The Game Of Redemption (#2)

Chapter-1 A new chapter

                                                                           HAZEL

"Oh God," Hazel closed her eyes, her back arching off as Ted worked his magic. "Oh...yes," She sighed, allowing herself to enjoy the very rare moments of peace in her life. Peace and pleasure, for the matter. 

It was still early in the morning and she still had some time before she has to get up and tackle life. She was hands down a morning s*x person and she tried not to dwell on how she become that way. But she loved waking up to hot, messy s*x especially since there has been not much of that available to her anyway. So whenever she can get that, she was all for it. And today was one of those rare days where she was lucky enough to being able to wake up to Ted's experienced tongue and fingers. 

"Mommy!" Her eyes flew open and she sighed. 

Here goes her orgasm...

Ted looked up at her and she shot him an apologetic look as she started to dress up at the speed of lightening. f**k, where was her clothes now? Ted sat up, and Hazel felt a little guilty as she noticed the bulge in his boxers. But what can she do? Being a mother kicks your ass. Yes, congratulations, she was a mother now. 

"Mommy! Are you sleeping?" Her voice was as always impatient. Hazel rolled her eyes as  she threw the T-shirt over her head and threw Ted's towards him. 

"No! No...I will be right outside, just wait a minute sweetheart," Hazel replied before she starts crying with impatience and shot the bewildered guy on her bed an apologetic look. 

"Seriously, Hazel?" Ted grumbled, pulling on his clothes. "This is so not fair," 

"I am so sorry...she was supposed to be sleeping late today. It's Saturday!" She replied. "But you know her, always impatient and fidgeting," 

"Yeah but look at me..." He mumbled and Hazel climbed up the bed and kissed him quickly. on the cheeks. She don't really kiss anyone anymore. It was a bloody dangerous gesture that she would rather stay away from. 

"I'll make it up to you," She said. "Promise, next time," Ted rolled his eyes and kissed her, again on the cheeks because he knew, before flopping back down on the bed. Hazel smoothened her hairs and glanced at mirror.

"Jesus, Haze...a four year old won't know that her mother was about to have s*x. Relax," Ted grumbled, rolling over on his stomach and Hazel scowled. 

"You don't know her. She is smarter than you are at thirty," She replied, shaking her head. "Takes after her..." She paused and shook her head. No...no going there. 

"Mommy!" She called again and Hazel sighed before opening the door. And there she stood. Dark eyes gazing up at her, her little mouth twisted in impatience, brunette hairs all messed up as she stood outside the door, her favorite Pooh soft toy in her hand. The expression on her tiny face, exactly like him. Filled with impatience and annoyance.  

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Hazel asked softly, pushing aside her wayward thoughts as she flopped down on her knees so that they were face to face. Summer, her four year old, too smart for her own good daughter was actually pretty tall for her age and sometimes Hazel had a hard time remembering that she was just four, well almost five. Like now as she appraised her mother with her inky dark eyes. 

"I was looking for you," She mumbled and Hazel pulled her closer, smoothening her haywire waves softly to calm her down. 

"Another bad dream?" She asked softly and Summer nodded her head. 

"I got scared," She said and Hazel smiled and wrapped her arms around her small body as she lifted her up in her arms. She walked back into her room and shot Ted a look to cover himself up properly before placing her down on the bed. 

"Hey! Munchkin," Ted ruffled her hairs and Summer shot him a look. She hates it if anyone apart from Hazel touches her hairs. Again, a habit inherited from her father. 

"What is uncle Ted doing here?" Summer asked and Hazel cringed. Right, what was he doing here? 

Ted Simpson worked with Hazel at the restaurant she worked in. He was the sous chef there and man can he cook. There's always a distinct attractiveness in guys who can cook and Ted with his strong muscular body and lopsided dimpled smile was already enough to attractive to start with.  He was a very good friend and Hazel was always going to him if she needed someone to talk to. At the times when they kept their hands off each other, Ted was her best friend who supported her the past six years. 

Between them, it was completely casual and Hazel made pretty sure she was clear on that from the very beginning. Because she do not do relationships anymore. Her life was limited to her and her daughter and nobody, absolutely nobody was allowed inside that circle. But she has her needs and being a mother is no less than a job, beautiful and fulfilling but a job regardless so she allowed herself to have some casual fling or one night stands now and then. 

Ted was the only one who has been a little constant  but still she made the lines very clear between them. She do not want the love s**t. Never in her life ever again. It serves no purpose other than hurting you. Ted was sweet, hilarious most of the time and amazing cook. Apart from that, he was crazy good in bed and Hazel was more inclined to go to him for what she needed than club hopping and finding a guy. And she cannot bring a random guy home anyway. Not with Summer there.

 She was way too inquisitive and smart for her age. Her questions never ends and there was no amount of information available that feeds her curiosity. Looking at her, sometimes it feels like she was more of her age than just being four. She was also very picky. There were only few people whom she allowed herself to be friendly with and was crazy protective about Hazel herself. To think she was just a freaking four year old. Hazel sometimes just couldn't help but wonder how she could be so much, so bloody much like...him. 

"Ah, I am here to cook an amazing Saturday breakfast for you," Ted answered and Summer appraised him with her dark eyes before giving him a smile. Him, she liked. 

"I want your cheese omelette," She said enthusiastically and Hazel sighed. Good, she was distracted. Summer had a problem with nightmares and Hazel has taken her to the doctor for that as well but it could just be a part of growing up so there was nothing she could do about that. 

"Your wish is my command, milady," Ted smiled and Summer laughed at his small joke. 

"Okay, why don't you go and take a shower while Mom and uncle Ted prepares breakfast?" Hazel offered and Summer nodded her head. She gave her a quick peck on the cheek before scampering back to her room. Hazel watched her briefly and sighed. 

"Thanks, Ted," She muttered gratefully and he smiled at her. Sometimes, Hazel doesn't like the look in his eyes when he watches her but she effectively chooses to ignore that. Ted knows how it is so he will know where to stop too. 

"Just thanks?" He mumbled pulling her closer. "Come on, Haze. That's not fair," He kissed her neck, his fingers moving onto her hairs and Hazel sighed deeply. 

"Next time, I promise," She whispered, tangling her fingers in his hairs as he broke havoc with his lips. "Summer's up. Seriously, I don't want to scar her for the rest of her life," 

"She will get here too someday," He joked and Hazel shot him a disgusted look. 

"She's just four. Eww...God, Ted," Hazel grimaced and Ted laughed, flopping back down on the bed as he shot her a grin. 

"Did you pack colors and stuff?" Hazel asked as she brushed Summer's long wavy hairs while Ted filled her small but homey house with the smell of bacon and eggs and coffee. 

Saturdays were afternoon shift at the restaurant so she could manage a lot of household stuff before leaving for work. Summer was into painting and stuff so she drops her off at the nearby art classes which also serves as daycare because the owner adored Summer and graciously offered Hazel to look after her until at least the evening. She doesn't charge anything extra for that which was a blessing because it was already an uphill task managing her finances. 

"Yep," Summer nodded. "Mommy? It's my birthday next week, isn't it?" Hazel glanced at her in the mirror and stifled her smile. 

"Really? Is it?" She feigned surprise and Summer rolled her eyes as she turned to face her mother. 

"I know you remember. Mrs. Cathy says, mother's never forget anything. They know everything," She mumbled and Hazel smiled in response. Damn, Mrs. Cathy for saying that. Because Hazel literally never have answers to half the things that Summer asks. 

"Well, then what do you want for a gift this time?" She asked instead and Summer shook her head. 

"I don't want anything," She answered and Hazel frowned at her. 

"Why? It's your birthday, sweetheart," She said, fastening her thick ponytail with a hair tie. "Whatever you ask, mommy will try her best to bring you that. What is that you want?" 

"Will you give me anything I want?" Summer asked and Hazel frowned. She doesn't like the look in her eyes but she nodded regardless. 

"I will try my best," Hazel said and Summer took her hands, gazing at her with hopeful eyes. This look meant trouble. 

"I want Daddy. Please, can you ask Daddy to come home this time, pleasee?" Summer pleaded beseechingly. "Please, mommy?" Hazel's smile fell and she stared blankly at her daughter. These were the exactly the questions she has no answers to. And no Google will ever have the answer to that one question. 

"Sweetheart..."Hazel begin but Summer shook her head. 

"Maggi says that my daddy doesn't comes home because he is dead," She whispered, her dark eyes brimming with tears out of nowhere. "Mommy, is daddy dead?" 

Holy f**k! What kind of stuff do kids talk about these days? Hazel scowled. She needs to meet this stupid Maggi girl for sure. Or her mother for the matter. 

"No...no sweetheart, Daddy is not dead. You should never listen to fuc...bad things like these, okay?" Hazel wiped her eyes softly. "Daddy is...he is just very busy. He is so busy he cannot talk to anyone at all. But he told me how much he misses Summer. How much he loves you too. He will come soon. You just have to be a good girl and wait with mommy for him. You will do that, right?" 

"Yes," Summer nodded her head and wrapped her tiny arms around Hazel. "I love you, mommy," Hazel took a deep breath and nodded her head. 

"I love you too, baby," She whispered. "You are all I got," 

"And Daddy," Summer added and Hazel gave her a wry smile. 

"And...Daddy," She managed a smile for her, fighting the tears as always. "I think uncle Ted is done with breakfast. Why don't you go and join him? I will be there in a minute," 

"Okay," Summer smiled and scampered off to Ted. 

Hazel sat there and placed her face in her hands as tears found their way in her eyes again. How was she ever going to tell her that her father will never come? How will she ever tell her that he doesn't even know that she exist? Summer has to know eventually. And she will tell her eventually but she will be just turning five. She was still a baby and there is no way she will ever be able to understand why she was doing what she was doing. She cannot ever tell her that she was not supposed to happen in the first place. Because Summer was the only, the only reason she has managed to keep going so strongly for the last six years. She gazed at the cartoon sticker on her wardrobe and she remembered what Dr. Davis said to her. 

"Contraceptives like this works ninety-nine percent of the time, Hazel. But the effect does wears off eventually. That why I asked you to come for a check-up every fifteen days so that I can check for myself. You are approximately, a week pregnant.  It's early but didn't you feel the symptoms? You probably missed your period too..." 

"I did...I got my periods last month," She answered, her hands so cold like someone has locked them in a freezer.

"Did you get your periods this months?" She pointed and Hazel's heart sank. She can't remember. Her brain has already shut down with everything that happened. And now this. 

Hazel was already at the precipice after what happened. That, was the last thing she needed. Damien Hamilton's child was the last thing she ever wanted inside her. It disgusted her at that time. Just like he disgusted her. And still does. And will always do. She was tempted to abort the child because hell, she was no way ready to be a mother. A single mother at that. She was ready to go as far from him as she possibly could. So far that it would be like he never existed. It would be like those last two months of her life never happened. And carrying his child meant she was still keeping a part of him with her. And she wanted nothing of him, absolutely nothing of him to even have a inch of space in her life. 

contd...