Once A Bad Boy (He's A Bad News Sequel)

22 - Family First

Sitting alone at the backyard, Joel sighs for the third time as he takes another sip from the Americano and puts the cup back on the table. His eyes was looking straight in front of him, but his mind is everywhere.

He thinks about everything. His late brother. His family. The other boys he thought of as his own brothers. Then one thing comes, crushed everything he has been holding on to into pieces. He didn't know what to believe in anymore.

One touch on his shoulder wakes him up. Along with a little joyful giggle that forced him to smile despite of the mess going on in his head. He moves his eyes to the face before him. "What is it, princess?"

"You didn't hear me calling for you." the little girl tells him. Joel apologized as he let the girl sit on his lap.

She's holding a doll in her hand. The doll has a set of wings on it's back but one of the wings is broken. Joel took the doll and asked the girl about it.

"Her wing is broken, Emma." he tells the girl.

Emma nods and pouts her mouth. "I was playing with her last week and she slipped from my hand." she said sadly.

Joel smiled and stroke Emma's hair. "I'll buy you a new one, okay? And many other things. Just tell me whatever you like in the store when we get there." he said, making the 3 years old smile and jumped in joy. She was so happy to hear that. It makes Joel laughs too.

They were disturbed by a woman's voice calling for Emma from the door behind them. "Can you get inside for awhile, Emma?" the mother said.

Emma nods. She leaves a quick kiss on Joel's cheek before she gets into the house as her mother told her to. Her mother then took a sit in front of Joel. "You don't have to do that, Joel. You're pampering her too much." she said.

"I want to, okay? And it's nothing much, Tiana. It's not like I'm buying her a fancy car or an apartment." Joel replies. "Maybe I will, when she's old enough to own them." he adds, almost whispering.

Tiana rolls her eyes as she heard that. "I'm serious. You've done so much for us and that's more than enough. You make me feel guilty for coming out to you about her. About us."

Joel inhaled before he took Tiana's hand in his. "Both of you are my family. Don't tell me otherwise. And Emma, I'll do anything to make her happy. Forever." he tells her.

Tiana reponded with a smile as she moves her eyes away. They stayed silent for awhile, before she asked Joel if he's going to stay with them again that night.

"What, you're sick to have me around already?" Joel jokes, earning a slap to his chest from Tiana. "I just wonder what happened between you and the boys. You haven't told me anything about it. You just came and asked if you can stay here for a few days." she replied.

Joel sighs, thinking about what happened the other day. The thing he just knew, how he reacted to it. No matter how he put everything in his head, it will never sound right to him. Nothing about it sounds right. If he could turn back time he wouldn't get in the car when Juan's guy told him to. It'd be easier if he never knew anything.

He lied to the boys the last time they met. He said he's going back to his family's house. He didn't. He didn't tell anyone about what happened either. Not even his mom.

"I'll tell you about it. But not now. And please let me stay here until I sort things out."

Tiana nods and pats his shoulder as she stands up. "Stay here as long as you need, Joel. We'd love to have you around." she said before she gets into her house, leaving Joel to get lost in his thoughts again.

---

"Do you want me to sing you to sleep again tonight?" Joel asks as he tucks Emma in. She nods. "That song from the movie we watched just now." she said.

"You want that song? Okay." Joel obeyed. He sings How Far I'll Go from the movie Moana. Just halfway through the chorus Emma shut her eyes and falls asleep. Joel kissed her forehead and turns the light off he leaves her bed.

Tiana was watching from the open door, she lends Joel a smile as their eyes met. "She loves your voice. Pimentel's voice, to be exact." she tells Joel as they both leaves Emma's room.

"Because she's a Pimentel too." Joel chuckles. "Speaking of which, when will you let her meet her grandma? And the other family members? I've told you it's gonna be okay. They're gonna love her. Trust me."

Tiana looks away, avoiding Joel's eyes. She's not ready yet. She doesn't even know if she ever will. "But her father-"

Joel cuts her off by holding her arms with his both hands. "The one that cut ties off from her father was me. I was the one that told him to never get near our family. I was the one that disowned him back then. No one in the family hated him more than I did. And I regret it. So please, do me a favor. Let me have peace by letting his daughter, and you, to be in our family." he assured her.

I'm sorry I took too long. Glad to finally find a way to keep this story going. Was it a surprise? Don't forget to vote ❤