One More Chance by Jaycelle Rodriguez

Chapter 94: Luke as a father

~~~How can | get you to see that I'm falling apart since you've been gone? | can never be sure | could never let

go, your love is much too strong. When | dream about you, that's when everything's alright. You're in my arms,

here next to me, forever. When | dream about you, girl you never go away. Just close my eyes, wait for my

dreams, 'cause | still love loving you~~~

-Stevie B.-

"What is going on here and why there were so many children? Where are their parents or their guardians?" Jack

askedas soon as she got back from their early morning meeting with our new supplier of ingredients we use

to make cakes and pastries. "Well---" but | was just opening my mouth when she spoke again.

"And what is your ex-husband doing here? | mean what is he doing with the kids?" She asked pointing to Luke

who was laughing with the kids at the moment.

"That's what I'm going to say, he brought these kids. They were from one of the foundations that their company

was helping and according to him tomorrow is their foundation day." | said with a shrug.

"Okay, so what is the connection of the foundation day of these kids with your ex-husband and why did he bring

them here?"

"He said he wanted to help them relax as they have activities for the whole day tomorrow."

"Wow! A perfect example of a concerned citizen and good samaritan in one, but wasn't a perfect husband." She

rolled her eyes.

"Jackeline!" My head snapped at her.

"Oops! I'm sorry, | couldn't help my mouth."

| stared at her for a few seconds as she continued to smile like an idiot. It's as if | didn't know he mentioned it

intentionally.

But later on, | sighed, thinking about changing the subject.

"Anyway, how did your meeting with the new supplier go?"

"Well, they have decided to give us extra discounts in addition to the previous discounts they were giving us in

each of our order!" She squealed that it madejump in excitement as well.

"Wow! That's great! A piece of great news!" And we shared a high five, but then she immediately added...

"Girl, in case you didn't know, | used my charm to make Mister Tan agreed to what | asked him."

"Oh, gosh! Don't tellyou sell your body?"

"Hey! | didn't say that! | said | used my charm but | never used my body, duh!"

"Okay, fine! Let's get back to work." | said laughing at her. "And congratulations on both of us."

ork

And as | promised to the little Samantha yesterday, | personally made her a three-layer chocolate cake. | just

asked Patrick's help instead of Luke as | don't want to have a conversation with him...again. But when the

afternoon came, my eyebrows knitted as | saw him entered the coffee shop.

And since | had already memorized the reason why he kept coming back, | didn't show him my surprised reaction

when he walked over to the counter and pretended to ask him like he was an ordinary customer... which is true.

"Good afternoon, Sir. Have you already chosen drinks from our today's menu?" | asked as | smiled at him.

"Yup, the usual." He nodded and returned my smile. "But it's for take out."

-'hmm... thank God'- | muttered silently and was about to prepare his usual drinks when he called my name. "Oh,

wait, Sam."

"Yes, Sir?"

"| also chere to give you this." He handedthe white card in which | couldn't help but frown.

"What is this?" | asked not looking at him but at the card in my hands.

"Just open it."

| didn't wait for a second and decided to open it, and my mouth hung in excitement.

"Wow, it's a thank you card!"

"Yeah, and that was from Sam. She gave it tothis afternoon and she wantedto give it to you."

| silently read the message and | couldn't help the tears that formed in my eyes.

*#To my new friend, Samantha;

Thank you for the gift you sentand for the huge chocolate cake. | love them and | love the cake too. How |

wish | had a mother like you who can givegifts and large chocolate cakes for my birthdays. Thank you. | love

you. Sam**

It was just a simple note and from a little girl who had just turned five at the moment, but | couldn't help but feel

so touched with her message. | felt like the word thank you

embedded in my heart and | thought about my daughter. Cali is somehow lucky to be born into our family.

Although her parents were separated, she still didn't feel as empty as this little Sam and all the kids in the

foundation who were left or abandoned by their parents intentionally.

And how | wish at that moment to take them and be all my children to make them feel the love and of having a

mother, but | couldn't.

| took a deep breath and slowly glanced at Luke who's still staringand | wonder if that's also what he feels. If

that's the purpose why he and the company have chosen to help these children. | wonder if we have the same

thoughts on them. "Hey, is there a dirt on my face?" He askedconfused but | shook my head.

"How long have you been helping the foundation and the children?"

He was surprised by my question as his mouth hung for a few seconds, but he smiled eventually and answered

my question.

"Well, if | count the years that we've been helping them, I think it's going five this year."

"So it's just recently."

"Yup."

"What made you decide to choose them, | mean why are you helping such foundation instead of those that also

helping cancer patients?"

"Hmm... maybe because those

people you're referring to have already experienced the beauty of life compared to those children who are just

starting to build their own. dreams and desires in life. And. those people, well, | believe that most of them have

their family members or relatives supporting them through their journey and in the battle, they currently fighting

in, but those kids have none. They have been completely abandoned by their parents. No family members and

no relatives at all.”

I don't know, but at that very moment, he got 75 percent of my appreciation. | agree with his thoughts.

And everything started again with that simple conversation. | didn't even notice that we started talking about a

topic that we both agreed for the very first time. "Thanks, Sam." He uttered smiling after answering all my

questions.

"Thanks for what?" | asked him with a frown.

"Thanks for doing those things for Sam and for the kids and thanks for having the sthought with me, | mean

for understanding their situation."

| stared at him for a few seconds and | didn't notice that | was already smiling at him.

"| think you shouldn't thankfor

agreeing with you or if we now agree on a topic that we both didn't know we could both agree on. We have never

had such a conversation

before, but honestly, I'm glad than et

we're discussing this topic right now because we're both parents. Im a mother and you're already a father and

even though we're separated, | can say that Cali is still lucky because she will never deal with such difficulties in

her life. Do you

get what I'm saying?"

"Yes, | get it. | know I've screwed up all these years, I've never been a good husband or a person before, but I will

never do such thing... abandoning my child? That's a big no."

| admit | was kinda shocked upon hearing the first lines of what he said, but when he mentioned his fatherhood

and how he was as a father, | felt at ease inside. Well, he's right. He never beca husband, partner nor a

friend tobefore, but he never letexplained our situation to our daughter alone.

My brother once toldhow Luke started explaining the situation to Cali, so the rest of the years have been

easy for the child to understand her parents set up.

"Well, that's good to hear. At least you still have balls to face your responsibility with your daughter."

He was shocked by the word | used but I just shrug. We're now adults, both parents and | believe there's nothing

wrong mentioning that kind of word...'balls'.

"And by the way, you should never really thankfor doing such a thing, because I did it for the kids and not

for you."

But to my surprise, he suddenly laughed. A humorous and carefree kind of laugh that I haven't heard from him in

so many years... not even when we're still living in one roof.

"I know, but I still want to thank you."

When I glanced at him again, | saw the glint of happiness in his eyes and | don't know but it somehow affect me

inside.