They Called Him Daddy

Chapter 6

Stacey immediately got out of the car as soon as she heard the clicking sound that it was about to close.

She walked as fast as she could heading to the main door of the hospital. She didn't think about Edzel anymore who was also following her.

Her mind was with her children who were waiting for her to arrive. Her mind was with her daughter who was rushed to the hospital and she couldn't help herself from having a heavy heart.

Without looking back, she headed straight to the emergency room and outside it, she saw her best friend Ariana and her son, Carlo.

She felt a pinch in her heart because of the scene.

How she wished she could take care of her children but she needed to work so that she could provide all they needed. She was thankful to her best friend who willingly helped her look after them.

"Mommy," she heard Carlo yelling at her as soon as her son noticed that she was already approaching their direction.

She immediately knelt and hugged her son. She felt the pain inside her. Stacey tried to hold the tears that were about to fall from her eyes.

She didn't want herself to look weak because that's the last thing that her children should see. Her weakness. She had to show them that even life was hitting them hard, they were strong and they would be able to get through all the trials that they had experienced in their life.

Stacey cleared her throat before she opened her mouth to speak. She didn't want to sound cracked.

"Are you okay? What happened to your sister?" She asked and then she kissed her son's forehead.

Stacey felt a bitterness in her heart. She wanted to stay and look after them but she couldn't do anything about it. She had to work for them because they were only the three of them in life.

"We are playing in school. We were shouting and running around when all of a sudden, Carl fainted," Carlo narrated to her everything that they did and then her son's gaze shifted to the man that was standing next to her.

She didn't even notice that the man was already behind her back and the truth was she already forgot that she went to the hospital with him.

His eyebrows were knitted together as if he was wondering who could be the person that was beside her.

And before she could even open her mouth and tell Carl that Edzel was her boss, her son already spoke.

"Is he our father?" Her son innocently asked which made her heart almost stop from beating. "Are you our dad?" He asked again and now he was speaking with Edzel who was just looking at the little boy.

She was shocked by what Carlo said and before she could speak again to tell him that he was wrong, the little boy immediately went to Edzel and then he hugged his legs.

"Car—" she said but her son spoke while hugging Edzel's legs. She felt like she was being stabbed by a thousand knives right in her heart.

She felt like she wanted the ground to open because of what her son did and at the same time her heart was breaking because of this scene. How she wished she could tell them the truth.

Her son and her daughter were obviously longing for their father.

"Dad, what took you so long? Why did you just arrive? We had been missing you. Mommy said that you left because you love someone else. But, I don't believe her dad, my sister also doesn't want to believe what she was saying," Carlo said and she could hear the sound of his sobs.

She looked at Edzel as soon as she got up and she saw the man was looking at her son who was crying. She was about to take her son and apologized for his behaviour but Edzel squatted and hugged Carlo.

"Don't worry, son. I am already here and I will never leave you and your sister anymore. We are going to be a happy family from now on just like what you had always dreamed," he said, which stunned her. "I am sorry if we have to meet in a situation like this," he added.

Stacey felt her heart skip a bit after she heard what Edzel said to her son but before she could even speak, her son shouted. She could see the excitement and joy in her son's face.

"Yippee! Promise Dad? Carla will be very happy and I know that she would feel better once she knew that you are already here. She will be very happy that you are back. You know what, Dad? She told me that once she sees you, she will be very strong and she will never get sick anymore," Carlo exclaimed.

The child was so innocently looking at Edzel.

Stacey was speechless because of what she heard from her son. She could not deny that she got more scared after seeing this scene in front of her. She couldn't imagine what would be their reaction if they knew that they were really father and son. What would be Edzel's reaction if he learned that he was in front of his children? It was the truth that she was keeping for a long time to herself. Her twins were Edzel Swift's children. As much as she wanted to tell him, she couldn't imagine what would happen to her if she would say even a single word about her children's identity.

"Ca— Carlo, my dear," she finally said but before she could even finish what she was saying, the emergency door suddenly opened.

The doctor who was checking her daughter came out of the room.

"Doctor Sanchez," Carlo called the doctor's attention. " He is our father. He came over here so he could save my sister," Carlo added, full of excitement and hope in his face.

The doctor smiled and scratched Carlo's hair.

"That's great," he replied and then he looked at Edzel and Stacey.

Stacey's heart was beating so fast and she didn't know what to think of. She wanted to be strong in front of Carlo. She knew that if her son saw her in that kind of state, it wouldn't do any good to him.

Her mind was in turmoil because of what just happened.

"How is she doing, Doctor?" She finally asked. Finally, she regained some strength to face the problem that she had with her daughter.

The face of the doctor was suddenly saddened and she shook her head while looking at her.

She felt like the weight of the world was all on her shoulders. She couldn't help but think when all of these problems would end.

The doctor looked at her straight in the eyes before she spoke. It was as if she wanted her to understand every word that she had to say. She was seriously looking at her as if she wanted to say that she must do something before it was already too late.

"I am sorry but we could no longer prolong the operation. You have to find a donor because her situation is getting worse every single day," the doctor said and then with a sympathy in her voice. "You really need to be extra careful with her, especially that she's fainting. If this keeps on happening, it would be very dangerous for her. She might bump her head," Doctor Sanchez added.

She didn't know what to think of. Why did these things need to happen to her? Why did it have to be her daughter?

She felt like her heart was being crumpled at the moment.

"Yes, Doctor. We will be very careful. Thank you," Stacey replied before the doctor turned her back and left them.

****

Edzel was just quietly following Stacey when they got inside of the hospital. The woman hurriedly got out of the car and he could feel that what was happening could be a serious matter. He didn't dare to ask questions because he didn't want her to feel that he was concerned for her.

Then, when they finally arrived, he was surprised to see the little boy that immediately called her Mommy as soon as he saw her. He couldn't help but feel amazed by how he explained everything that happened to his sister. From the way he spoke, he could say that he was a smart boy.

But, he didn't expect what the little boy did next when he saw him. He went closer to him and all of a sudden, he hugged his legs.

The little boy thought that he was his father.

He was surprised when the boy threw a lot of questions to him.

It seemed like they were waiting for his father for a very long time already. Based on his words, this kid was abandoned by their father. He suddenly felt sorry for Stacey's children. At the same time, anger rose inside his heart towards the father of these kids and at Stacey. How could their father abandon them? This boy was adorable and smart and how did Stacey just let her be abandoned by the man who got her pregnant? What happened to them and they let their family broken and have their children to suffer the consequences of their action?

If she just accepted his proposal this wouldn't have happened to her and her children. If she just said yes to him after they graduated, probably be living like a queen and have a life that she could never imagine that she would have.

He couldn't believe that she let this happen to her family and worse to her children.

His heart melted after he felt the tight hug of the boy in his legs. For a moment, he forgot what his mother had done to him a couple of years ago. There was a strange emotion inside his heart that suddenly awakened and he couldn't explain exactly what it was.

When the boy spoke, there was something inside him that urged him to say that he was already back and that he wouldn't be leaving them anymore.

After hearing those words and in just an instant, he saw the sparkle in his eyes. His hug gave him a feeling that he couldn't explain. He felt that joy was not enough to describe the emotions that started to stir up inside him since he saw the boy.

It was as if there was a missing piece of his heart that had been lost and now it was back on its place again. A missing piece that he felt since Stacey walked out on him. The day that he thought he would finally make their dreams come true but it turned out to be the same day when all of their dreams turned into his greatest nightmares.

He saw when Stacey was about to say something to the boy and his heart and mind got alert just in case Stacey would correct him. He was ready to rebut her because whether it was the truth or not, he will not let Stacey have the moment of the boy. He knew that her son was happy when he saw him as his father and he didn't want to take away that happiness from him.

He didn't know why but he would not let Stacey ruin that moment. He didn't want the sparkle in the boy's eyes to fade.

It was as if he wanted to make him feel that he was really his father and there was no longer the need for them to wait. He wanted to make them feel that finally, they would have a father that they could rely on.

"Never," he said firmly inside his mind and the door suddenly opened. Edzel saw how the boy introduced him as his father and he couldn't help but feel proud because of what he did.