Chapter 5 A Loving Mother

Upon entering their apartment... Chad is already waiting for her in their living room.

"Who is that man Mom?" Chad asked his mother while pouting his lips. He doesn't want her mother to have dates.

Kristina replied, "He is Mr. Luther Gracer, my business partner's son." knowing how her son is thinking, Kristina, smiles at him.

"Hmmph," Chad reacted while walking to their dining room. "I haven't eaten yet Mom. Uncle Kristof left me with crackers and juice only," he said.

Kristina knows how gluttonous her son is hungry by this hour. She smiled at him and said, "Don't worry son Mommy will prepare your dinner quickly, I haven't eaten also."

Chad smiled at her mother now. It is as though he just wants to soothe his Mom. "I miss you, Mom," 

Kristina is quite guilty. She knows that her son is asking for her time. But since her work is quite a time abusive, she can't go and attend with her son as often as she wants to.

Kristina went to her room and changed her clothes and then proceed to the kitchen to prepare their dinner.

She prefers to cook Chad's favorites: Chicken Stew and Lumpiang Shanghai. It's a quick dish after all and easy to prepare. 

Chad smelled the dish being cooked by her Mom." Hmmmn, it is yummy," he giggles while going to the kitchen.

"I will set the table, Mom," Chad said while getting the plates and other utensils. Mother and son always share their duties at home. Chad always helps his mother do their household chores. He knows that Kristina is already tired from working and yet still wants to do her duties at home and for him.

Kristina smiles while seeing her son setting the table. She is so proud that she has raised Chad to be a kind and nice person. She knows he will be a better person when he grows up. She continues what she is doing in the kitchen and gets ready to bring the soup bowl to their dining table.

"Chad, you should wash your hands first before we eat," Kristina said.

"Okay Mom," Chad politely said while walking to the kitchen to wash his hands.

After seating, Chad leads the prayer "Lord, thank you for all the blessings. Thank you for all the food on our table. Please protect my Mommy and bless her with a good income so that we can have more food to eat. Thank you."

"Thank you, Lord. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen," Kristina ended the prayer. "Let's eat." Kristina put the chicken stew in Chad's bowl.

"Yummy. Thank you Mommy for always cooking sumptuous dishes for me. I love you," Chad said while giggling.

Kristina smiles at Chad and emotionally said, "Welcome son. Mommy will never get tired of cooking for you. I love you more." 

Mother and son have their dinner happily.

Chad helped his mom clean the table and wash the dishes. 

"Mommy, there will be a Family Day next Saturday in our school. We are asked to have a family presentation," Chad said to her mom.

"Okay, I will think of a presentation then son," Kristina said.

"Mommy, can we hire someone who will act as my Daddy? My classmates will bring their Mommy and Daddy. We are only two for the presentation, it's not a family Mommy, I wished we are a complete family,"  Chad said sadly.

Kristina suddenly looked at her son and saw some tears in his eyes.

"Son, even though we are just Mother and Son, we are still family. Remember in your module? We are categorized as a Single Parent Family," Kristina explained to her son. It is quite hard for her to see Chad in a sad state. Her heart hurts the most.  She slowly walked to the bathroom to hide her tears. She doesn't want her son to see that she is emotionally affected by his words.

Chad then went to his bedroom with his head down.

Chad's POV:

Chad is quite envious of his classmates every time they are talking about their family, a complete family. How they play with their fathers. He also watches his classmates being sent and fetched by their fathers in their school.

"Lord I pray that Mommy will meet someone whom I can call my Daddy already. I know you will hear me because I am a good kid, isn't it? Thank you. " Chad prayed while tears are flowing down his cheeks.

Kristina on the other hand while in the bathroom can't help herself but cry. She burst out. When it comes to family matters and his son is talking about it, she can't control her emotions. Before Chad was still young, Kristina can handle the situation if he was looking for his Daddy or asking what happened with their family. It's quite hard now to explain to him for Kristina knows that her son really longed for a father. 

There were nights that Kristina can't sleep. Thinking about these matters. Chad is already schooling and sometimes going home with issues of bullying. Most of his classmates bullied Chad since he has no father who appears in school and often, Kristina was invited to Prefect of Discipline. Chad can fully understand the situation but what do you expect with the mind of a child, sometimes his longingness strikes, and Kristina can't help it.

Before Kristina headed to her bedroom, she dropped by Chad's room and checked on her son. Chad tucked himself inside the quilt cover and slept soundly. When Kristina kissed her son's cheeky cheeks she found out that there are dried tears already. Her son slept sadly.

"I am sorry son. I can't fulfill my duty as Father and Mother at the same time to you," Kristina bursts out crying silently. She is emotionally hurt. "I love you so much and Mommy will do everything to make you happy and feel complete."

Kristina then went to her bedroom and lay down on her bed. "God please continue to guide and protect us. Lead me to the right path to handle everything. I am lifting everything unto you Oh Lord," she sincerely prayed.

Kristina remembered the times when she learned that she was pregnant with Chad before. She was 18 years old then. Her boyfriend was sent abroad by his parents to separate from her and eventually died in a car accident. She wasn't able to tell her boyfriend's family about her pregnancy. She was almost lost and depressed. She told her parents about her pregnancy and ate all the bad-mouthing of her mother.

Despite her situation, she was a working student then and pursue her studies even though she is quite having difficulty with her pregnancy. She endured hardships and bullying. She wanted to finish her studies and accepted her fate. The fate of being a single parent. 

When she gave birth to Chad via Caesarian Operation, things were difficult as well as her newborn got a complication and acquired pneumonia. Chad had been in NICU for 10 days and her family supported her financially since she wasn't expected to give birth via CS Operation and that her child will have a complication. She is very grateful to her family despite all the struggles she's been through with her mother. She can't put any grudge against her mother for she knew that her mom is a perfectionist and had high expectations of her.

She continued her studies and graduated with Latin Honors under a course in Business Management. She made sure of herself that the only thing she can pay back to her family is to give them her Diploma and Honors.  She applied as a rank and file from a prestigious Apparel and Fashion Company. With a great academic excellence background, she stepped the ladder and got promoted time after time.

She has been relocated from different places, as per her job requirements and she performed really well. She is indeed a performer and achiever in her company. She worked really hard and love her work so well. Every time she was relocated, she brought her son with her and her brother Kristof accompanied them and helped her raise her son. Her brother is really of great help.

Being a single parent and a working mom as well is not an easy job. Kristina prepared her mind and soul and embraced it. Her colleagues and friends called her Superwoman. Her journey made her a survivor and a strong woman. 

She never gave up. She is a very optimistic person and knows that every problem has solutions. She maintains calm and does not easily panic about any issues coming her way. She knows that the best solutions can be done if she maintained her mind in a relaxed way.

"I have surpassed my challenges for almost 7 years and I know I still can survive now. In God we trust," she said to herself before closing her eyes. She hugged her pillow and slept.

She will just think of the Family Day activity of Jude in school tomorrow. She might ask her brother Kristof to accompany them and act as Chad's guardian/father for that event. Her brother is their best supporter of things like this and she is very thankful to him.

She was already fast asleep when her mobile phone vibrates. She was already in her dream world and can't be disturbed.

"Good night Tin," a message pops in from Nathaniel.

"Have a sweet sleep Tin," a message from Mr. Gracer.

Nathaniel's POV:

He is waiting for Kristina's response and though he is quite disappointed, he knew that she is already sleeping. He smiled and lay on his bed as well. 

"See you in my dreams, my Dear Tin. I can't wait to see you ... soon... very soon...," Nathaniel said to himself.

Mr. Gracer's POV:

After sending his sweet message to Kristina, he went to his minibar and drink a glass of wine. He is smiling while thinking of her. 

"I will pursue you, Kristina," Mr. Gracer told himself while smiling.

These two seemed to bring headaches to Kristina in the future. She didn't intend to have a romantic relationship for seven years to give focus on her career and Chad. She is now ready to mingle and yet she is just asking for one but now there were two gorgeous men in the row.

Well, Kristina will see those messages tomorrow. Who may be of help on Chad's Family Day Affair in school then? Hmmmn.