One More Chance
Chapter 36: Family Day

~~~Lately I see the clouds of sorrow in your eyes. Some deep sadness you can never quite disguise. Now I'm scared to ask what it's leading to, but I'm more afraid of not asking you. You've got secrets you've been keeping for too long and I'm going crazy acting like there's nothing wrong. Is there something that you want to tell me? Are we something that's still worth fighting for or should I simply let you go? -Christopher Cross-

SEVEN YEARS EARLIER...

"Mom, where is daddy? The program's gonna start, teacher Angie told me."

I bit my lip when I heard my daughter's question. I took a breath before lowering my height into her level. A mix of hope and sadness was evident in her innocent eyes. "Uhm, maybe daddy is already on his way, baby. Don't worry, I'm going to call him again, huh?"

Cali is three and a half years old, currently enrolled in preschool and today they have a school event... a family day. It's been a week since I informed Luke about this and he said yes, he agreed. He promised Cali he would come with her like he did the last time, but we've been waiting for him for almost half an hour, but so far I can't see any sign of him that he would attend.

This morning, he told me he has an important meeting by 8:00 o'clock and I let him attend it because he said it will only last 30 to 40 minutes and Cali's school event will begin at 10:15 am. I checked the time from my wristwatch and there are only 15 minutes left and the program will start, but until now he hasn't answered my calls yet.

"But that's also what you said earlier when I asked you." Her voice trembled so I had to hug her and tried to comfort her again.

"Don't worry, baby, mommy is here. Am I not enough? You know, I can also perform as your mom and dad at the same time."

She let go from my embrace at looked at me with the cutest pout in her lips.

"I know, mommy. You are my super mom and I know you can do that like most of the times or when daddy was busy with his work but..." She suddenly became hesitated to speak. "But?" I urged her to speak.

"But this is a family day and teacher Angie told me that a family day event requires all family members, so how can we call it a family day if dad isn't here?" "Ahm..."

She was right. What am I going to say?

"Can you please call him again, mommy?"

"O-Oh... yeah, I'll call your dad again. You can join your friends and play with them while I'm trying to call him, okay?"

"Okay." She nodded, but the disappointment still written in her eyes.

I sighed as watched her walk towards her classmates who were playing and seemed so excited about the upcoming activities later with their mother and father.

I dialled Luke's number again, but my call just went immediately to his voicemail like what happened to my calls earlier.

"Haist! Luke Marcuz Williams, where are you?" I glanced at Cali and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw her playing with her classmates.

I decided to call my father-in-law but he too was out of range.

"Good morning, mommies and daddies and of course, children. Are you ready for our activities today? Who's family is excited to win our very exciting prizes?" And loud screams were heard in the air, but I felt my heart crash when Cali ran to me and hug my waist.

"Mommy, let's just go home." She said with unshed tears in her eyes.

"Hey, don't you want to try even without dad? I'm here, mommy is here and you said I'm a super mom, so that means we can still participate in all the activities." "But mommy..."

I knelt in front of her and cupped both her cheeks.

"Listen, baby, I know dad promised you to come, but we don't know what's going on in his office. Maybe he's still in a very important meeting, so he can't answer mom's calls."

"But how important is his meeting mommy? Is it more important than me?"

"Hey, baby, of course, not." I made her look at me. "Nothing is more important for your daddy apart from you, because you are his baby, you are his princess. Uhm... we will just talk to daddy when we go home and ask him what happened, why he didn't show up. I'm sure he has a reason and we'll know it later. But..."

I paused to tuck her loose strands behind her ears.

"But for now, let's join the event first. Let's participate in all the activities and whether we bring home the exciting prizes or not, what important is that we enjoyed this day, okay?"

It took a few minutes before she nodded, but dismay wasn't yet living her eyes.

"What if after this event we will eat in the nearest McDonalds?"

And her eyes suddenly lit up with excitement.

"Really, mommy?"

"Uhuh." I nodded, smiling.

"Yey! Let's go, mommy!"

She grabbed my hand and was about to pull me when we heard Jack's voice.

"Hep, hep! Where are you going?"

"Auntie Jack!"

"Jack?" Cali and I exclaimed in unison, but with a different reaction. She was excited while I was confused.

"Don't tell me you're going to join the event without me?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"What are you doing---" but my words left in my throat when my daughter beat me as she asked her untie Jack at the same time

"Why, Auntie Jack? Are you gonna join us?"

"Of course! I'll be your mom's partner because 'your dad' is quite busy with his work." Jack replied.

She wasn't looking at me but I didn't miss the way she emphasized the words 'your dad'.

"Yehey! Can I tell my friends now?"

"Oh, yes, sweet munchkin, you can now tell your friends. Go, go, go!"

And Cali excitedly ran back to her friends while I was left shocked and confused in front of my best friend.

"Jack, what are you doing here and how did you know we were here?"

"Well, as I said earlier, I'm here to be your partner because I know your 'most loving husband' is busy--- and will always be busy in his work!"

"Jack!"

"Why? Isn't it true? And to answer your second question, I went to your house to see my favourite person in the world, but your maid told me that you were at school because it's Cali's family day event today. And of course, since I know that 'your loving husband' couldn't come, I decided to drive here to support my baby Cali." and she ended her speech, rolling her eyes.

"How many times do you have to emphasize the word 'your loving husband"?"

"Until I became satisfied and until you realized that you're just hoping for nothing!"

"Haist! Jackeline!"

I didn't know what to say, so I chose to keep my mouth shut after that. I'm sure she won't stop if I go against her, so it's better to stay quiet.