A Very Special Love

Chapter 42

Sienna Loren Monroe

"When are you coming home?" I asked Claire, the soft glow of the video call casting a warm hue over her face. She needed to return urgently to manage the family business left in disarray after our parents' sudden departure.

"Probably next week," she replied, her voice tinged with a mix of weariness and determination.

"I'll be bringing Stephen with me," she added, a hint of apprehension in her tone.

"You're both welcome to stay in my condo; there are two spare rooms available," I offered, hoping to ease some of the burdens she carried.

"Will Yaya be coming with you?" I probed gently.

"Actually, I've been in touch with Yaya Lovely, and she's agreed to look after Stephen," Claire disclosed, surprising me with her decision.

It had been years since Yaya Lovely had been part of our lives. Her sudden return sparked a twinge of nostalgia and curiosity.

"Wow, that's wonderful news," I replied, genuinely pleased for Stephen to have someone familiar caring for him.

"But Claire," I hesitated, choosing my words carefully, "What about Stephen's father? When do you plan to talk to him?"

Claire's silence spoke volumes, and I could see the conflict in her eyes.

"He... he has a girlfriend," she finally confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.

"How do you know?" I asked gently, sensing her discomfort.

"I saw it on his Instagram," she admitted, her eyes dropping briefly before meeting mine again.

"You checked his stories?" I teased lightly, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere.

"Ate, I just happened to see it," she defended herself, a hint of defensiveness creeping into her tone.

"Just because you saw a story with a girl doesn't mean..." I started

"Claire, it could be just a friend or a relative," I reasoned gently, hoping to alleviate some of her concerns.

"I know, but..." she trailed off, uncertainty clouding her expression.

"Just talk to him, Claire," I encouraged softly, placing a hand over hers through the screen. "He deserves to know about Stephen. He's his father, after all."

"I will, ate," she nodded solemnly, her resolve strengthening.

"Good," I smiled reassuringly. "Even if you don't have feelings for him anymore, it's important for Stephen to have both parents in his life."

"I'll talk to Gael when we get there," she affirmed, mentioning his name with a mixture of fondness and apprehension.

Gael. The boy who was once my childhood playmate, Claire's former classmate, and now unexpectedly, Stephen's father.

Who would have thought our past would intertwine with such complexity?

"Okay, and I have to go, papunta na daw si Daphne," paalam ko kay Claire.

"Okay, Ate, I'll just give you an update."

"Sure" I said, then I ended the call.

A minute after receiving a message from Daphne that they had arrived, I hurried downstairs. As I reached the entrance of the building, I spotted their car parked with hazard lights blinking, indicating their presence.

Daphne sit from the driver's seat and waved enthusiastically at me. I walked over, juggling the paper bags filled with goodies I intended to distribute later. Approaching their car, I greeted Daphne with a warm smile.