Teacher's Pet

37

[ Morganton ]

As soon as I asked how she was, she was about to walk away, and I immediately walked closer to her just to hold her wrist carefully, trying to stop her.

"I know how sudden and unexpected this is." I uttered. "Please... Let's talk about this."

"Okay." She finally met my eyes longer this time. 

When she agreed, I took her somewhere to an secluded area, we were both silenced longer which made it tensional and awkward.

"How are you alive?" She broke the silence between us, her voice low and soft.

"Surgery... Cost of millions just to get my normal life back, and I made it." I was staring at her while answering. "You haven't answer me, how are you?"

"I'm better." She answered after her long silence. 

"Are you better without me?" I asked, my eyes getting watery. But she didn't answer; she was looking down.

"Is she mine?" I asked another question, referring to Madeline. "Madeline... Is she my daughter?"

"Yes..." She gulped and looked at me straightly, I saw how tears were starting to grow in her eyes. "Yes... She's your daughter."

Eventually, I couldn't stop my tears anymore, and they started going out while my heart felt a mixed feeling. We were both standing there, facing each other with emotional facial expressions.

Before I could speak back, she immediately walked closer to me and hugged me tightly. I heard her sobbing during our embrace, which made me bury my head on her shoulder while tearing, too.

"I'm never better without you for fucksake." I heard her utter while crying harder. We had our emotional moment for awhile before we calmed and sat down. I bought coffee and tissues for us.

"I'm sorry, was I being so dramatic?" She chuckled, cleaning her face using a tissue.

"It's me and you who cried, not just you." I looked at her, smiling. "What we are feeling right now is valid, totally."

"Where should we start talking about?" She looked at me; her eyes were still puffy from crying.

"Madeline," I unhesitatingly answered. "I want to meet her again and introduce myself properly... as her mother, Adeline."

"We can do that." She nodded.

"She's been dying to know her second mother. And I know this will make her the happiest." 

"Okay, alright." I couldn't hide my smile while staring at her.

"We will be here for her, Morganton."

For her.

And not for us, too?

"Just tell me when's the next time." I nodded, forcing myself to smile. "I will stay here."

"Tomorrow, here again," she answered, smiling genuinely. 

"Will you be here, too?" I couldn't stop myself, and the question slipped out of my mouth. She looked at me, surprised.

"For Madeline, of course." 

For me?

Is it still me?

[ Adeline ]

Is it still me, Morgan? I thought to myself while I was already driving home with Madeline next to me. She had a lot of pink candies in a bag; Soraya spoiled her too much.

"Mommy, what did you do with the writer?" She asked out of nowhere. 

"Hu—Huh?" I looked at her, getting my senses back. "We just talked—"