"RECONCILIATION"
"DADDY!"
They were preparing for breakfast that Saturday when an unexpected visitor arrived at their home.
"Good morning!" happy and smiling, Andrew greeted her and Mama Cecille then quickly carried Andrea who run-up to her father.
"Have you eaten already, Andrew?" her aunt to Andrew who was still smiling when he stepped closer to where they were.
"Not yet," he replied to Mama Cecille although he was staring at her with his eyes glistening.
"Mommy's pretty isn't she, Daddy?"
Lana was surprised by her daughter's question so she quickly picked up her cup of coffee and sipped.
In that way, at least she could have hidden the shock along with the severe beating on her chest and the young lady succeeded there.
"Yes, very pretty," Andrew replied with a look of admiration on his face and then turned his gaze back to the child afterward.
Lana secretly shuddered at what the man said. But as before, she prefers to hide it.
"Sit down then so you can eat breakfast with us," Mama Cecille said.
Lana knew that her Mama Cecille was noticing something so she immediately gave her a meaningful stare.
"Daddy, will you also take me to my ballet class today?" Andrea sitting next to the chair occupied by the father.
Lana quickly saw that the young man's face seemed to light up at his daughter's question.
"It's okay, that's if your Mommy will allow it," he said following his words with a weak laugh.
Lana opened her mouth but Andrea quickly overtook her.
"Can Daddy be with us too? Please?" Andrea asked.
"Andrea, isn't your grandmother with you in ballet class?" Lana to the child.
"You three can do it, can't you?" the child in her low and pleading tone then shifted her gaze to her and Andrew.
"Give what your daughter wants," from the kitchen her aunt came out of the dining room carrying a platter of hot fried rice. "It's only now that she asked for this kind of favor from you. Especially soon, it's her birthday," Mama Cecille said with a smile and then glanced at her granddaughter.
"Yey! I love you, grandma!" Andrea claps in delight.
Lana just stood up. "Okay, it's like I have another choice but to give you what you want?" she said laughing at her daughter's reaction.
*****
"LEAVE us here first so you and Andrew can talk," said her Mama Cecille when they were at the school gate.
"We don't have anything to talk about Ma," Lana said glancing at the man who remained sitting in the car in front of the steering wheel.
The old woman shook her head in succession. "He told me earlier while you were taking a bath. He said he wanted to clarify things to you about your daughter," replied her aunt.
The young lady was stunned by what she heard. "About Andrea?" she said, her voice was full of concern.
Her Mama Cecille nodded. "All right," she further shooed her away.
*****
"WHERE are we going to talk?" Lana asked when she was left with Andrew in his car.
"In my condo," was his short reply so she quickly turned to him.
"What?" Lana said in an unbelievable tone.
"Look, I know what you're thinking. Well, I'm not going to lie to you. You can probably feel how much attraction I feel to you since the very beginning. And even if you don't speak, I know that you feel the same for me," the young man glanced at her for a moment.
But no matter how fast that glance, the seemingly small flames in the man's eyes still did not escape Lana's sight. That's why she felt the intense heat on both of her cheeks.
"And you're taking advantage of that aren't you?" Lana closes her eyes when she says that.
She knew it wasn't straightforward but on the other hand, she also admitted to Andrew that what he was thinking was true.
"No, everything that happens to us is because of the intense longing I have felt for you ever since," the young man replied.
"But why do we have to talk in your place? It's okay at the coffee shop, isn't it?"
"We're going to talk about Andrea. Our daughter, you know about my job. So maybe you'll understand that when I choose to keep something private, it means it's very important to me."
Lana was stunned for a moment at what she heard. "Okay," she replied.
*****
LANA'S face quickly warmed up as she caught sight of a familiar scene inside Andrew's condo. But as usual, she quickly dismissed it in her mind.
"Would you like coffee or juice?" Andrew who was in the small kitchen continued while she in turn sat on the leather couch.
"I'm fine," she refused then smiled at the man.
Andrew shrugged as he continued making coffee. While Lana spotted some photo albums under the center table. She took one there.
The young lady immediately smiled when she saw the picture of Andrew's family. Along with his only sister, Samantha that she noticed has a great resemblance to Andrea.
"It's better to talk with coffee," as the young man laid down in front of her the cup of hot coffee.
Lana smiled there and then glanced at the man who was now sitting opposite the couch she was occupying.
"Sam looks like Andrea," she said and continued browsing the photo album.
"I hate to admit it, but yeah!" the young man joked that when she glanced at him she noticed that he was staring at her.
Lana rolled her eyes. "In fairness to your sister, she's really beautiful," she would tell the truth.
"Tell her that, I'm sure you'll get along," joked Andrew again who sipped coffee from his mug.
Lana then closed the album then returned it to where it was taken.
"You're lucky you have a sibling. I had no other desire then but to have one to be with while I was growing up. But Mama Cecille didn't get married so here it is," she said followed what she said by a shrug, and then reached out the cup of coffee and take a sip too. "I missed this," she whispered.
"After what happened, didn't you visit any of Scott's branches?" the young man got what she meant.
A bitter smile tore from Lana's lips. "I have to admit, yes" she would tell the truth. "I'm sorry if I hid Andrea from you," the young lady met Andrew's eyes.
Andrew nodded.
"That's over, okay, I've understood everything," the young man smiled sweetly at her.
Lana didn't even admit it but in her heart, she immediately felt the rapid change as if it had eased a lot there. For a long time, she carried alone the resentment that in fact was her choice.
It wasn’t about her daughter, rather it was about her and herself. She knew that since that night, her feelings for Andrew no longer revolved around mere admiration.
It deepened deeply and intensified when she gave birth to the fruit of all her weaknesses because of how she really feels for the young man.
"Why don't we try to be good to each other. Even for the sake of our daughter?" Andrew after a few moments of silence.
"W-What?" Lana couldn't understand but her chest suddenly tightened because of what the man said.
"I want to give Andrea a whole family," Andrew followed what he said with a deep sigh.
Lana's chest tightened even more because of that. But even if she says she already has an idea of what the young man means, she still wants to hear it from him.
"If you'll agree, I'd like to marry you,"Andrew replied unequivocally.
