Chapter 54
Chapter School Fair 11
“Thank you for trusting me. Mr. Lewis‘
I smiled and put ibosen my phone. I was happy to see the bonus my client had given me for the work I’d done for him.
Trached for the basket of snacks we had prepared for the school fair and beaded out to the porch, where the twins were waiting.
“I still don’t get why we don’t have a daddy like everybody else.”
1 froze in place when I heard Kylie’s voice,
“What are you talking about, Rylie? Didn’t we have one? You call Uncle Gavin “Daddy”
You know what Tim talking about, Rykerf You even refuse to call him Daddy when Mommy told us he’s not our real dad.”
I swallowed hard, feeling my heart clench. Rylie had been in a good mood earlier. When I looked in front of our house, I immediately knew why that had changed.
She was looking at our neighbours. They were also getting ready for school, but unlike us, they were complete.
Ryker let out a frustrated sigh. “Rylie, I told you to stop asking about him. We already talked about this, didn’t we? Mommy, that you don’t want to see her sad.”
1 bit my lip, my eyes growing warm as I listened to my son speak like someone for older than his age.
“But, Hyker, aren’t you curious too?”
You told me we shouldn’t upset
“No! Mommy takes care of us. We don’t need a dad. Why should we be curious and look for someone we don’t even know?” Ryker’s voice was firm, but I could hear it nearly break.
I heaved a sigh, swallowing the lump in my throat and blinking back the tears threatening to fall from my eyes.
I would always be like this, I knew, No matter how much 1 tried to avoid or shield them from the truth, their questions would always be there.
Taking another deep breath, I stepped onto the porch. “Hey, babies, how does Mommy look in her shirt and cap? I asked, gesturing to the matching family shirts 1 had bought for us and the cap with Rylie’s personalized painting
“You’re beautiful Mommy, Ryker was the only one who answered me.
Rylie bit her lip, looking down
I sighed and crouched down to their level. “Baby, what’s wrong” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.
I adjusted Rylie’s cap
“Nothing. Mommy, Let’s go,” Ryker said, about to take Rylie’s hand, but I shook my head at him
“Let your twin talk, Ryker. What does Mommy always tell you! No secrets, right? You don’t have to keep things from me.”
1 appreciated that they were sensitive to my feelings. I didn’t like it when they questioned me about their father, but I also didn’t want them to keep things inside—especially the ones that hurt their hearts,
“Rylic, baby, it’s okay,” I whispered, caressing her check.
She looked at Ryker first. When her brother sighed but gave a slight nod, she bit her lip again before whispering, “I just… I just wonder why we don’t have a daddy like everyone else, Mommy. Did he not want us?”
My chest tightened, but I refused to let my emotions show. I cupped her cheek, offering a soft smile.
“No, baby, Who wouldn’t want smart and sweet kids like you and Ryker!”
“If that’s true, then why isn’t he here with
Where is he, Mommy!”
This questioning always hurts me, no matter how much I prepare. This is why I’m swayi
Lim know them as his children.
swaying from the truth, why I have this absurd idea of just letting
But the memories of the past stop me. How he refused us. How he tried to get rid of them. How he was the reason I lost my loved ones and my life.
Chapter 31
“Mommy“”
1 cleared my throat and smiled. “Baby, sometimes life doesn’t happen as we want it to. But that doesn’t mean you’re not loved. You and Ryker are loved by Mommy, Grandina, Grandpa, Dadily Gavin, and Anna”
“Hat where is he?” Itylie insisted, still not content with my answer.
So, another lie came out of my lips. I don’t know, sweetheart.”
“He left us“” Byhr’s voice shook; she was close to crying.
On the other hand, Ryker’s hands curled into fists he looked angry.
“I just don’t understand why other kids have daddies, and we don’t. It’s not fair”
“Rylic, enough. Nothing is always fair, but we are lucky Mommy is with us. We don’t need him.”
“I know, I just d–don’t get it!” Rylie sniffed, her face scrunching up.
“Your father and I… things didn’t work out between us. I know it’s confusing, sweetheart, but sometimes grown–ups make choices that don’t always
nake sense to kids. All that matters is that I am here. I will always be here,” I said, wiping the tears from Rylie’s cheeks.
Rylie nodded. “Don’t be sad now. Mommy. I already understand it.”
“Thank you, baby, Mommy loves you and Ryker so, so much.”
“We love you, too, Mommy!” Rylie jumped in, wrapping her arms around my neck and hugging me
Hyker joined the hug, kissing the side of my head. “We love you, Mommy” he whispered.
“Now, enough sad faces. We have a school fair to go to, and I want to see my babies having fun. Deal?”
“Deal” they both said.
Thanks to the Distry songs I played on the way to school, Rylie was back in a good mood.
on as we stepped onto the school grounds, Rylie’s excitement bubbled over. She pulled my hand as we walked past the colorful booths at her school
“Mommy, look! Face painting!” she squealed, pointing at a booth where a kid was getting a painting on her check.
“Can we go there, Mommy?” she asked.
“Of course
se, baby. But let’s check in with your teacher first. You guys have class activities, right?”
She groaned dramatically stomping a foot for extra effect. “But Mommy.
“No bots, Rylie.” I svid, ruffling her hair. “We’ll have plenty of time after your class activities. Deal?”
She pouted for a second but then grinned. “Deal!”
We made our
our way toward the field where their class was instructed to gather. There were games and a program we had to attend. Unlike Rylie, Ryker wasn’t the type to jump around, but I could tell he was just as excited as his twin.
The fair was lively, filled with laughter and excited chatter. I looked down at my children. Seeing them like this, happy and carefree, made everything feel worth it, and it made me happy, too.
Then, just as we were about to step onto the field, my breath caught in my throat when I saw him. My body froze and I stopped walking
I found Liam Anderson standing near a cotton candy booth with a kid holding his hand. Dressed in a black shirt and denim pants, he blended in, yet somehow, he still stood out.
“Come on. Uncle Liam, just buy me another one!
It’s Toby
“You already air one
“Dadily sand I can eat
air one, enough. Tobias
I can eat another one! Please, Uncle Liam!”
Tharely processed seeing him here unexpectedly when I felt a sudden pull on my hand
fch
Rylie’s excited voice rang out as she let go of my hand and ran straight toward hum
“Rylic, wait!”
Hut my daughter didn’t listen. She was running eagerly toward Liam, lier exclienient making her nearly tripcover fre own feet
Liam caught her just in time, effortlessly lifting her off the ground.
For a split second, it felt like everything around us faded.
I watched as Liam held my daughter up in the air.
“Uncle Liam!” she repeated, her voice bubbling with happiness.
Rylic giggled, wrapping her small arms around his neck as he pulled her in for a lug
Liam even closed his eyes as if savoring the moment–like having my daughter in his arms was something precious, like he had misted her so much.
Something in my chest twisted painfully at the sight before me
