6. Are You Two Okay?

           

               “I’m sorry. I’ve never really been around kids before, so I don’t know what he likes.”

Declan smiled as he watched Vino, Natalie’s son, intently examining the toy robot he had brought for him. Since this was his first meeting with Vino, Declan obviously didn’t want to show up empty-handed. So, on his way home from the office, he had deliberately stopped by a nearby bakery to buy some chocolate brownies, along with a small gift—a transforming robot that, according to the shopkeeper, was all the rage among kids these days.

“It’s okay. Once you have a child of your own, I’m sure your fatherly instincts will kick in naturally,” Natalie replied as she reappeared, carrying a tray of hot chocolate and several snacks.

“Hmm … I hope so.”

“You really didn’t have to bring Vino a gift, Dim. I’m already happy that you came to see him.” Natalie lowered herself onto the sofa right beside Declan.

“You really want to have a child, huh? Look at how fascinated you are with Vino.” Natalie let out a soft chuckle.

“Hmm … your son is really cute. He’s adorable.”

“Yeah, he really is. If only his father were as attentive as you.”

“Doesn’t his father know that Vino is sick?” Declan furrowed his brows in confusion.

“He knows, but he has work in China. He can’t just come home right away.” Natalie lowered her gaze sadly.

“He’s really busy, huh?”

“Very. Sometimes it feels as though we don’t even exist to him, like we don’t need his attention at all.” Natalie lifted her gaze and stared into Declan’s eyes for a few seconds before turning away and looking at her beloved little boy instead.

“Mam, should I move Vino to his own room or to yours?” Vino’s nanny interrupted their conversation.

“His own room, please.” Natalie nodded, then, a second later, lightly patted Declan’s thigh. “Just a moment, I’ll get Vino settled in his room. Have some of hot chocolate first.” She tilted her chin toward the small table in front of them.

Declan nodded slowly. He leaned back against the sofa, watching Natalie walk away.

For some reason, an unfamiliar flutter stirred in his heart every time he looked at Natalie. Especially now, seeing her like this, he couldn’t help noticing how much more mature and captivating she had become, carrying an entirely different aura than before.

“A child…” Declan murmured to himself, suddenly thinking of Sarah.

“How could the two of us never even manage to unite our hearts? What would happen if we had a child without love? Especially when we hardly ever… do it.”

While waiting for Natalie to finish what she was doing, Declan got up and walked toward the small table in front of the living room. His eyes fell on the photographs of Natalie and her son.

Most of them were pictures of just the two of them—Natalie and Vino—with no sign of Nael, her ex-husband. But a stack of older, larger photographs behind them caught his attention. One of them, displayed in a large frame, showed Natalie and Nael posing intimately in traditional Javanese wedding attire.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting. Vino always takes a little longer to fall back asleep after being moved. He has to hold my hand first.”

Declan turned around to find Natalie smiling at him. “It’s okay. Vino deserves plenty of attention, especially when he’s sick like this.”

After clearing his throat, the two old friends returned to their seats in the living room and watched a talk show airing on one of the television stations.

“Why aren’t you drinking your chocolate?” Natalie asked after noticing that the cup of chocolate remained untouched.

“Hmm… I don’t know. For the past few days, my stomach has been feeling nauseous whenever I eat or drink anything chocolate-flavored.” Declan grimaced as he rubbed his flat stomach.

“That’s unusual. You used to love chocolate.” Natalie smiled briefly.

“Maybe my stomach’s just acting up. Lately, I’ve been craving sour and tangy things instead.”

“You’re so weird. You sound like a woman having pregnancy cravings.” Natalie patted Declan’s shoulder and laughed.

“Pregnancy cravings? What, am I pregnant?” Declan chuckled along with her.

“Want me to make you some mint tea?” Natalie asked.

Declan nodded firmly with a smile. “Sure.”

***

“Does Declan often come home this late?” asked a middle aged man waiting in Declan’s living room.

“No, just tonight. Declan said he had to work overtime,” Sarah lied, trying to reassure her father in law.

“But it’s almost ten o’clock,” he continued worriedly.

“Declan has a lot of projects right now, Dad, and his division is short-staffed.”

“Is that really the case?”

“Yes.” Sarah smiled broadly, hoping her father-in-law wouldn’t notice her lie. “How about I go to Redfin first?”

It had already been more than an hour since Declan’s father had arrived at their house. When Declan’s phone remained unreachable, he decided to come directly to his son’s home. He had come to tell them that his mother was feeling unwell and wanted both her son and daughter-in-law to come stay at their house.

“And what about your husband?”

“I’ll have Sarah let Declan know. He can go straight to afterward.”

Her father-in-law clicked his tongue. “Declan has always been so difficult for his parents to reach.”

“He’s busy, Dad,” Sarah defended him.

“Always busy,” the bespectacled man muttered. “Fine. Come with me first. Your husband can follow later.”

“All right. I’ll just grab some clothes first.” Sarah smiled broadly when her father-in-law nodded, then turned and headed toward their bedroom.

She wouldn’t need to bring many clothes to her in laws’ house since she still had several outfits there. As their only daughter-in-law, Sarah had become Norah’s favorite. Declan’s gentle mother loved Sarah as if she were her own daughter.

So it was no wonder that when Sarah heard her mother-in-law was unwell, she immediately became deeply worried. Sarah froze for a moment as she was about to organize some skincare products on her vanity. Her eyes landed on the pregnancy test she had bought earlier from a pharmacy near the salon.

Mia’s words about the possibility that she might be pregnant had been nagging at her mind. Without even realizing it, Sarah had found herself walking into a pharmacy and buying several pregnancy test kits.

Her menstrual cycle had always been irregular. Sometimes her period came once every two months, and occasionally even once every three months. Because of that, she could never accurately determine when she was fertile. And throughout her marriage, she and Declan had never used protection during sex.

Sarah looked at her vanity again before quickly slipping the pregnancy test into the small bag hanging from her shoulder. She would think about whether she was pregnant or not later. Besides, it no longer mattered now that Declan had cast her aside.

Right now, only one thing mattered, Norah’s health. Her beloved mother-in-law.

“I’m ready. Let’s go,” Sarah said when she had finished getting ready.

“Have you told your husband?” her father in law asked.

“Yes.” This time, Sarah wasn’t lying.

A little while earlier, she had sent Declan a message telling him that she was going to spend the night at his parents’ house. She had also informed him that his mother wasn’t feeling well. The message hadn’t been read yet because Declan’s phone was still turned off. But Sarah was sure he would see it eventually.

“All right, let’s go. Here, I will lock the door.” Her father-in-law held out his hand, asking for the key Sarah was holding.

After handing him the key, Sarah walked ahead and waited on the front porch.

“Wait…, are you sure you and Declan are okay? You two aren’t fighting or anything, are you?” Alex’s sudden question made Sarah stop in her tracks.

She was startled, but quickly forced a smile and composed her expression, hiding her surprise. “We’re fine, Dad.”

“But… why did you come out of the guest room earlier? Shouldn’t you have been in your own bedroom?”

***