4 Wanted “Diaries”

After leaving the twin’s bedroom, Sierra went to the sink to wash her face. She felt like exploding at any moment when hearing that name again. “How did he know? She said the man was dead… That bastard sounded like he knew that she was pregnant and they had children,” she mumbled, reminiscing the past.

“So, who’s the father?” Sherly, the second of the triplet asked the eldest, Stella. “You’re not going to tell us that you got pregnant by yourself, are you?” She glared at her while waiting for her response.

Stella clenched her fists but said nothing, making Sherly more frustrated. “Come on, Sis! It’s not like we’re going to kick you out of the house now that you’re pregnant just right before graduation,” Sherly said in a sarcastic tone. They were all shocked when Stella announce that she was pregnant. She had hidden her baby bump for quite a while and none of them noticed until she told them about it.

“Sherly, that’s enough. You’re scaring her,” Sierra joined in, scolding her sister who was on the verge of crying.

“She got pregnant, Sierra! The one who told us not to date until college got pregnant and she won’t tell who’s the father!” Sherly dropped to the floor and cried. “How could I find that bastard and beat him to death if I don’t even know his name, huh?”

“Alright. I understand but you don’t have to beat him,” Sierra said, handing a glass of water to Sherly who couldn’t stop crying. “Drink this. You can’t talk to her like that, Sherly. You’re scaring her,” she added.

“Thanks, Sierra. But you guys don’t have to worry about it,” Stella finally spoke. “He’s gone.”

“What do you mean he’s gone?” Sierra asked. The three of them were attending the same high school and were spending most of their time together. They never saw Stella going out with a man before nor she talked about having a crush on someone. It was only natural they were shocked to find out she was with a baby when there were no obvious signs.

“He’s dead,” Stella said. “I wouldn’t have to hide it from you if he wasn’t. I mean… I was the one who told you not to see anyone and yet I got pregnant and the man who did it was gone. I’m sorry for disappointing you,” she cried.

After that, their father came from work and just like Sherly, he almost collapse when he heard the news. Sierra could never forget those moments. She could still hear her sister’s voice as she told them that the twin’s father was dead. If that were the case, why would someone mistake her for Stella? She didn’t tell him her name but when she said she was London’s mother, the man assumed that she was Stella.

“Oh, Sis. What are you hiding?” It was then that Sierra realized that she didn’t know much about the children’s father. When Stella gave birth to the twins, she left for another city to work, leaving London and Paris to their grandfather’s care.

“Mom?” Speaking of the twins, Paris walked into the kitchen as she yawned. She spread her arms in front of Sierra, asking for a hug. “Are you alright?” She asked, wiping her face with her small hand. “You’re crying.”

Sierra panicked. She was immersed in her thought that she didn’t notice it. She thought that moving from her hometown would help her to start a new life with the children after losing her family but the tragic memory from the past still made her heart broken whenever she think of it.

“I’m fine, honey.” Sierra lifted the girl and rubbed her back. “Mom’s fine,” she repeated to assure her. Sierra knew that the day would come for the children to ask about their father and since she knew nothing about them… She was afraid she had nothing much to tell them.

When Stella was still alive, she was working in the other city and barely go home to see the children. Sierra had no plans to be the kids’ mother but when they saw her when she visited the shelter where they stayed along with other survivors after the fire, the twins ran to her with tears while calling her ‘Mom’. It was not surprising as she shared the same face as Stella, being one of the triplets. Sierra didn’t have the heart to tell the kids that their mother had left them nor to be honest with them that she wasn’t Stella but Stella’s sister. At that very moment, she assumed the position of their mother and it took her some time to get used to being called their ‘Mom’.

“Oh! I almost forgot, Mom. I came to tell you about Gabby. He wet his pants again,” Paris informed while making a funny face. “I keep telling him to hold it in but he won’t listen to me,” she added, sounding frustrated.

Sierra couldn’t help but laugh. Although Paris had a lot to say about Gabby, she knew that the little girl cared for him. Well, it was like seeing her sister, Stella as Paris, while Gabby was like the boy version of her sister, Sherly. “Alright! Let’s go and get him changed. After that, I will have to go back to work so you should play with Gabby for a while, is that fine with you?”

Paris nodded her head. “I’ll be his Momma for today. But it’s not going to be my fault if he starts crying,” she stated.

“But honey, Moms don’t want their babies crying. So, try not to make him cry, okay?”

“There you go— warm and comfy!” Sierra smiled at the giggling Gabby after changing his diapers. She wiped her sweat with the back of her arm and stood up. "I will go back to the living room to work. Call me if anything happens, alright?"

“Yes, Mom.” The twins replied while Gabby continued to giggle, making Sierra smile.

Sierra made her way back to the living room, ready to continue working on the unfinished dress. However, her mind kept wandering off thinking about the children's father. She stopped and looked at the box filled with her sisters' things. Her fingers trembled as she rummaged through it, looking for any clues that could help her understand who their father was.

When she found her sister Stella's diary, she thought it would contain the information she needed to know. However, she couldn't find the courage to open it and read what was written there.

Sierra sighed heavily as she put the diary back inside the box before getting up to find the unfinished dress again. She knew that if only she had the time, she could have done so much more to find out who the kids' father really was - but for now, all she could do was make sure they were safe and well taken care of by looking after them like her own children - which was exactly what they were becoming in her eyes already. She smiled as she picked up some fabric and continued sewing the dress while letting thoughts of finding out more about the children's father fill her mind with hope and determination.

“But what if…” Sierra mumbled to herself. Se couldn’t brush off her thought about the man London was talking to. Worried. Sierra got up again and decided to confront the boy. She needed to know how and when London started talking to that man called Mr. Bennett. Somehow, she had a bad feeling about that man. Besides, if Mr. Bennett ever turned out to be the twin’s father, Sierra didn’t know what to do next.

Clenching her fists, Sierra pursed her lips. “No. A man who abandoned the woman after getting her pregnant doesn’t have the right to go around acting mighty and bossy,” she said, recalling how Mr. Bennett mocked her while calling her ‘Stella’. “I just hope my sister didn’t fall in love with that kind of man!”