After 6 years…“Understood?” I ask.“Yes, Ma’am.” I smiled when all of them answered me.“You may now dismissed,” I announced as I saw that it’s exact 4pm already.Everyone left the room except the seven students who are in charge to clean the room for the whole week.I’ve been teaching officially in this school for two years. After I got my licensure as a LPT, I applied immediately to provide our basic needs.After they cleaned, they said their goodbye to me. I’m teaching secondary education, third year to be exact, and I’m an english major.A lot of things changed in my life after six years which is I took it as an advantage for me to focus on my goals especially now that I’m not providing my only needs only.“Mommy!” I looked at the door when I heard a cute voice from outside.A smile plastered on my face when I saw Pauline, my daughter.“Hi, baby, how’s school?” I ask as I kneel down to give her a hug.“Look, Mommy, I got 10 stars earlier,” she says before she raised her two arms
My smile can’t be removed from my face while I’m talking to my readers while I’m signing their books. Paul is also singing now while I’m signing, of course he’s with the JAP Band.The other cameras are focused on me, the other cameras are focused on the audience. There are times that I have to stand up to take a picture with my readers.After the event, the others are slowly leaving already. We had a group photo earlier where in I’m with my fandom in different places and cities. The others even took an airplane just to see me, so I’m very thankful to them.When everyone left already except me and the staffs, I notice that Paul and his friends are still here, they are now fixing their instruments since it’s 8pm already. I walk towards the staff.“Is there still a book stock?” I ask.“No, Ma’am, your readers bought everything,” she answers before she laugh, I nodded as I laugh.I was thinking if I could give one of my books to Josh and Aeron, just to say thank you for performing in my e
After that day, I almost don’t want to be in public with Pauline as I’m scared that we might see him again.I saw Shia talking to Pauline while Pauline is looking at Shia’s phone screen. Tomorrow is Pauline’s contest already, so Shia is teaching her. I’m glad that Pauline is fast-learner, so it’s not hard to teach her.I took a peek of the screen, I grabbed it when I saw the picture that made both of them look at me. I gave Shia a look to tell her that we should talk.“Pauline, solve this problem, I’m going to check it later. I’m just going to talk to Mommy,” Shia says to Pauline before she stand up.I followed her, “What do you think are you doing?” I ask as I close the door of our room.“I’m doing what is right?” she says with her unsure voice, “Pauline is growing up already, Bavina. You can’t keep that in her whole life. She asked why does she have to put Ethan’s name and picture on the family tree when Ethan is not her Father. Do you think my conscience is not killing me for lying
Bavina’s POVWe’re currently here in the coffee shop near the school. I just said yes when he asked me if I’m free since it’s embarrassing to say no, and I’m not affected anymore! I’m not bitter on what happened from our past already!I took a sip of the tea we ordered. We both stayed silent, none of us tried to speak. I don’t know why he’s in the school as I didn’t notice him earlier.“So how are you?” He broke the silence between us, I tilt my head to look at him.I gave him a small smile, “I’m okay.”He nodded, he stared at me, I looked away.“How about the child?”The atmosphere between us suddenly changed. I look at my side and acted like I’m playing with my tea without looking at the tea.“My child is okay, she’s happy,” I answer with my low voice before I took a sip on the tea again. I sit properly and faked my cough to avoid the awkwardness.I look outside to avoid his gaze. Even though I’m not looking at him, I know that his eyes are fixed on me. I heard that he’s playing wit
“Please, Bavina… Don’t do this. I-I’m sorry, please give me an---”I cut his line by slapping his face.“Do you think everything can be fixed by just saying ‘sorry’? This is bullsh*t! Paul, where were you when I was still pregnant? Your reaction that day was still vivid to me! I still remember how you denied her in front of me! Why are you doing this now that I don’t need you?!” I yelled.I can’t understand my feelings right now. I’m happy that he’s here again and want to compensate with my daughter but everytime I remember how he left me, I still feel scared for my daughter.He didn’t do his responsibilities as a Father when I was still pregnant, what if he won’t do his responsibilites as well now that my child is slowly growing up?I’m scared of the possibilities.I gasped when he suddenly knelt down and held my hand while his tears are dropping endlessly.“Please, Bina… I love you, I still love you. I want to c-compensate with the both o-of you. I know I-I was an a-asshole for maki
I get his towel to wipe him since he’s so wet. We went to his condo since this is the only thing I know for him to get rest because I can’t let him go to my condo.I gulped while I’m wiping him. I changed his clothes for him not to get sick tomorrow. I remember the night we met, it feels like we came back to the past.I saw him kneeling in front of the car in the middle of the rain. It all started there, and it happened again now.In that six years that I didn’t see him this is the first time that I get to stare at his face for so long. He’s still scared of rain even until now. In that six years, what happened to him during the rainy days? Was there someone who helped him when I wasn’t there? Is he still dreaming of his Mom up until now?Maybe that’s what didn’t change about him.His eyes are slowly opening, I look away and I remove my hand on his face. I was about to stand up when he held my wrist that made me look back at him.I sit on the bed again as I sighed. He slowly get up. A
We’re watching Pauline playing with other kids here in the park. They are running while they are playing, I can hear her laughs and giggles from here.“She looks happy,” Paul says.“Yeah, she is,” I answer without looking at him. We’re sitting on a blanket that he brought while we’re on the grass.Yeah, Shia tricked me. She pranked me, only to see my daughter holding Paul’s hand. I don’t know when they started talking and they agreed to do this st*pid thing!I’m a bit guilty about what happened from the past knowing that I know his side now, but I don’t know how to start.“I should bring her more often here, then.” I look at him while he’s looking at Pauline. He turned his head to see me, he smiled at me.”I don’t care if you don’t want to see me, but I want to do everything to make my daughter happy. And I know that this can make you happy too,” he says, I look away.I hugged myself when the wind hugged me, the sky is getting dark, so the others are fixing their things to go home.“
“Mom, we’re going to have a vacation next week for the christmas,” Pauline says, I glanced at her as I smiled and nodded at her.“Oh, that’s good, where do you wanna go? Uncle Dad wants to have a vacation with us,” I say.Ethan is planning to take us somewhere Pauline wants, Ethan told me about it last week.“Mommy, does Uncle Dad likes you?” she asks, I turned my head to see her again. Shia even stopped from doing her reporting.She’s staying here as she feel bored in her condo.“Who said that to you? Uncle Dad is just being kind to us, baby,” I answer before I pinch her cheeks.“Then why did he told you to marry him?” she asks innocently. Shia and I look at each other. I glared at her when she’s forcing herself not to laugh.“Go and play now, baby,” I say without answering her question.I throw the ballpen I’m holding to Shia that made her laugh. Shia and Janine already know that Ethan liked me, they just stayed silent before because me and Paul were together back then.After a few