CHAPTER 5 – Time to Come Back Home

The week went by quickly and it was time for Amanda and Jack to go back to Metropolis. She was arranging their luggage for the next day’s flight when her phone started ringing with an unfamiliar number.

Thinking it might be a client, she answered without thinking then she heard a distant but familiar voice.

“Young Lady” her hands immediately trembled as soon as she heard the voice.

“Sorry, I think you dialled the wrong number” Amanda quickly ended the call and sat on the bed for support. She was trembling and she felt her heart stopped beating for a moment.

It’s been five years when she was last called by her title. Not that she misses it, but it took her great pains to erase her past life.

She immediately turned off her phone and continued to pack their luggage and prepared Jack for sleep.

The next day, they went straight to the airport and had a smooth flight.

When they reached her apartment, she didn’t notice a black car parked in the corner of their block.

As soon as they went inside the house, she turned-on her phone and was relieved when she did not receive another call from the old man.

She saw the message notification and found three unread messages in her chat box.

Mark:                  “Hey, we’re back at the city now”

Mark:                  “You?”

Mark:                  “Have a safe flight. Send regards to Jack”

A smile slowly formed in her face while reading the messages. She’s thinking if she should reply or what to reply.

She decided to not think about it so much and just quickly typed her reply.

Amanda:            “Just got back. How’s Penny?”

Mark:                  “Oh hi 😊 Penny’s good as well”

Mark:                  “Catch you later, got to run”

She was still typing her reply when he suddenly went offline. He must be really in a hurry. Anyway, she’s tired from the flight and they still need to prepare for their work week ahead.

“Jack, mommy cannot cook dinner tonight. Are you ok with take-outs?” Jack can be picky with food most of the time that’s why she always asks his preference.

“Can we have fried chicken mommy?” Jack was still sleepy from the flight. She wanted to scold herself for taking the last day to go back. Now both she and Jack has no time to rest before going back to school and work.

“Alright sweetie, you go and rest first while waiting for the food. I’ll just unpack our things”.

When the doorbell rang, she just finished unpacking. Thinking it was the delivery, she quickly went to the door without checking through the peep hole.

She gasped in shock when she saw the old man standing in her front door.

“Young Lady”

“I’m sorry, uncle you have the wrong address. Please leave and never come back again” she tried to close the door but the uncle blocked her way and uninvitedly went inside the house.

“Young Lady, it’s time to come back home. You’ve been away for too long. The family misses you” she can see the concern look in the old man’s face.

“This is my home. You can leave now. Please tell whoever sent you that there is no going back for me. Don’t bother me anymore” her initially stern voice could not help but crack in the end.

“Young Lady, please do it for the young master. He deserves to be included in the family” the old man’s voice is full of patience.

“I am his only family. Uncle Ben, please leave now. I don’t want to be rude” Amanda opened the door wider to give way to the old man.

“Young Lady, I will leave for now. But you know the old master, he will not stop until he gets what he wants” there is a hidden threat in his message.

“Are you threatening me Uncle Ben? After all these years, why now? What do you want from me?” Amanda could not help but fight back the tears forming in her eyes.

“He wants the young master” Uncle Ben said without blinking. He slightly bowed then left the apartment.

“Nooooo” her whole body trembled and her knees turned into jelly. She didn’t realize that she’s been slumping on the cold floor for some time now.

She jumped up on her feet when she heard the doorbell rang. Fearing that Uncle Ben came back, she hurriedly blocked the door and listened to the movement from outside.

“Fried chicken delivery for Ms. North” the delivery guy rang the doorbell again.

She felt a great relief when she heard the delivery guy. She quickly took the food and locked the doors inside.

“Jack, come let’s eat now” she has regained her composure just in time before Jack could come out.

“Mom, do you think Penny likes fried chicken?” Jack asks innocently.

She could not help herself and hugged her son tightly. This caused Jack to feel confused. His mother knows he doesn’t like being hugged like a baby.

“Mom, what’s wrong? Why are you hugging me?” he asked a bit annoyed.

“Nothing, sweetheart. I just missed hugging you, that’s all” she couldn’t let her son know what she’s feeling.

“Hmmmm..Penny? Right now she cannot eat fried chicken yet, but when she started eating, I’m sure she will like it too. Then you can eat fried chicken together” she caressed his hair lovingly trying to divert his attention.

“After dinner, let’s prepare your school stuffs for tomorrow so we don’t need to hurry in the morning okay?”

“Okay”

*****

The week days passed by quickly and soon it was Friday. She didn’t receive any more news from Uncle Ben and she thought that he left them alone already.

Jack has been asking her to pick-up Penny but she hasn’t got the chance to message Mark. To appease her son, she brought out baby stuffs one by one every day until they were able to transform Jack’s room into a nursery.

She set-up a crib and a playpen and all the soft toys have been washed in case Penny comes for a visit.

She told Jack that after dinner she will ask Mark to bring Penny the next day so they can have the play date.

She was cooking dinner in the kitchen when her phone suddenly rang.

Mark was calling thru video call. That’s odd, she thought. He never messaged her the whole week why does he seem eager to call now?

She pressed the answer button and she immediately hear the wailing sound of little Penny.

“What happened?” she couldn’t contain her concern.

“I need your help. I just got home and Penny is having fever. I think I need to bring her to the hospital” Mark is feeling agitated.

“Hun, calm down. Take a deep breath first. Tell me, when did her fever start? How high is the fever?” she tried to keep her voice low and steady hoping she can pass her calmness to the nervous father.

“It started just today. Her temp is 38.0C”

“Ok, so far no need to bring her to the hospital. We can observe her first then we can decide what to do. Don’t worry, it’s very normal for babies to have fever from time to time” she gave him a reassuring smile.

“Can we come over? I’m really sorry Amanda. She started crying and the first person I could think of was you” his words seemed innocent but when Amanda heard him, she felt her heart itch.

“No worries. Pack her weekend bag and her medicines. You do know what to pack right?” she was teasing him to lessen the tension. When she saw that Mark was still in a daze, she started calling Penny’s name.

“Penny, aunt is here. What’s wrong baby? Can you show Aunt Amanda your smile? Very good” the baby stopped crying when heard her voice.

She took the silence to instruct the father what to bring.

“Hun, pack some diapers, milk and bottles, binky, thin clothes and her medicine. The rest we can buy from the store tomorrow” she doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the sight of the big man so confused on what to do.

“Hun, keep the video on while you’re packing and don’t forget to breath. Trust me, it’s going to be okay” she’s trying to distract him by talking to him casually and to check the baby from time to time.

When Jack heard Penny’s cries, he immediately went to the kitchen and started talking to Penny like a big brother until the father and daughter went to the car.

Amanda immediately cooked pork ribs soup to make sure Penny can have soup the whole night.

When the doorbell rang, Jack immediately opened the door and Amanda was shocked to see Mark carrying Penny in the carrier while towing 3 bags in his hands.