Chapter 4

I was in the passenger jeep on my way home, and I felt bad because I didn't see Jayar's face when I got home. I would have stayed a few minutes longer to see if it came out, but perhaps my son is already bored waiting at home.

In my mind's eye, I quickly dismissed the man. I'm not supposed to think of him. It was as if I wanted to slap myself in the face when I realized Montevidad was the man I shouldn't think!

I immediately hugged and kissed my son when I got home. Mela just laughed as she stood there watching us.

Jai whispered to me, "I have a surprise for you!"

"What is that?"

He took something from his pocket and said, "Here!" A folded piece of paper.

I opened it right away and was astounded by what I saw. The words ‘I Love You Mom’ are written in crayon.

"Ate Mela taught me," he said, pointing to Mela before turning back to face me. "Mommy, I looooove you."

As I stared at him, my vision dimmed. I can't stop crying.

"I swear to you, baby, we'll never be apart. Nobody will ever be able to take you away from me. Baby, I love you as well.”

Drowsiness did not strike me immediately that night. There are a lot of things on my mind right now, and one of them is the man named Jayar. Even when I roll over on the bed to be visited by drowsiness. Nothing happens.

Later, I looked at a photograph of the man that I had hidden under my pillow. Hmp! Even on a personal level, the former is stymied. I looked at the clock on the wall: it was quarter to eleven in the evening.

I got up, irritated, and pointed angrily at Jayar's face. "Get out of my mind! Put me to sleep! You're disgusting!" But only the lizard's noise responded. "Hmp! Okay, okay! I'll admit you're oozing with sex appeal. Yes, you're handsome. In fact, you're very handsome, but you appear mysterious. I don't know, 'I can't explain."

In those moments, I felt like a fool, talking to myself; I don't know, and neither do myself, why I look like this to a man. Even if he could meet my face on the road, he would be unable to recognize me. I'm losing myself!

"What is it?!" When I heard something explode outside, I came to my senses.

I felt something bad had happened, so I hurriedly put on my slippers and went outside, first flicking the house's light switch, and that's when my eyes widened when I saw a fire spreading.

The confusion of those moments struck me, but the first thing that came to mind was to take and save my son, so I shouted loudly with fire. Mela woke up and was screaming as well.

I dashed into Jai's room, where he was sound asleep, and he turned around to ask me what had happened, but I didn't respond.

I had to save him. As we walked out, my body shook and tears streamed down my cheeks. It was as if everything had vanished in an instant. People rushed to put out the fire while my son cried on my shoulder.

I was about to return inside to get some supplies for Jai and myself when he stopped me.

"No, Mommy! Just stay! The fire will eat you," Jai said as he sobbed.

I just bit my lower lip and nodded, hugging him tightly as the fire raged inside our home.

The firefighter arrived shortly after, and residents were immediately notified to allow it to pass and facilitate the operation.

"Mommy, we don't have a house anymore," Jai sobbed.

"Shh... as long as Mommy's here, things are going to be okay baby, huh? Trust me," I said through tears. He nodded, tears streaming down his gentle face.

Mela cried out, guilty of starting the fire because the boiling water had run out. Mela apologized profusely to me, and all I could do was forgive her; however, this has occurred, and we now have no home and not even money!

When I started to step forward, Jai was still in my arms. Gone. The fire quickly consumed our belongings inside, and we had nowhere to stay for the night.

It would be embarrassing if we slept with the apartment's owner, even if we burned down the house and disturbed the night's silence, so we went to a nearby church with Mela, who is remorseful for what is going on.

"Where are we going?" Jai appeared to be asking me a snooze-inducing question.

I replied softly, "Looking for a temporary place baby."

"All right," he said, falling asleep on my shoulder again as I hugged him.

I inhaled deeply and exhaled quickly, as we were already on the road, walking in our pajamas. I believe it was early, as there were very few vehicles passing by on the road we were on.

There! I could see the big church across the street. I quickened to step my foot. I want to rest our tired bodies for a while.

As I was in a hurry to get there, I suddenly crossed the road without looking to see if there was an oncoming vehicle. To my surprise, a car honked toward my son and me.

My eyes widened at the approaching death. I wanted to scream but my tongue seemed to stick out and ‘I couldn’t move my body because of the extreme fear I felt.

"Kiera!" Mela was screaming.

Tears welled up in my eyes as the car pulled up right in front of me. I was even dazzled by the headlight it grants. I thought my son and I were at an end. I got on my knees on the road. I couldn't take it anymore so I couldn't stop crying.

JAYAR’S P.O.V.

I had just come from Montevidad Enterprises when I decided to go home to our house in Laguna. We had a caretaker take care of that big house of ours. I'm just going to rest and my head hurts because I took care of work right after I talked to Esan.

"Damn!" From the front, I saw a woman suddenly cross. I blew my horn and she stopped.

Blood rushed to my head. Supposedly they plan to run into my car and then what, pay? I braked angrily. I wanted to rest now!

“Hey! Get out of my way!” I was sick when I looked out the window.

I saw the woman kneel and bow while crying. Damn! And now she’s acting like I hit her on my car. Man really, it looks like money. I blew the horn again to make her leave my path but she kept crying.

Then I noticed the child in her arms, who now seemed to have woken up. There seemed to be some pity wrapped around me when the child tapped it and hugged it.

I turned off the engine of my car and got off. I grabbed my wallet and took some money out of there.

"Here. Take it and get out of my way." I said angrily

I saw the child stop patting his mother and looked up to look at me. Her eyes widened and I could see the strange joy on her very cute face.

"Daddy?"

Huh? I couldn't understand what the boy said. I frowned and shook.

“Mommy stop crying! Daddy’s here! He’s here!” it seemed even more excited as he told the mother. The woman stopped and looked at me in surprise with tears in her eyes.

My forehead furrowed even more when I recognized the woman's face. If I’m not mistaken, this is my cousin’s secretary. The shock and surprise in her face when she saw me was reflected to her eyes.

“Thank you for coming home Daddy! Thank you papa Jesus.” Then the boy hugged me tightly on my knees.

I looked down and looked at the child. There seemed to be something tickling in my heart. I think, it's been three years and if my niece was here, maybe they were the same age. My only wonder was why it called me Daddy. The last thing he said made a question in my mind.

Thank you for coming home Daddy! Thank you papa Jesus.

It was like a broken record in my hearing. Is this how common my face is? I shook and bowed.

"Hello!" I put aside the money that I supposed to give them. It was as if the heat of the head I had felt had suddenly disappeared.

I noticed the child was crying. Tears welled up in her narrow eyes. The angel seemed to touch my heart.

"Shh ... stop crying," I said.

He sniffed and wiped away the tears. “I ... I can’t. I’m so happy now I see you Dad. Please don’t leave us again, Daddy. Please?”

I pulled my sigh. Whoever the father of this child is, is very irresponsible. I hugged the child and lifted it.

"Hey lady," I called to her mother. It just sat there and ‘still didn’t breathe. Her nightgown is thin and her shapely body is flattering.

I briefly lowered the child and took off my jacket. Then I handed it to him. I think something ‘bad’ happened to them these hours as well according to the hot steam of the night air. I know what happened.

"Thank you…"

I just moaned in response and invited them to get in the car I was carrying today.

I was driving silently. I found out that their house was on fire and that they would stay at the church for a while to rest.

I glared at the time on the small monitor It's getting early. When I turned my attention back to the road. It was only about half an hour and we were home.

I glanced in the review mirror, the child and her mother were fast asleep including the kid's nanny. I sighed deeply and continue driving.