Chapter 5

I woke up with puffy eyes, I had cried the entire night because of Justin. Everything still felt like a dream, why would he suddenly look for me after so many years? No matter the reason for his action, I still couldn't forgive him. He had embarrassed me and made a fool of me after I actually loved me. Did he get tired of Nina already? He was absolutely unbelievable and even though I want to act like it didn't hurt, it actually hurts a lot.

My kids couldn't see me in such a pathetic and horrible state, I'll have to do something about it. I went into the bathroom to take a shower and wash up. I will most likely need to put on a bit more makeup than usual to cover my puffy eyes. Even if Amelia wouldn't notice, Aiden was sure to notice so I needed to try my best to conceal it. I just hoped Justin's pride wouldn't let him return here, that would be a relief.

“ Breakfast is ready!” I announced to the twins who sat in the living room looking over their colouring books. That's one thing I knew Aiden loved even though he could behave mature at times.

“ We're coming!” they yelled in response together. They were the cutest things and I wouldn't let Justin take them from me.

They rushed down to the dining table and took their respective seats as I served bacon and scrambled eggs. I tried my best to smile as if nothing had happened.

“ Mummy, when will you come to get us after school?” Amelia asked innocently, she loved me coming really early to pick her and her brother up.

“ I'll surely be in time...,” Aiden cut me short.

“ It's alright mummy, you don't have to be too early,” Aiden was so understanding. He couldn't have gotten that quality from his father.

“ Thanks honey, ” I gave both of them a peck on the forehead. “ There's no way I would forget you in school but neither can I guarantee the exact time I'll be there but I won't be late, promise,” I brought out my pinky with Amelia doing the same, we locked pinkies and stamped it with our thumbs sealing our pinky promise. I was about to say ‘ Let's go’ when I heard a knock on the front door.

My heart immediately skipped a beat, could Justin have come back to try his luck?

“ Mummy, aren't you going to get the door?” Amelia prompted.

“ Yes,” I replied in confusion as I moved towards the door slowly, hoping that by any chance it wouldn't be Justin. Getting to the door, I opened it slowly and slightly. I had determined in my heart that if it was Justin, I would immediately slam the door.

“ Good morning, Isabella,” James emerged from behind the door, bubbly as usual. My heart immediately calmed, anyone but Justin was fine by me. I let out a sigh.

“ Were you expecting someone else?” his smile dimmed, he must have deduced that something was wrong from the way I sighed.

“ Ahh, no,” I laughed awkwardly. “ I don't have friends here, I just didn't think it would be you,” I tried my best to say as naturally and calmly as I could. “ Come in,” I stepped aside for him to enter the house.

“ James!!” Amelia squealed as she ran towards him. He had told the kids to call him casually, really casually actually. I was glad that Amelia liked him but now that their dad was back, I wasn't sure of what to do.

“ How long has it been since we last met?” James said, picking her up from the floor and twirling her around in the air. She laughed in bliss. Putting her down, he walked towards Aiden who was carrying his bag and his sister's.

“ Are you ready to go to school?” James asked and Aiden responded with a nod. Aiden wasn't the type to talk much, that I could attribute to his dad. He was reserved and behaved himself so well.

As we drove down to the twins’ kindergarten, I kept thinking of how I was going to tell James the news. I knew he would be disappointed and dejected but it was only right I let him know. I don't plan on getting back together with Justin but still, with him around I knew it would be difficult to let James into my kids’ life.

“ Is there something bothering you? I'm a good listener,” he noticed how tense I looked as he drove.

“ So what I...,” I kept my mouth shut. Technically speaking, there was no need to tell him this, it's not like I was cheating on him or anything. To be honest, we weren't even a thing so I really wasn't obliged to explain myself to him.

“ You were saying?” he pushed. I quickly snapped back into reality, I had been lost in thoughts.

“ Never mind,” I had decided not to let him know.

“ Are you sure you're okay? You know, you don't have to hide anything from him,” he spoke reassuringly as he placed one of his hands on mine warmly. He really was sweet and that's what broke my heart. I was happy that Justin had at least appeared before I and James became a thing.

“ I'm fine, let's drop the kids off and head to work,” I smiled at him to ease his mind.

Dropping off the kids, we headed straight to work and went to our various offices but even at work, I couldn't properly concentrate. Justin kept popping in and out of my head, I needed to rest and I wished for the first time in a while I wished that work would come to an end soon. I couldn't focus at all.

My prayers seemed to have been heard and work came to a close before I even knew it, either that or I managed to whirl away time. I left the office as soon as possible.

“ Should I drop you off?” James bumped into me in the company lobby or so he claimed.

“ I wouldn't mind,” I replied, not paying much attention to him. “ We're going to pick up the kids first,” I felt the need to inform him.

“ Yes, I know that,” he answered. We drove to Aiden and Amelia's kindergarten quietly, with an awkward atmosphere. We got down immediately after parking the car in the parking lot near the kindergarten, James had insisted on following me.

“ Good afternoon,” I greeted my kids’ homeroom teacher. She was like the female version of James, ever so smiley.

“ Welcome,” she beamed. “ How can I help you?”

“ I'm here to pick Aiden and Amelia,” why was she asking me all these questions? She already knew who I was, something was off.

“ But Aiden and Amelia have already been picked up,” her smile turned to confusion. ” Didn't he let you know?” Who was the ‘ he’ she was referring to?

“ Who exactly picked them up?” I asked, this time panicking. Could Justin have used the opportunity to take the twins away from me?

“ Their dad, what was his name again?” she thought hard. “ Oh right! His name is Justin,” her words stab through my heart. Could Justin have stolen my children from right under my nose? I was about to let out the tears I was fighting so hard to endure, but if I cried here it would be obvious that something was up.

“ Why would you just let anyone take a child?” James said, nearly yelling at her. I held James back, if he was angry and confused now, I wondered how he would feel once I told him the truth.

“ It's okay, thank you,” I said as I pulled James away. My heart had split into a million pieces and I felt like pulling out my hair.

“ What in the world is going on here?!” James raised his voice as he removed his hand from my grip, we stood by his car. “ Do you have something you want to say?” he looked at me deeply. There was nowhere to run, I'd have to eventually spill the bean.

“ Their dad is back,” I said plainly.

“ What?”

“ Their dad is here and I don't know why, I'm just so confused,” I pressed my palms against my temples in frustration.

“ So this was what was bothering you this morning, why didn't you tell me?” he asked in an annoyed but calm tone.

“ Because I didn't think it was necessary, I didn't know he would show up again,” I explained.

“ How long have you been meeting him?” he asked with authority.

“ Yesterday was the only time in five years we had met and when he came, he asked to take me and the kids with him,” I don't know why I felt the need to explain.

“ And do you plan on getting together with him?” I could see the look of betrayal in his eyes.

“ I never said so,” I replied calmly.

“ You didn't say so but do you think I didn't notice that you put on heavier makeup to cover up your puffy eyes? What do you seriously take me for, I can't believe you still care about him even after all these years!” he could no longer contain his anger.

“ And who do you think you are to make such assumptions about me? We're not even in a proper relationship so don't act like I'm cheating on you or something. I don't know whether the father of my kids has taken them from me and here you are bothering about my feelings for you,” I was sick and tired of him acting like I had done something wrong.

“ So that's how you see me?” he said in a low voice with clenched fists.

“ Why are they getting so clingy and making us look bad? I told you earlier that whatever I do, I do it for my kids and if you can't accept that my kids come first in my life then there's no future in ‘ us’,” I turned to the road and flagged down a cab. My kids were the only things on my mind right now, I couldn't let Justin take them away from me.

James made no attempt to stop me as I got into a cab, I knew he felt betrayed but that was no reason to make assumptions about me. I wasn't going to let him get in the way of finding my kids.

“ Ma'am which way?” the driver asked.

“ The nearest five-star hotel.”