Her Purpose || Kai Parker

Chapter 114

A week later:

Estrella was met with the excited squeals of her children as she walked through the door, their tight hugs and rapid-fire chatter wrapping around her like a warm blanket.

She had barely set down her bag before they were pulling her into their world, eager to share every detail of their day.

After freshening up and settling on the couch, she cast a silent, cold gaze toward the couple sitting across from her-their awkward sighs filling the room for the umpteenth time.

Dinner had passed quietly, and the tension between them was evident. Estrella knew they were waiting for the right moment to explain themselves, but she wasn't sure she wanted to hear it.

They would be leaving soon, heading back to their home just down the street, but not before the inevitable conversation.

Suddenly, Aiden interrupted the uneasy silence. "Look, Mama! I drew this!" he exclaimed, thrusting a piece of paper into her hands with a proud grin.

Estrella's heart sank as she looked at the drawing. It was a crude, colorful depiction of their family: her with her blue hair, clearly labelled as 'Mama,' standing next to a man with a beard and rings on his hands, labelled 'Dada.'

Beside them stood two small figures-a boy and a girl-marked as 'Me and Nellie.' At the bottom of the drawing, in wobbly, innocent letters, were the words, "Happy Familee."

Her chest tightened as she took it in, the bittersweet image pulling at her heartstrings. "Wow, this is amazing, Teddy," she whispered, forcing a smile as she kissed Aiden's soft, pink cheeks. "We'll put it on the fridge later, okay?"

Aiden's face lit up at the praise, but he wasn't done. "Mama, look at Nellie's!" he insisted, grabbing Eleanor's drawing and trying to hand it to Estrella, despite his sister's attempts to hide it behind her back. Eleanor shook her head furiously, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"Teddy, no!" she muttered under her breath, but Aiden was relentless.

Estrella, with encouraging eyes, glanced at Eleanor, who was now staring at the floor, clearly uncomfortable.

Slowly, Eleanor relented, handing over the paper, her fingers trembling slightly.

Estrella's breath caught in her throat as she looked at the drawing.

Her heart shattered just a little more. The weight of the emotions her children carried-the confusion, the longing-was almost too much to bear.

The drawing was similar to Aiden's, but with an added detail that struck a deeper chord in Estrella-a cloud floating above their heads.

Underneath 'Dada,' it read, 'I am sorry, forgiv me,' and beneath the figures labeled 'Teddy and Me,' were the words, 'Mama, pleez forgiv Dada. He ♡ u, we all ♡ u.' The part that broke her was what was written under 'Mama': 'I forgiv u and ♡ u ol.'

Her throat tightened, tears blurring her vision.

"Mama, please don't cry. I'm sorry," Nellie said softly, her voice shaking as tears welled up in her own eyes.

Estrella quickly wiped her face and pulled both children into a tight embrace. "No, no. Oh, my sweet angel, come here," she said, holding them close. "I'm not mad, okay? I love it. It's beautiful."

"But you're mad at Dada. He is sorry too," Aiden said, his innocent eyes searching for hers, full of sadness.

Estrella's heart ached as she gently caressed Aiden's cheek, searching for the right words. "I'm not mad, angel," she whispered softly, trying to keep her emotions in check. "I'm just a little upset, that's all. But soon... it'll all be okay, I promise. Mama just needs some time to be friends with him again, alright?"