One More Chance
Chapter 94: Luke as a father

~~~How can I get you to see that I'm falling apart since you've been gone? I can never be sure I could never let go, your love is much too strong. When I dream about you, that's when everything's alright. You're in my arms, here next to me, forever. When I dream about you, girl you never go away. Just close my eyes, wait for my dreams, 'cause I still love loving you~~~

-Stevie B.-

"What is going on here and why there were so many children? Where are their parents or their guardians?" Jack asked me as soon as she got back from their early morning meeting with our new supplier of ingredients we use to make cakes and pastries. "Well---" but I was just opening my mouth when she spoke again.

"And what is your ex-husband doing here? I mean what is he doing with the kids?" She asked pointing to Luke who was laughing with the kids at the moment.

"That's what I'm going to say, he brought these kids. They were from one of the foundations that their company was helping and according to him tomorrow is their foundation day." I said with a shrug.

"Okay, so what is the connection of the foundation day of these kids with your ex-husband and why did he bring them here?"

"He said he wanted to help them relax as they have activities for the whole day tomorrow."

"Wow! A perfect example of a concerned citizen and good samaritan in one, but wasn't a perfect husband." She rolled her eyes.

"Jackeline!" My head snapped at her.

"Oops! I'm sorry, I couldn't help my mouth."

I stared at her for a few seconds as she continued to smile like an idiot. It's as if I didn't know he mentioned it intentionally.

But later on, I sighed, thinking about changing the subject.

"Anyway, how did your meeting with the new supplier go?"

"Well, they have decided to give us extra discounts in addition to the previous discounts they were giving us in each of our order!" She squealed that it made me jump in excitement as well.

"Wow! That's great! A piece of great news!" And we shared a high five, but then she immediately added...

"Girl, in case you didn't know, I used my charm to make Mister Tan agreed to what I asked him."

"Oh, gosh! Don't tell me you sell your body?"

"Hey! I didn't say that! I said I used my charm but I never used my body, duh!"

"Okay, fine! Let's get back to work." I said laughing at her. "And congratulations on both of us."

***

And as I promised to the little Samantha yesterday, I personally made her a three-layer chocolate cake. I just asked Patrick's help instead of Luke as I don't want to have a conversation with him...again. But when the afternoon came, my eyebrows knitted as I saw him entered the coffee shop.

And since I had already memorized the reason why he kept coming back, I didn't show him my surprised reaction when he walked over to the counter and pretended to ask him like he was an ordinary customer... which is true.

"Good afternoon, Sir. Have you already chosen drinks from our today's menu?" I asked as I smiled at him.

"Yup, the usual." He nodded and returned my smile. "But it's for take out."

-'hmm... thank God'- I muttered silently and was about to prepare his usual drinks when he called my name. "Oh, wait, Sam."

"Yes, Sir?"

"I also came here to give you this." He handed me the white card in which I couldn't help but frown.

"What is this?" I asked not looking at him but at the card in my hands.

"Just open it."

I didn't wait for a second and decided to open it, and my mouth hung in excitement.

"Wow, it's a thank you card!"

"Yeah, and that was from Sam. She gave it to me this afternoon and she wanted me to give it to you."

I silently read the message and I couldn't help the tears that formed in my eyes.

**To my new friend, Samantha;

Thank you for the gift you sent me and for the huge chocolate cake. I love them and I love the cake too. How I wish I had a mother like you who can give me gifts and large chocolate cakes for my birthdays. Thank you. I love you. Sam**

It was just a simple note and from a little girl who had just turned five at the moment, but I couldn't help but feel so touched with her message. I felt like the word thank you

embedded in my heart and I thought about my daughter. Cali is somehow lucky to be born into our family. Although her parents were separated, she still didn't feel as empty as this little Sam and all the kids in the foundation who were left or abandoned by their parents intentionally.

And how I wish at that moment to take them and be all my children to make them feel the love and of having a mother, but I couldn't.

I took a deep breath and slowly glanced at Luke who's still staring me and I wonder if that's also what he feels. If that's the purpose why he and the company have chosen to help these children. I wonder if we have the same thoughts on them. "Hey, is there a dirt on my face?" He asked me confused but I shook my head.

"How long have you been helping the foundation and the children?"

He was surprised by my question as his mouth hung for a few seconds, but he smiled eventually and answered my question.

"Well, if I count the years that we've been helping them, I think it's going five this year."

"So it's just recently."

"Yup."

"What made you decide to choose them, I mean why are you helping such foundation instead of those that also helping cancer patients?"

"Hmm... maybe because those

people you're referring to have already experienced the beauty of life compared to those children who are just starting to build their own. dreams and desires in life. And. those people, well, I believe that most of them have their family members or relatives supporting them through their journey and in the battle, they currently fighting in, but those kids have none. They have been completely abandoned by their parents. No family members and no relatives at all."

I don't know, but at that very moment, he got 75 percent of my appreciation. I agree with his thoughts.

And everything started again with that simple conversation. I didn't even notice that we started talking about a topic that we both agreed for the very first time. "Thanks, Sam." He uttered smiling after answering all my questions.

"Thanks for what?" I asked him with a frown.

"Thanks for doing those things for Sam and for the kids and thanks for having the same thought with me, I mean for understanding their situation."

I stared at him for a few seconds and I didn't notice that I was already smiling at him.

"I think you shouldn't thank me for

agreeing with you or if we now agree on a topic that we both didn't know we could both agree on. We have never had such a conversation

before, but honestly, I'm glad than et

we're discussing this topic right now because we're both parents. Im a mother and you're already a father and even though we're separated, I can say that Cali is still lucky because she will never deal with such difficulties in her life. Do you

get what I'm saying?"

"Yes, I get it. I know I've screwed up all these years, I've never been a good husband or a person before, but I will never do such thing... abandoning my child? That's a big no."

I admit I was kinda shocked upon hearing the first lines of what he said, but when he mentioned his fatherhood and how he was as a father, I felt at ease inside. Well, he's right. He never became a husband, partner nor a friend to me before, but he never let me explained our situation to our daughter alone.

My brother once told me how Luke started explaining the situation to Cali, so the rest of the years have been easy for the child to understand her parents set up.

"Well, that's good to hear. At least you still have balls to face your responsibility with your daughter."

He was shocked by the word I used but I just shrug. We're now adults, both parents and I believe there's nothing wrong mentioning that kind of word...'balls'.

"And by the way, you should never really thank me for doing such a thing, because I did it for the kids and not for you."

But to my surprise, he suddenly laughed. A humorous and carefree kind of laugh that I haven't heard from him in so many years... not even when we're still living in one roof.

"I know, but I still want to thank you."

When I glanced at him again, I saw the glint of happiness in his eyes and I don't know but it somehow affect me inside.