CHAPTER 20 (Part 1)

Talliah Eryn Castillego POV

I OPENED the backseat so my kids could get in. Tallan carefully sat down and Caelliah followed. I buckled their seatbelt first to assure that they're safe. After I put on their seatbelt, I get inside the driver's seat.

I smiled when I saw my children sitting cutely on the backseat.

"Are you two good in there?" I asked them.

Caelliah immediately nodded her head and smiled cutely at me.

"We're fine here Momma, thank you for your concern." She muttered while smiling.

Something touched my heart because of the smile she gave. I looked at Tallan who was seriously reading a book. He's into books. When he's not doing anything he's always reading a book.

Tallan preferred reading books than wasting his time playing. While Caelliah always play and play like there's no tomorrow.

"Tallan," I softly called my son's name.

He immediately lifted his head and he immediately met my gaze.

"Are you okay in there?" I asked. He smiled and nodded his head.

After I made sure that they were fine I started the car engine to leave the house.

While driving I can't help to always think about my children seeing their Dadda. The plan was already imprinted in my brain in case I get pregnant. I know from the start that Rainer is not yet ready for the responsibility of being a father.

He clearly said it to me that he's not ready yet. But as a stubborn woman I am. I didn't take pills every time we did it. Because I badly want to have a child and now that it's happening I'm afraid for some reason.

I'm afraid he might not be ready yet. I was afraid of his reaction. I know that Rainer is more mature now than the Rainer I knew before.

I'm afraid he doesn't want to have children yet. But as I said I will do anything and everything for my children. They wanted so badly to meet their father. I think six years is already enough.

I have prepared myself again for what will happen but I still can't help but be afraid.

"You held me down, but I got up (hey)."

I was brought back to my senses when I heard Caelliah's voice softly singing her favorite music.

I smirked and shook my head when I saw her in the rearview mirror singing using her pink comb as a microphone. I saw how Tallan slowly looked at her weirdly.

I continued driving while listening to my daughter singing.

"Already brushing off the dust

You hear my voice, you hear that sound

Like thunder, gonna shake the ground"

She sings like a pro. Roar by Katy Perry is her favorite, that's her favorite song. Whenever she's bored or her surrounding is too quite she always sings to make the atmosphere alive. She's that jolly kid.

Caelliah is always a happy and jolly girl.

"Momma sing with me please." Caelliah pleaded while looking at the rearview mirror.

She looked at Tallan and quickly patted his cheek.

"Twinnie sing with me and Momma okay? For fun." She happily said

Tallan looked at her with serious eyes and eventually nodded when he saw that his sister was very happy. Tallan doesn't want her sister to be sad. So even if he doesn't want to do something he will do it if it will make his sister happy.

"I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter

Dancing through the fire

'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar

Louder, louder than a lion

'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar"

We sang together the chorus while I was driving. My smile plastered on my face as we sang the song heartily. We passed some coconut trees and other houses on this island as I continued driving.

Caelliah sang well in the background which made me smile. I hope my daughter will always be jolly like this even if she grows older.

I parked my car meters away from the gate of their school.

"You're gonna hear me roar," Caelliah sang the last line of the song.

She clapped happily causing me to laugh softly.

"Yehey we're here, it's just so timing because I'm done singing Katy Perry's Roar." She muttered and giggled softly.

I quickly got out of the car and opened the door for them. Caelliah went down first and Tallan was the last.

When they both got down I took a deep breath before smiling at them. It seems like they will only get smaller. They don't know anything about the world yet. If I look at their appearance now, wearing their uniforms, I can say that my children are growing up little by little and I can't hide them on this island forever.

And I can't keep them away from their father always. Because I know they will search and search for Rainer's presence because they want to see him and be with him.

I knelt down a little so that my face could level with the faces of my children.

I caressed Caelliah's fluffy cheeks.

"Sweetie goodluck hmm. Be a good girl okay? don't give your brother a headache." I muttered while smiling.

Caelliah also smiled and nodded her head.

"Yes, Momma. I will be a good girl at school. Didn't you say that when Caelliah is a good girl, Dadda will be happy." She promised well. Something tugged my heart while looking at his eyes flashing with joy.

My chest tightened at the thought of everything I told my children was just a lie.

"Yes you're right. So you should be a good girl okay?" I asked and she immediately nodded her head.

I looked at Tallan who's quietly looking at us. I touched his cheeks and stared at his brown orbs. Tallan eyes resemble his father eyes so much.

"Raelan,"

"Hmm?" Tallan shot his brow up while humming.

I give him a small smile "Take care of your sister always okay? Protect her at all costs. Do you understand me hmm?"

He quickly nodded and caressed my cheek.

"Don't worry Momma, I will protect Raiah at all costs. That's my always promise to you right?" He assured me.

I gently patted his head "Good boy Tallan." I uttered and kissed his cheeks.

I tilted my head to Caelliah's side only to see her mouth parted.

"Raiah, what's wrong?" I asked in confusion while looking at her face as if she had seen a ghost.

"Daddy..." She whispered. Confused, I looked at the direction where she was looking. My brows furrowed when there's no people in that place.

"Momma! I saw Dadda. I'm not wrong, I know it's Dadda. Momma, I just saw Dadda..."

My heart clenched when I saw my daughter biting her lower lip to stop herself from crying. Tallan quickly approached her and rubbed her back.

"Dadda is not here. Stop imagining things." Tallan caressed his sister's back while whispering those words.

I felt the tears pool in the corner of my eyes while looking at my twins. Looked at them Talliah is this what you want? Seeing your children crying because they want to see their father badly.

Tallan met my gaze "Momma we are going in now."

I wiped some tears away and nodded my head. I quickly approached them and kissed their foreheads. I watched the twins enter the school. I sighed and caressed my chest where my heart belongs. My heart is aching right now.

For the last time I looked at the place where Caelliah looked earlier. I didn't see any people but only cars. Maybe she just missed her father so much and she kept imagining Rainer's face.

Keegan:

We're already here.

After I got inside the car I immediately saw Keegan's message. They're finally here. I quickly typed a message.

Me:

Going there. Give me 15 minutes.

I quickly drove to the place where I could see Keegan.

I scratched my eyebrow and focused my eyes on the road. I left with a full decision and I will return with a full decision. I know for myself that my children are not the only one who want to see their Father.

Because I know myself that I missed the presence of the person I love so much.