Splendiferous (Legazpi #1)

Fifty-four

54.

"Dr. Saint is my new daddy, mommy?" he asked innocently with eyes twinkling.

"He's your real daddy, Xav," I told him.

His jaw dropped and he didn't talk for seconds. Mauve spoke and said that she and the others will go out for a while to give me, Xavier, and Xerxes some privacy. And so they did. Now, there's only the three of us here inside the room.

I gazed at Xerxes who's at one corner with his hands kept inside his pocket while biting his lower lip. I looked at him as if I'm asking for help and it seems like he guessed what I'm thinking because he started walking towards us.

"D-daddy…" Xavier worded in a very low voice.

"Son." Xerxes gave him a frank smile. "Now you already know how to address me right, Xavier Azaleigh."

"Daddy…" Xavier repeated but now in a voice that's not shaking.

Xerxes slowly opened his arms to reach out for Xavier and Xavier on the other hand, slowly moved to hug his father. Few seconds later, we heard him crying.

"Where were y-you?" hikbi nito.

I thought Xerxes will tell him that I took Xavier away from him but I was surprised that he didn't. Instead he just hush-ed him to stop him from murmuring.

"It doesn't matter, kid. The important thing is I'm already here," he sentenced softly and tightened his embrace on Xavier.

"You weren't there…" Xavier cried out. "I never saw you on my past birthdays…"

"I'm sorry, Xavier," Xerxes whispered.

Seeing the two of them hugging each other with tears rolling from their cheeks melted my heart. They had interactions since the very first day Xavier got confined here but looking at them right now, they were embracing each other like they have never met. Their cries speaks longing.

"You took really good care of me here, Dr. Saint—" he paused for a second. "Daddy…"

"I'll still take care of you even if you get discharged," Xerxes articulated. "I'll always look after you even if we go separate ways—"

"No! I want you to live with us forever.." Xavier protested with a low voice. "You go with us to Atlanta, daddy…"

Xerxes shifted his gaze to me asking for help but no words came out of my mouth because I also do not know what to tell Xavier. He heaved out a sigh before gazing back at Xavier.

"Daddy has work here, Xav," he explained.

"Mommy," Xavier called me. "Let's live with daddy."

"X-xav…" I stuttered, thinking of a good excuse. "Mommy works in Atlanta, baby."

"Then I'll stay with daddy!"

My eyes widened. "W-what?" Is he trying to say that he will not go with me?

"Uh, Xavier," Xerxes interrupted and he glanced at me for a second before shifting his eyes on Xavier. "Stay with your mom. Don't worry, I'll videocall you or if I have a free time, I'll visit you in Atlanta."

Xavier frowned, probably not liking Xerxes' suggestion. "I want to be with you..."

"I am with you, kid. Always." He gave him a smile before pointing his index finger at Xavier's chest. "There."