Mike’s POV“I’d like to invite you to my birthday party,” Mac said in a rush as if something was chasing him. Then after catching a breath, he asked: “Would you come?” “A birthday party?” I asked, scratching my head. “Uhmmmm…. I’m not sure….” I stammered.“What do you mean you are not sure? Are you busy at work or something?” he asked with a saddened voice. His enthusiasm earlier changed so suddenly when he heard my response. And I'm not sure why I felt like I was stabbed by an invisible dagger right into my chest. My lips uttered words faster than my brain could even process as if I was subconsciously eager to explain to him my reasons.“I mean, you know…? I haven’t attended a child’s birthday in a long time. Maybe the last time I did was when I myself was a child. Ever since I became an adult, I do attend birthday celebrations, but they are more on drinking and doing boy’s things. I mean big boys things, you know…?” I chuckled awkwardly as I stated my thoughts to the boy, hoping s
Justin’s POVI did not waste time. Like a bear hibernating in the winter, I closed my world, but instead of sleeping, I surfed the web for every piece of information I could get. I was determined to find out what connection Mike could be to all of this if there is any, like my silly intuition was telling me. If Lilith Craig did not mention Nicole’s name as Mac Parker’s mother, I wouldn’t get to entertain the thought that the two have any connections. How much more about thinking they could be a family to each other. However, I must admit that when I first saw the child, he reminded me of Nicole Parker with his bearing. “He wasn’t very friendly at all. Except when he speaks to Mike!” I thought aloud as I recalled how he stealthily glared at me and then smiled at Mike when the latter met eyes with the boys across us on that table at the baker’s shop.But then again, it was just for a moment. I had no way of thinking that the boy would actually have any chance of being related to the
Nicole’s POV“Mac, sweetie….” I paused as the words seemed to stuck in my throat. I cannot deny the fact that I was so scared, nervous, and all emotions combined of fear, hope, and excitement overwhelmed me immensely. Honestly, I was not sure how to define, describe, or understand how I feel at the moment.“Please, Mom,” Mac said with indescribable sadness in his mien.That expression alone— even if Mac does not say a word, melted my resistance. Yet I could not wholeheartedly agree with his idea.The dinner we were sharing was no less delicious or fancy than other dinners we have shared at this very same table countless of times before, but tonight it was undeniably different.“I know it is not easy for you,” my mom said, comforting me with his warm hand rubbing my back. “But Mac’s idea isn’t bad at all. Chris also agrees with this….”I inhaled deeply. I know, deep within me that I should agree to this, right now. When Mac returned home after meeting his dad in person, I had prepare
Mike’s POV“Sorry to keep you waiting,” I hurriedly apologized to the toddler the moment I saw him standing next to a fancy white van. I walked briskly, and I arrived near him with me catching my breath. I had to run back home when halfway down here because I forgot the cake that I bought for Mac at the baker’s yesterday. I was already in a hurry to get myself ready to leave when I got his call, but it doubled when I realized I was walking down the stairs empty-handed. “Let’s see if you have your clothes on properly first,” Mac laughed gleefully as he gestured I bend down to level myself with him. “I am quite certain you don’t want to look funny in front of everyone at my party, right?” Mac said with a mischievous grin. I did as he asked, with a nervousness started building within me. I really didn’t know what to expect, so I was quite hesitant, but I did not have the heart to tell the boy for fear of causing him sadness and ruining his mood when today was his birthday.“Please, sa
Nicole’s POV“Let’s get inside.”From inside the house, I heard Mac said after my daughter bolted to meet her dad. I couldn’t move. “Sweetie, are you alright?” My dad asked gently. I nodded. “You don’t look like you’re alright to me, though,” my dad whispered. “You’re so pale, dear. Would you like to go on with the plan or join the kids when you’re ready?” My mom was obviously worried for me. I’m not so sure I was ready. When Mac said he was going to pick up Mike, I was hesitant, yes, but I could tell I was just half-hearted. However, when I heard the sound of the vehicle approaching our yard and stopped there, my heart started pounding. Now, my legs, which had been back and almost perfectly normal, wouldn’t even budge. Not just that, because my stupid legs were shaking out of control! I couldn’t even get up from where I was sitting while waiting for my son to return home.“Wait, Mac, are you sure I will survive if I step inside your house?” Mike asked Mac with the sound of playf
Mike’s POV“Dad!!!!”“I missed you!”These words scared me like hell. But who could blame me? I was standing in the yard of a fancy house without a doubt that this property belongs to someone rich. But to call me “Dad” by a girl, a cute, sweet, and adorably lovely little girl, I was afraid the real dad would show up in front of me and give me a punch right on my face. Okay, maybe that would be too much, to be violent. But I don’t think I will like even the thought of my child calling someone else “Dad” instead of me. “Let’s get inside,” said Mac, after introducing the girl as his twin sister. With the little girl named Chris in my arms, I walked along with Mac when he started heading to the front door of the house. Everything in the surroundings was unfamiliar to me. I don’t think I have even been here in this house before. The interior of the house patently showed luxury and kids friendly, including the wallpapers, the guarded corners of the sharp-edged furniture around it, as we
Nicole’s POVI struggled to collect my composure. I was drowning in different emotions. I have always feared to meet Mike after parting ways with him saying I was going to study abroad when all the while, I wasn’t planning on leaving the city, let alone the country. And when I got into an accident, my condition made that decision even firmer. Well, I could have had chosen to get treatment from somewhere with better medical facilities and assistance to ensure everything would be next to perfect, but I did not want to be farther than how I already was from Mike, so I preferred to stay and asked my parents to hire the best in the field of medicine to take care of me personally at the comfort of my home when I was able to be sent home for further recuperation. But now that Mike was right in front of me, there was only one emotion that felt so immense and potent to care about anything else. My heartbeat was pounding my chest so wildly, I had lost control on what words slipped out of my l
Mike’s POV“I am glad you didn’t know. See, you are graduating from your chosen course. While I am still taking my degree,” Nicole laughed softly, comforting me. My chest hurt like crazy, but the fact– although it was unbelievable, that Nicky was comforting me appeased me as well. Her simple words, the mere sound of her voice, the mere scent radiating from her body–even from her breath, they all soothed me like magic. Yet, again, I could not keep the sound of my muffled cries from being heard. But Nicky continued. “I had to take a longer break than usual maternity cases due to the accident.”The last word she mentioned pierced my heart fiercely again. I blame myself so badly for shutting myself out from anything that had to do with Nicky. I begged Justin not to mention her name or anything about her. Now, even if Justin knew about what happened back then, I can’t blame him for not telling me. This thought made me groan in pain even more.“Don’t despair so much. We got who the crim