The Unexpected Husband

Chapter 6

Sam's excitement was palpable from his demeanor. I assisted him with getting into the car and we settled into the backseat.

''Sam, please be on your best behavior with Mommy Edna, alright?'' A reminder given by Charles to Sam.

''Yes, Daddy,'' he replied with a grin. Observing his cheerful expression, I could tell that Sam was a very spirited child.

Once Charles had started the car, I stole a quick glance at the front view mirror. Our eyes met, and I felt my heart skip a beat in response. To avoid any awkwardness, I quickly looked away and focused my attention on Sam, who was happily absorbed in his iPad.

"Mommy, are there a lot of kids in school?" Sam asked me.

"Yes, Sam. And they're all nice," I reassured him."

We arrived at our destination after a short while. Sam, who was in high spirits, was the first to jump out of the car.

"Since it's the first day of classes, maybe I can bring Sam to school," I suggested to Charles, hoping he would agree.

He looked at me with a gaze that always stirred up unfamiliar emotions within me. "It's up to you. Starting today, I'll be the one to drop off and pick up both of you. I have to leave now because I still have some things to attend at the office."

"Alright, take care."

"Thank you," he replied seriously before leaving. I watched him go in silence.

I was hoping that Charles had received news from Richard.

Sam asked me, 'Where are we going, Mommy?' I replied with a smile.

''We're heading to my classroom, Sam.''

Excitedly, he exclaimed, ''Really?'' I nodded in confirmation and took his arm as we walked towards my classroom.

As soon as we arrived, Sam's face lit up with excitement upon seeing my grade one students who were around his age. One of my students greeted us, ''Good morning, ma'am! Who is he?''

"This is my son, Sam," I replied with a smile.

"Hello, Sam!"

"Hi," Sam replied shyly, looking up at me.

Soon, more of my students arrived, and I heard the bell ring, signaling that it was time to enter the classroom.

My students greeted me warmly, and I returned their greetings. Sam stood quietly beside me, his eyes shining with a unique brightness. I could tell that he was fascinated by their energy and enthusiasm.

Once everyone had settled down, I introduced Sam to the class. They greeted him warmly, and he responded with a shy smile.

For the rest of the morning, Sam sat quietly at the back of the classroom, observing my lesson and the activities that followed. I could tell that he was enjoying himself, and I felt proud to have him with me.

At recess, I was pleasantly surprised to see Emma and Tatiana together.

''Edna, it's great to have you back from your long leave,'' Emma said with a smile.

''Yes, I've been looking for you and Tatiana. How have you been?'' I asked.

''I'm doing fine, thank God,'' Emma replied with a smile. ''I brought something for you, but Tatiana already finished hers.''

''Of course, you know I love chocolates, especially those with almonds,'' Tatiana added eagerly.

''Mommy, can I have some too?'' Sam chimed in. I noticed Emma and Tatiana's surprise at Sam's address.

''Mommy?!'' they both exclaimed in unison. I couldn't help but laugh at their reactions.

"How did you end up having a child? We never even saw you pregnant," Tatiana teased. I had to hold my stomach due to the laughter that ensued.

With a smile, I reassured Emma and Tatiana, "There's no need to worry, Sam is Charles' son. Now you know the truth."

"Well, Mr. Carson has always been a ladies' man. Can you believe we saw him at Bar Hemingway kissing someone? Of course, no one would dare report him because you wouldn't want to mess with someone like Mr. Charles Carson," Tatiana said as she took a bite of chocolate.

Fortunately, Sam had already gone off to play with two of my male students, so he was far enough away from us.

"Tatiana, lower your voice. We don't want the kids, especially Sam, to overhear us," I reminded her.

"By the way, who is Sam's mother?" Emma asked, now seated in a chair and also enjoying some chocolates.

"To be honest, Charles and I haven't had a serious conversation about who Sam's mother is. But I suspect that he is the son of one of the women he has been with," I replied to Emma.

Emma and Tatiana looked at each other, then back at me.

"I see," Emma said. "Well, I hope everything works out for you and Sam."

"Thank you," I replied with a smile.

I couldn't help but think about Charles and the mystery surrounding Sam's mother. It was a complicated situation.

After a few hours, Emma and Tatiana bid me farewell as recess time had ended. This was our routine as friends - they would visit me in my classroom during breaks to catch up and chat.

Time flew by, and it was already time to go home. I opted to wait inside the classroom with Sam for Charles to arrive since he mentioned that he would be picking us up.

As we waited, Sam busied himself with some toys while I took the opportunity to tidy up the classroom and prepare for the following day's lessons.

After a few minutes, I heard a knock on the door. It was Charles, looking as dapper as ever in his suit and tie.

"Hello, Edna. Sorry I'm a bit late," he said with a smile.

"It's okay, Charles. We were just finishing up here," I replied, gathering my things and helping Sam put away his toys.

Together, we walked out of the classroom and towards Charles' car.

Sam and I were in the backseat of Charles' car. "Sam, did you have a good time?" Charles asked his son.

"I had a lot of fun, Dad."

"That's good to hear."

Sam looked up at me with a smile. "Mommy is an amazing teacher, Daddy," he said with a grin.

I couldn't help but feel proud as I playfully squeezed his nose. For some reason, I felt incredibly happy when I was around Sam.

Upon arriving at the mansion, Sam excitedly chattered about his new friends and the things he had learned. I could see the happiness on Charles' face as he watched his energetic son.

We entered the house and were greeted by the warm embrace of the housekeeper, who welcomed us back home. As we settled in, Charles and I discussed Sam's day at school, and I shared some of the highlights of the lessons and activities we had done.

Throughout our conversation, I couldn't help but feel grateful for Charles' support and understanding. Despite our complicated situation, he had always been there for me and Sam.

As the evening drew to a close, I tucked Sam into bed and kissed him goodnight. As I left his room, I felt a sense of peace and contentment, knowing that Sam was safe and happy.

I chose to go to the balcony since I wasn't feeling tired yet. I hugged myself and was greeted by the gentle breeze, which blew some strands of my hair.

"Richard... where are you?" I whispered sorrowfully to the wind, and soon enough, tears started to trickle down my cheeks.

"Why aren't you sleeping yet, Edna?" I turned to the familiar voice of Charles, who was holding a glass of wine. I quickly wiped away my tears in annoyance.

"I'm just not feeling sleepy yet," I replied.

"Why are you crying, is it about Richard again?"

"What else? Have you heard any news about him?" I asked.

"Not yet," he replied.

I turned my gaze towards the vast ocean and the bright moon. I couldn't bring myself to look into Charles' eyes.

We stood in silence for a few moments, watching the waves crash against the shore. I could feel Charles' presence beside me, his steady breathing a reminder of the stability he brought into my life.

"Regarding Sam, who is his mother, Charles?" I asked him.

"Do you really need to know that?" His jaw clenched upon hearing my question.

"Is it wrong to ask, Mr. Carson? I have the right to know as your wife," I replied.

"And you admit that you are my wife?" he countered.

"Just answer my question, Charles," I insisted.

"Go to sleep," he ordered me.

"I can't even sleep yet," I replied, feeling annoyed.

I heard Charles release a deep sigh before speaking once more.

"To tell you the truth, I don't know. The only thing I know is that Sam's grandmother, Rochelle, was the one who took care of my son. And besides, I don't have the time to ask who Sam's mother is. With all the women I've been with, I can't remember all of them," he said, sounding a bit exasperated.

I also took a moment to reflect on why it was such a big deal to me to know who Sam's mother was. It didn't seem to be a big deal to Charles, did it?

"Are you content with being a womanizer, Charles?" I inquired.

"I'm not a womanizer, women are the ones who approach me," he retorted to me. I was left speechless by what I heard from him.