14. Little Boy

Nadine threw herself onto the bed, gazing up at the bright blue ceiling, in stark contrast to her heart, which was clouded and drizzling. If she could run away from this situation, she would run as fast and far as possible. But she couldn't do that. Brian was Ricky's biological father, and Ricky deserved to know that. Nadine felt torn and trapped, caught between forgetting Brian or opening her heart to Dave. The man who had been by her side for two years, filling the role of a father for Ricky.

Nadine took several deep breaths, exhaling forcefully each time. She felt a heavy weight pressing on her chest, causing pain that made it difficult to breathe.

"Who was Ricky calling 'Papa'?" Henry's question echoed in Nadine's ears repeatedly from this afternoon.

"Dave was there earlier, Henry," Athalia answered, trying to shield Nadine from Henry's question. Athalia could read from Nadine's eyes that she wasn't ready to explain to her parents yet. Even though from a distance, Athalia had seen