One More Chance
Chapter 37: His behavior seemed to have changed.

~~I know love is a fragile thing and I'm trying hard to make it last. But it ain't easy holdin' on to my dream when he's holdin' on to the past. This ain't the first time he's done it before, and it's hard to face the truth. 'Cause I'm the fool in love with the fool, who's still in love with

her...~~~

-Lee Ann Womack-

Cali stayed in my room that night as she said she wanted to sleep with me, even though her three-day sleeping schedule is in her daddy's room.

I know she's still a little upset that Luke didn't attend the event, but thanks to Jack because Cali's attention had driven away even at least for a while.

She's been sleeping for almost 20 minutes and at the moment I was about to close my eyes, I heard knock on the door followed by Luke's muffled voice outside. "Sam, can I come in?"

I glanced from where his voice came from and couldn't help sighing.

"Yeah, come in."

'So he's finally home.'-

I didn't wait for any second and the door slowly opened. A fresh from the bathing figure of my husband came to my view.

"How long has she been asleep?" He asked as he sat on the edge of the bed and kissed Cali's forehead.

"Around 20 minutes," I answered shortly.

I don't know but we suddenly fell into silence. He was looking at his daughter's face while I was staring at him.

"You promised your daughter that you would come to their family day event. She was expecting you to come, she waited for you and got upset when she didn't see you there. What happened?" I asked him, masking my face with seriousness. "I'm sorry."

I gulped, after taking a deep breath.

"You're sorry because?"

This time he looked at me. "I'm sorry because I didn't keep my promise. I didn't attend her school event."

"You didn't attend her school event because?"

"B-Because I was in a meeting and---"

"You were in a meeting the whole day that you forgot your promise to her and you didn't even send a message? We understand that you're in a very important meeting, but you could at least call and talk to her. She was so upset this morning that she just wanted to go home if I didn't convince her to stay and to participate in the activities."

But when I expect to hear a calm and pleasant explanation from him, well, I just got disappointed, as his reaction became the

opposite.

"Look, Samantha, can't you see I'm tired? Our meeting should be done around 9:30 am, but one of our biggest clients from Asia asked an appointed today, so I have no choice but to stay there!" He has a frown painted on his forehead when he finished speaking. My mouth opened in shock.

"You don't know how tired and pressured I was earlier in the office---"

"Oh, yes, of course, I know you're tired, but I'm not telling you this just for me but for your daughter. Because somehow I'm used to how you treated me, but this time it's not all about you and me, it's also for Cali."

"I know and I'm sorry."

"Why do I feel that you don't really mean your sorry?" I asked him as I noticed the lack of sincerity and slight irritation in his voice.

"What are you talking about? I've already explained it to you and I've already said I'm sorry!"

-Why the hell did he suddenly become mad? Shouldn't I be the one to feel that way towards him?'-

I breathed. "You don't get my point, do you?"

"I get it and I said I'm sorry!"

"Yeah, alright, you're sorry. But let me just remind you that I wasn't the one who you made your promise to, but Cali, so I shouldn't be the one to receive your apology. Good luck on how you will explain it to her when she wakes up." He didn't reply, he seemed stunned by what I said, so I took that as an opportunity to pull the blanket he's sitting on and put up on Cali's shoulders.

"And by the way, I just want to inform you that we won the first place in three activities that we participated and one of them was the 'best family' even if you weren't there. Well, thanks to my best friend as she stood up and portrayed your place. Good night and please turn off the lights before you leave."

I saw him nod but didn't utter a single word even before leaving the room.

I don't know, but lately, I feel there's something strange about him. He's been quiet these past few days and his behaviour seemed to have changed. If I remembered it correctly, he's started being like that after his Asian meeting which was held in Thailand two weeks ago. He stayed there for a week and when he came back, a lot of things changed in him.

Actually, he started to open up to me, even his thoughts on many things, so I really have no idea what happened during those days. He suddenly returned into his self, reserved, easily gets mad and started ignoring me 'again'

When he's at home, he has always locked himself in his study room like he always did during the first year of our marriage.

But now is quite different to the point that I feel that he sometimes forgets his daughter. Cali always seeks his attention, especially when she turned three as Luke was always busy at work. They don't have time or I should say, he doesn't have time to play with her as he goes to work while she's still sleeping and comes home when she's already sleeping. Cali is now transparent about what she feels... when she's upset or whenever she wants to see her dad.

But if there's one thing I thank God the most out of this situation is that she easily understands the things around her... and one of those things is our sleeping arrangement where she needs to sleep in my room for four days and three days in his father's room... But of course, it depends on her where she wants to sleep.

Luke and I agreed not to let her sleep in her own room until she requests that she can manage to sleep alone.