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She blinked up at him.

“It’s time to get up.” He told her.

She lowered her eyes and got up from her bed.

She then looked at her father directly, waiting for him to be honest with her.

“Look, Hera. Since your mother had become sick, I know that you have been feeling alone. With her being in the hospital and me needing to work and sometimes needing to leave for business trips–it has been hard on everyone. And now, when your mother has finally rested in peace, I know that you felt even more lonely. But remember that I’m here. You’re not alone.” Leonard said.

Hera listened but somehow his words seemed to escape to her other ear.

“You and I are still grieving after losing Helayna. I know that you miss her so much. And believe me, so do I. But this can’t go on. Your mother had been suffering all these years, in fact, we should be relieved that she’s finally able to rest and be free from pain. We have to keep going and just hold her in our hearts. She wouldn’t want to see you locking yourself up in your room. She would want you to be happy. She would also want me to be happy. And live on.”

She knew this as well.

But inwardly, she felt that her father never really shared this feeling with her.

He had always been away. She didn’t believe there ever was an instance when she saw the sadness and pain in his eyes.

No, he even seemed cold towards his mother and strict towards her, expecting her to be the straight A’s student she had always been.

“Hera, later, I will introduce to you three important people. They will be part of our lives from now on. So I want you to be good and get along with them, alright?”

“Who?” She finally croaked.

“They are family.” He said.

She frowned. “Whose side?”

Silence.

He evaded her gaze for a moment.

“She’s a good woman. A good mother too. I’m sure you’ll like her. She will take care of you–”

“I can take care of myself. I have been doing it all this time.” She interjected.

“That’s not–” Leonard paused. “You’re almost fifteen.. There are things that only girls talk about. With your mom not around anymore. She– she will be here for us.”

Leonard didn’t know how to explain it to her. “Anyway–just get along with everyone. Fix yourself. We’ll have lunch together.”

He stepped out of her room, closing the door behind him.

He exhaled heavily, he felt knots at the back of his head and neck.

“Daddy!” Rica came running towards him, hugging his leg.

“Yes, sweetheart..” He smiled widely at her.

“Go inside Leon’s room! Look at how we decorated it!” She said in a sing-song voice as she pulled his hand, attempting to drag him inside.

“Haha.. Be careful..” He loved how excited she was.

When they entered the room, Leon was on his device, playing a game on the twin-sized bed.

Rebekah was now putting Leon’s clothes in the empty closet.

She had already arranged Leon’s shoes in the shoe rack inside.

“Have you ordered?” Leonard asked.

“Yeah. They said 45 minutes.” She said.

“Mn. Okay. So how do you guys like the room?”

“It’s great! This was your office room, right? You don’t have an office room now.”

“Yeah. It’s alright. I barely used it anyway. With my laptop, I can pretty much work anywhere. I moved my desk inside our room.”

At the sound of ‘OUR room’, Rebekah’s eyes brightened as she looked at Leonard sweetly.

“That’s good!” She beamed at him.

He smiled. “How do you like your room, Leon?”

“I love it!” He gave him a thumbs up then went back to playing on his small device.

“Good.” He smiled. “What were you going to show me, kiddo?”

“This one, daddy!” Rica had been tugging his hand.

“Hmm? What is it?”

Leonard looked at the direction the little girl was pointing at.

On a shelf where he used to place his files, which he now emptied, was now full of action figures, comic books, playstation games and school books.

“I did it myself!” Rica grinned proudly.

“Did you really?” Leonard looked at her in surprise.

The books were neatly stacked, as well as the playstation games. The action figures were lined up, all displayed.

“You helped your brother and mommy? Wow.. I’m impressed!”

“I’m so great! I’m a helpful little kid..” She grinned toothily.

“Yep. Rica listened well, right, Leon?” Rebekah said, smiling.

“Yeah.. I showed her where to put my books and my collections.” He answered.

“That’s good. So–umm.. Later.. You will meet your big sister, alright?”

Leon looked at Leonard, waiting for him to say more.

He’s already eleven years old and is beginning to understand more.

He had always wondered why Leonard couldn’t stay with them everyday in their old house.

Leonard would always say that he’s on business trips and sometimes it takes so long to finish.

It was the same when Rica was born.

Then one time at school, the girls in his group of friends were talking about weddings because one of them has an older cousin who’s getting married and she would be one of the junior bridesmaids.

The other girls shared their experience attending weddings too. Then the topic reached the point when they began to show photos of their own parents’ weddings. Even the boys joined in, looking at their parents’ accounts in social media since in this day and age, people like to scan photos and post those in their social media as a throwback photo. 

Most of it was taken before they were born, one was taken when she was still in her mother’s womb and another was already a year old and was actually the ring bearer.

As for Leon, he was unsure what to show them when they asked him. There weren’t any photos in any photo albums or frames at home showing his parents wearing wedding attire. His mother also didn’t post any in her social media account and they are even strict when it comes to him being on it. He doesn’t even have his own account yet, saying he’s still too young.

Leon didn’t think anything of it other than they’re too strict like the other strict parents of his classmates. His classmates would complain about it every now and then, especially when they’re not allowed to go somewhere with the other friends.

But there are some photos of Rebekah and Leonard together. Like in dinner dates, vacations, other candid photos. Then there’s one with Rebekah dressed beautifully in an ivory short sleeveless, square neck dress with Leonard in a black suit behind her, hugging her from behind. Rebekah’s hand rested on his arm, it showed her big diamond ring on her finger.

It was a photo taken at a professional studio.

Leonard assumed that this was their wedding photo. He had learned that not everyone gets married in church. Some people choose to marry in other venues like the beach, at a garden, inside the house even, and some didn’t even require a priest. Just a judge or an officiant.

He assumed that this was the case for Rebekah and Leonard.

He was unprepared so he wasn’t able to show them this photo. He just merely described it to them. The girls were then the ones who assumed that his parents probably got married by a judge or officiant. The girls were quite imaginative, even saying that maybe his grandparents didn’t approve of his parents' marriage so they didn’t have a big wedding. That's why he didn’t see any photos of the ceremony or the reception.

But some years ago, Leonard suddenly gathered them around and told them some of the truth.

That in fact, he and Rebekah were still not married but still considered themselves husband and wife.

Leon was shocked and embarrassed for assuming all those years that his parents were already married. Inwardly, he wondered what his friends would think if they knew. That what he said turned out to be a lie. But it was not his fault! He didn’t know!

He only assumed that his parents are just like any other normal parents.

He was even more shocked when Leonard showed a photo of a pretty girl and called her his daughter.