how dare he?

Chapter three - the announcement

November 11, the Year 2025

"You'll never believe what dad and Anna told Jax and me today. Well, they told us they needed to make an announcement."

"Kids, we need to tell you something," goes Benjamin. "take a seat."

They sat down, waiting for the news Anna and Benjamin were so excited to tell them.

Suddenly, they heard Anna's beautiful voice saying,

"kids, me and your father wanted to tell you something great. We don't know how you'll react, but you need to know. You deserve to know."

Then went Benjamin,

"This will change all of our lives completely. It will almost be like starting a new life."

He looked at Anna and smirked as he was about to share the big news with them.

Jax was quite disorientated, but Maya might have known what was going on at the moment.

"Anna and I have been together for almost a month now. We wanted to tell you sooner, but we didn't know how you'd respond to the news." - Dad finished as he waited for us to reply.

"Dad, it has only been five months since mom passed away, and you've already moved on? I can't believe you!"

Jax yelled at dad as he barged out of the room.

Maya told her dad that she wanted him to be happy, but she didn't think Anna was the right one for him.

"I heard Anna threaten mom, while you were talking in the office. She told her if she didn't get the money sooner, something would happen to us. Did she have anything to do with her death?" - Maya murmured.

Anna laughed softly and pleasantly,

"Maya darling, you got it all wrong. So you see, I wasn't menacing Isabella. We were acting."

Her words baffled me.

"That's such a weak excuse, you know? You could've come up with literally anything." - I said to her as I looked deeply into her eyes with shock and fear at the same time. I feared her.

Dad said to me,

"Maya, other than a firefighter, officer, and a teacher, we three loved acting. We'd always practice when you weren't around. It was like a hobby. After Isabella died, we kind of lost interest, as well as encouragement. I was devastated. When nobody was there to encourage me and help me get through the hard times, Anna was the one to have my back. So, darling, you have to understand what I'm feeling."

Maya nodded and smirked a little in acceptance. All she desired was to see her dad smile for the first time after her mom's death.

After all, Anna was her best friend. She couldn't be happier to see the two together. Isabella would want Benjamin to get over her or to get a new life.

She wouldn't want to see a frown on her kids' faces. Whenever Jax and Maya were sad, Isabella told them to turn that frown upside down. She would manage to make them chuckle every time.

"I miss her very much. I wish I could give her a warm hug one last time. I wish I could listen to one of her endless stories one last time. I wish I could look at her for one last time."

Maya quickly got used to Anna and Benjamin dating. Their lives started going uphill. Anna loved Maya and Jaxon like her own. They all started to bond well.

"This is the first time I've genuinely smiled after mom passed away. I got to know Anna better. I realized what a kind-hearted woman she is. We just needed to give her a chance she deserved."