Three: Where's my daddy?

The ringing of the alarm clock jolted Amelia from her sleep, as she quickly reached for it to turn it off, not wanting it to disturb her toddler. Groaning with the need to get back to her peaceful slumber, she pulled the covers over her head, hoping to catch a few more minutes of sleep before rising up to begin her day, but her attempts were futile, as her busy mind was already awake. 

Her eyes popped open and were greeted by the dull light streaming from the windows as it was the early hours of the morning. She stayed in bed for a short moment before rising to her feet to begin her day. Her first destination was the kitchen to get her usual dose of morning coffee. She’d never been a morning person, nor did she like drinking coffee. But as a mom, with a job and a daughter to prepare for school, the caffeine helped her get through her mornings without the constant feeling of laziness that always threatens to drag her back to her comfortable bed.

While she brewed coffee from the coffee maker, she began making plans for breakfast, and as soon as her coffee was ready, she took a large gulp from it, before setting the cup on the kitchen island and continuing with her chores. A while later, with breakfast ready, she trudged to her toddler's room to see the beautiful girl still lost in her sleep, with soft snores escaping from her pouty lips. The sight was one that always had Amelia smiling whenever she came to wake her up for school every morning.

Five years ago, she’d made the tough decision to be a single mom, to bring the child Ryan had left her with into the world and care for it all by herself without help from the billionaire that was responsible for her pregnancy. While it had been a very tough start for her as a struggling young woman, it was the best decision she’d ever made. She was able to focus on creating a better life for herself, with this child as her motivation because she couldn’t bring an innocent child into the world to suffer. Luckily for her, a few months after discovering her pregnancy, she’d found a job as an Accountant in a growing finance company. Due to her hard work and diligence, she was promoted after two years of working with them to a Financial Analyst position. That was how her entire life had changed for the better, with her beautiful baby by her side.

Amelia didn’t know what would have become of her without the little girl in her life. Yes, things had been tough at the beginning but the child was the light in her world, as she wiped all of her tears away with just her existence.

Still smiling, Amelia stepped towards her bed and sat on it, gently caressing her soft brown hair. The toddler murmured a few incoherent words, a genuine smile breaking out on her face.

“Wake up, honey,” Amelia murmured softly in her ear, while still caressing her hair.

A sigh escaped the toddler’s lips, as she stretched her small limbs on the bed, her eyes slowly opening to see her mom beside her.

“It’s Monday. Don’t you want to see your friends at school?” Amelia asked, gently pulling her from the bed, and carrying her, with her arms wrapped protectively around her.

“Mom…” the toddler murmured in a sleepy haze with her head resting on Amelia’s shoulder, as Amelia walked into the bathroom, preparing a bath for her.

A while later, Amelia and her daughter were ready to leave the house, after having their breakfast.

“Come on, Dora, get your backpack let’s leave. We don’t want to be late,” she urged the toddler, who in turn ran towards her room, her little boots slamming against the marbled floor. Dora returned with her pink bag slung over her shoulders, resting on her back, but Amelia noticed she had food particles around her mouth. Crouching to her level, she got a paper towel and began wiping her mouth when Dora suddenly voiced out the same question she’d been asking all week_one that Amelia dreaded.

“Mommy, where’s my daddy?” she asked innocently, her big doe eyes staring into Amelia’s eyes like she expected an instant answer. Amelia’s hand that had been cleaning her mouth paused, her mouth parting to give an answer but nothing came out. “All of my friends in school have dads and they come to pick them up from school. Don’t I have a dad?”

Her innocent words struck Amelia’s heart like she’d been stabbed with a sharp knife.

“Oh, baby…” she pulled the child close, hugging her softly and gently patting her head while trying not to destroy her hair that had been styled into two pigtails. “Your daddy is away for work and he’ll be back soon, I promise you,” she spoke in a soft tone, pulling away from the child and holding her shoulders while looking into her eyes.

“When will he be back?” Dora demanded, her lips pausing into a pout.

“In a few weeks, darling,” she leaned down and kissed her cheek, hoping that answered her questions.

Luckily for her, Dora didn’t question her on the issue again, as they left the house for her school. After dropping her off, she headed toward her place of work. Throughout her drive there, her conversation with the child kept ringing in her head. It wasn’t the first time Dora was questioning her about her dad. She couldn’t even count the number of times she’d had to lie to the toddler regarding the whereabouts of her father.

Dora was too young to understand the predicaments regarding her birth, and she wasn’t about to even inform her child of the existence of her father. It was bad enough that she was Ryan’s spilling image with her gray eyes that reminded her so much of the cold-hearted billionaire. Yet, she couldn’t hate her little girl for that because she was a lovely and innocent child.

For the past five years, she’d stayed away from the opposite gender, not wanting to introduce a new man to her child without knowing how far the relationship would go. And again, she wasn’t ready to start all over with another man. Her heart just couldn’t take another heartbreak. Hence, she’d gotten used to chasing off men, using her daughter as an excuse. Except there was this one man at her place of work, James Halliday, who wouldn’t let her be. For the past year, he’d kept making advances at her even when it was clear she wasn’t going to give him a chance. He was simply unperturbed by her continuous rejections. Even her usual excuse of not wanting to invite a stranger into her daughter’s life didn’t work on him. 

Maybe it was time to finally give James a chance? Amelia thought to herself. Honestly, she was running out of excuses to tell Dora concerning her father’s whereabouts. Maybe if she found a good man to love her and treat Dora as his own, she could finally be at peace and make her child happy. These thoughts roamed her mind until she arrived at work.

The morning had gone well for Amelia as she’d quickly discarded her earlier thoughts from her mind to focus on work. She was still in her office, tidying up some important work when a knock sounded on her door.

“Come in,” she called out without raising her head from her computer screen, as the door opened, and closed, announcing the presence of her visitor.

“You’re planning to work through lunch as usual, aren’t you?” the familiar deep voice asked, in an amused tone.

Smiling, Amelia raised her head to see James leaning against her oak desk, his perfectly shaped brows corked in question, with his lips curved in a smile.

“I can’t help it when I have a load of work to attend to,” she shrugged.

“Well, you’ll have to take a break today and let me take you to lunch,”

Amelia’s heart skipped at his words. It wasn’t the first time he was offering to take her out for lunch but in the past, she’d blatantly refused. But now, the decision she’d made in the morning hovered in her mind, gently nagging at her, as she stared at him, trying to give her response.

Truly, James was a handsome man and was well-mannered and very nice. She’d see the way most of her female colleagues openly ogled and admired him but he’s never given them the attention they craved, but always showered her with it, regardless of how mean she’d been to him in the past.

“Umm… you don’t have to say yes, Amelia. I understand but please let me get lunch for you. I wouldn’t feel good, knowing you’re working while hungry,” his words cut through her thoughts.

“I’ll go with you,” she blurted out.

Her words surprised him and for a moment, he just stared at her before a smile spread across his face, lighting his handsome features.

“I’m officially making today my Christmas,” he announced, straightening his stance. 

Amelia chuckled, shutting down her computer and rising to her feet. 

“Shall we, my lady?” he winked at her, opening the door for her. With a smile on her face and her pause in hand, she strutted out of the office, with James beside her.