bChapter 103 /b

    Mason

    “Really? Who, tell me their names, maybe I’ll know them.” his eyes shorie brightly, and he held my bhand /bbwith /bbboth /bhands swaying it from side to side.

    Something warm spread across my chest. Mnie moved forward, too. I leaned down to meet his gaze.

    I wanted so badly to tell him the names of my kids.

    ‘You are my son. It’s you and Mnie.‘ I wanted to say, but I didn’t. Instead, I kept watching him move my hand.

    Would things have been different if I had been in their life from the start?

    “Come on, tell me.”

    “Tell us,” Mnie said.

    “Can you take a guess?” I said locking eyes with Liam and then moving it to Mnie. “Who do you think it is?”

    I can’t describe in words how this moment makes me feel. Having them this close.

    To hell with whatever anyone says, I’m fighting for them. I’ll do all I can to be in their lives. I may not have been there initially, but now, I want to be. They would want me to be.

    Or maybe not.

    For the first time, the thought of them hating me shed across my mind. What did Lydia tell them about me?

    “Is it Jason?” Liam’s voice broke through my thoughts. I shook my head, wondering why he said that.

    “No, take another guess.” My eyes moved to Mnie. Do you want to try?” I asked. She looked reluctant to speak. She looked at Liam. Who gave her a slight nod, encouraging her to go on.

    “It must be Marian. She looks just like him, too.”

    “No, this is not Marian’s dad. I know Marian’s dad.”

    “Then do you think it’s Dennis?”

    Liam shook his head. I didn’t say a word, I just watched them.

    “Just tell us. We can’t seem to guess who it is.” Liam gave up first.

    I ruffled his head and pulled softly on Mnie’s cheek. “Do you really want to know?” I asked. They both nodded eagerly.

    “Then, I’ll tell you if you promise to bgo /bget ice cream with me. Or no…” I paused and pretended to bthink /bbfor /bba /bbwhile/b. “bHow /babout going to the park with me?”

    They didn’t get a chance to reply, “Liam, Mnie.” Lydia’s voice sounded behind us.

    Chapter b103 /b

    “Hey, Mom.” They echoed at the same time. I straightened and turned. They hugged Lydia, bbarely /bbgetting /bbto /bbher /bbwaist /b

    I know Lydia won’t be pleased that I am here. And when she raised her head to look at me, I confirmed bit/b.

    “Hey, Lydia.” I greeted first.

    “Mom, do you know him?” Liam asked. Mnie just held on to her mom’s hand. It was clear Liam was the bhyper /bbkid /bbwhile /bMnie was the quiet one.

    “It’s the man I told you about, what do you think? Don’t they look alike?”

    He has been telling Lydia about me?

    “Hello, good day.” She greeted. I knew at once she didn’t want the children to know that we knew each other.

    “Hi… your kids are…” wonderful, pretty, funb, /bbI /bcouldn’t pick the right word to use. “They are nice.” I settled for bthat /bband /bfacepalmed myself mentally at the same time.

    Really? That was all I could say?

    “Yes. They are. I get that a lot.” Lydia is trying to be nice and speak softly, but her sharp words betray her..

    Liam tugged on her hand, “Mom, what do you think, they look alike, right?”

    “No. I don’t think sob./b”

    “Come on, Mom.”

    “I said they don’t. Stop saying they do.” Lydia snapped. Liam’s face fell. Lydia closed her eyes and pressed her lips

    together.

    Her face softened, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” she inhaled sharply. “Mom is just stressed.” He said.

    She met his height and hugged him. Liam’s eyes were red, tears filling to its brim.

    I curled my fist, trying to stop myself from reaching out to pat him andfort him.

    Lydia stood straight, “Let’s go.” She pulled them forward without looking back at me. I stood rooted to bthe /bground for a while. I didn’t know what to do or say. I wanted to hold Liam andfort him, or at least do something for both kids.

    I was serious about an ice–cream date, or we could go to the park. But I knew Lydia would not want that, and bI /bdidn’t want to put her in a difficult situation with the kids.

    I watched her get into the car and drive off before going into my car. I ignited the engine and drove bto /bher house. Knowing that was where she would be.

    I pulled at a distance like I normally do. Lydia’s car wasn’t outside. I waited for what seemed like hours.

    The sun had gone down, now reced with dark clouds.

    Lydia’s car finally pulled out of the gate. I sat straight, ready to follow her. I needed to talk to her.

    bChapter /bb103 /b

    I short bShe /bbdidn’t /bbgo /bbin /bthe direction I thoughtb. /bInstead, she bdrove /btowardsb. /bMe, I bfelt /blike melting binto /bmy seat There

    bshe’d /bhave seen me. Right?

    bShe /bstopped at my side. Stepped out. In the next seconds, she was outside my windscreen. bShe /bknocked twice onl

    1 straightened and inhaled sharply. She motioned with her fingers, asking that I wind down. I did as bshe /bbrequested/b.

    “Follow me.” She said.

    “Me?” I pointed at myself with a finger. “Is there any other person here?” Her voice is sharp. She bstarted /bbwalking /baway. iI /iopened my door, stepped out, and quickly walked after her.

    She stopped a few feet away from her building. She crossed her hands over her chest.

    “What do you want?” She asked. She didn’t wait for me to answer before she continued, “It seems you’d keep bthis /bbup /bbif /bdon’t speak to you.” She dragged her breath and then pushed some hair strands off her face, tucking them neatly bbehind /b

    her ear.

    “Keep up what?” I decided to act foolish. “You know what I’m talking about. You are stalking me. I can report byou /bbfor /bbthis/bb, /band it won’t be nice for you.” She stared hard at me, all traces of the woman I once knew were gone.

    “I’m sorry, I just wanted to see the kids.”

    aces too

    “iey /iare my children, too. I had the right to be with them as she does.

    “Is that why you went to their school?” About that, I didn’t n to go to their school. I just found myself there. And bwhen/bb! /bsaw them waiting alone, I thought it would be good to go be with them for a while, at least keep thempany before bshe /bcame. That was all I did.

    But I’m not a fool, I knew telling her that was of no use.

    “I… I just want to-”

    “Please save your

    excuse.”

    “Lydia, I know you are angry at me. And you have all the right in this world to be.” I can’t imagine how much anger bbuilt /bbup /bin her all those times when she raised the twins. Alone.

    “But can we please talk about this? I know we can settle this somehow. At least, allow me to be in their life now.” I took a step forward, “Pleasei./ii” /iI said.

    She shook her head, looking me straight in the eyes, her face screaming, ‘I’ve made my mind already and it won’t bbe /bchanged.’

    “I can’t, I don’t want you to be in their life. We’ve been doing fine without you, and your knowledge of their bexistence /bwon’t change anything butplicate things.”

    I can already guess what she meant, but me being with Julia has nothing to do with this.

    Fuck that.

    I don’t even want to be with Julia

    bChapter /bb103 /b

    “bYou /bbare /bbalready /bbbuilding /bbyour /bown family. You’ll have a son bsoon/bb, /bbjust /bbbe /bbwith /bthem band /bbforget /bbabout /bus.

    b“/bI bcan’t/bb,/bb” /bmy voice rose higher than I wantedb, /bbut I don’t care. I am done hiding thingsb, /bbdone /bbtrying /bbto /bbhold /bbit /ball in

    “I bdon’t /bwant to build another family,” my eyes began to blur. “I want you back. I already have ba /bbfamily/bb. /b

    b“/bNo, we are divorced, and you are engaged.”

    “Fuck the engagement, I can call it off, I don’t even love her. I don’t want this marriage.”

    “I don’t care what you do, just make sure it doesn’t rub me in any way. I am already known as a murderer, bI /bbdon’t /bbwant /bbto /badd home wrecker to the list.”

    She paused and continued, “I warned you thest time, but I’ll say it again,” she stopped and tried to steady bher /bbbreath/bb, /bb“/bbIf /bI see you near the twins, I’m suing you for stalking. Good bye Mr. Woods.” She said and turned to leave, bbut /bI caught her

    hand.

    I wrapped my hand over hers, stopping her. “No, I can’t promise you that.”

    “Why? Why can’t you do it? You already abandoned us once; you can do it again.”

    “I never abandoned you.” I closed the distance between us by pulling her closer, “I know you won’t believe me, stopped loving you, not then, and certainly not now.”

    but bI /bbnever /b

    bAD /b