deep into them. I averted my gaze away from him before I lost myself."Mommy!" Mara squealed and ran towards me. She hugged my legs. "Mommy, come meet my new friend. His name is Oliver."I looked back at him and his mouth slightly opened as his eyes shifted from mine to Mara and then again mine."Raymond, I told you not to go into the kitchen."Oliver POV"Is it enough?" I asked Raymond, he stopped stirring the strawberries and took the beater from my hand. He moved it around the batter and lifted it up. "Okay, good." He gave me a thumbs up and I nodded while putting the bowl on the island. "Why don't you ask Robert to cook for you or Julia?" I asked him. I don't understand why he wants to cook when his hand is injured. "I want to make these pancakes." He smiled but it disappeared into a frown. "Did you and Julia fight? Is that why you're making her special breakfast?" "No, it's not like that." He furrowed his eyebrows. "Why do you assume I'm making this as an apology?" "Because I know my little brother." I've been seeing him since he was born. "How many times did I cook for you then?" He poured a scoop of batter in the pan and added swirls of strawberry sauce on the pancake. "Maybe ten, I didn't include the cookies you made when
I excused myself from the dining table. I couldn't stay there after hearing Oliver has a fiance. The image of him with his secretary in his lap flashed in front of eyes. It's been five years, I still couldn't imagine him with another woman. "Mommy, are you crying?" Mara asked with a pout. I wiped away the tears with the back of my hand and gave her a small smile. I lifted her up in my arms and climbed the stairs. "Papá made you cry?" "No sweetheart. I'm missing someone else." I told her honestly. I don't like lying to her but at the same time she can't understand the truth. "Papá hurt you." Her eyes teared. "No, don't say that. It's not his fault, he was hurt too." I don't want her to hate him. Even if she won't say it out I know she misses him. She needs her father in her life. "You didn't eat the pancakes he made." I wiped her tears. I know he made those pancakes for me as an apology. It's his habit. I smiled remembering the times he made pancakes for me. I just don't know ho
I'm still working in my room when Mara came tired after all the playing but had a bright smile on her face. No one will believe that she's tired. My smile flattened when I realised the reason behind her big smile. It's her first time, spending time with her father. I pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry, sweetheart." She pulled away and frowned. "Mommy, why are you sorry? Are you leaving me?" Tears formed in her eyes. I cupped her face with my hands."No sweetheart, I'm not leaving you. I'm sorry I didn't tell your father about you. You miss him a lot, don't you?" She shook her head. "It's not your fault, Mommy." She hugged me tightly. "I want to tell him." She pulled away and looked at me with excitement. "Really?" I nodded and kissed her forehead. "Elena, am I making the right decision?" I looked at Elena. She had a smile on her face. "Yes, he needs to know." I nodded and made Mara sit on my lap. "So, when are you going to tell him?" "Soon. I'll tell him soon." I sighed and she
"Mommy, wake up!" I groaned, pulling the blanket over my head. Please let me sleep for some more time. "Mommy, wake up! I'm hungry.""Isn't Elena here?" I asked groggily. I slept after four in the morning. I don't know who to blame, Oliver or Rafael? "No." I groaned and sat on the bed. I rubbed my eyes and pushed my hair back. "Mommy, you look like a zombie." I smiled and caught her shoulders, pulled her onto the bed. She giggled, struggling to get out of my grip. "I'm going to eat you." I tried to sound like a zombie. "No, don't eat me." She tried to get away from me while giggling. Before I bit her shoulders, someone knocked on the door. The door opened revealing Elena. "Woah! You look like dead." Elena exclaimed. Mara got out of my grip and sat in my lap. "Did you pack your overnight bag?" She raised her bag before putting it down. "Mommy, where are you going?" Mara looked at me with a pout. "Breakfast first. I'll tell you later." I put her down and I climbed out of bed too
Oliver POV"I love you." I pecked her lips and traced my fingers along her jaw. The movie playing on the TV is long forgotten. Who cares about the movie when I've a beautiful girlfriend to look at?"I love you more." She snaked her arms around me and pulled me into a kiss. I smiled into the kiss. She pulled away with a serious face. "You'll be responsible if I die." "What?" She laughed at my reaction. "Sometimes I feel like my heart is going to explode with your love." I chuckled, pulling her into my lap. I capture her lips once again. I pulled away with a smile. "Maria? I want to introduce you to my family." Her smile was gone as she pushed her hair behind her ear. "W..what?" She bit her lip nervously. I'm afraid she's going to say no. "I don't think I'm ready." "You already met my sister. She loves you. You don't have to be nervous about anything. They'll love you." I squeezed her hand. She looked at me and smiled. "When are we doing this?" I sighed in relief. I didn't know th
Sound of my phone buzzing woke me up. I searched the bed for my phone, my eyes still closed. I answered it without opening my eyes. “Hello?” My harsh sleepy voice is cringeworthy. “Maria, are you still sleeping?” He scolded me on the phone.“No, dancing.” I joked sitting up on my bed.“It’s three in the afternoon.” He sounded disappointed with me.“Come on, I've jet lag.” I frown, even though he can’t see me frowning. I looked around my room yawning, then I caught my reflection in the mirror on the side wall and cringed. If I go out like this everyone will think that the city is under zombie attack. My hair is so messy and I’m damn sure it’ll take an hour or more to make them free of knots.“Anyway, are you coming to the office tomorrow or not?” He asked, knowing well that he can’t make me come to the office today. I put my phone between my shoulder and ear. I ran my hands through my hair trying to free the knots.“What are you going to do, Billy? You know you can’t even fire me.” I
“Miss? We’re here.” The cab driver pulled me out of my thoughts. “Thank you.” I paid the driver and rushed inside the hospital. While I was in the cab, Elena sent a text to come to room 202. I was panting heavily. "Room 202?" I asked the blond receptionist. “Second floor, stairs on the right.” She directed me to the stairs. “Thank you!” I quickly went to the right. When I climbed on the stairs, I looked to my left and saw Mara and Elena sitting on the chairs outside a room. Mara was the first one who saw me.“Mommy!” She came running to me. I picked her up and kissed her, her cheeks, her forehead. She’s my life. I don’t know what I will do if anything happens to her.“You alright, baby?” She nodded. She had dried tears on her cheeks. I took her towards Elena. Elena is Mara’s babysitter, she’s with us since Mara was born. She didn’t have children, she takes care of Mara like her own. She’s in her late thirties, doctors told her that she can’t conceive. “Elena, are you okay? What h
“Raymond?” I was facing his back. He slowly turned around and his eyes were red. “It’s all your fault.” What!? He accused me. Out of everyone, he’s the one who accuses me. Tears flowed down my cheeks continuously. No, it’s not my fault. No, it's not.Is it?“It's not my fault. Raymond, listen to me. I want to tell you something.” I pleaded with him to listen to me. “No, I don’t want to listen to you. It’s all your bloody fault. I don't want to see you again.” He left the hospital room leaving me all alone. I sank to the floor crying. Why does he have to blame me? Why?Will he come back? He can't leave me all alone. I need him, more than ever. I can't do this alone. I can't raise Susan all alone. I need him. He has to be there for his daughter. I was pulled into a hug. He kneels beside me, rubbing my arms to comfort me. "It's okay." I know he's trying to control his emotions. I pulled away looking at him. "He left. He blames me." Rafael shakes his head with tears in his eyes.