Dareen

Epilogue

8 years later
Dareen
"Matt, will you please get the door?" I yelled from the kitchen.
"Alright, baby." I heard him calling out.
"It's Elliot." He announced with a smile.
"Hey Elliot." I gave him a friendly hug. "Hey." He smiled.
"I'll call Noah." Matt nodded walking out.
"How are things?"
"Not so good." I sighed leaning back in my seat, "He got detention twice this week, and he refused to go to his piano classes as well."
"So, he's grounded?"
"There was no need. He was already punished at school for his behaviour, and again, we both know what's his problem." I mumbled.
"I had no choice-"
"You cancelled your plans with him to go to work, Elliot. That's not good especially at such age. He's an eight year old boy, and he needs to be with his father. He needs attention.
"I'll make it up for him." He nodded.
"Okay, but don't admonish him for what he did at school. We're over it, now."
"Fine." He nodded.
"One last thing, he broke his phone. Don't get him a new one. At least till he passes this year."
"Sure, now tell me, how are things with Matt?"
"We're fine." I smiled faintly getting up. Well, even if we're just talking normally, it's still awkward to talk about Matt while I am sitting with Elliot...
I care for Elliot more than you can imagine, but at the end of the day, Matt is my husband, and having any feelings for another man will be considered cheating even if that man was the father of my child.
"Coffee?"
"No, I'll go check on Noah."
-----
Elliot
"Noah, open the door. Your father is here, and he wants to see you." I heard Matt saying from behind the door.
"Tell him I'm sleeping." Noah replied.
"What's going on?" I furrowed my brows.
"It's fine. He's just a little mad." Matt said awkwardly.
"Noah, can we talk, please?" I sighed.
"I am busy, now." He dismissed.
"I have all day, but you don't want to miss Alice's birthday." At that, he unlocked the door.
"I'll wait downstairs." Matt smiled giving us some space.
"Noah, I miss you." I walked over to him.
"I see." He huffed slamming his drawer shut.
"Are you doubting that?" I narrowed my eyes.
Shrugging, he turned around trying to look busy, but failing.
"Come here," I whispered pulling him closer to me. "You know that I don't love anyone in this world more than I love you, right?"
"Work is something not someone." He shrugged.
"Not even work is more important than you. You're daddy's boy for God's sake. I promise I won't ever cancel any of our plans anymore."
"Promise?"
"Promise. Now, where's daddy's hug?" I open my arms as he slams me in a hug.
"Where are we going tonight?"
"We'll celebrate Alice's birthday with nana, Ethan and Linda and of course, Alice, and tomorrow we'll come here and enjoy our day with mum and Matt."
"Okay." He smiled.
"Go get dressed." I winked as he ran towards the wardrobe.
I like how we, Dareen and I, know how to act around Noah. He's a smart kid, and it's important to prove to him that we're really on good terms that's why Dareen suggested that we should go out one day every week together- like a normal family- Noah, Dareen, Matt and I. Honestly, to me, Matt is not really a problem. He's a good person, and he takes good care of Noah as if he was his own child, yet he never tries to take over my role as a father. Not any man can do that.
"I'm ready!" He jumped in front of me. "Let's go, buddy." I chuckled ruffling his hair as we walked out of his room. "We're leaving." I told Dareen and Matt who were chatting in the kitchen while playing with Picky.
"Where's mummy's kiss?" She smiled as Noah walked over to kiss her.
"Enjoy your day." Matt smiled patting his shoulder.
"Tell Alice happy birthday." Dareen smiled.
"Sure. Goodbye." I smiled openning the front door.
"Drive safe, and fasten on your seatbelts." Dareen called after me, as usual.
"Will do!" Noah and I said in union then burst out laughing. She reminds me of granny and her warnings.
"Time to party!" Noah giggled making me smile.
"Your aunt will be so happy."
"She's just six years older that me." He huffed.
"Still.. She's my sister, and I'm your father, so..."
"Yeah yeah!" He nodded. "It's good that you have them, right?" He turned to me.
"Who?" I furrowed my brows.
"Your brother and sister." He shrugged.
"Of course, it's good." I nodded. "From where did this question come?" I turned to him.
"I don't know. Sometimes I feel so bored though." He sighed.
"You want a sibiling?"
"Maybe?"
Turning my attention back to the road, I stayed silent for a second.
"Why don't you tell your mother?"
"I did, but she told me that Matt has a problem, and that they can't get babies." He frowned.
"Oh.." I whispered.
"You can get me a baby though." He suggested.
"To get a baby, a man and a woman must be in a relationship, and I'm not in any type of relationship." I explained.
"Why don't you get a girlfriend or a wife then?!" He exclaimed.
"I can't find the right person." I shrugged.
"But you loved mummy.." He said slowly.
"I still love mummy." I sighed getting really annoyed with the conversation. "Then why aren't you together? Is it because of Matt?" At this, I stopped by the side of the road and turned to him.
"It's not because of anyone. I love mum, and she does too, but love is not everything."
"Then what is?" He frowned.
"You will find out when you grow up. I just want you to know that love is so important, but it is never easy to find. Some people die while searching for a person they want to continue their lives with, and others can fall in love once just like me, and others can fall in love twice for example like your mummy. The important thing is that uou know the difference between true love and the fake one."
"You closed your heart towards all women in this world?"
"I can't imagine my life with someone else." I sighed.
"But she lives with Matt..."
"That's because she's a lucky person. Your mum is lovely woman that everyone falls in love with her." I smiled.
"That's the first time for me to hear you giving up." He frowned.
"No. Listen, I love your mother so much that I just want her to be happy whether her happiness is with me or Matt or anyone else. Her happiness makes me happy. That's it. Nothing else matters. Maybe now she loves and respects me more because I put her happiness before mine. That's real love, son. That's how I repay her for giving me you. Come to think of it, now, I don't have her, but I have you who is in one way or another a part of her." I smiled, and he did too.
"I love you, dad."
"I love you, my precious buddy." I chuckled kissing the top of his head.
Now, I know what's real love.
Real love is that you think about your partner needs and happiness before your own. That's when you know that you've matured enough to love like a man not as a boy.
One day, whether you're 16, 30 or 70, you will stumble upon someone who will start a fire in you that cannot die.
However, the saddest, most awful truth you will ever come to find--
is they are not always with whom we spend our lives...
But, as usual, let's look at the bright side, I fell in love and I have a son. Maybe life was against me at times, but I'm really grateful for everything God gave me.
Let's be grateful for what we have before we lose it.
Till the last minute in my life, Dareen will always be in my heart and mind because I'll always love her unconditionally.
---The End----
I'm sorry for ending it here, but my idea is that not every love story should have a happy ending. Well, this is a happy one from one point and a sad one from another. It didn't turn out how they planned it to be, yet, they still respect each other.
I don't know if I disappointed you, but really, I didn't want to make a tragic ending or a lame happy ending, so this one is just in between, don't you think?
Now, if you want to read more romance, you can check my previous romantic/ drama story, Sacrifice of Love. It's completed, so you wouldn't have to wait for updates.
However, if you're into Mystry/ Thriller story, check the description of my latest story, Masked. I'll start updating chapters soon enough.
Thank you so much!
Nadaxx